Mara Lee, writing for the Evansville Courier Press, has an article entitled “Ellsworth, Hostettler differ on top issue.” Incumbent John Hostettler says that immigration is the most important or second most important issue to voters. (I didn’t see what he viewed as the other possible #1). His challenger, Brad Ellsworth, views immigration as an important issue, but down on the list. Ahead of immigration, he would put the issues of energy costs, the war in Iraq, and health care costs.
I view immigration as something of a Republican manufactured issue that is being hyped with the hopes that voters will forget about everything else. What’s more, it seems like they’re eager to try to take all the problems in America and blame them on illegal immigration. Low wages? It’s the fault of illegal immigrants, not poorly conceived trade policies that reward capital but crucify labor. Government fiscal problems? It’s all those illegal immigrants on welfare not paying taxes, not lower taxes for the rich, unchecked deficit spending, and a disastrously expensive war of convenience.
And nevermind the facts by the way. Illegal immigrants do pay taxes and, by and large, don’t get welfare. But, as Stephen Colbert noted recently, facts have a liberal bias.
I am surprised that the #1 issue for Hostettler was not singing the National Anthem in Spanish.
Have not been to Evansville in a while. Has there been an explosion of taquerias on every corner?
Poor Hostettler how the hell is he going to manage his campaign if Karl Rove gets indicted and is unable to continue sending him his daily talking points memo.
I think immigration is a real concern now,although politically it’s an issue that’s being exploited more than addressed.Before, we could ignore what was happening on the border,but since border control is now an issue of security, so also is immigration,legal and or illegal.I dont know, what, if anything, terrorists are planning,or if a nuclear bomb can be smuggled in over the border in a cargo ship. But I know that in today’s world,if it could be done, then somebody will be trying it.
The Bush administration has exploited terrroism as they have exploited everything else for their own gain and Im not not the only one who mistrusts and sees underhandedness in everything they do. That being said,the border,therefore,immigration, is a very basic issue,even beyond any threat of imported terrorism.I’m not against immigrants; others consider me somewhat left of Ted Kennedy,but I totally disagree with his plan which seems to legalize everyone overnight,along with anyone else who gets into country. Ive never been so upset with an issue as I am with immigration, (lack of)border control and legal and illegal immgration and no willingness from federal government to do anything about it, except use it as a political issue.The statistics I have heard is that illegals pay 9 billion in taxes and use 50 billion in services,( state,local and federal including schools,public health,etc)I cant verify this. And the worst thing is that no one is keeping track of anything,just like the Iraqi war.No one knows what the situation is,and all we ever gets are well chosen facts and statistics meant to hide more than to reveal.Ive never seen an adminstratiuon who has so many facts and statistics memorized,and all a means of aiding their dissimulation..
Legal and illegal status is very important because legal determines who can be aided through government accountability, as citizenship should count for something.And the exploitation of people who have no legal status is obvious. We shouldnt have to go back to Plantation Life, just so we can have cheap vegetables and fruit, and we shouldnt have to outsource jobs to the 3rd world so Wal Mart et al. can stock their shelves with cheap merchandise,and be able to pay slave wages with few benefits. All these issues are part of the big picture.
Then we have this lying bunch of panderers in govt, state and local,who use economics and securtity as political issue,at the same time they sweep everything under the rug .
These issues are all intertwined and I know I don’t explain myself very well,due to the emotionalism of these issues, but I know that of all the issues of the day,none is more salient to me than ‘immigration’,and lack of defined status for so many people.We all need to continue to shed light on these issues from as many sides as we can.
Cargo ships don’t cross the border everyone’s talking about. And is it really a matter of security? Until I hear about the first middle easterner crossing the Mexican border, I won’t consider it a security issue. It’s an issue of people wanting the cheap labor, but not wanting those cheap laborers to have access to our schools, healthcare, and social programs. The “security” issue isn’t one– it’s a red herring in this debate.