Can you make a case that illegal immigration is a "wedge" issue?

Question

In other words, lets assume you are fervently against all forms of amnesty and that you oppose any and all guest worker programs, and that you believe that illegal aliens and guest workers actually harm american citizens by undermining their wages and taking their jobs.

and lets assume you are against the war in Iraq cause you think we have no business there and that we are wasting lives and money, and that Iraq was never a sufficient threat to the USA to justify what happened.

Lets assume you dont like many of the policies of our govt the last few years and really feel we need a new direction.

Then someone comes to you and says you know what...that since it is clear that the democratic party is really for amnesty and and for guest workers cause they really want to pander to the hispanic vote, and since the only true outspoken critics of amesty running for office are repulicans, then you must vote for either Mitt Romney, Ron Paul or Tom Tancredo, etc..

Using this logic, it means a republican will be our next president since most americans do not want amnesty and since its only republicans who oppose it.

Clearly illegal immigration is a major issue, but is it THE main issue that you will hang your hat on when its time to vote? My answer is for most americans the answer will be no. However I do believe that many of the people who oppose illegals and guest workers as I do also, will vote republican but not just for that but because of that ...plus other issues on which they agree with the republicans.
The real question is what will the democratic voters do, when given a choice between a pro amnesty democrat and anti amnesty republican. Something will have to give, and I think in that instance immigration will give way to other factors.

Answer 1

You have already made that case.

Answer 2

I firmly feel it is "THE" issue for the future of our country.

No matter your feelings about issues like Iraq - few would disagree that we are already in a pickle on that one. So no matter what we do it will have little effect on most peoples day to day lives.

Illegal immigration, however, will greatly affect EVERY American. The media panders to them so the effects are not well known to many citizens yet they still overwhelmingly reject amnesty. If ANY of the 12-20 million here now are given ANY reward towards citizenship, then we might as well just give up. Those millions will bring in millions of family members who will not assimilate, will not be required to know English, can immediately get SS and medicare (the elderly), will get food stamps, will get medicaid, will get $10,000+ a year taxpayer funded educations, will lower wages and will lower EVERYONES standard of living if only through huge population increases.

This country will not be better when the population hits 600 million. And it will hit that number in your children's/grandchildrens lives.

Is that the legacy you want to hand down to your loved ones?

Answer 3

Good question. While I agree with all of your expressed opinions, I myself do look at other issues too. Again, I would have to find myself going into the Rep. camp for issue such as tax reform and other items.

The Democrats seem pretty much to me to be so out of touch with what is needed to turn this country around from the failure of the Bush years, I am worried sick about it.

The issue of Amnesty will as suredly ruin this country as something as cataclismic as an A bomb attack.
We are strugguling now to feed, water, house, employ, euducate, health care deal with criminal ad nausea, much of which all who know, would indicate are exacerbated by the influx of illegals. It is the cresting of the wave. To allow this with no border security will destroy the system.

Now, current legal immigration will have our population at 4 times what it is currently by the year 2020 ...that is LEGAL. Add to that anchor baby foolshness and illegalism by a majority of very poor people and the USA will be driven under to the status of a 3rd world country.

I could go on ...but I hope and pray others will see this and NOT vote for any of the Democrats as their foolishness is beyond my reckoning. Not that the REP are perfect but they will allow America to at least survive. We are awash in a sea of sharks waiting to drown, we must cast about for something to grab hold of. All that floats out there in my mind is a Rep. candidate. The Dem. will sink us.
I am a registered Democrat.

Answer 4

Here is my thoughts on illegal immigration...First thing we must do is close the border to illegal crossings no matter what the cost. If illegal immigrants want some assistance, they must first be documented and start paying taxes. The Federal Government has NO money of it's own.. They take our money in the form of taxes and fees for services. Weed out the criminals and send them back to Mexico and let their Government deal with them. I for one are sick and tired of paying higher taxes so illegals can exploit our generous system. No other country in the world allows such wastefulness of it's resources as we have done. It has to stop, are it's all to end when our Government Collapses...

Answer 5

It is my number one issue my life and my purse has been directly affected by the illegal alien invasion. For those who think illegals are a positive that need to get educated on the issue.

Answer 6

I think Americans are fed up with everything relating to globalization. We have been invaded by mexico - how much lower can you go?