About two years ago, immigration was a purely bi-partisan issue. McCain, along with Kennedy, put forward a very comprehensive approach that no one truly liked. It is an axiom of politics that if all sides to a debate disagree with the proposed legislation, it probably strikes the proper balance. The pro-immigration group did not like the work-permit provisions as, they argued, it fosters a permanent subclass of citizens as it has done in France. The anti-immigrant movement, which has been gaining momentum over the past few years did not like it either. The anti-immigration 'movement' seems to be directly related to the economy. As the economy is inching towards a potential recession, the sentiment has only garnered strength.
Unfortunately,there are no simple answers. It is altogether doubtful, if not logistically impossible, to deport all 11 million illegal immigrants. Further, of these so-called illegals, many of them came to the US legally and let their status lapse; a fact that seems lost on many in this country. This is highly relevant as it is demonstrative of the intellectual dishonesty that both sides engage in. Whether we like it or not, our economy is inexplicably linked to illegal immigration. Thus, it is appropriate to cite the position by Judge Posner, one of the most lauded jurists of our generation and widely regarded as the chief authority on economics and the law. Read it here.
1 comment:
I like the third alternative which includes a conditional amnesty provision.
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