Immigration Debate Smothered by Campaigning

Amy Taylor

Immigration Debate Smothered by Campaigning

The New York Times reported today on how Democratic congressional candidates are taking a tougher stance on immigration to lure more conservative voters to the polls. This year, we came frustratingly close to enacting positive reform of our troubled immigration system. It is unfortunate for the American public that this important debate was hijacked by Congressional midterm elections and their accompanying shenanigans. We should be angry that our representatives in Congress have used their own perceived political gain to distract us from a real debate about how to reform our immigration system.

After a true bipartisan effort resulted in the Senate bill passed earlier this year, partisan bickering has taken the stage. Instead of the anticipated negotiations toward comprehensive reform, Republican and Democratic candidates alike made a joke out of field hearings this summer using them for their own political purposes. Some Democratic candidates, such as Representative Harold E. Ford Jr. of Tennessee, with voting records favoring comprehensive reform, changed their tune when speaking to the public. Some are calling for tougher restrictions in order to highlight the failures of President Bush and Republican leadership, even if they haven't supported them in the past. More conservative Republican candidates are using the issue to focus on the morality of law-breaking immigrants and to conjure up fear of a cultural invasion. Either way, the public is missing out on the discussion that really matters.

We should be offended that our lawmakers have shifted the focus of this essential debate away from concrete proposals and instead have focused on rhetoric about immoral border crossers and terrorism. History has shown us that an enforcement-only approach has always failed to stem the tide of undocumented immigration. This one-sided debate denies the fact that our economy relies on immigration to stay competitive and strong. We deserve to be engaged in a real conversation about how our broken immigration system can be reformed in a way that will benefit all Americans.

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Posted at 7:53 AM, Oct 18, 2006 in Immigration | Politics
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Comments

I am loathe to disagree because I, too, see immigration reform (especially regularization of the legal status of undocumented aliens) as both good and politically important. However, the fact is that American voters are not as supportive of this sort of measure as I might like. Indeed, it's politically unpopular.

It's our job to carry the ball to ordinary citizens who are anti-illegal immigrant. We haven't succeeded. The fault, to bard mangle, lies not in our politicians but in our selves (or rather our political weakness).

I'm not offended by theImmigaration Debate. Wat I'm offended by is that every politician is exploiting PreSchoolars. For Example To day there was an event at Harvard Club sponsored by Drummajor Institute at Harbard club on Preschoolars. Another will be October 30. I wanted to attend. But I could not because The announcements do not mention Room numbers at Harvard Club. Only the regulars get to attend. The Democrartic Candidate for NY governor's position ran extensive ads on preschoolars. Enough is enough.

I'm a bit confused by your comment. The event on Pre-K at the Harvard Club is October 30th http://www.drummajorinstitute.org/events/unique_event.php?ID=40

Last month's event was on the 18th.

All of our Marketplace Events are not only open to the public but we slave away for hours getting the word out to as many event calendars, email lists, students and any one else who will listen as we possibly can.

We write on our blog to advertise the events. You don't need a room number and you never have. You just show up at the venue and ask for the Drum Major Institute event and they'll send you up to the room.

I wouldn't be spending so much time trying to build attendence if this weren't about having a huge, public conversation. If you come on the correct date- October 30th at 8am you will see. Just show up and tell them you are there for our event. It is that simple.

I believe that most voters would be supportive of smart immigration reform if they were focused on the real effects of immigration and how reform can make our economy stronger. The current political climate is confusing the issues. Politicians who are running for office are generally much more interested in using scare tactics (invasion of terrorists over our borders) to get a small percentage of the population out to vote rather than engaging in a conversation about what kind of reform would strengthen our economy, bring us the labor we desperately rely on and keep our population robust and vibrant. Also, in our representative democracy it is historically the job of our representatives to protect the populations who are politically underrepresented.

Amy says: "I believe that most voters would be supportive of smart immigration reform if they were focused on the real effects of immigration and how reform can make our economy stronger"

I agree; but what should we be doing to draw attention to the "real effects of immigration?" The perceived effects of job loss to, for example in NYC, non-union construction, are keenly visible.

The reason, as I see it, that those seeking elective office campaign against illegal immigrants is that they see political advantange in doing so. Until we create a different political climate, the only people they will protect are themselves