Shikha Dalmia on Scott Walker's Reactionary Turn on Immigration
Even labor unions have abandoned the labor protectionism that he has embraced
Conservatives are fearlessly sliding down the political deadend of the restrictionist road. And the latest to tread on it is Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, a union-busting right-wing darling who is fast becoming the GOP front-runner for the presidential nomination. Once the most enlightened voice in his party on the issue, he shocked everyone recently by questioning not just illegal but legal immigration. This was in sharp contrast to his previous positions when he supported a path to legalization for undocumented aliens in the country and supported throwing open the door to others.
But why did Walker pull such a switcheroo? Because, writes Shikha Dalmia, he has swallowed the emerging conservative wisdom that Republicans need to pander to white, middle-class voters.