“When Anti-Immigration is Anti-Business”

BusinessWeek.com’s exclusive story (posted today) “When Anti-Immigration is Anti-Business” offers a fascinating glimpse into the modern politics of immigration.  The story analyzes how Republican Presidential candidates, facing intense pressure to talk tough on immigration, are losing support from the business community.  It begins:

“Mark Gould has been a lifelong Republican. The self-described libertarian and president of Gould Construction in Glenwood Springs, Colo., has been a registered Republican for 30 years, and he served a six-year stint as the chairman of his county’s Republican Party.

But Gould is a Republican no longer. Exasperated over the GOP’s increasingly harsh rhetoric about restricting immigration, Gould switched his registration to Independent two weeks ago. `Extremists have hijacked the Republican Party,’ says Gould, who says he employs a staff of 125, including legal immigrants. `If I had to pick today, I’d go with [Senator Barack] Obama [for President]. He’s the most outspoken and realistic about reform.'”

This story highlights something that is often ignored in analyzing the politics of immigration.  Immigration is not easy to label as a liberal/conservative, Red State/Blue State, Democratic/Republican issue.  It is a deeply complex issue touching on sensitive issues of economics, politics, culture, civil rights, etc.  Complex issues require thoughtful analysis, not sound bites that play on the basest fears and instincts.

And watch out Republicans.  You just might alienate business and Latina/os in the same election.  And increasing support among African Americans will not come easily.

KJ