The immigration issue is important and does deserve attention and respect, and must be solved in a way that stops exploitation. That being said, this whole issue, it seems to me, is a red herring. It's the equivalent of someone throwing a rock into the corner to create a noise "over there", so you won't look "over here" where the real action is. Don't look at Bu$h's nose-diving poll numbers, or the British memo detailing his pre-determined plans to start a war, or the ongoing disintegration of Iraq into civil war, or the corruption scandals as they continiue to unfold, etc, etc. Don't fall for it! Be vigilent about the real issues that the Repigs want to obscure.
Posted by oppressmenot at March 30, 2006 04:42 PMAs a political scientist, I will now say that America is in a state of de-alignment. Beginning as a delignment in 1980 with the Reagan election and solidifying with his 1984 reelection, the Republicans held a nominal advantege, much smaller than the previous new deal Democrat advantege which was overwhelmingly strong for decades and lasted from 1932 to 1980. America's political "gestalt" as the Germans would say, is open to change. Ideology will not form a successful coalition, pragmatism will. The new deal was a pragmatic reaction to the conditions of its time, today's Democrats have an advantege in that the Republicans are going to be the dirty war party for a while. Eventually, the Republicans will spin a "new, improved" version of themselves in handy soundbite format, but they're stuck with W in this years midterm.
Stay tuned.
Posted by herbal tee at March 30, 2006 07:15 PMI sure hope Bush/Rove/Frist/Hassert base the 06 elections on winning issues for the Republicans:
- The wisdom of going to and continuing to stay in Iraq and the honest way it was sold to the American and world's people.
- The capable way BushCo handled hurricans in the gulf of mexico
- The wonderful gift of the Medicare Part D drug plan and its wonderful policy and implementation
- The need to force out (or imprison) 12 million people from the US who don't have work visas, and build a wall across our border.
I'm surely ready for a political realignment from right to center left, but I'm not sure the Democratic party is. But hey, look what happened in Israel on their elections: right to center-left. It could happen here if we are lucky.
Posted by JimPortlandOR at March 31, 2006 12:38 AMWho needs issues when you've got Diebold?
We no longer have free, fair elections. The elections are rigged.
Revolution is the solution.
Posted by God Of War at March 31, 2006 09:28 AMGOW,
You are so fucking right. ES&S, Sequoia, and Diebold must Die! Else our Democracy does. (That goes for too, for any other partisan, proprietary, paperless, unauditable voting system). The whole concept reeks!! How did any thinking American EVER let this happen?? HOw in the world did the Democratic politicians not make such an issue and a stink about the treasonous nature of this democracy killing practice, AS IT WAS HAPPENING, THAT NO ONE IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD EVER FUCKING AGREE TO LET IT HAPPEN??!! And how can anyone now who cares about true Democracy, Right or Left, listen to ANY of BS justification for it?
Posted by oppressmenot at March 31, 2006 12:35 PMCommon Guys. This is not Republican or Democratic issue. Let me repost what I posted at another place which is as follows:
I think it is time to look at it as an important issue to be resolved. For that you must first look at it thru the illegal immigrants eyes. Do you think he wants to pay money to Coyotees, travel thru all kinds ot dangerous terrains to get to Us? Work on lower than minimum wage and live in poverty? The answer is that he would like to come to US thru proper channels, make his money in dollars which is significant in pesos (even though he is getting less than minimum wage), and go back to his country to enjoy that significant money. He does not want to live in poverty in US with the meager money he makes here. Remember he is coming here because he is living in poverty back home and wants to get out of it.
If this means we issue work permits so that this worker can come to US to work 4-6 months(Guest Worker?) and then go back and come again following year, then this should provide this worker a sense of stability and he does not have to resort to coming here illegaly. Now being on a work permit, he will not get all the benifits that a citizen gets, but he is not breaking any law.
This is not a new idea. Europe is doing it with Turkish and Grrek workers. Dubai, Arab Emeritus, Saudi Arebia, are doing it with workers from India, Pakistan, Banglades, etc.
I know Bush has lot of things wrong, but he is right about the "Guest Worker" idea. I think the Dems should support this idea because this is the most practicle solution to this problem.