Immigration = Terror. Be Scared and Vote.

Republican's Create Alien Terror Threat -- Giuliani and others say: "Build Up That Wall."

Watching the Republican debate the other night, I kept thinking of Ronald Reagan. He was hardly my favorite president, but when the wall came down in Berlin...there was Ronald Reagan as the champion of glasnost (openness) and the spreading of democracy. Back then democracy was about sharing the values and principals of an American sense of freedom and opportunity. Baked into this spirit was a sense of boundless innovation, and limitless horizons. With those ideas in play, America was a shining light, a beacon of hope for those less privileged to strive for. America was a land that invited dreamers and builders to be part of the dream.

It was that spirit that Reagan was celebrating when he said with his relentless enthusiasm -- "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall."

Now -- the Party of Ronald Reagan is united in its belief of one thing -- that America should be in the wall building business. Does this look like this?

And now -- in an effort to either remake America -- the party that brought us Reagan is now untied in its belief that our greatest danger comes in the shape of those very strivers who built this country by arriving with hopes and dreams just two generations ago. America -- the land of immigrants -- is closed for business.

The ironies of this are many.

First of all -- this is the same party that has more American soldiers on foreign soil any time since World War 2. We don't seem to have any problem tromping on other sovereign nations or crossing any boarders to protect ourselves from the nebulous and often undefinable 'terrorist' threat. But perhaps most interesting is just how bizarrely out of step this Walled America vision is as we stand in a new century. Hasn't anyone gotten Rudy Giuliani a computer with an internet connection to play with? If they had, he'd notice that all kinds of economic changes are shifting from physical boarders to digital boarders. Heck, all he needs is to phone American Express and he'll find his billing questions are being answered from a phone center in India. Unless his vision of his Border Wall includes blocking internet access to off-shore internet providers -- he's going to find that the increasingly flat world isn't going to best stopped by cement and barb wire.

The changing demographics of America are presented in brilliant detail by Juan Enriquez in his recently publish UN-Tied States of America. Enriquez provides stark and irrefutable data that presents the shifting and increasingly hispanic demographics of the America citizen. It's not like information has been lost on the Republicans -- Bush's 'compassionate conservatism' platform openly embraced this new emerging group of voters.
Says Enriques: '"How we treat each other today, what we call each other today -- not just brown/white but religious/non-religious, Northern/Southern -- is going to resonate for a long time." Which is to say the Republican's cynical decision to use Immigration as the lynchpin issue for 2008 may be good politics, but it is clearly terrible for the long term stability of the Nation.

Prophetically -- Enriquez says: "Countries are actually very fragile entities. Three-quarters of the flags, borders and anthems in the world did not exist 50 years ago. It's a lot easier to split a country than it is to keep it."

So why has the GOP shifted and decided that this election will be focused on Immigration? Because fear is a powerful motivator. And in looking at the polls -- the Democrats will win if the election is about change. If the election is a referendum on Iraq, the Republicans will lose. But as long as the economy continues to soften, and American's feel that their lives are under siege, there is an opportunity to create a new 'villain' on whom to place the blame. Are America's shifting fortunes truly being driven by migrant farm workers and undocumented gardeners and domestic workers? No on really believes that. But pointing fingers and placing blame is far easier that running a campaign that embraces change, invites the continued spirit of renewal, and connects our actions with the words this country was built on.

Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me: I lift my lamp beside the golden door.

Emma Lazarus - 1883

Comments

[net50]

America has changed our tune. We want secure borders, we want people who entered into our country illegally to go home. We have to have the real ID or worker bio card, we have to have control of the masses of people, when the overflow is super high, and we find ourselves and our country headed into a deep recession, we cannot afford the illegals nor the immense cost of having them utilize our social services funds. Those funds are intended for the American families who may fall into bad luck. Congress must pass a law that requires the employer to verify that the workers is a legal resident of the United States and to scan all documents for fraud.

[sparkandy]

Pretty soon the perpetual posters on this subject will wake up and start yelling "Halelujah Brother! Put those racists in their place! We're with you! Praise the Lord!" and what all ever. But you might notice one thing. All of those posters are in favor of unrestricted immigration as long as the immigrants are from Mexico, whether they're legal or not. They'll accuse those of us who think laws are for everyone, not just some, of being racist and hating Mexicans. They'll throw out the "Why don't we fix Mexico, so they won't have to come here?" argument. And the Mexicans owned this country before the whites got here argument, regardless of the fact that the true inhabitants were not Aztec, Inca, etc, but rather Pawnee, Creek, Apache, etc.
One thing you will not hear, is anyone in favor of unrestricted immigration if the immigrants are refugees from the mess we made in Iraq.
Your arguments will be considered specious by readers who are capable of rational thought and hailed as humanitarian by those whose emotions overrule their minds or those who have something to gain.

[Pat]

Steve, I know you have a big heart. I wish we could welcome everyone, especially the poor, into our great country and all sit around a campfire singing together.

I thought like you for most of my life. However, for the last several years I worked with the mentally ill poor and their families. I've seen services in hospitals and schools become increasingly overcrowded because of the influx of illegal immigrants.

So the quandary in my mind becomes: do we insist on protecting our borders so our poorer and lower middle class American citizens can get the services and wages they need to survive? Or do we open our hearts to the world's poor pouring over our borders and overcrowding our schools and hospitals to the detriment of our lower class and poor fellow Americans?

[clr2]

I am not afraid of ILLEGAL ALIENS I just don't want to spend BILLIONS for their education and health care. We need to deport all ILLEGAL ALIENS, heavily fine those who hire ILLEGALS, and return to the original intent of the 14th amendment and do away with anchor babies.

[scooperss]

Are you having a problem with the whole border issue. If so, allow me to help...........

A border is a boundary. It's an agreed upon line differentiating between two (or more) areas. Each area is different and has it's own customs, laws, etc.

It is not supposed to be porous. It is there to separate the areas from each other for whatever reason.

I repeat-It's is not supposed to be porous. It has a specific purpose.

[Pdubya]

illegal aliens + subsidy + military industrial complex + fiat money = economic collapse and police state.

reality trumps obfuscation by either party.

[olephart]

"America -- the land of immigrants -- is closed for business."


Demagoguery, ON BOTH SIDES! America isn"t "closed for business" we still have some of the most liberal immigrations laws in the World. The operative word is LAWS.

"focused on Immigration"

No, it"s the illegal entry to the United States that is the issue. NO ONE is questioning LEGAL IMMIGRATION! This is the demagoguery on the Left. The issue is intentionally blurred by not separating legal immigration from illegal entry and illegal employment of those here illegally.


"Republican's cynical decision to use Immigration as the lynchpin issue"
"a new 'villain'"

You"re damned right about Republican cynicism, during the Bush Administration the number of employers prosecuted for illegally hiring the undocumented fell from about 500 to 3. This Administration has INTENTIONALLY not enforced the immigration laws. This administration has caused MOST of the problems. Now Republicans want to ride to the rescue by rounding them all up. This is the demagoguery on the Right. They covet the use of slave labor to keep wages down. Not just the poor undocumented but EVERYONE who works for hourly wages.


"Are America's shifting fortunes truly being driven by migrant farm workers and undocumented"


No not entirely, but it is ONE of the reasons why Americans on the bottom rungs of the economic ladder have been so severely shafted.

Give me your tired, your poor, .......

Emma Lazarus - 1883


It"s not 1883, the population of the United States is not 51 million. One forth of the country does not remain to be settled.

The laws concerning immigration and entry to the US are clear. Anyone seeking to abrogate them is no better than Bush and his signing statements.

[Tellmethetruth]

Great Post I agree! Sick of the appeal to our fears and not our courage.

Here is a speech Senator Hegel mentioned two weeks ago on Bush claiming Iran may be the start of WWIII.

The world we live in today is an incredibly complex and interconnected web of many interests¦political, security, economic, cultural, religious and societal. A 21st Century frame of reference will be required to address the layers of global challenges that face the six and a half billion citizens of the world. Loose talk of World War III, intimidation, threats, bellicose speeches only heighten the dangers we face in the world. Without offering solutions and building international alliances we only strengthen the hand of those who prey upon and play to a confused, frightened and disorganized world.

Last week I received an e-mail from a friend who is an Australian Vietnam veteran regarding the U.S. and Iran. He wrote, "Fear, I see it in your debates on immigration, trade, Iran and now even your economy. Since when has your great nation and people been afraid? You, like Aussies, have always had a "fair crack" at things, and a "fair go for everyone." Where is America"s clear voice of sanity? Why are you so afraid to talk to Iran?"

America must not allow itself to become paralyzed by a fear that erodes our self confidence and trust in our Constitution and each other.

While the fear is over Iran and not immigration - the end result is the same if out of fear Americans vote Republican who have created the fears and then claim they can take away the fears.

[jdm58]

Until WE can come to terms with who "US" is, WE will never have peace, security, or equality, no matter how big or tall a wall WE build. The lid has been blown off the stewpot of racism that has been simmering for too long, here and elsewhere. Rodney King was beaten to a pulp, on tape no less, by racially motivated police men. Two young africans in a suburb of Paris are hit by a police car while riding their motorscooter- the police leave the scene, and the victims, giving the excuse that the people who came running to the assistance of the young men were really coming to lynch the policemen. A dog in Princeton NJ attacks a worker at it's owner's home. The worker is awarded damages for his injuries, and the dog is destroyed. The dogs owners and neighbors are up in arms, protesting the dogs demise, when it is determined that the man the dog attacked was here illegally from Central America. An NFL football player is fatally shot in his own home, and the media deem that his color played a role in his death.
Yesterday, in Iowa, at the Hearland Presidential Forum, a young girl shared with the candidates and audience her story. Her parents were "boatpeople" from Vietnam. They were rescued at sea by a German freighter, and brought to Germany, where she was born. They eventually came to the US when she was but 6 years old, and petitioned to stay based on politcal asylum. This young girl went to school and University here, worked, paid taxes, while waiting the final ruling of the immigration court. The court has denied the families petition, and has ordered the family deported. The girl asked to return to Germany, where she was born, but was denied as she is not considered German. But why should she be forced to go to Vietnam, a place she has never been, solely because that is her heritage? WHO are WE?

[TuffPosh]

Steve Rosenbaum:

If you expect anyone to take you seriously, consider telling the truth. The issue is a fence, not a wall. And, the poem in question is not our law, and it was furthermore tacked on to the SofL at a later date. And, since we currently admit almost a million people per year, your attempts to conflate reducing illegal immigration with stopping all immigration falls short.

As for those "strivers", perhaps we don't want a Darwinistic policy with those not fit enough to make it here dying in the desert.

Are you even capable of understanding the arguments involved in this issue?

[Countess]

Illegal immigration is a definite threat to the very well being of the United States unlike Iran which is no real threat to the United States which has no business being in Iraq in the first place. I wish democratic candidates would listen to the American public and start actually considering how to effectively secure the border and to stop warmongering against Iran. Are you listening Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama?

[Rule Of Law]

I'm sure you will be inundated with posts soon. Most will take you to task for the same sophistry that other bloggers have use around this issue, and these readers will not be fooled by it.

Illegal Immigration! That is the issue. Not the statue of liberty, or the European Immigration of a century ago, but the illegal breaching of our borders by a growing force of people whose first act on the road to becoming an American, is to break the law.

Now, if we wish to focus on the causes of this displacement of people, then you have my attention, because NAFTA, CAFTA, and their callous destruction of the national infrastructures of Mexico and Central America are the leading cause of poverty, loss of jobs, and consolidation of wealth on both sides of the border.

Driving down wages here by increasing the number of workers competing for the jobs left by offshoring and "Globalization" hurts everyone, creates another permanent underclass to fill the owner's workforce and become pawns to the political power brokers. None if that is just.

Fix this problem where it began--at the highest levels of Corporate America and their handmaiden, the US Government. Or, if that seems too daunting, you can continue to beat the knee jerk liberal, politically correct survivor guilt, "Oh, you're all just a big bunch of racist meanies" drum! I expect option 2. It is, after all, easier to blame the most disenfranchised segment of American society, the working class, than it is to tackle the Powers that Be!