September 12, 2006

Who wrote Arnold Schwarzenegger's immigration opinion piece?

California's Bush- and Kennedy-controlled governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, offers "Keep the Immigration Debate Civil". My summary: "A protest vote for Phil Angelides might wake me, Maria, and my Bush handlers up to the realization that I'm on the wrong path."

1. The title will be read by most as a challenge to those opposed to illegal immigration. It applies more strongly to those on the other side, but he doesn't make that clear. He's probably too afraid to do that. By doing that, he plays right into enemy hands.

2. He chides Congress for not "finishing comprehensive immigration reform this year". That's a code phrase for a massive amnesty scheme.

3. The part that might draw race-baiting is where he appears to encourage immigrants to assimilate. In fact, he's not doing that. He's only suggesting that "immigrant rights activists" make their message more saleable to the mainstream: "So my message to you is: Carry your home country in your heart, but carry the American flag in our streets." Should an elected politician really be encouraging foreign citizens to march in our streets? Of all people, Arnold should be able to draw parallels.

4. Then, comes the Bush "redefine amnesty" dance, combined with the "mass deportations" strawman:

Now that they are here, what do we do? Amnesty is not the answer. Congress granted amnesty in 1986 and promised it would end the problem. It didn't. Amnesty only made it worse. You don't reward people for breaking the law. And you don't grant someone the rights of citizenship simply by virtue of how long they have been in this country illegally - that makes a mockery of the law and penalizes those who waited years and followed the rules.

But it is not realistic either to round up 12 million people and send them home. Many have families here now, children and grandchildren who are citizens. Splitting them up would be inhumane. Some say it would cost as much as $250 billion to even try. Who would pay for that? It is simply not realistic.

Of course, like so many others, Arnold fails to note that if we started enforcing our laws we'd reduce the numbers here now and the numbers of those coming. And, if he's worried about mixed-status families now, just wait until we "reform" the system and the problem gets even worse. As for the $250 million figure, that's from an extremely poorly done study from the Clinton-affiliated Center for America Progress.

5. Then comes Arnold's/Teddy Kennedy's/Bush's solution:

The answer, as I have repeatedly said, is, first, to secure the border to stop the problem from getting worse. Second, we must create a temporary-worker program so people can come here legally to work. We should also lift the cap on work visas for industries such as technology, engineering and agriculture so immigrants can be hired when there are not enough U.S. workers. And we must create a path to legal status for those living in the shadows illegally. They must pay a fine for breaking our laws. They must learn English and become part of our culture. They must pay back taxes and pay for healthcare and education rather than expect American taxpayers to pay extra when some cannot even afford healthcare or college for their own children.

The problems with "guest" worker programs have been enumerated here in great depth. The completely anti-American and un-American features of the original Bush "guest" worker program have not received wide attention; one can easily imagine the Arnold/Bush/Kennedy/Fox "guest" worker program having similar features for "when there are not enough U.S. workers". And, of course, Arnold fails to note that those payments he discusses redound not just to the benefit of illegal aliens, but also serve as a subsidy to their corrupt employers. Those employers would continue to receive a huge subsidy due to the welfare state, politicians such as Gil Cedillo, far-left groups such as the ACLU, and even worse groups.

6. Note also that these remarks are similar to what he said in July 25 2006 to the SDUT ("Last best hope"):

Schwarzenegger wants three things accomplished, in the following order: (1) secure the border; (2) allow U.S. companies to bring in guest workers because "it's a global economy"; and (3) then – and only then – confront what the governor admits is the toughest issue of them all, what to do with 12 million illegal immigrants who are already here. Schwarzenegger stresses that our response has to be "humane" and that it's "ridiculous" to suggest we can deport 12 million people... Schwarzenegger leaves open the possibility of allowing most of these people to remain in the country legally, provided they make some sort of restitution for the infraction of entering the country without permission. "I think the American people like to see redemption, they like to see that you have done things (to atone) for the mistake you made. Because we all make mistakes,"

Posted to California at September 12, 2006 11:10 AM

Comments

If Arnold wants the illegals to "assimilate" why did he sign a bill turning over LA unified school district to Mexican nationalist & La Raza crony Antonio Villaraigosa.

Or does he not know Mr Villaraigosa's agenda?

Posted by: Smitty at September 12, 2006 04:10 PM