Posted on 08/22/2005 1:10:58 PM PDT by bayourod
Illegal immigration is a complex national problem.
It won’t be solved by piecemeal attacks such as that of GOP gubernatorial hopeful Jerry Kilgore in opposing a day laborer site in Herndon.
Such tactics fuel anti-immigrant prejudices while skipping the hard part, acknowledging the broad tradeoffs and difficult compromises necessary for a permanent solution.
If exploitation of nativist emotion isn’t Kilgore’s intention, then he should pull the plug on this line of campaigning.
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At issue is the proposal of a coalition of community organizations to open a day laborer site in a soon-to-be abandoned police station straddling the Herndon-Loudoun County line. Currently, scores of men gather daily at a nearby convenience store to await the arrival of private employers who hire them for day labor in construction, yard work, and the like.
Kilgore joined critics calling the proposed site a haven for illegal immigrants and a breeding ground for illegal activity.
But others argue convincingly that an official site, including a police or security presence, would more likely contain bad behavior while serving both small-time employers and legal workers. The Herndon council validated that view with a 5-2 vote Wednesday to open the center.
No doubt, some illegals will turn up there. But frustration with U.S. failure to stem the flow of illegal immigration ought to be directed toward Congress, the immigration service or others with an opportunity to make a real difference.
Virginians who grouse about illegal immigrants should open their eyes and see who’s really tending their lawns, putting new shingles on their roofs, cleaning toilets in their office building and hotels. Illegal immigrants are doing the dirty jobs that Virginians don’t want.
Kilgore characterized the problem in Herndon as one of illegals taking “hard-earned dollars from law-abiding citizens.”
In fact, the issue there and elsewhere wouldn’t exist except for America’s addiction to cheap labor. Undocumented workers sustain many of the services and prices Americans have come to expect.
Politicians as diverse as President George Bush, GOP Sen. John McCain and Democratic Sen. Edward Kennedy acknowledge that a much-expanded temporary worker program, combined with some form of enforceable amnesty for illegals with long tenure here, is the only hope for getting a handle on the problem.
Name-calling about undocumented workers who supposedly leach the system dry might win votes. But it won’t make the problem go away.
What a good line. :)
Another literary gem. How do you do it?
Want and get are two different things.
If they want their thumping stereos and what not, they will take the job as dishwasher, busboy or even farm worker. How do I know?
Hint: I was raised in rural Kansas.
There's more driving housing costs in California up than just illegal immigration, tho' that is certainly a prime factor. The upshot, or "equilibrium," if you prefer, is that ultimately California will essentially have no middle class---it'll be one big friggin' San Francisco the whole state wide, with "degraded" poor laborer areas and "secure areas" for the wealthy. No wonder the state is now solidly Democrat.
Whatever did we do before all of the millions of illegal aliens violated our borders? Who landscaped our yards, cooked our food, washed our cars, and bussed our tables? Who!!?
You do get my point. But illegal immigrant advocates don't and won't get it. The national crisis of illegal immigration involves more than simply economics and "people seeking a better life"----much, MUCH more.
The illegals, who didn't even bother to remove the shrubs from the plastic nursery pots, when they "planted" them for her.
Yes, I had a discussion at her about it.
Calif will continue to have a very large, Republican voting, middle class for one simple reason: all the new growth is taking place outside of the Bay Area and LA Basin. The Sacramento/Riverside/San Berdoo/N & E San Diego regions are some of the fastest growing regions in the US. Don't be surprised if the state starts trending back Repub in a few years.
Nobody did. This country was a total mess before the illegals showed up to save us.
ping! thought you might enjoy this thread
Well there always was and always will be plenty of that. I had friends who fit that description. They were always in trouble and now, those who survived, have grown up to be such a bunch of losers.
Point is, every job should be available to an American citizen FIRST!
If we allow a Guest Worker program at all it should be Tancredo's.
Virtually all of the growth CA is experiencing is from foreign immigration. Since hispanics break about 65-70% in favor of the democrats, and asians about 55-60%, as a republican voter I'm afraid I see no cause for optimism.
Out of curiosity, why do you figure the trend will be back towards the GOP?
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