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Jewish World Review August 3, 2001 / 14 Menachem-Av, 5761
James Lileks
Bright move: Pat Buchanan, who was packed in Cosmoline and buried after the
last election, surfaced to attack Bush from the right. The Democrats hit from the
left, wondering why Bush would roll out the carpet for Mexicans but stiff-arm
Poles, Ukes, Croats, Aleuts, et al. Moderates wondered why illegals got to cut
in front of people who actually bothered to apply for citizenship. Everyone,
whatever their political stripes, could only stare agog at this buck-naked
vote-buying on display.
Let no one say George W. is not a uniter.
But was the furor justified? After all parties had strafed the proposals into
smoking confetti, Secretary of State Colin Powell appeared to ''clarify'' the
matter. He dismissed talk of a ''blanket'' amnesty. But he said the administration
would try to assist undocumented workers in becoming documented workers ---
as well as help them become citizens, if ''that's where their destiny takes" them.
Destiny?
SEEKING MIDDLE GROUND?
This makes it sound like citizenship is a preordained surprise, like finding out
you're really a prince, or Darth Vader's son.
The GOP is always skittish about the immigration issue. Should a conservative
suggest that the nation's boon be reserved for citizens, this somehow comes
across in the news media as ''Deport anyone who does not require sunblock.''
Yes, there are people who believe that. There are also people on the left who
believe that the entire Southern Hemisphere is entitled to come to the United
States and be fed, housed and educated at public expense, and get a ballot in
their native language. (''Mark your ballot for Democrat Happy Help Party, or the
Reptile Demon-G-d Baby-Eater Party.'') These social programs will be paid for
by cutting open all the rich people to see how they produce those golden eggs.
These are extremist points, both of them, a pox on both their casas. Everyone in
the middle agrees that immigration is what made this country great but that
there are limits. Most people don't mind Cinco de Mayo day at the local
Chi-Chis. Making it a paid federal holiday is another matter.
Some sort of immigration control is necessary --- but how?
BENEFITS OF ECONOMIC FREEDOM
Why, just look at Mexico!
Ahem. OK, not the best example, but give them time. President Vicente Fox is
not a caudillo from the long-ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party. Judge Mexico
not by a few years of NAFTA and a few months of new blood. This stuff takes
years --- and that's the problem.
IMMIGRATION PROBLEM
Back in the '80s, we did make a stab at ending the immigration problem in our
lifetime. In 1986, Ronald Reagan signed a flat-out amnesty that was bigger than
the one Bush was accused of considering. It was accepted at the time --- like a
horse pill dry-swallowed sideways --- because it contained all sorts of provisions
to discourage the hiring of illegals. Stiff fines. Jail time. It was suggested then
that these accommodations would only encourage more illegals to come in
hopes of a similar reprieve down the road. It was suggested that today's
low-wage, dangerous jobs would be filled by the illegals of tomorrow.
Poppycock, they said. And they'll say the same thing if there's an amnesty
tomorrow. The only difference is that we have a Spanish-speaking president now,
and he'll say el poppycocko.
And it still won't get him any
07/25/01: The real reason why we need missile defense (What those uppity policy wonks won't tell you!)
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