The most important thing to know about Mitt Romney - and as far as I'm concerned, the only thing necessary to almost completely delegitimize his candidacy - is that at least three of his advisors and workers are linked to Jeb Bush. That's all I need to know: if he were his own man he would have selected people not linked to the Bush family; as it is, there's no chance that he won't just be some variant of a Bush puppet.
At first glance, it might appear that Romney's immigration position is tougher than people like McCain and Giuliani, but then you look again and you realize it's all over the map and there's also the issue that because reporters don't ask him tough questions no one can be absolutely sure what exactly he supports.
While he recently came out against "amnesty", bear in mind that GWB is against "amnesty" too, he just defines it differently from most other people. And, consider this March 30, 2006 paragraph from the Lowell Sun (link):
"I don't believe in rounding up 11 million people and forcing them at gunpoint from our country," Romney said. "With these 11 million people, let's have them registered, know who they are. Those who've been arrested or convicted of crimes shouldn't be here; those that are here paying taxes and not taking government benefits should begin a process towards application for citizenship, as they would from their home country."
However, this has even more conflicting information:
...In February on "This Week," George Stephanopoulos asked Romney whether illegal immigrants should have a path to citizenship. The answer? "No."
"[Ending birthright citizenship for children of illegal aliens is] something which I'm looking at," he told Stephanopoulos. "I think it's an important and valid topic."
On the other hand:
[Romney] told reporters during a 14-minute question-and-answer session that he wants to secure the border and require illegal immigrants already living in this country to register with the U.S. government.
“I would suggest or would recommend that the first thing we do with those that are here is require them to register. And when we learn how many people there are and what their individual circumstances are, then we could decide how to proceed with each individual,” he said...
...Romney said that his read of the immigration bill offered last year by McCain and Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., would have created “virtual amnesty” for illegal immigrants already living in the United States.
“There should not be an advantage given to people who are here illegally to do so,” Romney said. “So, whether somebody is in, let’s say, Argentina, that wants to apply for citizenship or a green card, or somebody who’s in New Bedford, who’s not legal today, they get in the same line — no advantage towards a path toward citizenship.”
Romney said the McCain-Kennedy bill, which passed in the Senate and failed in the House, would have provided an advantage to those living here illegally, providing them certain Social Security benefits, plus a pathway to citizenship for those entering with temporary worker status.
Romney offered no immediate alternative plan for the estimated 11 million to 12 million illegal immigrants in the United States. He said officials must determine how many there are and who they are.
“We don’t know what that number is. We don’t know their individual circumstances,” he said. “Some have family members who are U.S. citizens. Some have been here a long time. Some have been here a very short period of time. Some are gainfully employed. Some are receiving government benefits,” he said.
Oh, please. We already have rough answers to his questions, he's just dodging the issue.
If the reporters were doing their jobs they would have pressed him on these issues. It's time for citizen journalists to pick up the slack and ask him tough questions.