The following is a true account of a conversation in which I was a party. The conversation dealt with President Bush's proposed change to the immigration laws. I've scrubbed most of the details about the person to whom I was talking to help ensure anonymity.
A short while back, I was out about town when I ran into an acquaintance. Don't know the guy very well, but we know enough about each other to know our respective professions, so he knew that I work for a lawyer. We said hi, and I started to go about my business, when he stopped me and said he had a question about Bush's proposed changes to the immigration law. He was wondering if, because I worked for a lawyer, I might be able to explain things to him a little better. I said that I wsn't sure I'd be able to help him, but I'd try.
When it got down to it, all he was really asking was my opinion about whether or not I believed the changes would happen. Turns out that he knows someone whose extended family is living here without the proper papers and what-not. So, I told him what I really thought: that, just like Bush's proposed moon and Mars missions, this is nothing but an election-year scheme to attract votes, and that Bush has no intention of passing the law, especially given that members of his own political party in Congress would vote against it. My acquaintence nodded and thanked me, and we each went on with our days, although he did seem a little troubled by this revelation.
People like my acquaintence are exactly the kind of people whose votes Bush is trying to buy: citizens with friends, family, and neighbors who are here illegally. This makes them the people we need to show that Bush has no intention of ever passing this proposal.
Just thought I'd share that little anecdote.