Is Steve Poizner speaking bi-lingual; out of both sides of his mouth?

It seems that Poizner has one set of immigration reform talking points for his English speaking audience, and another set of talking points for Spanish speaking audience.

During the Republican Convention in Santa Clara, GOP Insurance Commissioners Poizner decided to take a hard right turn on illegal immigration and illegal immigrant children.

In his efforts to separate himself as “the true conservative in this race,” it seems that Commissioner Poizner has decided to turn up his rhetoric heat for the convention’s conservative core.

In a year that is full of great possibility, it seems that Poizner has decided that his 30-point deficit needs to be closed with a few million dollars and some red meat for the base of the Republican Party.

There are those who believe it may work. “People are going to be willing to pull the lever for people who are saying pretty aggressive things this time around,” said Wayne Johnson, a Republican strategist and former Poizner advisor. Poizner may believe he has found his edge; but will he cause some severe damage for the party in his wake?

The LA Times runs this a convention postscript today:

Most aggressive over the weekend was Poizner, the state insurance commissioner. Treading on sensitive political territory, he promised to deny all public benefits to undocumented immigrants and to stop any more from crossing the Mexican border into California.

“If I have to, I’ll send the National Guard to the border,” he told Republicans at a dinner Saturday. “If that doesn’t work, I’ll send the California Highway Patrol to the border. And if that doesn’t work, I’ll send the California Republican Party to the border.”

Poizner also promised to curb welfare, an issue – like immigration – that Republicans last pushed hard during the economic downturn of the 1990s.

During the weekend, Commissioner Steve Poizner hammered eBay’s Meg Whitman for her lack of support on Prop 187; the historic ballot proposition of 1994 was a measure that sought (then) to refuse all public services to illegal immigrants and children of illegal immigrants.

Poizner told the media Friday during his press conference, “If you’ve been to an emergency room or a clinic lately, we’re all impacted by this: the massive waiting time because of our health care system being overwhelmed by people that are here illegally.” 

Poizner then continued, “A lot of people who come here illegally don’t speak English and need special attention. The state can’t afford this.” But this seems to be the English speaking Steve Poizner on Prop 187.

After a brief Google search HOGUE NEWS has noticed that the Spanish speaking Steve Poizner is a tad more gentile on his immigration reform position as it relates to Prop 187. Does he, or doesn’t he support the full scope of 1994′s controversial Prop 187?

It may depend upon what crowd he is speaking to, and what language they speak. It seems that Poizner is in favor of Prop 187 when he is speaking his natural tongue, but he is against it when talking to a Spanish speaking outlet. Here is what we’ve found.

At the CRA Convention Poizner stated:

“That fact is I support 187, Meg Whitman doesn’t.  The fact is I support cutting off all taxpayer funded benefits for illegals, Meg Whitman doesn’t.” (Steve Poizner, CRA Speech, 3/6/10)

But to the Spanish speaking press he seems offers a different stance:

“He believes there has to be action to ensure that employers don’t hire undocumented immigrants and cut state services in accordance with federal law.” (Araceli Martínez, “Poizner La Emprende Contra Indocumentados,” La Opinion, 3/9/10)

If you go back to Poizner’s sinful years as a liberal Republican running for State Assembly, Steve Poizner stated great support for the Bush immigration reform package, one that included a guest worker program:

“Some folks will remember that Poizner in 2004 was quoted as being in support of a guest worker program. Four years later, he praised President George W. Bush’s controversial immigration reform proposal, a pragmatic plan wildly opposed as “amnesty” by many Republicans that would have provided a path to citizenship for some of the millions of illegal immigrants already in the country.” (Lisa Vorderbrueggen, “Poizner vs. Whitman Coming To East Bay, Contra Costa Times, 3/10/10)

As late as 2008, Poizner was praising the Bush plan as the answer to California’s immigration problems:

“Poizner, who will need the Republican base to get through a gubernatorial primary in 2010, also offered a mostly positive assessment of the president’s overall job performance. He praised Bush’s stands on immigration reform and education, but lamented that the president has allowed ‘out-of-control’ deficit spending.” (“Internal Affairs,” San Jose Mercury News, 5/18/08)

This type of political opportunism has caused a few ripples on Spanish television:

On Los Angeles’ Univision, the evening news’ lead anchor offered this tease before a commercial break: “Would be governor [Steve Poizner] attacks [Latino] community, more details at 11.” This and again on Univision (Los Angeles) a segment on Steve Poizner blaming California’s problems on “illegals”.

The anchor stating, “The race for Governor has begun and the candidates have started putting forth their proposals, but one of them has decided to establish a frontal war against on our community.  Teresa, will tell us who and what this is about.”

(Teresa the responding), “The race for governor has official begun and once again we see the undocumented issue being brought up again, blaming them for the state economic crisis, but not everyone is using the same tactic.”

The rollout features a piece on Meg Whitman’s support of the Bush reform model, then Teresa says, “There is also another candidate who wants to be governor and he is Steve Poizner. And through his TV ad, he has declared war on the undocumented, saying that he would direct law enforcement to deport the undocumented who are arrested.”

At the convention Poizner continually testified that he had been redeemed from his tax increasing, 100-percent abortion supporting ways, and that he has now found religion in his conservative conversion. Poizner continually pushed his “born again” testimony in every press conference, interview and convention presentation for the three-day event.

After listening to Poizner’s weekend sermons one wonders if he really is “born again”, or if he is just channeling Congressman Tom Tancredo. Some are growing concerned that it’s just another convenient reincarnation. Offering one of the biggest of wedge issues for California politics; has Steve Poizner found true a doctrinal discipline, or is he simply trying to score points?

There are numerous issues to discuss when it comes to the burden of poor immigration laws, reform and public policy (physical border, guest worker program and e-verify for employers) in California. Taking after children (medical, education) is seen by many as a non-starter for the future of the party.

If this is nothing more than ‘political opportunism’ the Spanish speaking media is on the trail and prepared to expose Poizner come a walk-up to the November election. From a Spanish media friend, “This type of tactic shows that Steve Poizner can’t be trusted, because he is willing to say or do anything to just get elected.”