Which do you think has a greater likelihood of happening?

[Lambsbread]

Both seem incredibly unlikely, but I recently read an article that some Republicans are becoming softer towards the idea of legal gay marriage, but immigration is also a pretty hot button issue that Democrats probably won't cave on. I'd have to say option 1, but neither would happen anytime remotely soon.

[Lambsbread]

Also, the Ron Paul generation is going to take over the Republican Party-in fact, a vast majority of the young Republican operatives I have worked with on a few campaigns are all influenced by Ron Paul. This tidal wave of libertarianism that is going to hit the GOP in the next five years will greatly reshape the way the party looks at most issues.

Don't hold your breath on the five years thing. And besides, isn't the Ron Paul position "leave it to the states"? Which is pretty much already the GOP position, or at least the position that's vocalized by a lot of the young GOPhers. Which isn't a pro gay marriage stance. It's an "i don't want to talk about it, so this is my cop out mechanism" stance.

[Lambsbread]

I think their position will be a pro-states rights one until it no longer can be, such as in the event that SCOTUS makes it legal nationwide. They don't seem to be very pleased about the courts legalizing it in the individual states from what I've seen though, which seems slightly hypocritical. "Them damn activist judges and their following of exactly what we wanted them to do. Commies."

[Lambsbread]

Also, by "anti-immigration", do you mean illegal, legal or both?

Illegal immigration.

[Lambsbread]

How could the Democrats feasibly adopt a tougher anti-illegal immigration stance? Obama has deported more illegal immigrants than any President in U.S. history.

Rhetoric =/= action. Regardless of how he's handled the immigration issue, the party has still articulated a pro-illegal immigrant (not necessarily a pro-illegal immigration) stance. Feasibly speaking, I'm talking about settling on both issues. Perhaps not within 10 years, but maybe 20-30, though honestly I was just trying to pick an issue that Democrats are hardline on now.

[Lambsbread]

Neither party is remotely "pro-illegal immigrant." The rhetoric of Obama and the Democrats is that of a 'path to citizenship', 'background checks', 'fines and requirements to learn English', and deportations for those who do not abide in that process. A truly pro-undocumented worker policy would be one that ends ICE raids, grants immediate and unconditional amnesty (with no fines, no requirements to learn English or any of that nativist nonsense) to undocumented workers and recognizes open borders with Canada and Mexico alike.

We're speaking relatively, of course. Your pro-illegal immigrant stance, let's be honest, is so far out of the mainstream that Democrats couldn't articulate it without being reprimanded. Don't get me wrong, I'm not disagreeing with you stance, I agree 100%, but in terms of what the Democrats can articulate in regards to this issue, they're about as left as they can get on the issue while still relatively appeasing the mainstream voter, or at least sparking a debate.