Trying To Win The Wrong Way
I have a funny feeling that Tom "Nuke Mecca" Tancredo might actually have been right about something: immigration may very well be an important issue (even if not the only issue) in the 2008 presidential campaign. Certainly the Democrats are beginning to worry about that, if this article in today's Los Angeles Times is any evidence, and I think it clearly is.
Top Democratic elected officials and strategists are engaged in an internal debate over toughening the party's image on illegal immigration, with some worried that Democrats' relatively welcoming stance makes them vulnerable to GOP attacks in the 2008 election.
Advocates of such a change cite local and state election results last week in Virginia and New York, where Democrats used sharper language and get-tough proposals to stave off Republican efforts to paint the party as weak on the issue. ...
With polls showing broad discontent with the government's handling of immigration, some Democrats argue that the party can toughen its image without moving too far away from its traditionally pro-immigration leanings -- for example, by supporting heightened security at the Mexico border, opposing benefits for illegal immigrants, and pushing for harsher penalties against businesses that hire illegal workers.
That's going to be really tough high wire act to pull off and still retain any credibility with the Hispanic community. Still, it can be done. It just can't be done as "Republican Light". Building walls and using National Guardsmen as Border Patrol Agents shouldn't be the centerpiece of any such policy, nor should the wholesale denial of benefits to undocumented workers. Statistics have shown that such workers pay their fare share of taxes and should have access to health care and public education.
The disturbing part of the article, however, is the clearly cynical view of the Democratic pols who show more interest in winning elections than in coming up with reasonable programs to address the issue. Rep. Joe Baca (D-Rialto), chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, forcefully noted this in a rather heated exchange with House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer:
The caucus was upset because some House Democrats had backed a Republican measure protecting employers that impose certain English-only rules -- the latest in what Baca called a series of frustrations with the party leadership's approach to immigration.
"We're tired of people trying to scapegoat the immigrants or Hispanics as a platform," Baca said. "Republicans have done it, and Democrats have followed . . . because they're afraid they're going to lose their elections. But we got elected to represent all communities, not to vote based on whether we're going to get reelected." [Emphasis added]
Putting together a compassionate and sensible immigration program which is respectful of immigrants and their employers will be difficult, but it surely is not impossible. Democratic candidates shouldn't be afraid to campaign on such issues, but they should do so as Democrats. They must understand that pandering to the Republican base isn't going to get the Democrats any more votes.
Perhaps the current crop of Democratic candidates aren't up to the task, but I think as voters we should be willing to insist on it.
Top Democratic elected officials and strategists are engaged in an internal debate over toughening the party's image on illegal immigration, with some worried that Democrats' relatively welcoming stance makes them vulnerable to GOP attacks in the 2008 election.
Advocates of such a change cite local and state election results last week in Virginia and New York, where Democrats used sharper language and get-tough proposals to stave off Republican efforts to paint the party as weak on the issue. ...
With polls showing broad discontent with the government's handling of immigration, some Democrats argue that the party can toughen its image without moving too far away from its traditionally pro-immigration leanings -- for example, by supporting heightened security at the Mexico border, opposing benefits for illegal immigrants, and pushing for harsher penalties against businesses that hire illegal workers.
That's going to be really tough high wire act to pull off and still retain any credibility with the Hispanic community. Still, it can be done. It just can't be done as "Republican Light". Building walls and using National Guardsmen as Border Patrol Agents shouldn't be the centerpiece of any such policy, nor should the wholesale denial of benefits to undocumented workers. Statistics have shown that such workers pay their fare share of taxes and should have access to health care and public education.
The disturbing part of the article, however, is the clearly cynical view of the Democratic pols who show more interest in winning elections than in coming up with reasonable programs to address the issue. Rep. Joe Baca (D-Rialto), chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, forcefully noted this in a rather heated exchange with House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer:
The caucus was upset because some House Democrats had backed a Republican measure protecting employers that impose certain English-only rules -- the latest in what Baca called a series of frustrations with the party leadership's approach to immigration.
"We're tired of people trying to scapegoat the immigrants or Hispanics as a platform," Baca said. "Republicans have done it, and Democrats have followed . . . because they're afraid they're going to lose their elections. But we got elected to represent all communities, not to vote based on whether we're going to get reelected." [Emphasis added]
Putting together a compassionate and sensible immigration program which is respectful of immigrants and their employers will be difficult, but it surely is not impossible. Democratic candidates shouldn't be afraid to campaign on such issues, but they should do so as Democrats. They must understand that pandering to the Republican base isn't going to get the Democrats any more votes.
Perhaps the current crop of Democratic candidates aren't up to the task, but I think as voters we should be willing to insist on it.
Labels: Election 2008, Immigration
posted by Diane at 4:56 AM
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