Demographics and "Comprehensive...reform"

I'm slowly weaning myself back into following political news. There was no way I could have stomached the gloating of the MSM and their clown clones like Bill Maher.

Now the trial balloons and foreshadowings are beginning to emanate out of Mordor on the Potomac. Meanwhile, wobbly Weepublicans (David Frum eg) are doing their best to throw Conservatism under the bus.

One of the most popular themes is that Conservative principles are doomed by demographics. Well, yes. When the Leftist policy is to promise targeted goodies to those who are stupid enough to vote for free stuff, the side that doesn't promise goodies to specific voting blocs may not fare well. The David Frums of the world forget that the side that promises a conservative amount of goodies doesn't fare any better.

The demographics predicted to destroy the Conservative movement as a political force in this country will also destroy that which the movement wishes to conserve (cf. Declaration of Independence and Constitution, U.S.).

But the tactical advantages of appealing to narrow interests is apparent. And of course, if you agree with Barrack Obama that "words mean things," then you can use words and phrases in vague ways to lead potential voters to believe things that may or may not be true. "Comprehensive...reform" is tailor-made for the Masters of Sophistry.

Leftist, Conservatives and even people who get their news from Jon Stewart can agree that this country is in dire need of reform: the health care industry, the tax code, regulation, the financial industry, the education establishment and on and on.

But when a Leftist says "comprehensive...reform," s/he means a comprehensive list of favors to client interest groups. When a conservative says it, he means addressing as many of the facets of the problem as possible.

In regard to immigration, when a Leftist, President Obama for instance, says he will work towards "comprehensive immigration reform," he knows his potential donors and votors understand him to mean:

• Free ride amnesty for those who have already violated the immigration rules and sovereignty rights of this country
• Free education for them and their children
• Complete access to the social services provided by the taxes of legal citizens and resident aliens
• Low cost labor for businesses
• Enhanced returns for investors and bankers who invest in those businesses
• A sense of compassionate self-affirmation for 'caring' folk who care enough to force someone else to do something
• New clients for the minions of the bureaucratic state and their lampreys in the special interest industry
• New voters (where Democrats run the elections) for the Leftist candidates

and so on.

What does this Conservative think of when considering Comprehensive Immigration Reform?

• Secure the U.S. border. I'd consider signs every 36" reading: "No tresspassing. Violators will be shot." That may be too extreme for American sensibilities. So, how about: No tresspassing. Violators will be immediately returned to the country from which they crossed the border. Or shot if they attempt to evade or resist.
• Rationalize the legal immigration system and reform the INS bureaucracy. We have a choice as to who we permit to reside in our country. We should make immigration attractive and as painless as possible for healthy, employed or employable, educated, skilled people from all over the world and nearly impossible for others.
• THEN address the existing illegal aliens in this country. All of them have broken US law. None of them should get off Scot free. Criminals are evicted immediately. Return will land them in internment camps in Alaska or West Texas or some other inhospitable place. Free-riders are the next priority. They will be given the opportunity to enjoy the social services of their country of origin. Return will cause them to be treated as criminals. Productive, law-abiding illegal aliens won't be actively pursued until the more immediate threats in their population have been dealt with. Nor will they get any preferences or breaks until the border is secure and the criminals are addressed. They may be given a break, but not a free pass. Certainly no illegal alien should get any preferrence over a legal immigrant. Fines and probation as a pre-condition to giving them an opportunity to normalize their immigration status would be appropriate. Any illegal aliens found after the above steps have been taken will be treated as criminal illegal aliens - evicted or interned.

Of course, after a time, it will become clear that the demographic problem isn't that Hispanics are naturally Leftists but that a large percentage of immigrants have been inclined towards being clients of the welfare state. When a larger proportion of Hispanics are productive self-employed, employees or employers with property and aspirations to save and invest and help their children look forward to a stable, prosperous country they won't be Leftists. The problem isn't the race of the immigrants. The problem is their relationship with the government.