The Politics of Immigration Reform

Joe Murray

“The things that will destroy us,” opined Mahatma Gandhi, “are: politics without principle; pleasure without conscience; wealth without work; knowledge without character; business without morality; science without humanity; and worship without sacrifice.” With a White House that equates breaking into our country with a motor vehicle violation and a GOP controlled Senate that is seeking to address lawlessness by pandering to the Hispanic population, one wonders if Gandhi’s words of a principled politics ever echoed through the ears of those sitting atop the DC swamp.

Immigration is not just another issue of the day; it stands to be a turning point for our country and our culture. With the Meixification of the Golden State, and the great white flight that continues to this day, it is clear that the American Southwest is the target of a cultural coup. To Hispanics in that region, especially those in the barrios of Southern California, America is their paycheck and Mexico, including the portions lost to the Gringo aggressors, remains their promised land.

This, however, is not rhetoric. It was reported that in 2005 Mexico was the recipient of a record breaking $20 billion in remittances from those “immigrants,” legal and illegal, working in the States. This figure rivals that of Mexico’s income from oil exports and tourism combined. Even more staggering, according to Arturo Valenzuela, director of the Center for Latin American Studies at Georgetown University, the money sent home to Mexico almost equals the US foreign aid budget for the entire world.

What does this mean, both politically & economically? Even though Mexico is siphoning an additional $20 billion off the top of the US economy, she still exports her problems north of the border. Translation: she takes the money and runs.

And why should Mexico attempt to change her ways when the diplomatic divas in DC want to roll out the red carpet for all of her citizens that have broken our law? Even further, Mexico has no reason to disturb the status quo, for when she instructs her citizens on how to break into our country, allows those here in the US, legally and illegally, to vote in her elections, and chastises the US when it attempts to secure its borders, Mexico City receives $20 billion and an immigration bill that would put her illegals on the fast track to citizenship.

Despite the fact that the hearts and wallets of the Hispanics reside south of the border, President Bush and his compassionate coyotes in the Senate wish to sell America an amnesty in drag, “comprehensive,” immigration reform bill. Make no mistake, this bill would be de facto amnesty that would reward lawlessness and Mexico’s unwillingness to help her own citizens.

While those sitting on Wall Street may welcome the steady flow of cheap labor the Bush inspired Senate immigration package would foster, those in the House of Representatives understand that immigration is not just about commerce, it is about country. And even if they did get wooed by siren song of Goldman Sachs, Main Street America has made it clear that any amnesty, de facto or de jure, will result in a pink slip this November.

Doubt the severity of this statement? Well, moderate GOP Congressman Chris Shays doesn’t. See, the Congressman from Connecticut was originally on board with the Bush/Senate package; that is until his constituents made their two cents known.

The Washington Post writes of Shay’s trip on the road to Damascus:

Shays, who represents an upscale, largely white swing district in Connecticut, said he informed GOP leaders of his opposition to Bush's path to citizenship after talking to local voters in a recent 18-stop tour. If anything, voters are growing more "adamant" in their opposition, he said.

Thus, Main Street has spoken and they are not buying the amnesty snake oil that the White House is peddling.

Shays is not alone, for other moderate GOP Congressmen have fallen off the banditos bandwagon. Rep. John Hostettler has warned that the Bush bill could spell the end of the GOP Golden Age. Hostettler cautions that if the Senate’s immigration bill passes, “[i]t could be something like a tidal wave that could benefit the Democrats simply because Republicans don't do the right thing. To survive through November, the folks up here [on Capitol Hill] are really going to have to understand the passion behind this.”

And does the White House understand the passion behind the immigration issue? Just ask White House Press Secretary Tony Snow. When pressed on the presence of illegal immigrants and the amnesty in the Senate bill, Tony quipped, “[i]f you had a traffic ticket and you paid it, you're not forever a speeder, are you?” To Tony and the White House, breaking into our country is nothing more than a motor vehicle violation.

To say the White House and the Senate are out of touch is to say that Britney Spears has had some minor maternal mishaps. They are more than out of touch. Those GOP Congressman in the House understand that immigration is not just about pesos, it is about pride; pride of country, pride of culture and pride of law. If by some act of political prostitution the Senate bill passes the House and becomes law, a signal will be sent to the 70% of Americans that want real immigration reform. The message? Drain the swamp, remove the garbage and start fresh. New policy, new politicians, and yes, a new party.

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Joe Murray (jrm1835@gmail.com) is a civil rights attorney residing in New Jersey. Murray is a former Staff Attorney for the American Family Association and has also served as National Director of Correspondence for Patrick J. Buchanan’s 2000 Presidential bid. Murray has been a guest on numerous radio and television talk shows, including the O’Reilly Factor.