pudge's Journal: Do we have most of an immigration answer already?

So I am watching the Democratic debate last night. And Bill Richardson said he wanted to do three things for immigration: increase border security, crack down on employers, and have earned legalization.

Here's what the conservative Heritage Foundation says we should "establish a realistic and practical temporary worker program, and implement the commonsense border security and workplace enforcement provisions of the bill."

Richardson's not too far off from the Heritage Foundation. They both agree we need to increase border security and go after employers and make it easier for people to work here legally.

I know the devil's in the details (do we have a fence? do we require positive checking by employers? do we have a path to permanent legalization?), and I am not saying they agree on nearly all the details, but the current legislation basically disagrees with those common principles. It would do nothing significant to actually enforce employer verification (in part because of all the loopholes), has no guarantees whatsoever of increasing border security, and would simply grant legalization to millions of people: including those who came after the deadline, since we have no way to know they came late.

I say scrap this thing and instead of letting the far left and moderate right hash it out, have the moderate left and far right hash it out. Get Richardson and Tancredo together on this and see what we can actually do.

off-topic...kinda

[nocomment]

I've got a question for ya. Last weekend a friend of mine and I went out. We had a nice long debate over immigration (among lots of other things). He made some interesting points about the recent 'amnesty' thing. I'll try to summarize and not miss the spirit of his point.

My point to him was that I'd rather have the people immigrate here the correct way, and I'd rather have someone who was willing to wait it out because they are likely to be a more principled addition to our little melting pot.

He countere

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[nocomment]

I hate replying to my own post but I have to say it. Yes I know I used the wrong form of 'their'.

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[stoolpigeon]

that's funny - i was talking with some friends the other night - and told them that roman catholic mexico/america may be the country that watches europe go completely under. because birth rates will make this whole thing look silly down the road.