Let me first wish everyone of you from my family and myself a Merry Christmas and holiday season. Now allow me to show off the family Christmas photo as well as segue back to my issue of the moment: immigration.
Look closely at this picture, it's the guy in the beard, yes Mr. Kringle, that is most likely the guy not from this country. The rest are seven or eighth generation Texans. Yes, our ancestry is from Mexico, but still proud Americans. Mr. Oppenheimer expresses a fear in the well written piece below that it may be the other people in the photo, namely me and my family, that will have to one day prove that we are American citizens. That is certainly not the America I know and love. That's why enlightened voices must maintain a vigil on the immigration debate and monitor those who may chose to go too far. Let us therefore proceed as a nation to effectively address the issue before us with our fears in check, with concern for our national welfare, but never forgetting the responsibilities to our fellow man.
Here is Mr. Oppenheimer's piece:
President Bush's Republican Party's love affair with Hispanic voters may soon come to an end: Judging from the xenophobic measures proposed by conservative Republicans in Congress last week, many Latino voters will think twice before casting a vote for Republicans in the 2006 congressional elections.
The massive anti-immigration package presented to Congress late last week by House Judiciary committee chairman James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., and Homeland Security committee chairman Peter King, R-N.Y., contained some of the most radical anti-immigration measures ever, including depriving babies of undocumented workers of their right to U.S. citizenship.
While that proposal didn't fly, the House on Friday approved other draconian GOP sponsored measures, such as a proposal to turn undocumented migrants into criminals -- which would allow the police to ask both illegal aliens and U.S. citizens for proof of citizenship at any time -- and a plan to build new fences in several areas along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Besides representing a monumental waste of money (more about this later), the proposed measures are likely to erode part of the recent gains made by Republicans among Hispanics.
SUPPORT IN '04
Bush won the 2004 election in part thanks to an unprecedented 40 percent slice of the Hispanic vote, nearly twice what Republicans got in the 1996 election.
Bush has opposed the bill, saying enforcement measures should be accompanied by a temporary guest workers' program. But the isolationist wing of the Republican Party, perhaps taking advantage of Bush's political weakness, steamrolled the bill through the House.
Why did they do it? Among the possible reasons:
It's a popular crusade in U.S. border states, which are suffering from congested hospitals, roads and public schools because of the massive influx of Latin American migrants. Several fear-mongering media celebrities -- CNN's Lou Dobbs and radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh among them -- are building a following by raising the ''broken borders'' theme in their daily broadcasts.
Some Republicans may want to use illegal immigration as a smoke screen to drive public attention away from the Iraq war fiasco, the Hurricane Katrina mishandlings and the corruption scandals around former Republican Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, as we get closer to the 2006 and 2008 elections.
Many Republicans, fearful of a debacle in upcoming elections, may want to use the Hispanic threat theme as a way to get disillusioned conservatives to the polls, much as they did with the gay marriage issue to increase turnout from churchgoers in 2004.
But pollsters warn that, even if these measures don't pass the Senate as expected, isolationist Republicans are playing with fire. Their crusade is likely to trigger an angry response from Hispanics, much like what happened when former California Gov. Pete Wilson lashed out against illegal immigrants in the mid-1990s.
''If the Republicans come across like they are just bashing immigrants, there is a potential for a strong negative reaction,'' says Roberto Suro, of the Pew Hispanic Center, which conducts some of the most comprehensive nationwide polls of Hispanics.
According to a recent Pew Center poll, about 80 percent of Latinos believe immigrants help strengthen the U.S. economy while 14 percent say they are a burden. While there is some support for anti-immigration measures among U.S-born Latinos, it tends to vanish when Hispanic voters smell racist motivations, other polls show.
''The image this [immigration bill] projects among Hispanics will be disastrous,'' says Sergio Bendixen, a Hispanic community pollster who works mostly for the Democratic Party. ``All the gains made by President Bush in the Hispanic community may evaporate.''
DON'T EXPECT CHANGE
My conclusion: The Republican-sponsored anti-immigration bill is a waste of money, because no 10-mile-long fences along the 2,000-mile border will stop illegal immigration as long as the income gap between the United States and Latin America remains so wide.
The only solution to the reduce illegal immigration will be launching a European Union-styled ''Community of the Americas'' in which Washington would offer aid to Latin American countries in exchange for commitments of economic discipline and free-market policies.
If Republicans come across as the party that wants to turn Spanish-speaking people into criminal suspects who can be stopped at any corner by police demanding proof of citizenship, they can say adios to a significant portion of the Hispanic vote.
5 comments:
the only amazing thing about your posting is that any Hispanics were crazy enough to vote republican in the first place. maybe it was a lapse in judgement or merely temporary insanity. either way, thank god it's over.
Help me understand this: in order to get the Hispanic vote, the GOP has to allow millions of Hispanics to move to the U.S.
Of course, then the GOP will have to continue to get the Hispanic vote from all those millions of new Hispanics who will want to bring millions of other people of the same race as they are to the U.S.
And, those untold millions of Hispanics will want to bring millions more people of the same race as they are to the U.S. Of course, the GOP will have no other choice but to allow that race-based immigration policy, since they want the Hispanic vote.
And, at the same time, we're going to convert the U.S. into an EU-style superstate with the resulting lack of sovereignty.
I'm sure most Texans wouldn't mind Belize telling us how to run things.
Mr.Lonewacko,
Understand that Hispanics are like other Americans in their views on immigration. This blog has repeatedly published polls showing that U.S. Hispanics like other U.S. groups are equally divided on the issue.
Like other Americans, Hispanics can however see through disingenuous attempts by some to pander to the worse parts of human nature. Long ago this issue was vetted through focus groups by Republican interests hoping to find an issue that would move voters to their candidates. They have undoubtedly found one as the focal issue of the mid-term elections is immigration.
History is well documented with abuses towards others we somehow see as different. This country's history is full of such stories. Why would anyone not be concerned that humans will follow their well worn patterns?
Both personally and as an elected official I fully believe that people should follow this country's laws. This includes our immigration laws. The percentages of illegal immigrants in this country has reached the highest recorded and I believe remedies must be made. This sentiment is shared by most Hispanics. Note that the undocumented workers diminish what U.S. Hispanics earn in wages where they are in competition. They more so than others have reason to be alarmed.
I am gravely concerned however when people want to re-write the constitution and tinker with the civil liberties of Americans.
Would you pull me over on the side of the road and ask me to prove that I am an American citizen because my skin is brown in tone? Would you force me not to speak the language of my forefathers in public?
Note that contrary to your assertion, Hispanics are not a race. In fact, Hispanics come from all races with different skin tones. Would this policy apply to light skinned people as well?
Bottom line, lets fix the problem but don't pander to the worst fears and demonize a proud patriotic part of the American populous so that some can get votes.
If Republicans were sincere then stiff penalties ought to be applied to American companies that ignore the laws of this country and hire illegal workers.
No! Oh, I forgot, this is about getting elected, not about finding meaningful solutions.
You see Mr. Lonewacko its not black or white. It's not all one or the other. Meaningful solutions can be found without the polarized views you suggest.
A good number of proffesional Hispanics that I know took a second look at the GOP when President Bush was elected. The strident voices of some on this issue within the party have done more damage to his efforts than good.
Mr. Oppenheimer's article is a reflection of this sentiment. I therefore offer it for consideration.
Mr Pena,
The problem here is that the examples provided by Mr Lonewacko are in themselves flawed and misrepresented and therefore paint a picture that is neither valid or a threat.
There is no European superstate and holding it up as a bellweather for what will happen is ludicrous. While the Europeans accept common monetary policy, they have voted to not forfeit their sovereignty, and while they allow free movement within the European community, they do so with sovereign restrictions. France doesn't tell Germany how to run their country, and neither will Beleze do so for Texas. It is common for conservative republicans to use non-issues as fodder for argument in favor of their agenda.
We do have immigration issue and the majority of that issue is centered at the US - Mexican border. I believe we don't have a solution, because we haven't fully defined what we really want. The populace is much divided on what we want our from our immigration policy. The only common thread is that we want to curb terrorists from entering the country. My concern is that suddenly, the influx of people from Mexico and other American countries has become a forefront issue, and I am trying to understand who is driving it. The Californians? Texans? I know for sure it is not something I am complaining about.
What I believe I am hearing from you is that certain promises and understandings were communicated and made prior to the mid term election that are now being retracted. The concept of a kindler and gentler America is giving way to an anti immigrant and possible anti hispanic sentiment and I believe that is what you fear.
As for the other issue you raise about the constitution and civil rights. This is not an immigrant issue, but one that effects all Americans. We are witnessing an administration that using tactics that are grey at best and illegal at worst, to erode our constitutional rights. Our personal information is no longer private and the police organizations have to right to use NSA technology to monitor the activities of US citizens. While we do not have a national ID program in the future, the federal government are forcing states to issue federally approved drivers licenses that carry with them the same information and restrictions that we would see from a National ID card. In essence, we are getting a national ID without the mandate to do so. This is all under the heading of anti terrorism and national security which plays on our greatest fears.
What I think you are saying is that hispanic voters turned out in force to support Bush in the mid-term election because they felt he would treat their causes and concerns fairly. Instead, he has turn his back on his promises and is playing on their greatest fears.
I don't know who will benefit most from such a strong immigration polic, but it is suddenly a grave concern for the Bush administration. I don't know where the pressue is coming from, but it is definitely not me.
- I'm sure a large number of Europeans don't like taking their orders from Brussels. In fact, they had a vote on that a while back.
- The GOP leadership's position on this issue is: more cheap labor, cheaper.
- As for the question of racial nationalism vs. ethnic/linguistic/cultural nationalism, I doubt whether very many of the Chicano legislators in California would rush to support massive illegal immigration if it were not mostly Chicanos or related groups and were instead, say, white Argentinians or middle-class Bautista refugees.
- In brief, if patriotic Hispanic-Americans don't want to be considered as illegal aliens, then they need to oppose illegal immigration, oppose efforts by the left to confuse the words "immigrant" and "illegal immigrant", stop supporting Mexico's attempts to send us more of the citizens they can't take care of, etc. etc.
- Even with a dream "guest" worker program, there will still be illegal immigration. And, instead of being confused with illegal aliens, then others will wonder whether a Hispanic-American is a Hispanic-American, a "guest" worker, or an illegal alien.
Post a Comment