We have watched our borders as they leak like a sieve, yet most politicians don't seem concerned about it; it's all just political calculation. Good point made (I almost typed "maken"), below by Michael at Curiouser and Curiouser about how their actions may effect them at the polls.
I hate polls (not election polls mind you), that said the only polls that should matter to our elected ones should be those taken by American citizens. Ultimately, they know something that we don't if they are so concerned about illegal votes..............amnesty anyone?
Cross posted from Curiouser and Curiouser
Michael Barone, writing on the web site RealClearPolitics thinks the chances are increasing for a bill to address the issues related to illegal aliens, immigration law enforcement, and strengthening the borders may have a chance at being resurrected after being blocked from
getting to the senate floor earlier this year by Harry Reid (D-NV).
You can see political calculation in all this. Hastert and Frist can see the long-term danger for Republicans in seeming hardhearted against Hispanics, the fastest-growing segment of the electorate. Reid and Democrats can see the short-term danger in being viewed as killing a border-security law. Leaders in both parties don't want to be perceived as knuckling under to demonstrators brandishing Mexican flags. But they also don't want to be seen as continuing to ignore the fact that, on their watch, the border has become a sieve.Although he might be right about these "perception fears," I think he is wrong about a much bigger fear that politicians should be experiencing on this issue. That is that polls indicate that American citizens are in no mood for any bill that contains an amnesty component. They will likely punish any politician that supports any kind of law that does not virtually close off the Mexican border. They will insist that immigration laws be toughened and enforced.
So if the Republicans are thinking about long-term dangers of being perceived as hard-headed against Hispanics - hey - they are already perceived as that. Look at the signs these demonstrators carry - pictures of Republicans like Sensenbrenner, President Bush, and Governor Schwarzenegger of California dressed in Nazi uniforms. I'd say that's pretty clear evidence that they already "perceive" Republicans and evil racists. And last time I checked, in order to influence the political landscape in a meaningful way, one must be able to vote. And to be able to vote, one must be a citizen - which most of these people are not and will never be. If Republicans like Arlen Specter think that kissing the backsides of a bunch of illegal aliens is going to help them somewhere down the line, I'd say he's just a pandering fool, which I already knew about him anyway.
On the other hand, we have the hapless Democrats. They are doing everything they can to push for free medical treatment, fast-track citizenship for illegal aliens, schools with mandated ESL programs, welfare for those poor illegals who can't raise themselves up to our standard of living and every other imaginable hand-out. So what else is new for them? But their biggest problem is they are rightly perceived by the voting public - you know, those pesky legal citizens - as weak on national defense and on protecting our borders. It is no mistake that
we saw the patron saint of the Democrats, Fat Teddy Kennedy, standing on the mall in Washington telling illegal aliens that they are the future of America. This perception about Democrats being weak is no false one - it is reality. And it is just another log on the fire that will burn their once-lavish house down to the cinder-block foundation.
Republicans everywhere need to hunker down and insist on strong and meaningful legislation on this issue. They further need to demand that Republican politicians support this effort or become outcasts - for that is what they would be anyway.
**This was a production of The Coalition Against Illegal Immigration (CAII). If you would like to participate, please go to the above link to learn more. Afterwards, email the coalition and let me know at what level you would like to participate.
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