The Great Divide Over Illegal Immigration

Human Events ^ | August 24, 2006 | Lynn Wooley

[Clintonfatigued]

It’s the question of the decade if not the question of the century: “Why is there such a disconnect between the political class and the people of the United States on the issue of illegal immigration?” The easy answers are that Republicans want cheap labor for their big-business contributors and Democrats see a near-limitless source of new votes.

Conventional wisdom rarely goes beyond that point, but really, labor and votes are mere surface issues. To some extent, and perhaps even unconsciously, our political elites seem to feel that many of their problems -- stuff like the recent Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal -- are really the fault of their constituents. Those darned voters sometimes organize, write letters, go on the blogs, and complain about high taxes -- sometimes they even vote a politician out of office. The nerve!

Perhaps a better class of constituents could be found that in time might begin to replace the whiners that our officials have to deal with now. You know -- a new type of voter that could be shaped into a perfect constituent that would never demand term limits or open government.

That’s the conclusion of Fredo Arias-King, who met privately with at least 80 members of Congress while handling public relations for then-candidate Vicente Fox in 1999 and 2000. The Harvard-educated Arias-King made 14 trips to the United States for Fox and attended both of the American political conventions. He says 90 percent of the officials that he spoke to wanted big increases in immigration. A few, he says, disparaged their white constituents calling them “rednecks” and apologizing for their views on immigration.

[CWOJackson]

I wouldn't worry so much...they're kind of like the obligatory "make dope legal" threads.

[Soul Seeker]

Yes, the amnesty plan that was recently declared to have fallen almost as dead as McCain's bill with few Republicans in the House joining him.

[cripplecreek]

I keep returning to this ridiculous statement because it's apparent that some people really do think that the people should STFU and do what the government demands.

Perhaps a better class of constituents could be found that in time might begin to replace the whiners that our officials have to deal with now. You know -- a new type of voter that could be shaped into a perfect constituent that would never demand term limits or open government.

[BW2221]

But, Bush isn't in favor of a closure of the borders. To date, he has posed for a Dukakis-shot in a dune buggy and sent some national guard troops, who may be - through no fault of their own - doing as much harm as good as several hundred Border Patrol agents have been reassigned to protect them.

I have serious concerns about whether or not we will need guest workers. Estimates on illegals range from 12 -20 million. They'll be bring relatives once they become citizens. Manufacturing jobs are being outsourced, so blacks and whites with minimal educations are going to have to start doing "jobs Americans won't do" in the future.

Remember, in immigrations of the past, we got a cross-section of immigrants as many left Europe because of religious persecution. We had tailors, tradesmen, etc. along with a number of unskilled laborers

We're not getting Mexico's "brightest and best."

[Soul Seeker]

The issue never died. The debate just moved from D.C. because in that corridor the bill had stalled. It was taken to home states and district, and the battle has continued raging. Currently the House of Representatives is touring the country holding town halls. So are those that voted for the amnesty bill, like the Republican Senator in idaho that recently got heckled loudly by his own constituents for supporting the amnesty bill.

But, I assure you, so long as amnesty doesn't appear close to approval in D.C., this will remain local and not cause what you fear a couple months from the election. To that end the best thing the President, McCain and pence can do is be silent and let people duke it out in their own home states.

[A Citizen Reporter]

I never presume to speak for the President, and I didn't in my post.

What I said is what I hear in Pat Buchanan's argument, and it's unmistakable. It's an argument that's been made against immigration in this country for time immemorial.

And as someone said on Brit Hume's show earlier this week, it was used against the immigration of Buchanan's own Irish heritage at one time. They were known as the Know Nothing party.

[Soul Seeker]

Perhaps a better class of constituents could be found that in time might begin to replace the whiners that our officials have to deal with now. You know -- a new type of voter that could be shaped into a perfect constituent that would never demand term limits or open government.

We'll have to strike "We The People", then, to accomodate that belief system. LOL

[CWOJackson]

LOL! I guess you're referring to the Pence Plan. Strange how people have such a hard time with it. Take the "national referendum" over immigration in Utah.

Originally bay buchanan and tom tancredo were supporting a totally different candidate; they were calling Cannon weak on immigration and Cannon fired back and called tancredo so names.

When their original candidate got knocked out early, buchanan and tancredo then switched their support to Cannon and called him strong on immigration...even though their strong on immigration candidate supported the Pence Plan...so much so he said he could have written it himself.

I guess the Pence Plan is only amnesty if it isn't a single issue candidate supporting it.

[xzins]

No way. I thoroughly disagree with that.

Iraq is a campaign in the War on Terror, and the WOT is the critical issue of the age.

The border is just a matter of building some fences and hiring some people.

[Soul Seeker]

I haven't read Buchanon's statements on immigration.

I know he believes in secure borders but I could care less what "nuances" he brings to the discussion. Nor will I be drawn into making this about Buchanon. Certainly you know, most do, that Buchanon represents few. The fact the idea of border security is popular and he has capitalized on that? It's good for his pocket book, but it doesn't make him the voice of folks like myself. It simply means there are millions out there desperate to have someone conveying the message they want enforcement, and they'll take what they can get. Which doesn't reflect well on D.C., that voters are that desperate to convey a message to leaders that SHOULD give a damn what they think.

Tancredo, Hayworth, King and Sessions are more likely representatives of this issue. I personally prefer hayworth and Sessions.

I haven't watched brit's show this week and you have provided no transcripts for me to even begin to be able to address an argument. I can only assume if this follows the patterns of the past, that they were confusing the issue of bigotry towards people of different lands entering LEGALLY with those that are now entering ILLEGALLY. If so, they continue their pattern of dishonestry with this issue on brit's panel.

[xzins]

I would take another president just like Bush if it means I get someone who will appoint constitutionalist judges and fight islamofascism whereever it rears up.

I'll trade weak borders for that.

Ideally, I'd have both, but the first is critical, imho, to the future survival of this constitutional republic.

[BW2221]

At the risk of being called racist, there are some major differences between past immigration and the current one.

First, there was no welfare state as it currently exists. Most assistance came from relatives and charities, many church-related. Some cities, like NYC had a dole, but most didn't. The Feds had neither the funds or bureaucracy to sponsor a welfare program. Any assistance was to get newcomers on their feet until they got a job.

Immigrants came for a number of reasons. Some to get a better life, but others left because of religious persecution. Some had skills they brought from the old country (tailors, jewelery, craftsmen, etc.

The immigrants came from a number of countries and spoke numerous languages, so they had to learn English to get by. While immigrants kept their traditions, they became Americans. The Irish didn't talk of turning New England into "New Ireland."

There was no movement by a foreign government to get the U.S. to take its underclass so it could relieve some of its welfare burden.

[Soul Seeker]

The national referendum that was supposed to destroy Tancredo and result in amnesty being approved in short order? Yeah, how's that working for you guys? LOL

BTW, if you wish to sound intelligent on the issue? You might want to substitute the name "cannon" with "Jacobs".

You seem to be having a hard time keeping the story (and names of candidates) straight.

[A Citizen Reporter]

I'm just telling you that as HOT as an issue IMMIGRATION seems to be to you, it is to me as well.

And for the most part it send a messsage that I don't want to be associated with. When a local candidate thinks it a "POPULAR" issue, as you described it, they will NOT get any support from this Republican.

[A Citizen Reporter]

And Tancredo? Give me a break LOL!

[CWOJackson]

I hate to point out the obvious error but it was buchanan and tancredo billing it as a national referendum...and it was their candidate who lost. I guess you really shouldn't call for a national referendum unless you're sure you're going to win.

But thanks for clearing up my error. My apologies to Congressman Cannon. I didn't not intentionally mix his name up with the candidate that buchanan and tancredo spent so much time and money on trying to unseat the good Congressman.

[BW2221]

Doesn't that mean sacrificing our children's future?

"Weak borders" and "Islamofacism" may go hand in hand. H&C interviewed a Texas sheriff earlier this week who claims that an increasing number of illegals coming across the border appear to be Arabs. Since the sheriff is Hispanic, I presume he can tell an Arab from a Hispanic.

[A Citizen Reporter]

"The immigrants came from a number of countries and spoke numerous languages, so they had to learn English to get by."

Indeed they did. Do you have any idea how long it took for them to assimilate? Would it be possible to imagine that the assimilation that is taking place today is not any different than in the generations before us?

Now I will give you that much of our political correctness has led to issues that need some attention, but the vast majority of the immigration arguments play on the basest of our fears. And that, I think, is despicable.

[Soul Seeker]

And I'm telling you, this "message" of racism you denote is unproven, unwarranted, and fails to deter anyone any longer...except some pols in D.C. And I won't treat it with any dignity as it is a lie.

Perhaps you really believe it, but people believe a lot of things. And the majority want border enforcement, and the majority aren't bigots.

[EternalVigilance]

Thank God for Human Events.