That's how some people who are disconnected from reality might see it, but Marc Cooper argued convincingly last week that "amnesty" needn't be a dirty word in the immigration debate. Just getting to it:
To the right wing someone has to say, “Amnesty? Of course, we need an amnesty!” What more efficient and might I say more secure way is there to figure out just exactly who is living and working here? Amnesty isn’t about “rewarding lawbreakers” as both Democrats and Republicans repeat ad nauseam. Instead, it’s how governments can quickly amend obsolete policy to catch up with fast-moving reality. We’ve had amnesties before. And if the political will can be found to grant it to young people who dodged the war in Vietnam, certainly we can summon it up for those who dodged the Border Patrol to clean toilets, wipe babies’ asses and mow lawns. For those queasy about masses of illegals lurking among us, a simple one-step, nonpunitive amnesty would — presto! — bring everyone out of the shadows and into regulation.
American institutions high on our summer priority scale can't wait for a quick immigration fix: Mountain resorts are presently starving for foreign workers. And it looks like the Mexican government has decided it won't wait to ensure some basic protections are available for Mexican workers in the U.S. The consulate network is seeking to expand its health care program to all 47 offices.
Paging Michael Moore...!
Recent Comments