The Republicans have reached into their hat and pulled out the rabbit that keeps hopping across the border, thinking this migt save their asses in the upcoming 2006 mid-term Congressional elections. It might well do it, but it will come at the expesne of a lot fo pain and soul seaching for the party that created thisproblem to begin with. It started out with Southwestern Conservtive Republicans such as Barry Goldwater promting the nefarious Right To Work laws which were a blind for combating the ever growing and many cases corrupt power of Labor Unions. It was meant in effect to supply cheap labor to business, and had the effect of encouraging ever greater immigration from south oftheborder to fill jobs way too may Americans balked at performing for the wages offerred. Soon, Democrats as well, seeing the onrushingtide, decided to swimor surf along with it, seeingthepotential for votes to bolster their ever siening minority based net.
Now, we have real problems, and of course, just as in the case of the tobacco company fiasco, the peoplethat created and ourished the problem are hopingto benefit from it. They have sowed the wind, but the American voter will reap the whirlwind, I’m afraid. Now, hundredsof thousands of protestors are out in force these last few days expressing their dissaproval (or their urge to get out of school for a few days) against the new law to enforce and augment border security and crack down on illegal immigration.
The fact that they are prposing stiff penalties for employers who hire llegals is proof enough of their desperation. Stil, despite the wanton hypocrisy on display here, it might well accomplish it’s objetive. The Republicans might well maintain their hold on Congress, just on the stength of this bill, which most Americans, protestors to the contrary, seem to support.
As do I. I support limited legal immigration, but severe penalties for employers that hire illegals, and I support militarizing the border if necessary (though this is unfortunately not a part of the current bills provisions), to prevent any further illegal immigration, or otherwise any steps necessary to prevent it. I also favor raising the minimum wage and applying it to any work done by migrant workers, and in addition I favor increased farm subsidies to farmers who will have to pay them in order to keep food prices from skyrocketing as a result. Yes, I know, that’s a kind of socialism. Too bad, it might well be necessary.
Just as it might finally become necessary to implement some kind of reasonable health care reform which includes subsidized health care not only for migrants, but for all American citizens.
All this is just the beginning of what needs to be done to solve this serious problem, which this little production in the U.S. Congress will not accomplish. Even in the unlikely event it is passed by both Houses and signed into law by Bush, there will probably be a myriad of court cases that will keep it held up for years. But it still might accomplsih what I maintain is it’s main objective, which is to keep the Republicans in power.
That might be the best thing for the Democrats in the long run, depending on your perspective. Because, whoever wins in 2006, stands a good chance of being the ultimate loser by the time the 2008 elections are decided.
