There is wide recognition that Rick Perry’s recent faltering stems largely from the fact that his atrocious weaknesses on immigration policy - exemplified by his obstinate stupidity on the acid test of the Border Fence - is becoming better known.

"ORLANDO, Fla.—Rick Perry hit a roadblock on immigration at Florida’s Presidency 5 straw poll on Saturday…In interview after interview as they filed out of the Orange County Convention Center hall where votes were cast, delegates pointed to his support for a state-based version of the DREAM Act — which provides in-state tuition rates to some illegal immigrants — and his denouncement of those who disagree as lacking “a heart.”

 Several delegates said Perry needed to give a better explanation for the policy, as well as his opposition to a fence along the Texas-Mexico border. And Perry’s decision to frame the issue with the kind of language more typically used by liberals repulsed some base voters…

Debbie Besselievre…expressed deep concern about Perry’s immigration record.
“We’ve seen some charts and schematics on what’s going to happen to our country if we don’t get a handle on the immigration thing,” she said. “It will kill this country.”"

Delegates slam Perry on immigration by James Hohman Politico 9/24/11

So a lot of scurrying is going on in the bushes to identify another GOP candidate acceptable to the key constituency…the Treason Lobby.

As I noted in Newt Gingrich and GOP Nomination: Accepting Treason Lobby Veto to an amazing extent this cycle the candidates and many observers seem to think

"…GOP grassroots are just a tedious detail. The key constituencies are the cheap-labor plutocrats, and the gate-keepers in the MSM. The latter in particular are going to be very suspicious of a 2012 winner. Demonstrating subservience to the Treason Lobby on immigration is the domestic policy equivalent of these constant servile trips to Israel."

This force seems to be directly responsible for the total failure of the GOP leadership and the Presidential aspirants to challenge Obama’s Administrative Amnesty Coup D'etat. And how else to account for the sudden revival of interest in New Jersey’s Chris Christie?  With a NumbersUSA grading of F, he certainly is not going to please those repulsed by Perry – if, that is, there is enough time to get the message out. Christie seems to actually like serving the Treason Lobby – it least with Perry one gets the sense it is just business.

Then there is the sad case of Rick Santorum, who deserves credit for helping fry Perry on the issue this week. I say sad, because in his losing Senate campaign in 2006 he showed signs of being willing to take a patriotic line, but failed utterly at the key moment as I reported in Senator Santorum: A rat but our rat...I guess. (Possibly Santorum had to promise not to mention the issue to be allowed on nationwide TV – but what does that say about his priorities?)

What it says is that they lie elsewhere.

Anyone who retains wistful memories of the seemingly promising Newt Gingrich of twenty years ago needs to read Matthew Richer's essay: Newt Gingrich: The Aspiring Americano President

Still, the Treason Lobby has a problem. Patriots have had worse weeks.