April 13, 2006

Backfire


According to the most recent Zogby poll, "...protests across the nation against immigration proposals in Congress – particularly to make it a federal felony to be an undocumented worker in America – have not persuaded a majority of U.S. likely voters across the country. [In Fact], More said they are having a negative reaction to the protests than are having a positive reaction."

More Americans are having a negative reaction to the protests than are having a positive reaction.

If you buy into this Zogby poll, which I do, it appears as though the waving of Mexican flags (along with other adversarial posturing) has been counterproductive for the "Immigration rights" advocates.

The poll went on to say, "A wide majority of those participating in the survey (65%) said they would be willing to pay significantly higher prices for some goods and services should that be the result of tighter control of the southern U.S. border and a resulting lower number of undocumented workers."

Count me in that 65%, and I imagine that we will see less Mexican flags at upcoming various demonstrations.

Go to the Insomnious Politico Vlog to Listen to Newt Gingrich on this flags issue and then watch Neil Cavuto battle an apologist reporter who does his best to white wash what is transpiring.

5 comments:

Chris said...

After spending a week in San Diego I have a much better understanding of the immigration threat. Heck Kent and I almost hammered out an entire immigration bill over a couple brews.

I'm not convinced the immigration is an invasion, but I am convinced that the federal government has failed in enforcing immigration laws, including the ones that already call for deportation of illegals. I just add this to the list of Bush failures ;)

JasMars said...

That you and Kent “almost hammered out an entire immigration bill over a couple brews”, is truly encouraging. To me it speaks to the fact that this is not a right or left issue. The basic question is: Do we, as a country, want to have an immigration policy? And if so, do we want to enforce said policy? To me, having a policy and enforcing it should go hand in hand, but for whatever reason, this is not currently the case. Currently, we have an immigration policy; there are laws on the books, but the failure is occurring in the enforcement aspect of having whatever policy that is agreed upon. (If someone is in favor of not even having a policy at all, I will even entertain that. At least there will be some degree of logical consistency found)

Some forces in this debate seek to conflate, confuse, and obfuscate the issue whereas I would like to bring clarity to the situation if anything. Conflation abounds…

Chris said...

hahahahha...very well said Jaz, and I agree.

Anonymous said...

Hope you don't mind a strangers opinion. I want to look at what the President says all the time, that "illegal immigrants take jobs that Americans will not". Why won't Americans take these jobs. I'll tell ya. First of all there crappy jobs, no benefits, crappy money. You can't find Americans who are willing to bust their asses for crap money. The answer-shut the border and pay Americans a liveable wage. This is a legitamate answer, not some socialist wet dream.

JasMars said...

I absolutely do not mind a stranger’s opinion certainly when it is expressed with such eloquence, not to mention righteousness. Your commentary seems to be in line with mine when I said, in the comments section of a previous post on this matter: “… I am familiar with the economic argument that our economy would come grinding to halt without illegal employees, but I reject it. As an uber-capitalist, I believe that “economic Darwinism” dictates that those businesses that cannot succeed without artificially underpaying their employees deserve to fail. If your business model requires that that you underpay workers, you deserve to go out of business. Let’s say Wal-Mart only wants to pay 5 an hour to clean their toilets. The argument is always, “Well, no American will clean toilets for five an hour”. What happens if there is no one willing to work for five an hour on an unpleasant job? Does that job go undone? Of course not. Whatever business will simply have to pay an appropriate wage for the job or face the possibility that said job will not get done. If jobs do not get done, the business falters and eventually fails, as it deserves to. In a capitalist society, if one business fails, another business offering the same goods and services will fill the void, in this case because they would have a more appropriate and equitable business model.”

"Mass deportations and a building a fence are highly debatable, but this idea that businesses will fail without retaining illegal workers ticks me off. I say too bad, pay an appropriate wage or go out of business."

Anonymous: I would recommend that you create a profile and join the discussion in earnest. The blogosphere will always benefit from the enlightened and even handed commentary that you have offered here. Hope to hear from you again.