N.Y. Times Editorial on Immigration

The N.Y. Times (Nov. 20) ran an editorial on immigration.  It starts:

The political earthquake in Washington has knocked loose some of the big obstacles to fixing the immigration system. A decent solution is now there for the taking, if President Bush and the newly Democratic Congress are willing to grab it. It won’t be easy. Some of the debate’s loudest shouters, liars and dead-horse beaters were ushered by voters from the room — people like J. D. Hayworth and Randy Graf in Arizona, John Hostettler in Indiana and Rick Santorum in Pennsylvania. But the public is still in a prickly mood. All those shrill Republican ads about Mexicans stealing your Social Security failed as an electoral strategy, but that doesn’t mean politicians always lose by being immigration hawks. Voters approved tough ballot measures. In Arizona, they made English the official language and restricted illegal immigrants’ ability to sue, receive bail and qualify for benefits.

The Times seems to have it about right.  We will see what, if anything, happens with immigration reform in the next Congress.  And, after this next year, we will be in an election year and who knows what will happen.  The “60 Minutes” episode last night on the City of Hazleton, Pennsylvania reveals how immigration can be played by politicians at the local level.  Given what we have seen in cities across the country, there remains the risk that, even with a Democratic Congress, might be reluctant to support truly comprehensive immigration reform?  Recall that many Democrats voted for the extension of the border fence.

KJ   

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/20/opinion/20mon1.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin