The Democrats’ border battle

Re “Democrats wrangle on immigration,” Nov. 11

It’s frustrating to see Democrats fall for many of the false beliefs that have helped to drive the Republican Party into the political wilderness. Yes, most Americans want to see more control over our borders, but that doesn’t mean “compassion and justice for illegal immigrants ends when taxpayer interests begin.” Compassion and justice never end, and taxpayer interests include getting crops picked and restaurant tables bused when those functions depend on so-called illegal labor. Our economy depends on labor cheapened by its lack of legal status. Democrats are getting too complacent to recognize this, but Latino voters who know it in their gut will not hesitate to punish them if they start echoing overtly racist Republican talking points.

The solution lies with what’s right for the country: strengthen the borders and give people a legal right to come here to work jobs that need doing. Treat working people with honor -- that’s the tradition of the Democratic Party.

Renee Leask

Glendale

As a longtime liberal Democrat and party activist, I found myself confused when agreeing with some of the more conservative Republicans in Congress on immigration issues. Harvard professor George Borjas estimates that illegal immigration depresses wages by an average of 8% for unskilled Americans, chiefly high school dropouts. It is thus not anti-immigrant, anti-Latino or anti-anything to be more concerned about the job prospects of the young and poor born in this country.

I have yet to hear from the open-borders folks how they plan to keep us safe. Passing out driver’s licenses won’t cut it with the soccer moms and NASCAR dads, and a Democratic nominee for president who doesn’t get that could lose. Republicans have a hallowed tradition of using wedge issues to divide us. Indeed, we already see Rudy Giuliani chomping at the immigration bit, and the undocumented may become the “gays” of the 2008 election. A Democrat who dithers on immigration issues may only ensure another four to eight years of disastrous Republican rule. And that’s really scary.

Roger Tansey

Palm Springs