KEITH JOHNSON: NEWT GRINGO WANTS YOUR BROWN BABIES

by Keith Johnson

Something wicked this way comes.

It came for the Tea Party, and now its coming for Latinos.

This is all part of an ongoing campaign—financed by powerful money interests—to co-opt every grassroots political movement in America.

Michael Collins Piper has been writing extensively on this subject for American Free Press.  In a recent article he expalins:

“Here is what’s happening: Recognizing growing widespread disgust with both major parties, the elite big money forces seem to be laying the groundwork to usher in a new “centrist” party—a “controlled opposition” under their domination—to block the rise of any genuine populist third party challenging their power.”

The war-profiteering plutocratic elites want to be assured that—in the face of growing opposition from Americans on both the “left” and the “right”—budgetbusting internationalist policies promoting U.S. military adventurism in the Middle East and across the globe—in the name of what is now being touted as American “national greatness”—will be preserved.

In fact, the “national greatness” concept is just a patriotic-sounding cover name for what many call the New World Order.”

That New World Order that he’s talking about is the same New World Order that successfully infiltrated the Tea Party, and routed their bi-partisan anger over the entire Washington establishment into a right vs. left campaign platform for the Republican Party.

Now they are setting their sights on other disgruntled Americans, using the Tea Party co-opt as a model for future takeovers.

We all know now how this works.  The Republicans send in their operatives who pose as Washington outsiders.  They gain the trust of their target group by espousing rhetoric opposed to government largess and fiscal mismanagement.  While leaning hard on the Democrats, these operatives will also give light criticism to fellow Republicans for cronyism, stagnation and being “out of touch” with the concerns of the average American.  They promise to “take on the system” and restore the government to the people, placing the focus on economic and social issues, while being careful to steer away any debate that would challenge the power of the military-industrial-complex.  That’s the game.

Now this same game is being played against Latinos, with an emphasis being placed on immigration reform.

The Republican operative heading up this project is former US House Speaker, Newt Gingrich.  As a base of operations, Gingrich recently launched a bi-lingual news website called The Americano, that claims “to offer a more balanced view on all the issues that concern American Hispanics today, while celebrating the richness of Hispanic Heritage.”

That sounds nice.  But, if you browse the site, you find that the only thing they are “celebrating” is the Republican agenda.  “The richness of the Hispanic Heritage” is nothing more than ambiance, used like music or props in a feature film.  In truth, The Americano stays about as true to “Hispanic Heritage” as Taco Bell.

Gingrich’s BIO is prominently featured on the site.  In typical ‘centrist’ fashion, he is cast as a Washington outsider:

“After he was elected Speaker, he disrupted the status quo by moving power out of Washington and back to the American people.”

Yeah, we saw how that turned out.  The only thing that Newt’s “Contract with America” accomplished was to secure a decisive victory for the Republicans in the 1994 elections.

On December 2nd, The Americano sponsored a two-day conference in Washington D.C. featuring a number of sell-outs from the Hispanic community.  Gingrich, who once referred to Spanish as “the language of living in the ghetto,” headlined the event, and pitched his centrist version of comprehensive immigration reform.

“We are not going to deport 11 million people,” Gingrich said. “There has to be some zone between deportation and amnesty.”

That “zone,” accrording to Ginrich, seperates those immigrants who came here as children versus those who crossed the border as adults.

Part of Gingrich’s proposal would include establishing an ID card that would track a worker’s legal status.

“Let’s find someone who actually knows what they’re doing,” he said. “It should be possible for any employer, anyone in the United States, as fast as you swipe your ATM card to get cash, to swipe a card to know whether or not they’re able to hire you.”

This is quite an about face for Gingrich.  Following the attacks on 9/11, Gingrich came out firmly against the establishment of a National ID card. During congressional hearings debating the issue, Gingrich said that he, “would not institute a national ID card because you do get into civil liberties issues.” Apparently things have changed.

Jeb Bush, the former Governor of Florida—whom the Guardian recently described as a “party centrist” and “GOP emissary to America’s Latino communities.”—intends to follow up the Gingrich event with the Hispanic Leadership Network Inaugural Conference that will be held in Coral Gables, Florida on January 13th.  Jeb will host the event through the American Action Forum (AAF), a shadow GOP front group created by Karl Rove and Ed Gillespie.  This organization is one of four groups, serving as a collective think tank and propaganda machine, to rebuild the Republican brand.  Jeb serves as a board member of AAF, along with former DHS Chief, Tom Ridge.  Doug Holtz-Eakin, the former economic advisor to John McCain’s presidential campaign, is the apparent front man.

On the AAF website, CEO Norm Coleman made this announcement:

“I am proud to announce the official launch of the Hispanic Leadership Network, an ongoing effort by the American Action Network and the American Action Forum to provide a platform for the Hispanic community to connect with center-right policies and leaders,” said Coleman. “On the eve of an election that will see record diversity among center-right candidates and center-right voters, now is the time to harness that energy and turn those shared values into real grassroots action. I appreciate the hard work and support of our Chairmen, Jeb Bush, Governor of Florida from 1999-2007, and Secretary Carlos Gutierrez for their help in organizing the Hispanic Leadership Network and our first event in Coral Gables next year.”

Notice all of the ‘centrist’ jargon like “center-right policies,” “center-right voters” and “grassroots action.” Tea, anyone?

There is nothing grassroots about AAF.  It’s the same group of establishment Republicans who were the architects behind the George W. Bush presidency.

Yep, Newt Gingrich and Jeb Bush are working hard to get that Latino vote.  But that shouldn’t surprise anyone.  Hispanics comprise the fastest growing demographic in the nation.   By 2050, Latinos are projected to make up 25 percent of the U.S. population.

But there is something far more insidious behind the GOP’s latest outreach to the Latino community.  It’s not just the votes that they want.  The GOP sincerely wants comprehensive immigration reform.  In fact, they want to legalize as many immigrants as possible.  Why?  Because there are new wars looming on the horizon, and more immigrants mean more soldiers.  Right now, military personnel are already spread too thin with conflicts in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq.  New wars will require hundreds of thousands of fresh recruits.

Upon House passage of the DREAM ACT, Newt Gingrich praised certain “useful” aspects of the bill, particularly that which would allow the children of immigrants, who were brought here by their parents, to become American citizens if they join the military or go to college for two years.

The Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, has also publicly announced his support for the DREAM ACT.  In a recent letter he sent out to key Senators, Gates writes:

“There is a rich precedent supporting the service of non-citizens in the U.S. military. Since the Revolutionary War, non-citizens have enlisted in the armed forces for service during periods of national emergency. Today, about 35,000 non-citizens serve, and about 8,000 permanent resident aliens enlist every year. The DREAM Act represents an opportunity to expand this pool, to the advantage of military recruitment and readiness.”

I hope Latinos remember who Newt Gingrich and Jeb Bush are.  They are warmongers, first and foremost.

Last summer, Newt Gingrich gave a speech to the American Enterprise Institute and said that the U.S. did not take George W. Bush’s 2002 “Axis of Evil” speech seriously.  He said that we should have followed up the invasion of Iraq with military strikes on Iran and North Korea.

And Jeb Bush is an original signatory to the Project for the new American Century (PNAC), which sets out a plan to establish a global American empire by way of military preeminence.

So don’t think for one minute that these guys want immigration reform for any other reason than to enlist the children of these immigrants into the armed services.

Expect this campaign against Latinos to accelerate, and reach new levels, as the days progress.  The Republicans are energized, and encouraged, by the recent election of Cuban-American—and I might add: Tea Party favorite—Mark Rubio.  In fact, many are predicting a Gingrich/Rubio ticket for 2012.  Some even say that they are a lock.

One who seems to favor Rubio for the VP slot is Bush strategist, Mark McKinnon.  He recently wrote this in an article for the Daily Beast:

“Think about it. If anyone other than the former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin gets the Republican nod for the top spot, it’s a no-brainer to pick Senator-elect Mark Rubio of Florida Senator as the VP on the ticket.

Look at all the boxes he would check:

• A Tea Party favorite
• And a young, fresh face
• With a solid conservative record
• From the critical state of Florida
• He has a compelling American story
• And a rationale greater than himself for running, and for governing
• He appeals to the base
• He appeals to younger (and older) voters
• And he attracts Hispanic voters”

Mark Rubio might be good for the Republicans, but is he good for Latinos?  One might question where his loyalties lie.  Immediately after he won the senate race, Rubio took off for a lavish trip to the state of Israel.  When asked the nature of his trip, Rubio (through a spokesman) said that it was “personal and private.” According to Tampa Bay Online, “He is also working with pro-Israel supporters to make an official trip back to Israel early next year after he is sworn into office.”

I don’t think I need to remind you of the power that the Israeli lobby has on our foreign policy.  When it comes to war—they’re the “shot callers.”

And if you want to look a little further into the future of this Latino co-opt by the GOP, you might want to follow the career of Jeb’s young son, George Prescott Bush (How’s THAT for a name).  Yeah, folks, just when you thought we’d seen the last of the George Bush nightmare.  Looks like we might have a trilogy.

George Prescott Bush is Hispanic.  That’s right, his Mother is of Mexican descent.  Right now he’s only 34, but he’s already active in politics, and—according to Source Watch—“sits on the Republican National Committee’s Hispanic advisory panel and is active in urban-renewal efforts in Texas.”

He’s been given the nickname “47,” as in the 47^th presidency, which would place him up for election some twelve years or more into the future.  What a frightening thought.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.  Right now, Latinos have an opportunity to nip this thing in the bud before it has a chance to lock its icy grip around their throats.

Just remember–When it comes to immigration reform, Latinos and the GOP want the same thing—but not for the same reasons.  For Latinos, the path to citizenship may very well be a ticket to a better life in America.  But if the GOP has their way, that citizenship may very well be a ticket out of America—and off to some foreign hell hole—where Latinos and their children just might end up dead.