Changing face of illegal immigration and politicians
Rich Lowry has an interesting article on how illegal immigration has affected politicians running for office this year.
This political state of play is the exact reverse of what was widely predicted earlier in the year when illegal immigrants were marching in the streets; Hispanic and church groups were decrying the harsh treatment of illegals in a pro-enforcement House bill; and the Senate was passing an amnesty bill euphemistically dubbed “comprehensive reform.” Back then, it was assumed that the crazies in the House would bend to a Senate bill endorsed by all the great and the good. But a funny thing happened on the way to “comprehensive reform” - the political marketplace worked.
snip….
The same dynamic applies in most other close Senate races. The public has long supported better immigration enforcement, but Washington has disdained and ignored it. Washington partakes of elite attitudes on immigration (Tancredo used to get sneered at even by fellow Republicans when he talked about a fence), and its strongest lobbies on both the right and left love a robust inflow of cheap, illegal labor. The high-profile debate on immigration, however, coupled with an election, has forced the Beltway to give public opinion its due.
As Lowry says this hasn’t changed all politicians but citizen activism has made a difference in this fight to secure our borders.
