Immigrants Become Politics—Not People

Democrats are moving away from their traditionally pro-immigration stand hoping for more votes in 2008 election.

“If democrats turn a blind eye to immigration, it would be a mistake,” says Texas Democrat, Chet Edwards, who attributes his House reelection to a more conservative line on immigration.

Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Joe Baca, says he is “tired of people trying to scapegoat the immigrants or Hispanics as a platform.” Baca believes Democrats are following Republican suit in order to win reelection, while ignoring their job to represent the communities that elected them.

The recent conflict between democrats stemmed from the Senate’s recent defeat of a bill that would have aided illegal workers in gaining citizenship. President Bush backed the bill, in an attempt to gain Latino votes the GOP believed were lost in House and Senate elections because of their apathetic views on immigration.

While democrats are shying away from liberal immigration rhetoric, republicans are adopting a more moderate stance on the issue. Both parties are shifting their traditional views in order to gain GOP status, regardless of what their communities want from their representatives.

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-na-immig11nov11,1,6588376.story?ctrack=1&cset=true