Apparently, the Dems don’t think a whole lot, as they are going to ratchet up their rhetoric throughout 2008.
Democrats may soon be taking a tougher public position on immigration, according to a confidential study put together by key think tanks close to the party leadership.
The study urges Democrats to adopt more rigid rhetoric when discussing immigration by encouraging office-holders to emphasize “requiring immigrants to become legal” rather than stressing border enforcement and the opening of a path to legalization for the undocumented already here.
Implicit in the report is the notion that Democrats can win wider public support for immigration reform by framing the issue in harsher-sound verbiage and, perhaps, policy.
“Perhaps, policy.”? Excuse me?
Titled “Winning The Immigration Debate,” the study was put together by the Coalition for Comprehensive Immigration Reform and the Center for American Progress. Its findings, which have been sent to Capitol Hill and have been part of briefing sessions in both the House and the Senate, are based off of polling conducted by Peter Hart Research Associates.
Taken as a whole, the report presents a new prism through which the Democrats should approach the immigration debate. “It is unacceptable to have 12 million people in our country who are outside the system,” it reads. “We must require illegal immigrants to become legal, and reform the laws so this can happen.”
Putting the cart in front of the donkey. Quite literally.
Excuse me, but we are already “requiring” illegals to become legal residents. If they aren’t here via the “legal requirement” we arrest them and send them home (sometimes).
They did a study and discovered that what the American Citizen wants is the opposite of what they were voting for in last year’s “immigration reform package”.
They go home, they apply and they wait. Meanwhile, we have a unemployment rate of -2%.
My goodness, Democrats are truly stupid and out of touch, aren’t they?