In the Room
Posted by on May 24, 2006 at 12:07 PM
I’m in a room somewhere in the Capital listening in as the Mayors' Conference continues. It’s already been a busy morning. Leader Pelosi and Leader Reid have already come through to talk with the Mayors who have made their way to Washington from cities across the country. We’ve also been joined by Senator Dorgan, Senator Reed, Rep. Emanuel and Rep. Spratt. I’ll have more details on that later.
One thing that has been note-worthy so far is the theme of today’s discussions. There doesn’t seem to be a particular issue all the Mayors want to focus on. This is understandable, considering the width and breadth of things that local government is responsible for. Yet, one thing that keeps coming up is that fact that these Mayors have had to make sacrifices at the local level, on the front lines of American government, as the reality of the Bush Administration's policies hit home.
Senator Reid mentioned 500 million dollars - the amount that would have gone towards first responders, but was instead cut from the budget. Even more shockingly - 2.5 billon dollars – the amount of money that is spent every 7 days in Iraq.
Mayor Ellis of Macon, Georgia mentioned the effect this has had in his town. Just one example: to provide funding to build schools for his city's children, and housing for his city's seniors, he recently submit a budget to his city council which will raises taxes. This because the money he receives as discretionary spending has been constantly reduced, while billions of dollars, are being spent every day in Iraq.
Comments (3) «
I am sorry to see that many progressive Democrats have come down on the wrong side of the immigration issue. I believe this issue will define the coming election, as it is the one that most unifies the American people. Congressional Republicans see this, and are listening to their constituents. Many Democrats seem to be standing on ideology, usually a good thing, but misguided this time around.
This puts the most progressive Democrats in the same camp as President Bush, a very contradictory place for them to be. The reason Bush and Congressional Republicans are at odds over this is that the Congressionals face re-election, Bush does not. Bush has refused to secure our borders, despite his alleged "war on terror," because he panders to big business global hegemony, the very basis of our illegal alien problem today.
By siding with Bush, Democrats allow themselves to appear weak on security, an opening Republicans will readily home in on in the coming election. As American sentiment has put Republicans on their side on this one, this could actually cost Democrats a well-deserved majority in November. This is not the issue on which to stand against Republicans just to be standing against Republicans.
By siding with Bush (refusing to secure the border, offering amnesty), Democrats are also pandering to Bush's actual base and the de facto crafters of his failed policies: multinational corporations who benefit many times over by exploiting illegal labor. By offering amnesty, Democrats appear to be siding with the unfortunate illegals, but instead are actually aiding and abetting those who exploit them.
Multinational corporations seek to exploit two major commodities: oil and cheap labor. Since outright slavery is illegal, they seek the next closest thing: illegal labor. With illegal labor they can undercut wages, both for the illegals and for locals who might otherwise compete for those jobs. When people say "illegals take jobs Americans won't do" they purposefully leave off the last part of that sentence, "... at the wages illegal employers are willing to pay." Thus illegal employers win by paying illegals lower wages now, and lower wages to local Americans in the future.
Other players not usually mentioned are governments south of the border, whose economic policies are geared to drive their desperate citizens to cross our borders illegally. We believe those policies are financed by the same multinational corporations and illegal employers who benefit from this cheap labor. These policies, as inhumane as the working conditions illegals must endure here, are certainly aided and abetted by the Bush administration. Giving illegals amnesty will not fix this problem, but will only make it worse.
Democrats would be better served to--gasp!--side with Congressional Republicans on this issue by focusing on securing the border and going after illegal employers. There is no need to make felons of the illegals, or even deport them, if you make felons of those who would hire them. If they wish to become citizens, let them go home and come back as legal immigrants. Who knows--if they marched in the streets of their own countries for better working conditions while there, they might forego the need to return as immigrants here. That would be best all around--except for Bush and the multinationals (but who cares about them?).
Then Democrats could win in November and get down to the business of making things right by the American people.
AA
Well said!
Bush is going to lead the Democrat congress over the cliff while the Republicans are looking the other way, at the citizens of this country. And listening.
To my party, "I'm sorry" but if you don't want to listen, I'll talk to someone who will."
I'ts a deal-breaker.
I'll still support you on most other things.
Just as soon as we become the majority, our Democrats will go to work to save our School Children.
Democrats have always said, education is the key to lower crime, reducing proverty, lowering Teen pregancy, and lower drug abuse.
They have demonstrated it over and over when they are in the majority. The Republicans talk the talk but they always do the opposite of what they say.
By lowering the above, we have more money to apply to education!
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