Immigration & Warming: Democrat's Iraq

The Democrats tried mightily to win the right to the Hispanic vote with an immigration reform bill. But, the backlash from non-Hispanic voters has been huge and fierce. So much so, that Democrats are now viewed as owning this comprehensive immigration reform policy that grants amnesty to illegals, fails to secure our borders, and which will cost American tax payers yet another trillion or two over the next 15 years. Democrats now have no choice but, modify and get a bill through. But, if what they pass, fails to secure our borders and stop the losses of taxpayer dollars underwriting illegal immigrants and lower wages for all workers, Democrats could face intense losses in the Congress in 2010 and 2012.

Not passing an immigration reform package before the '08 election is not an option. Democrats reputation as the majority in Congress is very much on the line with this policy. If they fail to address the border security and illegal immigration situation, (something Congressional Republicans have their eye on), Democrats will be viewed as harming the nation as illegal immigrant population numbers grow, and especially, if another terrorist attack is realized involving persons here illegally.

Julia Preston of the NY Times tried to paint this issue as a partisan one, citing opposition to the bill as mostly Republicans screaming the "magic" word, Amnesty, at their representatives, and supporters as mostly Democrats. But, a sampling of the debate on this issue in the blogosphere indicates the issue is nowhere near that simple, nor clearly defined down party lines. There simply is no separating the illegal immigration issue from the national security issue centering on our porous borders. And that marriage of the two issues has many conservatives and liberals crossing party lines on Congress' proposal.

It appears this illegal immigration reform issue has become Democrat's quagmire, much as Iraq has become President Bush's and Republicans. There are no solutions from this lose-lose scenario for Democrats, unless, they decouple immigration policy from national and border security, and act on the security issues first and effectively. There will be another terrorist attack, our intelligence community warns. And if Democrats have failed to address border security or they pass immigration reforms that fail to secure the borders, Democrats will carry the blame for the next terrorist attack, and the American public will be far less forgiving than they were for 9/11.

Global Climate Change also has Democrats in a box. The issue has more powerful and wealthy special interests opposed to any policy that will increase their costs of doing business, than a junkyard dog has fleas. The majority of Americans have become convinced by the evidence that this issue poses a serious threat to their children's future, physically, financially, and psychologically. The people want action. But, Democrats can ill-afford to alienate their new found wealthy corporate and special interests and hope to remain the majority.

In a NY Times editorial on June 10, the writer illustrates the potential quagmire for Democrats with the following:

Exhibit A is a regressive bill drafted by John Dingell, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and Rick Boucher, a Virginia Democrat. For starters, the bill would override the recent Supreme Court decision giving the Environmental Protection Agency authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles, a decision that even President Bush has reluctantly embraced. It would also effectively block efforts by California and 11 other states to regulate and reduce greenhouse gases from vehicles at a time when the states are far ahead of the federal government in dealing with climate change.

The writer correctly points out that Democrats won control in 2006 in part because voters were disgusted with the special interest legislation that had dominated government under Republicans. If Sen. Reid and Speaker Pelosi fail to get control of their wayward flock seeking support and campaign handouts from the special interests, the American people will watch the climate change threat against their children grow and grow under a Democratically controlled Congress. The American public gets it, on the global warming issue. But, the special interests have been throwing hundreds of millions of dollars into campaign bribes, blackmail, and disinformation lobbying, to prevent the American people from having their way in fighting global warming, and securing our nation's borders.

Republicans had this same problem and it cost them control of Congress for their failure to deny the wealthy special interests like Abramoff's backers, Tom DeLay's, and the Enron's and Adelphia's. The writing is on the wall for the Democratic leadership. Tighten up the ship of state and chart a course toward the will of the people, or face losing incumbents in coming elections in a backlash vote. The stakes are far higher than just losing Congressional seats, however. America's future prosperity and security are at stake, and the American people are acutely aware of this. There will be no free ride for the new Democratic majority as Republicans enjoyed from 1994 to 2004.

By David R. Remer
Published: June 10, 2007 1:31 PM
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