The GOP Debate this week was finally a true debate – substantive and about the candidates, not a selfie show for the debate moderators.  It was also instructive to confirm where some of the candidates stand on illegal immigration.  Note my words carefully: illegal immigration, not legal immigration.  The left sees no difference between the two types of immigration, which is like saying there is no difference between an ENT surgeon using cocaine on a patient and a junkie smoking crack cocaine.

Jeb Bush said the following.

Twelve million illegal immigrants, to send them back, 500,000 a month, is just not — not possible. And it’s not embracing American values. And it would tear communities apart.

John Kasich echoed Jeb.

But if people think that we are going to ship 11 million people who are law-abiding, who are in this country, and somehow pick them up at their house and ship them out of Mexico — to Mexico, think about the families. Think about the children.

Words to tug on heartstrings.  Children.  Communities.  Families.  It’s almost enough to make a Ted Cruz or Donald Trump cry.  Or not.

Trump reminded everyone that President Eisenhower deported 2.1 illegal aliens.  He didn’t mention that President Truman deported 3.4 million illegal aliens.  No mention of communities and families.  In fact, even the New York Times, back in 1951, railed against the “invasion” of the U.S. by Mexican illegals.  What a difference a few decades make on perspective.

The NY Times even called the illegal Mexicans “wetbacks.”  Will the NY Times get the Paula Deen treatment over their past racial slurs?  Remedial classes on tolerance and diversity?

How else are families torn apart, leaving the children to suffer?  It’s called prison.  According to the U.S. Department of Justice, over half of the nation’s prisoners are parents of minor children.  Fifty-two percent of state inmates and 63% of federal inmates have 1.7 million minor children.

Where is the outrage over families torn apart when Mom or Dad is in prison?  What about the almost 2 million children left without a parent during their childhoods?  As Governor Kasich would say, “think about the children.”

Well, you say, prisoners deserve to be in prison.  They broke the law.  Okay, what about illegal immigrants?  Didn’t they break the law, too?  There’s that pesky word “illegal” again.  Why is it un-American to break up families when parents commit some crimes but not other crimes?  All crimes are equal, but some crimes are more equal than others, to borrow a phrase from Animal Farm.

It’s clear that candidates Kasich and Bush favor keeping families together at all costs.  I didn’t hear concern from them about prisoners, only illegal immigrants, meaning their concern is only for granting amnesty to those here illegally.

Obviously there is disagreement within the Republican Party on the issue of illegal immigration.  Amnesty versus deportation.  Flouting rather than enforcing the rule of law.  Prioritizing the economic and social interests of foreigners over those of American citizens.

The GOP debate this week made clear these distinctions among candidates.  That is the purpose of these debates: allowing candidates to explain their policy positions and foster debate between opposing viewpoints.  It is now abundantly obvious which candidates favor amnesty.  A Google poll of who won the debate, partially reflecting Republican voter attitudes toward amnesty, had Bush and Kasich bringing up the rear of the pack, with only 3% and 2%, respectively.

The only silver lining for Governor Bush is that the Huffington Post was ecstatic.  “An immigration fight gives Jeb Bush his best moment of the entire debate season.”  Quite the endorsement.  If his campaign continues to sputter and slide, his best option may be as Hillary Clinton’s running mate.