This neighbor has seen my John Edwards sticker on my truck and asked me repeatedly what Edwards would do about immigration. Since I choose to concentrate on the Iraq War, Healthcare, and the preservation of our Constitution, I hadn't really looked at Edward's views on immigration. I told him to write and email to the Edwards campaign, and ask what they thought.
This morning I recieved an email from him, telling me that he had written Edwards and recieved a response on Illegal Immigration. He wanted to share it with me, and I want to share it with all of you. Here was the response from the Edwards campaign on an issue I haven't heard him say a lot about:
Thank you for writing John Edwards about immigration. He appreciates
that you took the time to share your thoughts and concerns. Hearing
ideas from people all over the country about the issues important to
them strengthens our campaign.
We cannot continue on our current course and pretend that illegal
immigration is not a problem. John Edwards supports comprehensive
immigration reform that starts with greater efforts to secure our
Southern border, including more resources, more people, and better
technology. Yet, it is not realistic to think that it is possible to
find and deport the 11 million or more people who are living here
illegally. We should allow undocumented immigrants to earn their
American citizenship if they are willing to pay a fine and learn
English, the language of commerce here in the U.S.
I also found this video of Edwards explaining his positions on illegal Immigration:
Once again, it is no fluke I am an Edwards supporter. I agree with his common sense approach to Illegal Immigration. I agree that we should invest more resources and manpower into our southern border. I also agree with Edwards that the key is being tough on the employers who knowingly break the law and exploit the illegal workers to pay slave wages. These are the very people who have caused the problem. If they weren't trying to break the law to exploit these people, they wouldn't be here. Plain and simple.
I also agree with Edwards that it is simply not feasible to round up 11 million people and send them home. What kind of chaos would that create? The best option is to give these people, many of whom have been working here for years a path to citizenship. If they face the consequences of coming here illegally, and learn English they should be able to become American citizens. As Americans, they would qualify for minimum wage protections and the demand for them would fall drastically.
I think we need to look at the real cause of the problem. Why demonize an exploited people who are desperate to make a better life for their families? A people that big business has long used as slaves to protect their bottom line? My own ancesteral Irish faced the same discrimination and exploitation when they first came here.
I think John Edwards is right on target here. First, invest more resources in securing the border. Second, come down hard on the businesses that have exploited these workers to keep from paying an American wage. The people who run these businesses are nothing more than common criminals. They are no better than thieves or drug-dealers. Why should they get a break while all America demonizes the exploited? Lastly, I think America should take responsibility for the most greedy among us. Without them exploiting these workers, they would not be here. If there was nobody hiring him, why would they cross?
These workers should be given a chance at citizenship if they own up to their actions, pay the consequences and learn English. Citizenship would be the final nail in the coffin to their exploitation. Why do you think Conservatives rail so much against "amnesty"? Because they know if these people are citizens, then their slave labor force goes down the tubes.
So while I am not as up in arms as many about this issue, I feel that the only solution is to penalize those who exploit, not the exploited. It is the treason of the people who have caused this problem, greedy employers that needs to be punished. Once again John Edwards has articulated the way I feel on an issue, and I am proud to support him.
As for my dad's neighbor, he was impressed with Edwards reply, and the fact that he replied to a Republican at all. He didn't neccesarily agree with the path to citizenship, but he told me since Edwards gave him an honest, prompt reply that he was going to send him $50. He also said he would cross party lines and vote for Edwards in the general if he gets the nomination. I think Edwards has shown once again why on the issues he is by far our strongest candidate and why that alone would win him Independent and even some Republican votes.
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