Have Our Politicians Hit A Wall?

The Center for Immigration Studies posted a discussion of some new immigration polling results. The implications for both DC Democrats and Republicans could be incredibly significant. In a sense, both sides may find themselves trapped between their respective special interest groups and the American people as a whole.

WASHINGTON (May 3, 2006) – A new Zogby poll of likely voters, using neutral language (see wording on following pages), finds that Americans prefer the House of Representatives’ enforcement-only bill by 2-1 over Senate proposals to legalize illegal immigrants and greatly increase legal immigration. The poll was conducted for the Center for Immigration Studies.

The majority of Democrats face an incredible obstacle should they wish to take a genuinely hard line on immigration reform. Between their image as the defender of the poor and oppressed, and their fealty to the labor unions, which hope to re-invigorate their numbers through millions of new, suddenly legal immigrants, which way is it exactly they can turn without turning their back on the average American as personified in the above referenced poll?

The Republicans face pressure from corporate interests, as well as their own timidity in undertaking any position which might, heaven forbid, allow the Dem's to cast them as anti-minority, or even racist. But then Conservatives have watched over recent years as the Republicans, as a party, have shown that they are far more moderate than they would have us believe, possibly out of a fear to take stands on principles difficult to sell to the MSM, but important to America just the same.

I believe there's both danger and opportunity in this for the average voter on either side of the aisle. Immigration could conceivably be the lever the citizenry needs to at least try and begin to take their politics (not necessarily their politicians) back from big money, special interests and even the career politicians themselves. It's possible that were our Federal politicians term-limited, they'd be less beholding to the special interest groups so vital to their almost incessant electioneering and subsequent consistent re-elections.

The danger is that, because politicians of both parties have become a particular privileged class unto themselves, they are most likely to try and band together and hand out some half-hearted compromise which they mostly wink at, knowing full well it will become so perverted by the time they are done lawmaking, they can tell their special interest groups not to worry, they've got them covered in the end.

Vigilance is the only option for Americans seriously interested in immigration reform, those Americans cognizant of the serious long-range implications open borders have for our land. If we accept nonsense from our politicians on this and allow them to split us along party or ideological lines, they'll win. And the democratically expressed wishes of American voters will never really be heard on the issue. It is we the people who will be left behind in the end, not the illegal immigrant.

Don't let your particular preference for one party or the other cloud your judgment. These are ultimately the same professional class of people recently talking about trust busting the oil industry, a two month tax amnesty on gasoline, versus a one hundred dollar check in the mail. Don't think for a minute that career politicians won't try to fool we the people to ensure that, at all costs, their careers continue before and longer than anything - including America as we know her, or want her to be.

Comments

[Rick]

It's pretty much this simple. We need a viable third party because the idiots we have had in congress for the last forty years dont give a crap about anything but parisan BS. There is not a nickles worth of difference between the two. Bush is "beholden" to Haliburton, of course Tyson gets a pass on Clinton. Bush was in the skulls (whatever) which was horrible. HORRIBLE until we learned that Kerry was there first. How many illegals do you think pick tomatoes for Heinz? Not a nickles worth of difference. Demand some accountability people.

[IMHERE]

More reason for term limits and pension caps.

OBTW, did I hear medicare and ss will evaporate by 2014 and 2020.

Will our congress peoples pensions do the same? Not on your life.

[Rick]

I doubt SS/Medicare get depleted. Congress has forced so many people to believe they could depend on this "suppliment" to retirement to actually be their only retirement. SO what will happen is that our kids and their kids will have to pay even more into the system. I'm just glad I was smart enough to save some money and not depend on the welfare tit.

[Elmo]

Politics schmolitics (you're preaching to the choir). Though at times I've been exasperated, I have refrained from my normal hyperbole and causticity in response. They're people. Not "them." Not political footballs. Human beings.

http://anechoicroom.blogspot.com/2006/05/gd-bless-mexican-american-immigrant.html

[R]

They're people. Not "them." Not political footballs. Human beings.

Amen to that. Thanks

[Dan]

They're people. Not "them."

In the first place Elmo, I have never advocated sending back any otherwise law abiding illegal immigrants willing to assimilate and be a part of America. But the notion that our Southern border should remain wide open because Mexicans are people, too ... is BS.

[Elmo]

I never presume to speak for you Dan. And I neither advocate a border that is not secure as well. I simply find it deplorable the lather that my compadres on the right have worked themselves into over the issue. Missing entirely from many/most arguments is any semblance of flesh and blood. The constancy of reference being mere abstractions. A poster on Right Wing News, in response to a comment of mine, suggested that I myself was an illegal immigrant.

Whatever policy agreements/changes that may come to pass over the dead hide of partisan rancor? Left out of the discussion by my aforementioned buds? That these persons are already a part of the fabric of American society.

Surprised I am at the shallowness of the views across the right sphere. More than fifty years Mexican immigrants (yes many of them illegal) have been toiling to the benefit of the populations of the Southwestern states that they have subsisted in. Providing services, and even products for export around the world. Without so much as an acknowledgement. Our economy, our lives, our world have been gifted by their labors.

So, my exasperation wasn't directed at you, I just came to vent :-)

[IMHERE]

I'm just glad I was smart enough to save some money and not depend on the welfare tit.

Posted by: Rick | Wednesday, May 03, 2006 at 04:39 PM

Yeah well your kids and my kids are gonna have to bear the burden for those who didn't.

[rwilymz]

"More than fifty years Mexican immigrants (yes many of them illegal) have been toiling to the benefit of the populations of the Southwestern states that they have subsisted in. Providing services, and even products for export around the world. Without so much as an acknowledgement."

That's the sad refrain of The American Worker in totum, Elmo, and not the unique bailiwick of immigrants, legal or not. People toil for their livelihood and sometimes get a gold watch at the end. You want the typical American to have some sympathy for immigrants because they ... are subject to the same conditions?

Ain't gonna happen.

What will happen is that they typical American will feel a comradeship with the *legal* immigrant for joining the same ranks of faceless worker-bee, but that comradeship will dry up almost immediately if that immigrant is found out to have not followed the same rules as even natural-born Americans have to follow: fill out the paperwork.

Illegal immigrants are no more burdened by the legal requirements to fill out the forms than any other immigrants before them, nor are they more burdened than any guy who was born in Schenectady. The only difference is which forms have to be filled out. Everyone is dehumanized together.