Tough talk keeps anger focused on nothing but illegal immigration

Run, Mexicans, run. Drop your claw hammers. Lay down those lawn rakes. Leave the dirty dishes in the sink.

Run while you still can. The Republicans are coming, the Republicans are coming. Better head for the border.

That's my advice after listening to the triple-tough rhetoric of the Republican presidential candidates as that party's Jan. 19 caucus approaches. Although the Democrats have spent far more time and invested more resources here, Republican candidates are beginning to make their presence felt with pugnacious advertisements, some focused on the illegal immigration issue. From the sound of the rhetoric, these men really, really want Nevadans to know how mad they are about those illegal immigrants in our midst.

Ron Paul may be an underdog in the polls, but he's a bulldog on immigration. Here's the script from Paul's recent television advertisement on the subject. (You'll have to add your own ominous voice-over.)

Announcer: "For generations, Lady Liberty welcomed immigrants who came here legally, followed the rules, and led productive lives. Today, illegal immigrants violate our borders and overwhelm our hospitals, schools, and social services. Ron Paul wants border security now.

"Physically secure the border. No amnesty. No welfare to illegal aliens. End birthright citizenship. No more student visas from terrorist nations. Standing up for the rule of law. Ron Paul for president."

If you think that's tough, listen to what Mitt Romney has to say. Although less alarmist than Paul, you'll remember Romney has been whacking Rudy Giuliani with the immigration stick, making much of the former New York mayor's willingness to allow the Big Apple to be named a "sanctuary city" for immigrants of questionable documentation.

A Romney radio spot currently circulating defines the candidate as tough on illegal immigrants.

Announcer: "Immigration laws don't work if they're ignored. That's the problem with cities like Newark, San Francisco, and New York City that adopt sanctuary policies. Sanctuary cities become magnets that encourage illegal immigration and undermine secure borders. As governor, Mitt Romney didn't wait on Washington. He acted to make our immigration laws work. Mitt Romney is the exceptional governor who took a stand so state police could enforce federal immigration laws. Mitt Romney said no to driver's licenses for those here illegally. Mitt Romney insisted on teaching our kids in English. And as president, Mitt Romney will cut back federal funds to cities that provide sanctuary to illegal immigrants."

In one ad, Romney gets tough on illegals and pillories challengers Giuliani (Mr. Sanctuary City), John McCain (with his sissified measured approach), and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (who opposed banning state-funded services and education for the children of illegal immigrants).

Fred Thompson, in his best plain-folks cadence, weighs in on the subject by taking Mexican President Felipe Calderon to task in a YouTube broadcast. (At last check, Calderon is not a candidate for the nomination, but is probably polling better than Duncan Hunter.)

Thompson: "Fortunately, we've got someone who's all too willing to tell us what we should do about it, the president of Mexico, Felipe Calderon. President Calderon doesn't think much of our border policies. He criticizes our efforts to secure the border with such things as border fencing. He says that bottlenecks at U.S. checkpoints hurt Mexican commerce and force his citizens to migrate illegally in order to make a living, and of course send money back to Mexico. He apparently thinks that we should do nothing, except make American citizens out of his constituents."

Talk about throwing a sombrero on a straw man.

But the get-tough message is bound to resonate with Republican voters looking for a reason to get off the couch and participate in the process -- especially here in Nevada, where a comprehensive survey by Glen Bolger of Public Opinion Strategies found an overwhelming majority of voters from both parties favors tougher immigration policies.

Under a Republican administration, the American economy is slouching toward recession, gasoline prices are at record highs, the mortgage crisis continues to spread, and there's a little war in Iraq and Afghanistan that has yet to be resolved.

But, hey, there's still time to thump the illegals and crank up the anger meter.

And the talk only figures to get tougher this week.

So run, Mexicans, run.

I suspect you'll be able to come out of hiding some time on the morning of Jan. 20.

John L. Smith's column appears Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. E-mail him at Smith@reviewjournal.com or call (702) 383-0295.