Ruben Navarette Reports: Governor's wise words on immigration
UNION-TRIBUNE
January 23, 2008
January 23, 2008
Republicans love to talk about immigrants.
Rudy Giuliani has promised to end illegal immigration in three years. Mike Huckabee has a plan that calls for 12 million illegal immigrants to leave the country in 120 days. And Mitt Romney says things that please restrictionists, and yet many can't figure out if he believes what he says. Now for real insight, let's turn to a Republican who is also an immigrant. With the California primary approaching on Feb. 5, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has advice for Republican presidential hopefuls who intend to come to the Golden State and exploit the immigration issue: Don't. During a recent meeting with the Union-Tribune's editorial board, I asked the governor, who hasn't endorsed any of the candidates for the upcoming primary, what advice he'd give them. Specifically, I wanted to know what he thought about how some have been using the immigration issue to scare up votes. “In a way, I understand why they're doing it,” he said, “because when it comes to close elections, it's all about winning. It's not about sending a good message.”
Schwarzenegger understands immigration better than just about any elected official in the country, from a policy perspective and a personal one. And he has a lot to say. About the possibility that California might grant driver's licenses to illegal immigrants: “It'll never happen. It'll never get past me because I made it very clear that we have to have immigration reform” first and not address the problem piecemeal. About the fact that foreign workers have become a permanent part of the American economy: “We have our domestic workers . . . but we fall short of the workers (we need) on the farms, and in construction and other places.”
About what that should mean for immigration reform: “We should have the right for companies to go outside of the state, outside of the country . . . and find those workers and bring them in on temporary worker permits.”
Rudy Giuliani has promised to end illegal immigration in three years. Mike Huckabee has a plan that calls for 12 million illegal immigrants to leave the country in 120 days. And Mitt Romney says things that please restrictionists, and yet many can't figure out if he believes what he says. Now for real insight, let's turn to a Republican who is also an immigrant. With the California primary approaching on Feb. 5, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has advice for Republican presidential hopefuls who intend to come to the Golden State and exploit the immigration issue: Don't. During a recent meeting with the Union-Tribune's editorial board, I asked the governor, who hasn't endorsed any of the candidates for the upcoming primary, what advice he'd give them. Specifically, I wanted to know what he thought about how some have been using the immigration issue to scare up votes. “In a way, I understand why they're doing it,” he said, “because when it comes to close elections, it's all about winning. It's not about sending a good message.”
Schwarzenegger understands immigration better than just about any elected official in the country, from a policy perspective and a personal one. And he has a lot to say. About the possibility that California might grant driver's licenses to illegal immigrants: “It'll never happen. It'll never get past me because I made it very clear that we have to have immigration reform” first and not address the problem piecemeal. About the fact that foreign workers have become a permanent part of the American economy: “We have our domestic workers . . . but we fall short of the workers (we need) on the farms, and in construction and other places.”
About what that should mean for immigration reform: “We should have the right for companies to go outside of the state, outside of the country . . . and find those workers and bring them in on temporary worker permits.”
That's the policy part of Schwarzenegger. I then asked the governor about whether there wouldn't still be some people upset that these immigrants were here – legally or not – because of the impact on the culture. At that point, things got personal. “I would say that there would always be a problem,” he said. “There is always a certain percentage of people who just don't like foreigners. But that's OK. That's not the problem that we have right now. The problem we have right now is that, every single day, you hear about illegals, people coming in here illegally. That creates hostility," he said. Yet, unlike the nativists, Schwarzenegger doesn't blame the immigrants themselves. Contrary to the popular myth that illegal immigrants cut in line, the governor realizes that there is no line – not if you're poor and from a country where the number of people who want to come to the United States far exceeds the visa allotment. “Those people didn't choose (to come illegally),” he said. “It's the only way they can get in here. . . . It's not like you can stand in line and wait a few days and then you can get in. There's no way. There is a system that has been created on purpose to look the other way and to bring them in because everyone knows that we cannot function without them.” That dependence creates more hostility. Schwarzenegger encountered some of that himself when he came to California more than 30 years ago, but not to the degree he sees it today.
“I felt it a little bit in my own case,” he said. “I felt a little bit of prejudice, people saying 'What's the Nazi doing here?' and stuff like that. They imitated my accent, and made jokes about it, and they came into the gym sometimes and said, 'Heil Hitler.' ” And so, he said, foreigners have to be aware that xenophobia is out there. Government has the duty to devise a reasonable policy, he said. But newcomers can also ease tensions by assimilating and “infiltrating into the American society.” Schwarzenegger knows immigration. And it's a shame that, because of an outmoded provision in the Constitution prohibiting anyone born on foreign soil from running for president, he can't enter the race and put what he knows to good use in this campaign – and for the good of the entire country.
“I felt it a little bit in my own case,” he said. “I felt a little bit of prejudice, people saying 'What's the Nazi doing here?' and stuff like that. They imitated my accent, and made jokes about it, and they came into the gym sometimes and said, 'Heil Hitler.' ” And so, he said, foreigners have to be aware that xenophobia is out there. Government has the duty to devise a reasonable policy, he said. But newcomers can also ease tensions by assimilating and “infiltrating into the American society.” Schwarzenegger knows immigration. And it's a shame that, because of an outmoded provision in the Constitution prohibiting anyone born on foreign soil from running for president, he can't enter the race and put what he knows to good use in this campaign – and for the good of the entire country.
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20 comments:
Looks like Hill and Aahnold are saying the same things. From your article:
"As president, I will not support driver's licenses for undocumented people and will press for comprehensive immigration reform that deals with all of the issues around illegal immigration including border security and fixing our broken system."
I guess living up in his ivory tower in some remote mansion, the governor of Calif. hasn't a clue what is going on in his own state nor does he care. He is just another puppet to his corporate masters while Calif. falls deeply into debt partly due to illegal immigration. Politicians who don't even respect our own laws should be sent in exile to some third world country.
"And Mitt Romney says things that please restrictionists,"
Navarrette loves these pejorative terms. His limited vocabulary makes it impossible for him to see these things in any other way. There is nothing wrong with recognizing the limits of growth and the unsustainability of a population-driven economy in the long run. His shallow understanding of the problem becomes clear when we read terms like “restrictionist” without any explanation.
“In a way, I understand why they're doing it,” he said, “because when it comes to close elections, it's all about winning. It's not about sending a good message.”
Duh. Now there is an astute observation. Of course it is. That’s why we see the Dems pandering in CA and elsewhere. They are looking for votes.
"Schwarzenegger understands immigration better than just about any elected official in the country, from a policy perspective and a personal one."
This is only the writer’s opinion rather than a fact. Given Mexifornia: A state of becoming, what else would you expect a politician to say. There are many in this country who are better informed on the immigration issues than Ahnold. After all he is just another cheap labor advocate businessman who happens to have a temporary day job as governor.
"we have to have immigration reform” first and not address the problem piecemeal."
This is nonsense. A stepwise approach that enables us to examine the effectiveness of each measure before we move on to the next is exactly what the situation calls for: (1) Secure the borders. (2) Make English official instead of giving it lip service. (3) Curb the abuse of the 14th amendment. (4) Re-advertise jobs held by illegals. (5) Use ssn duplicate and mismatch letters to identify, apprehend , detain and deport illegals who do not qualify to stay. (6) No pathway to citizenship for anyone who entered the country illegally or who overstayed their visa.
“We have our domestic workers . . . but we fall short of the workers (we need) on the farms, and in construction and other places.”
This statement is unsupported with facts from a major re-advertisement campaign and a requirement for employers to prove the need by showing that they have offered a fair wage and a hiring preference for citizen labor to no avail.
“We should have the right for companies to go outside of the state, outside of the country . . . and find those workers and bring them in on temporary worker permits.”
What does “temporary worker” really mean? How long do they get to stay on each visit? What about pregnant women carrying instant citizens? Again the need must be proven with irrefutable evidence and controls must be in place to assure these workers are indeed “temporary”.
"I then asked the governor about whether there wouldn't still be some people upset that these immigrants were here – legally or not – because of the impact on the culture."
It is a gross understatement to talk about the impact on culture. The concern is that American culture will be destroyed and our country will become Mexico Norte with all of the problems of home country: corruption, crime, disease, poverty, joblessness and control by a few oligarchs. That is a lot more than just “the impact on culture”. Of course, culture is important. Ask any Mexican.
"Yet, unlike the nativists (read “patriots, loyal citizens, etc.”), Schwarzenegger doesn't blame the immigrants themselves. Contrary to the popular myth that illegal immigrants cut in line, the governor realizes that there is no line – not if you're poor and from a country where the number of people who want to come to the United States far exceeds the visa allotment."
And that’s the way it should be. Our immigration laws should serve our needs for skilled and unskilled labor, not the wants or desires of all the people who want to come to the U.S.. Navarette shows a remarkable lack of imagination and foresight if he thinks America would not be changed for the worse by expanding the visa allotments without limit. Anyone interested in the welfare of our great country would see that such a thing would be our ruination. Navarette’s naivete suggests that he believe we could accommodate all the impoverished masses of the world without any negative effect on our quality of life and standard of living. Perhaps it is more than naivete. Perhaps it is plain stupidity.
“Those people didn't choose (to come illegally),” he said. “It's the only way they can get in here. . . . It's not like you can stand in line and wait a few days and then you can get in. There's no way. There is a system that has been created on purpose to look the other way and to bring them in because everyone knows that we cannot function without them.”
We know no such thing. We have not done any concerted test to see how many of the jobs held by illegals are needed at all or how many can in fact be filled with citizens if the employers offer a decent wage. If we made employers were required to provide family health care coverage for all foreign workers and pay them at the American standard for wages and benefits, we would soon see how many we really need.
Entry to this country legally should never be a matter of waiting in line for a few days. It must depend on our needs, not the wants of potential immigrants. This isn't the 19th century anymore or hasn't Navarette and Ahnold noticed?
"They imitated my accent, and made jokes about it,"
They still do. That is the price celebrities must pay just as politicians must take their lumps. Nothing unusual there. Did Ahnold ever ask himself how many of those he knew in Austria actually had Nazi party connections?
” And so, he said, foreigners have to be aware that xenophobia is out there."
A poor choice of words - he could have said that patriotism, loyalty and love of country are out there and foreigners should be careful not to impugn the motives of those who object to illegals who threaten their way of life.
"Government has the duty to devise a reasonable policy, he said. But newcomers can also ease tensions by assimilating and “infiltrating into the American society.”
At last Ahnold has something sensible to say. We all agree that we should have a reasonable policy that serves the national interest not the interests of foreigners, cheap labor advocates and immigration lawyers. A reasonably policy is one that is simple, easy to understand and approved by the majority of the American people. "Infiltrating" is not the right term because it has a pejorative meaning to most; the word “assimilating” in all of its ramifications is both necessary and sufficient.
Ulty,
During the Repub debates last night, Rudy was asked about why he had an ad in Spanish. Rudy responded he knows our country is built around the English language, but if you know other languages, it is wonderful and he is comfortable in trying to reach them in English and Spanish.
"And it's a shame that, because of an outmoded provision in the Constitution prohibiting anyone born on foreign soil from running for president, he can't enter the race and put what he knows to good use in this campaign – and for the good of the entire country."
Ahnold doesn’t know anymore than others who have carefully studied the immigration issues, especially those who look beyond the horizon and have some conception of what unfettered immigration and population growth would do to this country. Ahnold like so many others is short-term oriented and gives no thought to the long term. I do not respect the views of anyone who is so limited in his or her perspective on a subject so vital to the survival of America. The framers of the Constitution had this aspect perfectly correct. The 14th amendment is where they went astray. To suggest otherwise speaks volumes about Navarette and Schwartzenegger.
I also watched the Republican debates last night. Rudi's response to the question about ads in Spanish made absolutely no sense to me. If some "citizens" know "both" English and Spanish, why is there a need to reach them in Spanish rather than English?
Pat,
What is clear is that ALL of the candidates from both sides recognize the might of the American Hispanic vote. NONE of the ANTI candidates are leading overall. The only viable ANTI candidate is flip flopper Romney and he is NOT going to win the nomination.
Hispanics are still way the majority in this country, so they have no real pull with the elections.
Again, why run ads in Spanish when immigrants are required to know English to become a citizen and only citizens can vote. Not, you dee or Rudy or anyone else has ever given a viable answer to this question.
I believe you are wrong, dee. I think that Romney will get the Republican nomination.
Whoops, I meant Hispanics are still way the minority in this country, not majority.
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