Mass. Republicans Tough on Immigration
While one might think that a Massachusetts Republican might be the wimpiest of an already wimpy breed (Northeast Republicans), they're making some principled noise on the immigration front. Here's some of what they're saying:
On housing subsidies: "We have a housing crisis in Massachusetts. It's absolutely insane that someone who broke the law of the United States of America to get in the country is going to receive subsidized housing at the expense of a longtime resident of that community"
On requiring courts to determine the immigration status of defendants at arraignment: "If we ever got serious about the number of illegals that may or may not be here, this would be another tool for law enforcement to address this"
On several bills introduced in the State Senate: "We have not closely reviewed the bills, but the lieutenant governor supports efforts to crack down on the influx of illegal immigrants."Wow. "Insane" - "get serious" - "crack down" - I didn't know they could say such things up there in the Bay State. If only some of our 'Heartland' Republicans had half the spine of these northern 'moderates.'
posted by ziel | 5/23/2006 09:22:00 PM
2 Comments:
Ziel, observing your recent heightened preoccupation with the immigration issue (4 straight posts), my heart goes out to you. I relate to your frustration with people´s attitudes of, "if it hasn´t been proven, it doesn´t exist, or the problem doesn´t exist until it does exist... so don´t pay it any attention, etc." Or, maybe worse, people like myself who live away from the alleged problem (abroad) and don´t really give a shit.
This is what I´ve been dealing with for a long time with a pet concern of mine, the environment, global warming and all. I´ve been hearing the same arguments for years, many right here in your blog. How does it feel?
Maybe if people like you would budge a bit in other issues, people like myself might be more open to what you have to say with your worries. Thanks for letting me share...
I wouldn't get the idea that this is the beginning of a trend, though.
Northeastern Republican senators are some of the worst members of congress on this issue, Senators like Lincoln Chafee (RI) and Arlen Spector, who represents my swell state of PA.
The problem with Northeastern Republican Senators is that they tend to be Country Club Republicans; that is, they are pro-Wall Street on economic policy issues, but liberals on social issues. Which of course makes them the perfect boosters for high immigration levels, as it benefits their Big Business supporters while at the same time satisfying their guilty, rich white man's need to pander to minorities.
I'm reminded of the famous observation that another country club Republican Senator from Pennsylvania, Hugh Scott, made back in the 1970's. Speaking of the social conservatives that the Nixon administration was cultivating back then, Scott said "They get the rhetoric, but we get the action".
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