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My personal musings about anything that gets on my radar screen--heavily dominated by politics.

2006-03-31

Unforced Errors

The Republicans in Congress, and in particular the Senate, are committing an enormous tactical error in their approach to immigration reform; and I count the President among those screwing this issue up in a big-bad way.

What makes me say that?

Time Magazine has a new poll out, (courtesy RCP) and it is almost exclusively devoted to the issue of immigration. And it is VERY interesting.

Among the findings:

Q1: Bush Job Approval
Approve 37%, Disapprove 57% (and this is a pretty balanced sample)

Q2: Bush Job Approval--immigration
Approve 25%, Disapprove 56%

Q3: How Serious is Illegal Immigration
Very/Extremely Serious 68%, Somewhat Serious 21%

Q4: Is the U.S. doing enough to secure the borders?
No: 82%

Q8: Should Illegals be allowed to obtain government services?
No: 75%

Q11C: Would you favor major penalties for employers of illegals?
Yes: 71%

Q11E: Would you favor providing for some way for illegals to become legal? (bad paraphrase, but hopefully you get the idea)
Yes: 78%

Q11F: Would you support shutting down the border, including using the military?
Yes: 62%

Q11G: Do you favor a fence?
Yes: 56% No: 40%

Q16: Have the recent demonstrations made you look on illegals more sympathetically or less?
Less: 40% More: 14%


Is it just me, or does it look very--VERY--obvious what the politically smart approach to this issue is? Let me distill it:

Step one: shut down the border . . . period.
Step two: cut off, or at least restrict, the amount of government services made available to illegal immigrants
Step three: strengthen and enforce penalties to employers who hire illegal immigrants
Step four: provide an opportunity for people to EARN citizenship, including learning the language, holding a job, and paying taxes

I really don't think this is that hard. Makes you wonder why the people back in Washington make it look SO hard.
Posted by: Michael / 3/31/2006 10:40:00 PM

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