The Gang of 8 immigration bill has brought forth some clarifying moments.

Not the least of which is that there is bipartisan demagoguery in support of the bill using the straw man argument that the issue is hostility to immigration.

Obama and Grover Norquist both are suggesting that hostility to immigration is the issue.

Obama sent out this tweet (h/t Hot Air)

Unless you’re a Native American, you came from someplace else. Share your family’s story: at.wh.gov/kQgOt #ImmigrationNation — The White House (@whitehouse) May 8, 2013

Grover Norquist penned a column at National Review along similar lines:

The arguments against immigration are as old as our founding and consistently wrong. Only this issue resurrects Malthusian economics, the consistently disproven predictions of Paul Ehrlich, and the “Limits to Growth” certainty that more people make us weaker and poorer. The cycle continues.

“Immigration” is a false framing of the issue.

The issue is illegal immigration, the disrespect for our laws, and the right of every country — including the U.S. — to control its borders and to make choices as to who is allowed to enter and to become a citizen.

Rationalizing our immigration policy as to who is allowed to enter and stay does not mean we have to reward law breakers and advantage them over law abiders through citizenship and other benefits. One can be pro-immigration and against amnesty in its various forms.

In fact, I would argue that the most pro-immigration policy of all is to advantage the people who respected our immigration laws and who followed the legal procedures to get here. To try to turn that into being “anti-immigration” is just demagoguery, of the straw man variety.



