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Thursday, May 24, 2007
Immigration: Any minds changed?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Whatever you think about the immigration bill now being debated in the U.S. Senate, you have to give credit to U.S. Sens. Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson for leadership. They jumped into a contentious public issue bound to be divisive, no matter the details, and have actively and patiently dealt with the concerns raised by opponents.
Both defend the bill, but say too that they could end up voting against it. In a conversation with Isakson earlier in the week, I expressed the concern common among conservative opponents that illegals get amnesty but our borders still won’t be secured. As he’s done repeatedly since, he patiently spelled out what he believes to be evidence to the contrary: the beefed-up Border Patrol, an increase in detention beds to 27,5000 to end catch-and-release, aerial surveillance, and other barriers, including 370 miles of fencing — and the trigger that requires those first. He made the now familiar arguments, too, that it’s not amnesty because of the fines and back-of-the-line requirement that doesn’t put them ahead of those who are playing by the rules.
The point here, though, is not to rehash the known provisions of the immigration bill, but to note that, agree or not, it’s an example of elected officials staking out a position on an unpopular question and then making themselves readily available to explain it — and to sell it. Georgia’s Gold Dome Republicans should taken notice.
I’m still not sold on the bill. It basically comes down to trust — and there’s really no reason to trust Congress or future administrations to honor the immigration law they write. They didn’t before.
The real question here, though, is this: Chambliss and Isakson say they believe that support is building in Georgia. Is it? Have you changed your mind on any of its provisions in the five or six days since the details became public?
