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

2007-05-31

Note to the Shaffer Campaign:

If--When--The Immigration Deal Falls Apart

Then it's incumbent on every serious Republican candidate for ANYTHING to come out immediately with their plan for immigration reform.

Every one. Mitt Romney. Rudy Giuliani. John Mc . . .

oh, never mind.

Even, and perhaps especially, BOB SHAFFER. Especially since his opponent, Mark Udall, has had precious little to say on the subject.

The point is GET OUT IN FRONT OF THE NEXT REFORM PACKAGE! Force Kennedy to shut up on this issue and get a serious reform idea on the table.

And here's a novel idea: listen to the public. Turns out, the American public has already come up with the outlines of the plan that will generate over 70% support.

And this isn't new, though it is backed up by recent polling showing wide distrust (to be kind) of the Bush-McCain-Kennedy plan.

From back in March, 2006:

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 remain completely befuddled by the President and by Congress' inability to either have this idea on their own or to READ A DAMN POLL!

And, by the way, the President's attack on his supporters who disagree with him on this issue is one of the worst political moves I've ever seen. When you only have one or two friends left, you may want to listen to them.
Posted by: Michael / 5/31/2007 11:47:00 PM

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