One thing that amazes me over the immigration debate, is how often conservatives come across as close-minded and racist. I think there may be elements of truth to that in certain corners of the Republican party, but I think this characterizations points more to a successful election strategy by the Democratic party to paint them in such a light. More than anything the concerns that conservatives have over this issue are that we have porous borders, a large number of people living here illegally, and that we have a difficult time meeting our country's financial obligations as it is these days without trying to figure out how to provide things like basic services and health care to a large undocumented population.
This last election proved that there are enough legal Hispanic voters in this country to sway the election if the Republicans refuse to take a proactive stance on immigration. George Bush won in both 2000 and 2004 with around 40% of the Hispanic vote while Mitt Romney won a measurably lower 27%. As demonstrated by Ana Puig (Fox News Latino) this largely had to do with a lack of organization at the grassroots level within Hispanic communities which actually have pretty conservative views on a number of issues. So conservatives have both a disconnect at the community level and a perception problem with the greater public.
One thing I consistently harp on lately is that Republicans need to start finding the third way on many of the issues where they're currently having the same old battles that have been raging for decades with the Democrats. Instead of being the party of NO, be the party of trying something new. The party's current platform on immigration isn't about kicking out all of the illegal immigrants, but more about having a focused approach to allowing immigration based on workers with high demand skill sets and creating temporary worker programs. The dirty word for conservatives is amnesty and is something that they need to come to grips with. I wouldn't suggest a wholesale amnesty program, but there should be a clear path to citizenship for otherwise law-abiding, hard-working individuals. Yes it will be unfair to the many immigrants from other countries around the world that wait years to move here legally, but consider the fact that these people are our neighbors; their well-being does have some correlation to Central and South America's prosperity and U.S. security at the Mexican border. Of course this amnesty program should be a onetime deal with clear, defined rules.
A few years ago, I may have been a bit less lenient on providing any sort of amnesty, but a recent trip to Honduras helped shift my perspective. While down there, I heard some heartbreaking stories of people willing to risk everything to travel to the U.S. seeking employment and a way to help support their families. As a U.S. citizen, it made me feel good to know that despite all our current troubles we are still viewed as the land of opportunity. As a conservative, I couldn't help but admire the sheer determination and strong work ethic exhibited by these individuals. I understand there are many countries around the world in the same or worse conditions so I don't want to give preference, but I also can't deny the fact that we already have a large population of people here and must do something about it. Well I wrote a bit more on this issue than I intended and realize I still have more to say which I will save for later...
No comments:
Post a Comment