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Anti-immigrant politics kill “reform” bill in US Senate
The US Senate’s failure to pass a “compromise” immigration bill that ostensibly enjoyed support from both the Democratic and Republican leaderships was the result of a bitter and reactionary debate over how severely some 12 million undocumented immigrants living and working in the US should be punished for having entered the country.
The so-called compromise broke down over a procedural wrangle between Democrats and Republicans over whether Republican Senators opposed to the bill would be allowed to introduce and debate a long list of amendments aimed at making it more punitive, in what essentially constituted a delaying tactic aimed at killing the legislation.
The bill accepted by the Democratic and Republican leaders represented in essence a reprise of similar legislation enacted in 1986 under the Republican administration of President Ronald Reagan. However, given the host of repressive initiatives on the border and an even less generous offer for legalizing undocumented workers already in the country, the measure was considerably more reactionary. The fact that such a piece of legislation would be accepted by the Democratic Party and then scuttled by anti-immigrant opponents is a measure of how far the US political establishment has swung to the right in the past two decades.
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http://wsws.org/articles/2006/apr2006/immi-a08.shtml
The bill accepted by the Democratic and Republican leaders represented in essence a reprise of similar legislation enacted in 1986 under the Republican administration of President Ronald Reagan. However, given the host of repressive initiatives on the border and an even less generous offer for legalizing undocumented workers already in the country, the measure was considerably more reactionary. The fact that such a piece of legislation would be accepted by the Democratic Party and then scuttled by anti-immigrant opponents is a measure of how far the US political establishment has swung to the right in the past two decades.
More
http://wsws.org/articles/2006/apr2006/immi-a08.shtml
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"The fact that such a piece of legislation would be accepted by the Democratic Party and then scuttled by anti-immigrant opponents is a measure of how far the US political establishment has swung to the right in the past two decades."
It may be true that the political leadership has moved far to the right in America but THIS particular situation is not evidence of that. The Democrats accepted precisely because it would please "liberals" while at the same time knowing that the deal was sure to be scuttled.
Shitty thing about democracy, the people, the people in general and not the more idealistic members of the population get to make decisions. My socialist friends, we get nowhere by self delusion. The supporters of the left in America (the rank and file supporters, the workers) are NOT behind you on this. To the extent that positive feelings for socialism exists among them (and we cvan argue about how limited that is) the form of socialism is national. They may be willing to share with each other but that does NOT extend to all the wretched of the world.
ORGANIZE! If you think we should have open borders and unlimited free immigration then try to convince people. Don't simply jump up and down about how right it would be. Convince people that we should share all the good things we have here with those less fortunate by letting them move here.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND? If you tell me that "the people" want this thing (amnesty for the current "illegals" and opening of doors) and the problem is the leaders you are either lying, or more likley, deluding yoursleves as to the true satte of affairs.
It may be true that the political leadership has moved far to the right in America but THIS particular situation is not evidence of that. The Democrats accepted precisely because it would please "liberals" while at the same time knowing that the deal was sure to be scuttled.
Shitty thing about democracy, the people, the people in general and not the more idealistic members of the population get to make decisions. My socialist friends, we get nowhere by self delusion. The supporters of the left in America (the rank and file supporters, the workers) are NOT behind you on this. To the extent that positive feelings for socialism exists among them (and we cvan argue about how limited that is) the form of socialism is national. They may be willing to share with each other but that does NOT extend to all the wretched of the world.
ORGANIZE! If you think we should have open borders and unlimited free immigration then try to convince people. Don't simply jump up and down about how right it would be. Convince people that we should share all the good things we have here with those less fortunate by letting them move here.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND? If you tell me that "the people" want this thing (amnesty for the current "illegals" and opening of doors) and the problem is the leaders you are either lying, or more likley, deluding yoursleves as to the true satte of affairs.
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