It is disheartening that all the energy around immigration reform seems to have been sucked up by the deceptive STRIVE Act. Those who should be leading the fight for humane solutions to our immigration problems with Mexico, such as Senator John McCain, and Representatives Raul Grijalva and Gabby Giffords are lining up behind Rep. Jeff Flake’s ‘compromise’ measure, that is no real compromise at all.
STRIVE puts border enforcement ahead of any real progress on expanding worker visas, documenting existing immigrant populations, and stopping the unconscionable number of deaths on our borders. Most importantly, STRIVE does absolutely nothing to address the systemic conditions driving economic migration to the United States from Latin America (especially Mexico) nor anything to secure the rights of vulnerable workers here in the United States.
What’s most pernicious is that this essentially mean-spirited and unrealistic bill is being portrayed as a mainstream compromise, and anyone who doesn’t jump on-board is an immigration extremist on either the left or right. Worse, the media is creating a moral and political equivalence between those on the right and the left who continue to reject the STRIVE Act. They are both portrayed as unrealistic and inflexible hardliners who are clinging to an extreme position even as the reasonable middle comes to a compromise embodied in STRIVE. This is simply a moronic story told by a moronic press that doesn’t have even the minimal mental energy to actually report the story.
Those on the right resisting STRIVE are doing so because of the boogeyman of ‘amnesty’: they reject any legislation to includes any path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. Even though STRIVE mandates unrealistic and punative fines, waiting periods, and re-immigration schemes that make a farce of the idea that any but a few could actually take advantage of this so-called ‘amnesty’, the Minutemen and their ilk continue to reject STRIVE out of hand as a betrayal of their nativist cause.
Those on the left, and in the immigrant rights movement, who reject STRIVE are doing so for much more cogent reasons. The main reason being that by continuing to emphasize enforcement first, the STRIVE Act ensures that the butchers bill in Arizona and New Mexico’s deserts will continue to mount while enforcement cracks down but no new legal immigration is allowed. The purely humanitarian concern that the penalty for undocumented economic immigration should not be the death penalty prevents the left from supporting STRIVE. Moreover, the precondition of further militarization of the border is, rightly, seen as ensuring that even the punitive and unrealistic immigration status reforms in STRIVE will never actually be triggered. Finally, even if the the immigration status reforms comes to pass, they are so badly designed that they are unacceptable. STRIVE offers nothing to those who want to make economic immigration well-documented, safe, and beneficial to both nations. There is nothing to negotiate, because there is nothing on offer.
Democrats who have signed on to STRIVE as co-sponsors are, no doubt, well-intentioned and hope to have input into shaping the final bill. But STRIVE is not a legislative remodel, it is a tear-down. The STRIVE Act is fundamentally flawed as public policy. It may be politically necessary at the moment to provide cover for Republicans and vulnerable Democrats by putting enforcement first and requiring certification of performance benchmarks on the border before immigration status reform even begins, but it is disastrously bad policy.
It will likely come to pass that nothing will pass this year, even with Congressional Republican support and the help of President Bush. Both are too politically wounded and compromised by kow-towing to the fringes of their party to pass anything worth while.
We might have to just wait for a Democratic President and an enhanced Democratic majority in Congress for significant and realistic immigration reforms. Tragically, while D.C. dithers, hundreds more will die seeking the American Dream this summer.
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It is a shame that the racism brought by illegal immigrants to this country is never shown on the media. Here is a list of Hate Groups leading the pro-illegal alien charge:
1) Nation of Aztlan (This group also promotes hate against Jews)
2) Council of La RAZA (This group promotes racism against white Americans)
3) MEChA (This hategroup pretends, to be “cultural organization” but teaches anti-American propaganda)
4) LULAC (This group used to be a real civil rights group, but is now a hategroup)
Illegal Aliens bring racism and hateful ideas against Americans of all colors. Violence against African Americans in Washington DC, racial slurs and violence against European Americans in Los Angeles, hate comments against Asian Americans in California.
Check out this site:
http://www.smalltowndefenders.com
“Mike; I love my new blog and name you created for me; I would post on it IF you linked your NEW blog for me to this site.”
You’ve got deal. It shall be done.
x4mr;
I was first asked by Mike to answer questions about my candidacy for Congress in 2004. Iam a member of the DFA network nation wide and also in my own home town. Mike “piggybacked” this blog on the DFA software and gets updated by the national DFA on topics weekly.
Iam also a Founding Member of Democracy for America and an active Candidate for Congress, filed with The Clerk of Congress and The Federal Election Commission. My campaign choose to watch and listen to conflicting policies in The Democratic Party Platform that were at odds with my longtime Democratic Party core values that were reflected by every Democratic Candidate for President since F.D.R. and will hit the ground running with a mandate that is rapidly being demanded by Democrats not being heard at this time.
The fact that John Kennedy and his views would be considered as foriegn to some views shared by Democrats today does not mean those Democrats that still reflect the core values of F.D.R.; Harry Trueman and John Kennedy are somehow not permitted to give an opinion on Democratic Blogs is perposterious!
My comments are just that, Comments, as everyone else has a right to post comments. Mike has engaged The Democratic Party as a Platform for his Comments and as a 50 year member of the Democratic Party to suggest Democrats can not express comments about myself when asked questions or give a perspective that is a growing concern amoung Democrats is short of insanity.
Making references to body parts has no place even on this blog and I will never engage in such behavior.
Seriously, Dwight, start your own blog.
Your continued piggy backing on Michael’s structure without the courage to create your own is frankly embarrassing. You are a blogger welfare case, someone too weak and insecure to create your own forum, having to use another’s to the detriment of all. Create your own place and exercise the courage to learn whether anyone gives a shit what you have to say, having the balls to face the reality that maybe no one does.
Everyone can sign the back of a check. It takes cajones to sign the front of the check. Michael and I have a pair. Do you?
I would like to change the debate from Illegall’s Immigrant rights to Legal immigrant rights.
All the people of hispanic backgrounds and other nationalities that have been using Legal Immigration Laws and waiting patiently in line for many many years should be considered First and if the word “Comprehensive Immigration Reform” is used they need to be the ones we are talking about;(Not) Illegall’s who took it upon themselves to break The Rule Of Law this Nation is founded on, and a Flag they must swear alliegence to (The American Flag) not the flag of Mexico!
The Immigration Reform Bill should be just that, Legal Immigration Reform not a Illegal Immigration Reform Bill for only Illegall’s!
Mike; I love my new blog and name you created for me; I would post on it IF you linked your NEW blog for me to this site.
Dude, you are a real loser. Let’s give the illegals a debit card from the feds and a voter registration card from your precinct. what the hell. who cares? Giffords is a moron, she is a failed business person that couldn’t change the film in her camera to save her life.
But, I’ll tell you this, she is better than Graf. He makes her look like Einstein
I did. Unfortunately, he doesn’t see fit to use it. I can’t imagine why… http://arizona.typepad.com/americanchauvinist/
I don’t do this for just anybody. I feel rather rejected, in fact…
Hey Mike, I thought you made a blog for Dwight to call his own
As for Free In State Tuition for Illegall’s ; It is SO NUTS I can’t even reason why it is being discussed.
If someone wants a DISCOUNTED Arizona Education equal to that of Arizona Residents I hope The Mexican Government can work out a VOUCHER that can be used in ANY U.S. University with-out The State having to foot that bill also along with healthcare costs.
There comes a time folks that we as Americans have given all we can give with-out loosing our homes to property taxes supporting an Illegal population that we can NO LONGER AFFORD!
That being said; I am for LEGAL IMMIGRATION and workers being placed where they are needed. I WILL NOT SAY DOING JOBS AMERICANS WILL NOT DO BECAUSE THAT IS DEMEANING TO BOTH WORKERS!
Having worked in the Produce business my whole life I have seen what is needed in that industry on BOTH sides of the Border in Arizona and California, due to seasonal climate changes. It does NOT just involve picking the crops, it can be a very rewarding job if done right.
What a beautiful sight it would be to see Immigrants enerting our Country legally attending workshops hosted by employers with the EMPLOYERS footing the bill NOT the Federal Government, after passing requirements of HEALTH and NEED through a workable Federal Immigration System that is SIMPLE and gives the same benefits to Higher Middle and Lower classes of Workers NOT JUST MEXICANS JUMPING OUT OF A GREEN VAN ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY!
Reform for Mexicans should come from MEXICO not AMERICA!
Mexicans President said ” When you see a Mexican in America you see MEXICO!”
Mexicans demonstrating in American streets to change our laws to accommodate them is WRONG! They should do what we in America did during the Civil War when 600,000 lives were lost and a Million injured fight for your rights in your own country NOT ours!
This CRAP of MEXICANS seeking the American Dream is just that! The American dream means something to Americans starting with THE RULE OF LAW, that Lawyers in this Country swore an OATH to PROTECT yet when it comes to Illegal Mexicans breaking that same law they get a pass to FREEDOM? Boy do we have a future population to deal with in the Border States! THIEVES!! Take a look around you folks, murders,robberies,car jackings,occurring everywhere now at Fitness Centers!
The first thing to STOP the INVASION is to cut the cord on ANCHOR BABIES! No ILLEGAL Mexican Born In the United States to a ILLEGAL Mexican Mother is automatically a U.S. Citizen; PERIOD!
The RIGHT or LEFT viewpoint on Illegal Immigration is a FARCE! George BUSH is lined up with Ted Kennedy to pass this CRAP come hell or high water,and mark my words BOTH parties will LOOSE SEATS in 2008,and any DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENT will be left holding the BAG of SOCIAL SECURITY being given to Illegalls after just 18 months including their families in Mexico when it takes American Citizens 10 years or 40 quaters to quailfy for Social Security DISABILITY or BENEFITS OF ANY KIND!
Lets put a bet on how many Illegal Mexican Nationals file for Social Security Disabilty; Isay we can expect 30% of the 20 million and 15% of the 80 Million of there direct family members to file for Social Security with-in 18 months, that puts it close to the Presidential Election. It is for that reason Congress will NOT touch AMNESTY with a 10 foot pole!