Austin American Statesman:
Ironically enough, Bush has made immigration reform a priority of his 2nd term, but so far hasn't ginned up much enthusiasm for it. The issue is so emotional and so divisive that its easier for the various sides to mouth platitudes and issue ultimatums than to go about the real work of overhauling immigration policy to reflect 21st Century economic realities.
Comprehensive solutions might be out of our grasp, but options like a guest worker program could be a start if the will is there. So far this will has been absent and the work remains undone.
Its hard work and Congress can't hire illegal immigrants to do it.
My diary earlier in the week was met by some very interesting comments from Kossacks. The general opinion here seems to be consistent with the opposition Bush is facing from his right wing. I hope I just got lucky enough to capture some trolls in my thread but not so sure...
I repeat: Kossack opinion = conservative republican opinion on illegal immigration, at least until proven otherwise. Not a good, in my opinion.
Democrats are mostly silent on this issue. Bush is out front, wrong headedly, of course, but at least he is addressing the issue at all.
If we are truly "progressive" (and I am yet to be convinced by many Kossacks that we are truly progressive on many issues) then our guiding moral principles will lead us to take the problem of illegal immigrants under our tent and do everything in our power to help them make their way in the US.
Why? Because it is the right thing to do...ask Jesus or pastordan....and it will keep this burgeoning bloc of voters (their children born here w be citizens) in our tent. Otherwise, they will continue to leak into the Republican tent, and we will be pitching ours in the desert for another 40 years.