"Democrats are fighting for every immigrant who feels threatened by Donald Trump’s election. We will not stand by and watch families be torn apart — Democrats in Congress and in states and cities across the country are already standing up to Trump’s hatred and bigotry to defend their immigrant neighbors."
Official Democratic Party (DNC) website. Click: Democrats.org
Those are the opening words of the official Democratic Party position on immigration. It starts with Trump, and is a reaction to him. Donald Trump framed the argument. Mexicans are rapists, Central Americans are gang members, Muslims are terrorists. And when these invaders aren't killing you they are taking your job.
Of course Democrats reacted in opposition.
Trump has made Democrats uncomfortable with confronting the question that is central to whether they have a winning or losing position, one in touch with the concerns of the American voter. Do Democrats draw the line at illegal entry and immigration status, or at new criminal activity once a person is here?
Democrats have moved on this issue. Two years ago Bernie Sanders spoke of borders, national sovereignty, and exclusion of foreign competition to protect domestic workers. Now his website is headlined "A Fair and Humane Immigration Policy," with sections for allowing undocumented immigrants to buy health insurance, to end "boondoggle walls," "humanitarian parole," dismantling "inhumane deportation," and rejecting the "Great Sanctuary City Slander."
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| Immigration litmus test |
Another potential Presidential candidate Senator Kamala Harris is another example of the Democratic lack of clarity. She is shocked by Trump, and attends rallies in opposition to ICE's inhumanity, yet does not want to be accused of having "open borders." Senator Claire McCaskill speaks of her as a "leader" in an "immigration policy that is true to the heritage of this country and not to the misguided ideas of this president." Harris wants to "revamp ICE," but a spokesman clarifies she is not "embracing abolishing" ICE. She says she wants to decrease funding for ICE, while simultaneously saying "ICE has a purpose, ICE has a role, ICE should exist. But let’s not abuse the power.” It is mush. Democrats are feeling their way. Click: SF Chronicle
Donald Trump has moved into the branding vacuum and given it a name of his own: "Catch and Release." Democrats are don't want to say "no" to anyone except convicted felons. The problem is that that is not where the Americans want to draw the line. They cheered what Bernie Sanders was saying two years ago.
Chuck Schumer and Barrack Obama said lawfulness was central.
Chuck Schumer and Barrack Obama said lawfulness was central.
Watch Chuck Schumer.
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| Click: for a "Controlled flow of legal immigrants" |
Chuck Schumer said "illegal immigration is wrong, plain and simple. Until the American people are convinced that we will stop future flows of illegal immigrants we will make no progress on dealing with the millions of illegal immigrants who are here now and on rationalizing our system of legal immigration."
He also spoke to language: "When we use phrases like 'undocumented workers' we communicate to the American people that their government is not serious about combating illegal immigration, which the American people overwhelmingly oppose. If you don't think it's illegal you're not going to say it. I think it is illegal, and wrong."
Trump changed everything in Democratic messaging. Trump slandered immigrants so Democrats came to their defense. Democrats took Trump's bait. Democrats conflated opposition to uncontrolled immigration with racism and xenophobia because Trump conflated them.
They don't need to be conflated.
There is a solution for Democrats, but they will be uncomfortable taking it because the Trump disease is so advanced. The solution is to re-embrace the rule of law, and to distinguish between people who have legal and illegal status. This does not mean all people here unlawfully need be deported, but it means embracing a rule based policy, which will mean that some people will be told no, they cannot enter nor stay. That is what controlled borders mean.
The problem currently for Democrats is that no one wants to say "no," lest they sound like Trump.
3 comments:
The data suggests that at current levels undocumented immigration is a net plus for the economy. Democrats should be shouting this from the rooftops and decrying the implied racism of the current policy. Yes, the borders should be policed and for the sake of the refugees we should have facilities for them, because if we don't reform our approach to Central America this is only the beginning.
Wow Rick. Nail on the head. I'm currently researching and writing a book on immigration and immigrants from Central America. Bottom line: immigration is not a problem. It's an invented talking point backed up by putting kids in cages to get Democrats to talk about it and to create racial divisions which overwhelmingly favor Republicans. Immigrants, especially the undocumented put billions more into the economy than they take out, they do essential jobs and businesses profit by paying them shit. I actually think we should invite them in and pay them living wages. I think we should create a path to citizenship as people who work here. I think we should get the fuck out of Central America, but only after we've rebuilt the place we've destroyed. Everything I'm saying is provable fact from credible government sources and documentation.
If Democrats woud cakk for our government to open up legal immigration and make it much easier for working class folks to enter our country, then maybe the conservative farmers and contractors who hire Latino immigrants would support Democratic candidates. As it stands, the quotas make it almost impossible for workers with no high tech skills to be approved to enter our country legally. Democratic candidates should fight for lowering the bar for legal immigration.
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