The Immigration Question: CCK and SDP

My friend Chad at CCK has an interesting post.  Prepare yourself for a shock, Chad.  I am largely in agreement. 

Despite his symbolic call to put the National Guard on the Mexican border, Bush pretty much reiterated the immigration policy he has been wanting for five and a half years -- a guest worker program with a path to citizenship for illegals.

The one result of this speech is that we are going to see who really runs the Republican Party in Washington: those who would throw anyone who looks like they might be illegal out of the country and build a large fence around the border or those who want to take a sensible approach to this issue.

I think we all know who is going to win that battle.

At SDP we try to give credit where credit is due, even where that means praising our opponents or criticizing our allies and comrades.  This is not the MO of CCK, and so Chad cannot quite bring himself to point out his own conclusion: that President Bush in this case is taking the "sensible approach."   Bush is trying to defend the sensible approach, and he is doing so at considerable political cost.  Both of us have reason to criticize the Administration, but maybe it wouldn't hurt too much to give Bush explicit credit on this one.

I agree with you, Chad, that the assignment of the National Guard to border patrol is largely "symbolic."  This is to say it is done for political reasons, and not because it has suddenly become good policy.   But that is precisely because the sensible approach won't sell unless it is accompanied by some policy for securing the southern border.  If reasonable immigration reform is possible, and that's a big "if", it will happen only if both sides of the question are addressed. 

I disagree with you in so far as I think your characterization of the "less sensible" side is simple minded.  No doubt some of those concerned about illegal immigration are motivated by xenophobia.  But there are also those who take the law seriously.  I know someone who is trying to become an American citizen.  He has spent years going through the maze of regulations.  He has nothing but contempt for those who crept across the border by night.  I ask you Chad, do you have no sympathy for him? 

There are those also who worry about a large population along our southern borders, oh and Chicago and New York, who fly Mexican flags and claim the Southwest for Mexico.  I ask you, Chad, whether this sentiment is welcome as part of the Democratic coalition? 

We think alike that "throwing anyone who looks like they might be illegal out of the country and build a large fence around the border" is not the right policy.  But maybe the way to get sensible policy is to be at least as generous toward those who disagree with us, not to mention those who agree but belong to the other party, as we are to those  who labor in America without the benefit of documents or law.