Immigration Reform as the Civil Rights Act of this Generation

In the early 1960's, the second greatest political drama, after the assassination of President Kennedy, was the push for civil rights in the federal government. After the events of Selma, these actions became much more visible at the national level, and were the definition of a conflict of cultures that would destroy the solid South for Democrats.

In terms of both political consequences and morality, this generation's Civil Rights Act is immigration reform. The GOP is divided sharply on this issue, between the new Republican stronghold of the Southwest "shoot-em-ups" like Duncan Hunter, Tom Tancredo, and that dipstick sheriff Joe Arpaio, and Northeast brain trusts of Heritage and the RNC money machine. It is the perfect opportunity for the Democrats to use two political "negatives" (moral "rights" that are politically detrimental) to make a political "positive".

The Republicans' ability to force Johnson and Humphrey into the forefront of the legislative battle for the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act was masterful. They created exceptions that prevented any new intrusions by the federal government into the North, alleviating any concern they had over the bill. As a result, what was created seemed to be political imposition by the Democrats on the South, despite the consistent efforts of Dixiecrats to stop the legislation. As a result, the GOP gained a new political base in Southern whites without having to give anything up. The Bush, Reagan, and Nixon administrations, and the GOP congressional power over the last 4 decades, is based entirely on the opportunity presented by this one tactic. Democrats did the right thing by passing these measures, but their political arrogance led them to believe they were in the driver's seat until it was too late. LBJ even acknowledged that he believed they were giving the South to the GOP.

We now have the opportunity to accomplish the same thing with George W Bush in office. He's desperate for anything to hang his hat on, and this is the one thing within reach. And passing immigration reform that undermines the image of "guardian at the gate" held by Southwestern Republicans could put Arizona, Oklahoma, Kansas, and districts of Southern California and Texas into play for Democrats, and create a new "solid blue zone" that includes New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and Montana.

Bush is part of the New England business-intellectual class of Republicans that actually control the GOP's agenda, and only stokes the religious or bigoted tendencies of its base for its ulterior purposes. The GOP, and more importantly Bush, has greater interest in providing his paymasters with the exploitable labor that inflates their profits than he has in scaring people over the "brown threat". If he is made to understand that 2008 is a lost cause, and that this is the one thing he can do for his legacy, he just might bring the votes to the table to make it happen.

What's more, Democrats can rest easy in allowing passage of legislation that hasn't the labor protections they want. Creating a 3 or 4 year sunset on the program can allow them to revisit it with both branches in Dem control, and put in whatever new provisions we want. At this point, they will be providing more protection for a group that is ready to be politically assimilated. New union membership and empowerment, a broader mandate for fixing NAFTA, and the opportunity to expand industry with newly legitimized labor and a working class emboldened to create independent small businesses of their own.

The way to make this happen is by cutting off the funding for the Iraq War. By taking away W's only other hope for a separate room in his library, he will be forced to accept less than ideal terms, and will help the push for this in a way that will give us the political reward of opening up the Southwest. Some would say that this would make him combative, but with his approval ratings, he's already backed into a corner and only seems to understand negotiation from a position of power anyways. Make him get us the votes from the Northeastern GOP, and let our congressional officials resist it on moral grounds.

Over a four-year period, we will have ensured protection for immigrant workers who are better off in the immediate future with anything than they are with nothing. We will be able to fix or withdraw from NAFTA, and we will be able to create a whole new class of business owners in downtrodden industrial areas. And in doing so, we can take away a key region of the GOP's base, because once they find the GOP's rhetoric is empty, they will turn to the hope we provide.