« Nobody's Perfect | Main | The Case of John Ashcroft » Great Moments In Constituent Services17 May 2007 02:57 pm The cult of "something must be done" claims another victim: Senator Jim DeMint, Republican of South Carolina, said he had doubts about this approach, but said Congress had to do something because his constituents were telling him that “they feel they are being overrun with uncontrolled immigration.” And so he signed off on a bill that will probably ... increase illegal immigration. Good work, Senator. Update: Apparently he hasn't signed off on it after all. Comments (9)
"something must be done" The most pressing task would be to deport Lou Dobbs. 
But they won't recognize that immigration has seriously harmful effects in the first place so they assume it will die down just so long as "something has been done."At the risk of invoking Uncle Karl, I'd suggest that the corporate interests in media and politics certainly do recognize that large-scale immigration drives down American wages, which is precisely why they favor large-scale immigration.
South Carolina is overwhelmed with illegal immigrants? Puh-lease. I find this hard to believe. Texas? Arizona? California? Sure--even states that are relatively close to the border although not right on it. But South Carolina? Sounds more like (a) DeMint is simply trying to tie into the popular right-wing anti-immigrant meme, or (b) his constituents have convinced of the meme by Lou Dobbs, et al. Or, just plain ol' irrational nativism.
"I'd suggest that the corporate interests in media and politics certainly do recognize" No, you're right. They go in the latter "liar" category. But I think a lot of them genuinely don't get it or believe it. They're not as repellent, but they're more frustrating.
Jim says, "South Carolina is overwhelmed with illegal immigrants? Puh-lease." Jim, I don't live there, but I know people who live in both North and South Carolina. I agree that "overwhelmed" is hyperbole, but don't kid yourself. Illegal immigration is a real problem in those states, and the rest of the South. It's not as bad as it is in the border states you named, but that doesn't mean it's a negligible problem. And I don't think it's demagoguery to point that out. It's not nativistic to recognize that something dramatic has to change, or the current influx will be unsustainable. The situation in hospital emergency rooms, for example, is becoming a crisis. Illegal immigrants are basically receiving free medical care, and it is stressing the system. Many social services are being stretched thin. And many citizens (and legal immigrants) are rightfully troubled about the direction things are headed.
Jim, there are supposedly 800,000 illegals in Ga, right next door to SC. Not a stretch to believe some cross state borders. and since when it is "nativist" to object to illegal immigration?
Georgia & the Carolinas have some of the fastest-growing Mexican populations in the U.S. The rapid growth of Atlanta, Charlotte, Raleigh, etc., has attracted large numbers of working-class Mexicans (legal & illegal) in industries like construction, restaurants, and certain agricultural sectors. While the absolute numbers are obviously far lower than Texas, California, etc., their relatively sudden presence has quickly altered the ethnic landscape in a region long dominated by a white-black dynamic. Even some of the smallest towns in South Carolina have a Mexican restaurant. And the county with the highest percentage Hispanic population in SC is largely rural Saluda County, located between Columbia and Augusta. Even the BBC has noticed this: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5073778.stm
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It's an especially widespread virus when it comes to immigration, also affecting much of the press. Because Congress and the press don't take immigration seriously as a problem, they assume they can stop the rubes' yammering if they can scrounge up some new laws to wave around for the next 5-10 years or so. They assume the source of the rube yammering is the abstract knowledge that the borders are wide open or that laws are being flouted or just a racist spasm that comes out of the rubes every few years.
It won't work because it's the actual *effects* of immigration that have DeMint's consitutents hollering, not the abstract knowledge of broken laws or borders, and not irrational prejudice. Those effects will only get worse in the years ahead.
But they won't recognize that immigration has seriously harmful effects in the first place so they assume it will die down just so long as "something has been done."
Plus, a lot of them are just lying. They wanted to increase immigration and they did. It was just convenient to pretend it was in response to public demand.
Posted by Alex Kranz | May 17, 2007 4:54 PM