While trying to make the case for immigration reform former Florida Governor Jeb Bush suggested that immigrants benefit the United States because they are "more fertile," according to CNN.
Bush was speaking at the annual Faith and Freedom conference to a group of conservative Christians who usually oppose immigration reform.
"Immigrants create far more businesses than native-born Americans over the last 20 years," Bush said. "Immigrants are more fertile, and they love families, and they have more intact families, and they bring a younger population. Immigrants create an engine of economic prosperity."
What is being seeing as an insensitive remark was most likely Bush saying fertility when he actually intended to say birth rate. Both liberals and conservatives were taking shots at Bush on Twitter for the clumsy remarks.
So according to @JebBush, I am much more fertile than my US born white counterparts. Hmmm. #Stuffthatshouldntcomeoutofyourmouth.
— Maria Cardona (@MariaTCardona) June 14, 2013
Good grief..RINO Jeb Bush at Faith & Freedom Conference: "Pass amnesty bill because immigrants are more fertile.”.. https://t.co/QAnFQq60bx — Hardline Stance (@Hardline_Stance) June 14, 2013
The point that Bush was making was plainly clear even if his language wasn't; immigration reform would create more tax payers, taxpayers who are necessary in order to sustain programs like social security, according to CNN.
"We're going to have fewer workers taking care of a larger number of people the country has a social contract with to be able to allow them to retire with dignity and purpose," Bush said. "We cannot do that with the fertility rates that we have in our country. We're below break-even today."
"The one way that we can rebuild the demographic pyramid is to fix a broken immigration system to allow for people to come and learn English and play by our rules, to embrace our values and to pursue their dreams in our country with a vengeance to create more opportunities for all of us," Bush continued.
Bush argued that immigration reform was a conservative idea that would help the country grow, a notion that was met with a near silent crowd, according to CNN. Many prominent conservatives oppose the current attempts at immigration reform.
In a recent interview with World Net Daily Rep. Michelle Bachmann, R-Minn., argued that the reason immigration reform is being pursued is so that the Democrats will never lose another election.
"This is President Obama's number one political agenda because he knows we will never again have a Republican president ever if amnesty goes into effect," Bachmann said. 'You'll have a permanent liberal progressive Democrat class. And you will never again be able to see the country go back to its constitutional foundation. That's what's at risk right now."
