The joy of truly moderate politics is being able to freely take the best parts of plans offered by those of the unreasonable left, and those on the unreasonable right, and weave them into a truly workable plan.
The first necessary step for a rational national debate, as opposed to the emotional shouting and fear and name-calling to which we are currently being subjected, is to remove the rhetoric that those who call for enforcement of the borders are doing so out of racist tendencies. Many are racist. That is an unfortunate truth. Many who involve themselves in this issue are doing so out of a racist tendency, or an isolationist tendency, which they will not admit to.
Those of us who are not motivated by racism or isolationism must insist that the
FIRST step taken (yes, even before we all agree to actually enforce our borders) is to proclaim that our unified will is to create a program which will have as its desired result, an
ENORMOUS increase in
LEGAL immigration.
Just think what that would do to those who argue that anyone arguing for enforcement of the borders is anti-immigrant. It takes away their cheif argument, their most emotion-provoking argument, in the same way that, running for president in 1980, Ronald Reagan eviscerated Mondale's attacks on his age, by proclaiming that he would not hold Mondale's youth and inexperience against him.
These emotional issues must be removed before true development of an honestly workable program are possible. We are NEVER going to create enough bureaucracy to test whether people have been here five years, or two years, what they owe in back taxes, whether they have been good citizens all that time, etc. We are NEVER going to develop the political will, though I disagree with those who maintain it is physically and financially impossible, to deport the millions who have crossed (and are currently crossing in record numbers) our borders, bypassing the legal process.
I sincerely hope we NEVER agree to create a new slave class, those who are doomed to clean our toilets, make our beds, and pick our fruit in perpetuity, because we "need" them. Whatever we come up with must allow (demand) that the full freedom of the American Dream is available to all!
However, we can also NEVER surrender our right and responsibility to our citizens, to maintain security at our borders. We can NEVER afford to reward those who flout the process, and jump to the head of the line, and retain any ability to maintain control over legal immigration.
Therefore, they must deport themselves.
We must dangle a big enough carrot in front of them (American Citizenship) to make it worth their while to voluntarily pull up stakes, and return to their countries of origin. We must give them time to prepare to be out of the country for at least 6 months.
We must make it simple enough for them to register for a program which would have three tiers. Those who apply for a Guest Worker program, from outside the United States, may enter a track which will eventuate in American Citizenship. Those who have violated our borders, who apply for Guest Worker status may in fact gain such status, may even stay here (for 3 years, 5 years, whatever is agreed to); but they can NEVER become American Citizens. Either of these tracks would include an agreement to learn basic English skills, to understand the workings of basic American Government and Civics, to be finger-printed, to show that they have a marketable skill, or are willing to work in unskilled-labor, and whatever other restrictions and responsibilities are deemed to be reasonable.
There are MANY things we can do to ease this transition.
The third track is deportation. If (after a reasonable time to put together your affairs) you fail to register for either track, and you are found to be in this country, or if you have committed any felony in this country, or a certain number of misdemeanors, then you will be deported back to your country, and you can NEVER become an American citizen, and you can NEVER enter the Guest Worker Program.
This program is simple. It must remain so. You cannot publish a program which is 200 pages long and expect anyone to be able to adequately explain the requirements of it to an immigrant who has only a basic knowledge of our country.
Labels: debate, guest worker, illegal immigration, moderate, Politics, slave class