Democrats Divided On Immigration

[Linette]

James Kroeger tries to 'un-divide' Democrats divided by the immigration issue: http://nontrivialpursuits.org/WordPress/?p=19">Democrats Divided On Immigration:

It seems as though the Democratic Party has always been somewhat pro-immigrant, if not actually pro-immigration.  That is to say, Democrats seem to have viewed immigrants as deserving of sympathy because they are poor and all, but at the same time, the native poor of this country who also our deserve sympathy feel threatened---and for good reason---by the influx of immigrant labor because it tends to drive down their wages.

From these two distinct sympathetic Points of View we have seen the development of two separate factions within the Democratic Party.  Yes, we're talking about the Pro-Immigrant Democrats vs. the Labor Democrats.  During the past week these two groups have become, shall we say, increasingly impatient with each other.  Some Pro-Immigrant Democrats were starting to sound like they were accusing Labor Democrats of being racists who "just hate foreigners."  In response, many LD's have started to accuse PID's of having a traitorous lack of sympathy for "America's own poor."

This kind of division within the party is never a good thing.  Unfortunately, `party regulars' have demonstrated during the past week that they are quite clueless as to how it might be possible to get these factions on the same side.  Although both sides are guilty of missing opportunities to resolve their differences, I put slightly more blame on the Pro-Immigrant Democrats for not allowing themselves to fully appreciate the concerns of Labor Democrats.


Pro-Immigrant Democrats need to tell America: "Look, forget about immigration.  That's not the problem.  The problem is not having a party in control of Congress that will act to eliminate the problem of unemployment in America.  If Congress were to commit itself to creating and sustaining a chronic Labor Shortage in America, it wouldn't matter how many immigrants cross the border, we'd still see improving real wages because the demand for labor across America would still be greater than the supply."


It would be so nice if we could all get on the same side of this issue.


EDIT FOR COPYRIGHT

[longship]

1. So are Republicans

This is one tough issue.

I like what Byron Dorgan was saying on Lou Dobbs today.

Basically, he talked about exporting good jobs off-shore while simultaneously importing foreign workers to do so-called "jobs that nobody wants to do" as being madness. Good going, Byron.

[Linette]

3. Yep, they're divided too

But I don't see their divisions being based on sympathy for anyone other than themselves.

[xchrom]

2. we can get on the same side of the issue.

i've not met many dems who were not pro-labour.

strongly so.

but some of us have not liked some of the hysteria that has boiled around the immigration issue.

both legal and illegal.

one of the first things i think we can do -- is to stop american companies from sending jobs off shore.

we need to create a structure through taxes and other means that gets car parts manufacturers, textiles, steel, etc to flourish here.

we're having this immigration discussion in the middle of a time when corporate america is trying to get the american economy to specialise into a few categories -- a deadly move with very little analysis needed.

but that is part of what fuels the extreme discomfort -- a service sector america.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

4. Dear Linette,

Please be aware that DU copyright rules require that excerpts of copyrighted material be limited to four paragraphs.

Welcome to DU!

wakemeupwhenitsover
DU Moderator

[Linette]

6. Thanks, wakeme

I'm clueless about such things

[newyawker99]

5. x