MORE ON IMMIGRATION

A reader writes: "Check out these posts by the Republican Party base voters and tell me that Bush is not in trouble over immigration. These are the little people that pay the taxes and send in $25.00 year to the Party."

Gary Bezowsky replies: "I read the comment from one of your readers claiming the Republican base is in turmoil over the immigration reform proposals and Bush would lose if the election were held today. This may be so. But it boggles the mind to believe any intelligent rightward leaning voter would prefer a Bush lose and a Kerry victory. Kerry is further to the left on immigration and would go far beyond anything Bush would propose. This is insanity. Immigrant bashing doesn't win at the polls. Look at the state of the Republican party in California. After the party became tied to anti-immigrant proposals, it lost election after election, unable to influence policy. Only the disaster that is Gray Davis allowed Arnold the opportunity to claim the governor's chair. These Republicans and their anger would inflict the same damage on the national level. Electoral success is about coalition building, the largest coalition wins. The winners make public policy. If they are upset about the policy, the only way to change it to their liking is from inside the governing party."

Australia has thousands of miles of uninhabited and largely unguarded coastline so it should be even easier for illegal immigrants to come here than it is for them to go to the USA. In fact, illegal immigrants have virtually given up coming to Australia. Why? Because Australia's conservative government does its best to catch them and locks up any it catches. Illegal immigration can be controlled if there is the will to do it.

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