Hugh Hewitt on Jon Kyl

Arizona’s Jon Kyl, perhaps the single most effective and principled conservative in the United States Senate, is the model of what every senator should be –smart, hard working, humble about his occupying the office, and aware of the obligations of that office. He is also a gentleman and a scholar –a genuine authority on Constitutional law, and a man of genuine character. Kyl’s also a fighter for conservative causes, especially the fortunes of President Bush’s judicial nominees.

Jon Kyl is also the workhorse for the GOP caucus on the immigration bill, doing his best to make the bill as workable as possible from the position as point man of the minority party.

This unenviable task has earned Senator Kyl an enormous amount of enmity from very vocal opponents of the bill, especially those for whom the issue is the single most important piece of legislation. Suddenly Jon Kyl’s impeccable record on the war, cutting taxes, the life of the unborn, spending restraint, and of course judges matters not at all, and the airwaves are full of spleen. The attacks on Kyl haven’t just been harsh, they have been full of the sort of venom usually seen in the fever swamps of the left directed at George Bush for waging the war against the Islamist jihadists.

If I was a member of the United States Senate I would not vote for cloture on the immigration bill, even though this version is bound to be much better than the version that failed to gain enough votes on the last go around. I wouldn’t vote for it because the border fence “trigger” is only 375 miles instead of the 700 authorized by last year’s border security bill. There may be other reasons to oppose the bill, but in an on-air conversation yesterday with Senator Kyl –the transcript is here —the senator indicated that many of the other major problems in the bill are being worked on. Whether those fixes are sufficient to remove some of those concerns --such as the treatment of illegal immigrants from countries with deep jihadist networks in the same fashion as illegal immigrants from Mexico—remains to be seen. Senator Kyl is clearly working to improve the bill as much as is possible.

For this effort he deserves thanks. This will evoke many comments denouncing Kyl as a turncoat and a traitor, but the obvious utility of making the best of a bad situation needs to be mentioned here, and more than merely mentioned, praised.

If the bill is going to pass the Senate, I want it to be the least bad bill possible.

If the bill is going to pass the Senate, I want as many of the drafting errors corrected and loopholes closed as possible.

If a GOP senator has to lead the effort to put lipstick on the pig, I want that senator to be the smartest, most principled senator available.

I am grateful to Senators DeMint and Sessions and Thune and others for blasting away at the bill and forcing the debate to be serious and sustained. But I am also grateful that Jon Kyl has the spine necessary to stay in there and take the heat so as to keep the improvements coming. It would have been far easier for him to side with the conservative critics of the bill and leave the negotiations and drafting to, say, Lindsey Graham. Instead he is doing the conservatives and border security advocates a great, great --if completely unappreciated-- service, and doing so without any of the outbursts that have marked other proponents of the bill.

Kyl isn’t complaining in the least. He isn’t whining. He isn’t attempting to deflect or dodge, and –and for this I am greatly appreciative—he isn’t ducking or dissembling. He answers the questions candidly and repeatedly, and when told that he hasn’t persuaded, he acknowledges his regret but doesn’t get angry or testy or even combative.

Kyl has not branded opponents of the bill as racists or nativists. He hasn’t condemned talk radio. He hasn’t refused interviews with critics. Kyl is taking the pounding like a senator should be willing to do when he’s opposite many of the folks who sent him to Washington.

I don’t expect many among the bill’s opponents to accept this perspective, but it makes it no less true. Jon Kyl is doing the hardest thing in politics –standing against his base for reasons of personal conviction and perhaps against his every political instinct in order to do his job as best he sees fit. I appreciate him for the manner in which he has done so, even if I can’t agree that the end result deserves to become the law of the United States.

I really, really wish I and others had persuaded Senator Kyl and through him the majority of the Senate of the absolute necessity of building all 700 miles asap, regardless of expense. When the I-10 Freeway collapsed in the aftermath of an earthquake in California, then Governor Pete Wilson didn’t worry about bidding rules and costs, he let a contract with a huge premium for early completion. And the job got done early.

A broken border is much more important than a broken freeway, but there is none of the urgency that should attend the construction effort. Senator Kyl, Secretary Chertoff, President Bush and other supporters of the bill just don’t see the great upside that I and others do in getting that fencing erected and the Border patrol expanded in record time.

But when the debate is over and the bill either passes or is defeated, Jon Kyl is the same guy who stood rock solid since the war began in defense of the prosecution of that war and in support of the troops, in defense of Chief Justice Roberts, Justice Alito and scores of other judicial nominees, and on the side of countless other conservative causes over a dozen years in the Senate and eight years in the House. He deserves much better than he is getting. When he writes that “If I were the only one writing this bill, it would be very different,” he has earned our trust in his good faith.

We don’t owe Senator Kyl our agreement or our silence, of course, but we do owe him a hearing and a respectful though vigorous and full-throated dissent, one that is coupled with a recognition of his past, present and future service. If you have trouble giving him both, then you have lost track of the central proposition that distinguishes conservatives from the far and sometimes not-so-far reaches of the left: Justice.

Comments

[BobH]

Good points in this post. Too often, we get caught up in a single issue and forget to take the longer view. I tend not to be a single-issue voter, but I do feel very strongly on the immigration issue, and my views are very different from Senator Kyl's.

When we consider all the important issues, however, I'm probably on the same side as Kyl 80-90% of the time.

[Opus]

I'm sorry but I think your position on Kyle is completely insane.
A principled man doesn't fight to get the best 'bad' legislation he can get, he fights like hell to stop it all together.

" Kyl is taking the pounding like a senator should be willing to do when he’s opposite many of the folks who sent him to Washington."

The only reason for him being in Washington is to represent the views of the people who sent him there. Taking a pounding for basically telling your constituents to get screwed is not something to be admired or given credit for, no matter how politely he does it.
Kyle's position on the war, national security and judicial appointments now mean absolutely nothing because of this legislation, whether it passes or not. He deserves neither our respect, support or trust.
Let him get that from the 12 to 20 million illegals who will, over night, become legal.

[BobH]

Opus: If you agree with somebody on every issue but one, do you throw him out over that one issue?

In an ideal world, I suppose so; but in a real world, we generally have a limited number of choices -- in a general election, only two choices. What are the odds of getting a candidate with whom you agree 100%?

As for "A principled man doesn't fight to get the best 'bad' legislation he can get, he fights like hell to stop it all together" -- there are times I would agree with you. But there are also times when, just as in an election, the choice is between bad and horrible. Kyl thinks that this is such a case. I disagree with him, but I'm not going to condemn him as evil -- he's just wrong.

By the way, his name is spelled without an -e.

[Opus]

BobH
"If you agree with somebody on every issue but one, do you throw him out over that one issue?"

If the one issue were not as important as this one then having an extreme reaction would be unreasonable. But we're not talking one piece of tax legislation, or a judicial appointment.
The manner in which this legislation was written, (in secret), then the first attempt to rush it through the senate is obscene.
Kyl can't claim to be tough on security issues while voting for legislation that will give 12 million illegals a visa after a 24 hour background check.
This legislation is just too important and too damaging to this country.

[Julie]

Greg,

Well said.

Myopic fanaticism is creating a circular firing squad in the GOP on this issue.

Thanks for articulating a well reasoned, principled stand on this regarding Senator Kyl.

I feel similarly to you and have let the Senator know - then I put a new Kyl bumper sticker on my car.

[Thesnakeguy]

I feel similarly to you and have let the Senator know - then I changed my voter registration to independent.

[Marcy]

This could be a great way to cleanse the GOP of all the fork-tongued people.

[NICK]

I will send funds to all primary challengers
of Repubs that vote for this disaster that
Kyl helped conceive in the dark of night.

[DK in Tucson]

Interesting that Julie stated she changed from Republican to Independent apparently as a result of the Kennedy Immigration bill being carried by two AZ Senators. After 8 years as an Independent, I just returned to the GOP by re-registering. As a former member of Politicos Anonymous, having spent 25 plus years as a GOP activisits, campaign chair for candidates, and Dist Chair of the old Dist 28 NE Phx, PV, Cave Creek etc. I am back.

I am back into the GOP for one reason; to work to find replacements for "Former Senators" Kyle and McCain. Mr. Hewitt had a great blog, complimentary to Senator Kyle. No doubt he is a decent man. I supported him 100% since his first run at office. What I feel is extreme anger but not long term animosity, some one will come forward to join real Americans like King from NY and King from Iowa and DeMint from NC to actually defend our soil against insurgents. Animosity toward two AZ Senators and a few congresspersons including my own is generated more because of the in-practicality of the legislation. Senator Kyle has been breathing in the Foggy Bottom air far too long. Let him take the big pension and free health insurance and become the flag man at PIR.

He is corrupted (the Senator is not corrupt) by the system and tainted goods to the rank and file of patriotic Arizonans who care deeply about security as governments primary mission. How many years have these two border Senators promised more security, illegal incursion control? Too Long! NAFTA, any one remember that phony ploy by Senator McCain, he said it would keep Mexicans on their side of the border if we would only give them... what? A few auto plants and a few million American jobs.

This is not about racism Senator McCain,it is about Americanism and protecting those who are here legally.

By the way when he is not elected again, it won't be the first time he will have been shot out of the sky due to his lack of attention to the instruments, signals and controls (I am a former military electronic countermeasures tech) could not help including that zinger.

Seriously though, after laying low in the political fray, I want back in. Strange that it has to be for the purpose of replacing relatively conservative pro-life Senators. But so be it. My grand children need to be physically secure from threats within and without. These Senators have broken their oath of office by figuratively hoisting up a Trojan horse filled with criminals and terrorists and are leading the chain gang of liberals tugging the rope and pulling it slowly into my back yard which is very near the main illegal entry point. Damn them for it.

Some things are unforgivable. Putting America at risk by compromising our security in the name of the Farm Bureau or the Contractors Association or cheap cabbage is unforgivable at least from my view.

So perhaps a Help Wanted ad needs to be posted at Monster.com, something to the effect of:

Two positions available, Senator, U.S.

Life time benefits, perks beyond believe, work just 180 days per year, never have a medical bill again. Fly anywhere for free. Lobbyists will gladly hire your spouse and kids. (Dick Morris' book Outrage, a good bi-partisan read.)

Qualifications: you must be a citizen or have credidentials that generally resemble those of a citizen since citizenship is no longer important in the global economy. No education required, staff takes care of the details. No computer skills required, East Indians take care of that for you, just email them your data base, SSN etc.

Duties: Must have proven track record in tryng to tell the truth. You will never actually be required to do so. Must represent the basic principles of Republican Party. Must be a good listener and try to vote as the folks who elected you would like your to vote. Must be willing to resist selling your principles for cash or favors. Must be willing to say NO when asked to carry water for Ted Kennedy.

Apply: Arizona Republican Headquarters ASAP.

[Bob]

Kyle and McCain need to be FIRED!
they are both TRAITORS. They swore to uphold the constitution and neither one is!
Bob