the texas weekly/texas tribune insider poll for the week of 20 … · 2015-11-19 · actual border...

INSIDE INTELLIGENCE: The Texas Weekly/Texas Tribune insider poll for 20 November 2015

The Texas Weekly/Texas Tribune insider poll

for the week of 20 November 2015


Twodozengovernors,mostlyRepublicans,saidMondaytheywouldrefusetherelocationofSyrianrefugeestotheirstates.Overtheweekend,multipleGOPpresidentialhopefulsweighedinonthesameissue.Whosevoicecarriesmoresway?

•"Allxenophobiaislocal."

•"Moreswaywithwhom?"

•"TheDemocratswhosaidthesamething."

•"TheU.S.Constitution."

•"ThePresidentoftheUnitedStates"

•"Theirrefusalmaynotholdup,butgovernorsareobviouslyreflectingstrongpublicopinionintheirstate.

(Presidentialcandidatesareaswell,buttheirremarkscanbedeflectedasself-interested.)"

•"Noone'svoicemattersmuchherebutUncleBarry.Thestatescan'tkeeppeoplefrommovingacrossstatelines."

•"FederalGovernmentwillmakethefinaldecisions."

•"'Moresway'withwhom?"


•"Legally,thePresident...therestareposturingforthevoters...duh!"

•"ThePresident."

•"Loud,obnoxiouskneejerkideologueswhopresenttheiropinionsasthatofeveryone."

•"Federalgovernmenthasthisresponsibility—statecooperationisnotneeded."

•"I'mabitunclearaboutthequestion,andhowyou'reusing'sway.'Doyoumeanswayingthepublic—thatis,leadingpublicopinion?Ordoyoumeanswayingpublicpolicy?Ordoyoumeanswayingpoliticalpopularity—asis,whogetsthemostpublicexposureand/orpoliticalbenefitfromtheircomments?"

•"Howaboutthosegovernorswhoarealsopresidentialcandidates,likeJindal,ChristieandKasich?Theycanactually*do*somethingwhilealsoscoringpoliticalpoints."

•"TheGovernorsaretheoneswhoareactuallyelectedandinofficeintheirstates."

•"President"

•"RandombureaucratsinDChavemoresayoverthissubjectthananygovernor.Butitsurehelpswhena**holepoliticiansself-identifythemselves,isn'tit?"

•"PresidentObama"

•"Theyareontheground."

IsAbbottonsolidlegalgroundinsayingnotoSyrianrefugees?

•"Afederalissue;conservativeleaderswanttopoliticize,andbydoingsoareexpressingalackofcompassionforapeopleingreatneed."

•"It'sgoodpolitics...period!"

•"No,butwhocares?"

•"TheFederalgovernmentcanplacerefugeesinTexaswhetherGov.Abbottwantsthemornot."

•"Butatleasthe'sontheground."

•"Underourweakgovernorconstitution,thegovernorcanlegallyorderflagstobeflownathalfmastandnotmuchmore.Underfederallaw,theUnitedStatescontrolsimmigration.As

usual,Abbottisplayingtohispoliticalbasewithoutregardtothelaw."

•"The10thAmendmentprovidesforstates'rights,butwhat'stopreventSyriansfromtravelinganywheretheywantifgivenamnestyintheUSA?"

•"OfcourseAbbottcannotprohibitSyrianrefugees—noranyoneelselegallyintheU.S.—fromcomingtoTexas.Hecanprobablywithholdcertainstate-providedresettlementservices."

•"Itdoesn'tmatter.WhenthesentimentsofthepeopleofTexasarealignedwiththesentimentsofthepeopleofWesternEurope,thelegalparticularshavelittleimpact.Paris


resultedinahugeshiftinthinkingandfeelingontheissueofbordersecurity.Whatthecourtsmightdecideaboutrefugeepolicyinthenextcoupleyearsisirrelevant."

•"Federalcourtshavestatedthatimmigrationisafederalresponsibility,althoughthey'reapparentlysomeroomforgovernorstoinfluencetheprocess."

•"Foranattorney,hisignoranceoffundamentallegalprecedentisimpressive."

•"No.Butthatdoesn'tmeanheiswrong,practicallyorpolitically."

•"Doesn'tmatter.DesignedtohurtDemocratsinvoteropinion."

•"Don'treallyknow...butthePresidentisinchargeofU.S.policy,whichincludesimmigrationpolicy.Therefore,IwouldsubmitPresidentObamawillhavethefinalsay."

•"Unlesshe'sgonnawaitforthemattheairportandtellthemtogobackhome,Idon'tknowhowhe'llbeabletorefusethemifthefederalgovernmentisbringingthemin."

•"Idon'tknowaboutthelegalgroundbutheisonveryinfirmmoralground."

•"Untilwesecede."

•"TexascanmakeitdifficultthoughtoassimilateSyrianrefugeesthroughlackofservices.Texashasacceptedenoughrefugeesalready.Weneedthefederalgovernmenttoact."

•"Probablynot,butI'mnotalawyer.It'sclearthatAbbottcan'tstoplegal

SyrianrefugeesfrommovingfromanotherstatetoTexas.ButIdon'tknowwhetherhehasanylegalauthorityfromensuringthattherefugeesdon'tmakeTexastheirportofarrival.However,thisisnotapublicopinionquestion,thisafactquestion.Whocareswhatpublicopinionisonthis'legalground'issue?Whetherit'sourbeliefthismovemakessensefromapoliticalperspectivewouldbeamoreproperlyformulatedquestionforthisforum.Buttoanswerthisquestion,above,youshouldasksomeonewhoknowswhatthey'retalkingabout."

•"Complyorloseaccesstofederalmoney.Seemsprettysolidtome."

•"Thisistheresultofthefederallegislativeandexecutivebranchesnotbeingabletoaddressimmigrationreforminasubstantivemanner;thevacuumthatexistsregardingbordercontrol,forexample,isbeingfilledbystateaction,thisisthenextstepinthatsituation.InthecontextoftheParisbombings,theSyrianrefugeequestionheightenstheissueofbordercontrol,butultimatelytheissueofimmigrationrestswithfederalauthorities,notwithstandingstateaction.WithPresidentObama'simmigrationexecutiveactionstemporarilyblockedbythefederalcourts,areasonableconclusioncanbereachedthatthecourtsviewimmigrationauthorityasrestingwithBOTHthelegislativeandexecutivebranchesandisnotsubjecttounilateralexecutiveaction."

•"StatecanprobablepreventimmediateresettlementofSyrianrefugees,butcannotkeepingaresettledrefugeefrommovingtoTexas."


•"Heisnotonsolidlegalormoralground."

•"HeisonstrongpoliticalgroundinTexasbutnotlegalground.Theissueofstateversusfederalsupremacywasfoughtoveranddecidedinthe1860s."

•"A'Christian'whodefendsthe10CommandmentsandtherighttosayagameprayertellingSyrianChristianstheyarenotwelcomeinTexas,heshouldbemoreconcernedabout'higher'ground..."

•"Texaswillhelpneighbors(Katrina),buttheFedsarenotscreeningthese

peopleandlacktheresources.Sorry,but18-40yearoldmaleswithoutfamiliesaretroopsinawar."

•"He'snotonhighermoralgroundeither."

•"Ofcoursenot.Butwhenisthelasttimehewasonsolidlegalgroundforanything?"

•"26otherstateshavefoundthesame,butIthinkthechurcheswillspeakupsoonandencourageimmigration."

DoeshisactionmakeTexassafer?

•"Dependsonwhetheroneoftherefugeesisaterrorist."

•"PoliticaltheatricshavenevermadeTexassafe."

•"Justmoreracistintheeyesoftheworld."

•"ButonlyifthegovernorsdissuadetheFedsfromsendingtherefugees."

•"Remember,thedaybeforetheParisattacks,thePresidentsaidISILwas'contained,'sodon'tyouthinkit'ssmartofDemocratsandRepublicansaliketoforcetheadministrationtoupgradeitspolicy?"

•"CertainlyallowingSyrianrefugeesheremakesuslesssafe!"

•"WehavealawlessPresident.Heonlyenforceslawsthatfurtheraradicalagenda.Asacountry,wehavenever

beeninthissituationbefore,RorDnotwithstanding,wherethePresidentactivelyseekstocircumventthelaw.Thestateshavetotakeactiontoprotectthemselves,thefederalgovernmenthastakentheposturethatthestatesandcitizensaretheenemy."

•"Itshouldemboldenlawenforcement."

•"Letmeputthisasplainlyaspossible.Actualbordersecurity—whichis,basically,knowingwhoisenteringthecountry—wouldmakeussafer.Ifitoperated,itwouldallowustoscreenoutdangerouspeople—criminals,theill,andotherswhocouldthreatenAmericans.Ifthethreatofdangerouspeopleisincreased,asitwouldbebytheadmittanceofthousandsofpeoplefromSyria,isreducedbyrefusingtoallowthosefolksin,then,ofcourse,Abbott'sactionmakesussafer."


•"Thisisabullshitquestion.ItwouldmakeTexassaferifitholdsup."

•"Conceivably,yes.Byhowmuch,Ihavenoidea.ButtoassumethatthereisnoriskfromtakinginthousandsofSyrianrefugeesthatpresumablyweknowlittleaboutseemsalittlefarfetched."

•"IsawthisonFacebook,soIknowit'strue:of700,000refugeeswe'vetakenin,nonehaveevercommittedanactofdomesticterror."

•"Onlytothegulliblethatthinkthatthisplacebosolutionwillmakethemsafer.DoesanybodyreallythinkthatterroristsonlycarrySyrianpassports??"

•"Maybe...shouldtheFederalGov'tfeelenoughheatfromstatestoinstallabetterprogramforbackgroundchecks...iftheyhaveabackground..."

•"UnlikelythatU.S.governmentcan(1)properlyvetpotentialentrants&(2)preventattackshereasevenFrance,whichhasthemostsophisticatedencryptiontechnologydeployed(prohibitedcurrentlyinU.S.)wasunabletoprotectitscitizenry."

•"Wehaveagreathistoryofwelcomingrefugeesfleeingdangerandseekingopportunity.Texasisdiverseandeconomicallypowerful.Drunkdriversareabiggerthreatthanterrorists,butweareinuredtothatkindofviolence."

•"Aslongasotherstatesallowentry,thentheserefugeescanenterTexasanyway.Therefusal,however,highlightsforU.S.citizensthatthereisasignificantproblem.Thisisthefirst

steptogettingCongressandthePresidenttoact."

•"Don'twestillhaveaproblemwithdrugdealersandhumantraffickerspiercingoursouthernborderseeminglyatwill?"

•"Asthefactssuggest,oneoftheParisbomberscameintoFranceundertherefugeewave,thanlogicallyyoucanconcludetheanswerisitdoesindeedmakeTexassafer."

•"Unquestionably."

•"No,it*literally*makesAmerica,andthereforeTexas,lesssafe.ISISwantsanall-outwarwiththeWest.TheywantustohateallMuslimsandtofearevenrefugeechildren."

•"IthinkTexasisalreadysafer,ISISknowsthatalotofTexanBubbasandMommasarepackingheat."

•"OneonlyhastolooktoISIL'suseoftherefugeecrisistoinfiltrateFranceasanexample."

•"No,itonlymakeshispoliticalrightflanksafer.Andthat'swhatismostimportant,right?"

•"Ifitpromptstheadministrationtotakeahardlookateachrefugeeenteringthecountry,yes.Ifnot,no."

•"Yes,notenoughisknownabouttheindividualsbecausetheSyriangovernmenthasbrokendownandtheyhavenoideawhothesepeopleare,muchlessdotheyevencare."

•"Withoutadoubt.TheradicalbrutalMuslimshavealreadyshownwhatthey


willdoinyourcountryalaFrance.Youwouldhavetobeafooloranidiottothinktheyarenotcominginwiththerefugees.Furthermore,weshouldstopthisinfluxalltogether.TheydonotassimilateandtheywantnothinglessthentoestablishSharialaw.Ifyoudonotbowdownandagreewiththem

theywilluseviolence.Thisisawarthathasbeengoingonforthousandsofyears.ThesadfactismostAmericansandWesternersarecluelessanddonotrealizethisevilregime,whichsidedwithHitler,wantstodestroyfreedomandwesterncivilization."

WhichisthegreaterthreatinTexas?

•"Electedofficialsshouldturntheirfocusoncrazyrednecksmurderingsixcampers,notaperceivedthreatbyrefugeesseekingabetterlife."

•"Thistypeofhatefulrhetoricisthegreatestthreatweface."

•"Legalimmigrantsandlonewolves.Theterroristswillmostlikelyhaveenteredlegallyorareradicalizedcitizens."

•"ThepuritanscallingthemselvestheTeaParty.Youcan'tgovernonfear."

•"NuttyRepublicanpolicieswhichhithardatwomen,children."

•"Statepoliticiansgrandstandingonissuestheycan'tdoanythingabout."

•"Droughtsandfloods."

•"Disinvestmentineducationandothercriticalpublicservices,long-termdrought,inadequatetransportationinfrastructureandmanymore."

•"JihadistsandradicalIslamicistscaninfiltrateoverourporousborder,byabusingourvisaregulations,bymisusingrefugeeresettlement,andviaothermeans.Allarethreats."

•"Lonewolf,white,schoolshooters."

•"Icanthinkofacouplethings:theNiño,thearmedmentallyillwithnothingtolose,lowvoterturnoutintheRepublicanprimary,theSECrecruitingourbestfootballplayersawayfromhome,adinfinitum..."

•"Politiciansandpropaganda-basednewssourcesthatareusingtheseandotherissuestofrightenpeopleandturnusagainstoneanothersothegeneralpopulationcanbemanipulatedintodoingwhatisnotintheirownbestinterests."

•"ThegreatestthreatisprobablytheTeaPartyandxenophobicrhetoric."

•"Utterlackofsubstantivefocusatleadershiplevels"

•"Toomanygunownerswithtoolittletraining.Toomanycopstrainedaswarriorsratherthanpeacemakers."

•"ThegreaterthreatisbillionairestryingtobuyinfluenceintheTexasLegislature."

•"Anover-heatedreactionaryright..."


•"IdiotspresentlyinchargeofU.S.foreignpolicyinD.C.—BO&'Cave-in'Kerry,forstarters!"

•"BigGovernmentthatgivesusbothanunsecuresouthernborderandaradicalresettlementprograminfiltratedbyradicals,whilsttellingthepeoplethatifwedarepauseateitherorbothweareUn-American.Bynow,beitimmigrationpolicyorsomeotherfunction,itshouldbeabundantlyclearthatgovernmentsolutionstoaproblemareoftenasbadastheproblemandquitefrequentlymaketheproblemworse."

•"Hysteria.Panderingpoliticians.BantheBelgians!InvadeBrussels!"

•"APresidentwhoisseeminglysympathetictoterroristgroups."

•"Bigotry,rampantxenophobiaandnativism."

•"Theyarenotmutualexclusive,thoughattimestheemphasisonthesouthernborderismisplacedinthecontextofinfiltrationbysuspectedterrorists,certainlynotmisplacedwithinthediscussionofentryofillegaldrugs.Recall,Sec.NapolitanosuggestedCanadawasmorelaxinitsimmigrationpoliciesthantheU.S.,allegingCanadianauthoritiesallowpeopleintothecountrythatwouldnotpassmustersouthoftheborderandsheinsistedthattheCanadianbordermustnotbetreatedanydifferentlythantheU.S.-Mexicanborder."

•"FearmongeringfromthoseweentrustwiththeleadershipofourState."

•"Reactingoutoffear."

•"...howaboutanyactualthreat?Lackofdrinkingandagriculturalwaterin20years?Galvestonandlargepartsofthecoastsinkingintorisingseas.Agenerationofkidswhocan'tfu*kingreadbecausetheirschoolshavebeenintentionallyrunintotheground?ThisquestionisstupidandI'mmadatallforevengrantingthepremise."

•"Lackofcivildiscourseandabilitytoworktogetherasstateandnationalleaderstomoveourcountryforward.Wearespinningawayfromeachotheratanalarmingandunsustainablerate."

•"TeaParty"

•"Failinginfrastructure"

•"TeaPartyandrightwingRepublicans."

•"Thosedamntranssexualscreepingintogirls'bathrooms"

•"ThegreatestthreatinTexasistheObamaadministrationbeingweakonnationalsecurity.Wehavesomanyassetsinourstatethatareintegraltotheday-to-dayoperationsofthecountrythatweare,andwillprobablyalwaysbe,atarget."

•"MakesourillegalMexicanproblemlooktrivial."

•"Both!"

•"Laxgunlaws"


Ourthankstothisweek'sparticipants:GeneAcuna,CathieAdams,BrandonAghamalian,JenniferAhrens,BrandonAlderete,ClydeAlexander,GeorgeAllen,JayArnold,CharlesBailey,DaveBeckwith,AndrewBiar,AllenBlakemore,TomBlanton,ChrisBritton,LydiaCamarillo,KerryCammack,SnapperCarr,CorbinCasteel,ElnaChristopher,KevinCooper,BethCubriel,RandyCubriel,CurtisCulwell,DeniseDavis,NoraDelBosque,GlennDeshields,TomDuffy,DavidDunn,RichardDyer,JackErskine,JohnEsparza,JonFisher,TomForbes,DominicGiarratani,BruceGibson,EricGlenn,KinnanGolemon,DanielGonzalez,JimGrace,ClintHackney,WayneHamilton,BillHammond,KenHodges,SteveHolzheauser,DeborahIngersoll,JasonJohnson,BillJones,MarkJones,WaltJordan,RobertKepple,RichardKhouri,TomKleinworth,SandyKress,DaleLaine,NickLampson,PeteLaney,JamesLeBas,LukeLegate,MyraLeo,RubenLongoria,HomeroLucero,MattMackowiak,JasonMcElvaney,SteveMinick,MikeMoses,NelsonNease,KeatsNorfleet,ToddOlsen,NefPartida,GardnerPate,JerodPatterson,RobertPeeler,TomPhillips,WaynePierce,AllenPlace,GaryPolland,JayPritchard,JayPropes,TedMelinaRaab,PatrickReinhart,DavidReynolds,ChuckRice,A.J.Rodriguez,JeffRotkoff,GrantRuckel,TylerRuud,JasonSabo,AndySansom,BarbaraSchlief,StanSchlueter,RobertScott,BruceScott,BenSebree,EdSmall,MarthaSmiley,LarrySoward,DennisSpeight,BryanSperry,TomSpilman,ColinStrother,SherrySylvester,SaraTays,TreyTrainor,VickiTruitt,CorbinVanArsdale,DavidWhite,DarrenWhitehurst,AngeloZottarelli.

the texas weekly/texas tribune insider poll for the week of 20 … · 2015-11-19 · actual border...

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