I just finished reading Tamar Jacoby's article : "Immigration Nation" in Foreign Affairs,and am not sure what to make of it.
On the one hand, some of what she says makes sense : Perhaps the Nation gains-financially-when jobs are kept here,rather than being out-sourced overseas. Perhaps there is something to the idea of these "undocumented workers" providing "just-in-time" labor that helps keep America competitive.
On the other hand,I have been reading for several months about the big problems caused by the illegal immigrant "invasion" : problems Ms Jacoby seems to gloss over rather hurriedy.
Ms Jacoby also asserts a large percentage of "undocumented" laborers actually have income and Social Security taxes witheld from their pay, and that this had helped keep Social Security solvent - but I'd surely like to know what she bases this claim on - since undocumented labor tends to stay that way: no taxes witheld - at all !
As you can see, I'm somewhat skeptical about Ms Jacoby's "Pro-Amnesty" article-but I'm also skeptical about some of the "Anti-Amnesty" material being pumped into the American public by folks like Lou Dobbs of CNN.
Dobbs made a big splash with his "Broken Borders" specials : thereby persuading millions of Americans their patrimony was being stolen. Curiously, although the immigration problem has been decades in the making,he came back time and time again to insist it was the fault of the present Administration.
The net political result was that growing numbers of Republicans decided to jump on the bandwagon and "distance themselves" from the Administration on this - and (as feedback accumulated) other issues. A few Republicans in western states have begun to look like "one trick ponies" : riding the anti-immigration wave for all it is worth. One has even begun to "make presidential noises".
The Democrats followed Lou Dobbs' lead in their own way: simultaneously criticizing "lax Border security"-while opening their arms in a welcoming abrazo to the millions of illegals.
I was not too surprised when CNN segued smoothly from " Broken Borders" to "Broken Nation" as a theme - right before elections - though I have found myself wondering whether they should change their network name to DNC -as their main thrust these days seems to be promoting the Democratic National Convention.
I've found myself wondering how much of the excitement about illegal aliens is real-and how much is "politics as usual".
I can understand -and fully sympathize with people in the Border states : some of whom are going through a hellish ordeal on a daily basis. But people in North Carolina or Pennsylvania ?
Let's say I'm politely skeptical of both sides , and let it go at that.
Well thought out post. For the record I supported some form of Bush comprehensive policy.
That being said I dont feel this was our greatest hour in rational political discourse. Emotion has a place in politcs. But at times I felt I was assaulted by too many images that wanted me to FEEELL rather than to think. Also, I di have some discomfort that CIS, NumbersUSA, etc became such a source for stats and news relases in the conservative community. In the end both sides I think failed here. The issue is complex and the it takes some time to wade through the issues. Also an environment was created that was so charged that any going off the reservation was met with an onslaught. See Rep Pence.
I suppose I have mistrusted some of the leaders in the hardliner approach. Back in August we knew there was a goode the Dems could take the House. It would seem that a Harline compromise with Bush would be better than Bush compromising with the Dems in a possible Dem controlled House.To this day that stance has troubled me. I sometimes wonder too if we were being used
Posted by: jh | November 02, 2006 at 12:04 PM