Uncertain future

With the elections looming around the corner, Politian's are gearing up for what is sure to be a tense campaign season. Regardless if you are on the right or on the left, no one is truly safe. Adding to this is the Tea Party movement which has took America by storm. Some say that it is merely a tactic to get voters fired up against the Democrats, while Tea Party supporters counter that they are neither Republican or Democrats, but dissatisfied citizens worried for the future of America. But is it really as bad as they say it is, or are Republicans merely trying to put momentum on their side? The answer is a resounding -- no. In fact, the desperation of Conservative Politian's is seen evident in the ideas they are trying to push for. Primarily, the idea to amend the constitution so that children born to immigrants aren't citizens unless the parents can prove their citizenship.
Republicans have always run on the notion that the constitution is a 'perfect document', a document that needs no changes. Now, seemingly out of nowhere, they are now proclaiming that the constitution is a 'living, breathing' document that needs to be changed for modernization. It's laughable at what they are doing. Not only is it blatantly obvious that Republicans will never get this through, it is an affirmation that their party's future seems bleak.
America is now changing, it is becoming more diverse than ever, counter-culture ideas are now becoming more accepted; all of these things don't bode well for Republicans. During the November elections, according to exit polls, President Obama won every single demographic but white voters. President Obama won only 43% of white voters, whereas McCain garnered 55% of white voters. In other areas, however, Obama handedly defeated McCain; he won 95% of black voters, 67% of Hispanic and 62% of Asian voters. Moreover, the statistics depicting the countries future demographic doesn't make the situation any better for conservatives. According to the US Census Bureau the dominance of non-Hispanic white people, who today account for two-thirds of Americans, will whittle away, falling increasingly to less than half in 2042 and 46% by 2050. In the opposite trajectory, those who describe themselves as Hispanic, black, Asian and Native American will increase in proportion from about a third now to 54% by 2050.
Everyone knows there are conservative Latinos. But if Hispanics are shifting more toward Democrats, it's not because Democrats or anyone else has tricked Hispanics into it. The GOP has managed to alienate Latinos just fine, without any help from the Left. Furthermore, tough stances on immigration doesn't help republicans gain any grounds with Latinos. There is a clear example of this back in 1994 when California conservative Politian's proposed a bill called Proposition 187, the purpose of the bill was to create a state-run citizenship screening system in order to prohibit illegal immigrants from using health care, public education, and other social services in the State of California. Back then California was a primarily a Republican state (hard to believe, I know) however, similar to now anti-immigrant sentiment was popular and the right drove that rhetoric right to the elections. Eventually, Hispanic voters were appalled at the tough rhetoric and were motivated to the polls. Ever since then, California has been long lost to Republicans. Only, Schwarzenegger was successful running as Republican candidate but even he was immigrant friendly.
The propose of this amendment is not because they really care about changing the constitution but a way to prolong the inevitable -- they're irrelevancy. Conservatives want to stop these future voters from becoming citizens because they know it'll be difficult to gain their trust. Therefore, the best next thing is to just not make them be eligible voters at all. In the end, with this tense political environment where congress can't even agree what day it is, good luck convincing two-thirds of them to vote in favor of changing the constitution. Republicans, like back then, are riding this anti-immigrant sentiment to the polls. It may very well help them these elections but it sure won't help them in the future.

Acting on a Dream

There are approximately 12 million illegal immigrants in America today. Out of those 12 million about 65 thousand are high school students in the United States. Many of these students were brought to the states at very young ages, and grew up knowing nothing other than the American way. Yet they are branded as criminals because of their parents actions, and are denied equal opportunities. In spite of the fact that they grew up in America, lived like Americans, went to American schools, taught American history, and to many, English is there most fluently spoken language. So how are they not Americans? Many of these students have no idea, nor knowledge, of their native country. So what are you going to do with these “un-Americans”? Send them all back, all 65 thousand of them? The “Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act” or more commonly referred to as the “DREAM Act” was re-introduced to congress on March 26, 2009.

What the “DREAM ACT” basically does is it would provide certain illegal immigrant students who graduate from US high schools, are of good moral character, arrived in the US as children, and have been in the country continuously for at least five years prior to the bill's enactment, the opportunity to earn conditional permanent residency. Then they would have six years to either gradate from a college or serve at least two years in the military. And after the six years if completed all the requirements, they would have a pathway to earn citizenship.

So what’s wrong with this bill? Many opponents say that the bill would take college seats away from American kids, that it’s prioritizing illegal immigrants. That the bill would reward illegal immigrants for breaking the law. That it would encourage more immigrants to come. That the DREAM Act would take away scholarships from American students. That Americans have already done enough for illegal immigrants. My favorite, that the “DREAM Act” would take away billions of dollars from taxpayers. Finally, the most popular, that their parents should’ve just came here the legally. Did I miss any?

Well let’s start off with the first one. That the bill would take away college seats from American students. Nowhere in the bill does it state that colleges will be required to grant illegal immigrant admission to colleges. The bill only states that it will give them the opportunity. In other words, just like everyone else, they have to earn their admission. So it’s in no way prioritizing illegal immigrants. Another opposition was that it would “reward” illegal immigrants. Really, reward who? Because the bill helps the immigrant student who came here, when they were young, without ANY say in the matter. The only thing they did was go to an American school, and that’s it. As a matter a fact many immigrant students aren’t even aware of their status until later in life, when they need it for something.

Another reason on why people oppose the “DREAM Act” is because it would encourage more immigrants to come. Umm… no, the bill clearly states that students have to have been here five years PRIOR to the bills enactment. Therefore there is no incentive here because people who come, illegally, have no benefit whatsoever after the bill has passed. The other one was that it would take scholarships from Americans. Again the bill doesn’t say colleges have to give immigrants any special treatment, just level the playing field. One of my favorite opposition is the next one. That Americans have already done enough for illegal immigrants. While that may be true, wouldn’t Americans want the immigrants to pay them back?

Out all these opposition my favorite one would probably have to be that it would cost taxpayers millions of dollars. The reason this is my favorite is because, it’s a myth. The Social Security Administration estimates that about three-quarters of illegal workers pay taxes that contribute to the overall solvency of Social Security and Medicare. And even the people who don’t pay taxes do in some way because every time they purchase something they pay taxes, and taxes are taken out of their paychecks as well. And finally, that they should came here legally. Ok, first the students didn’t have any say in the matter. And secondly the average waiting time for a visa is about three years, so it makes it very difficult to gain access to the US.

Hopefully I’ve answered most of what the opposition has to say about the “DREAM Act” I researched the internet, and read a lot about what people have to say about the bill. The reactions are mixed. And I’m sure most people have at least developed an opinion on the matter as well. The only thing the “DREAM Act” asks for is an equal shot at higher education and to prove that they deserve the chance to become citizens, and become part of the greatest country in the world. And to the people who are closed minded, and continue to judge them as criminals, un-Americans, and continue to manifest how much they should go back, regardless if they were brought here without any say in the matter, but because of what their parents did. Think about this. Should people judge you as a criminal and un-American for what your ancestors did? Like owning slaves, and wanting to break away from the United States back during the Civil war.

Didn’t think so.