Opponents called the measure anti-immigration, xenophobic and racist.

In spite of that, 60% of Californians voted for the measure because Proposition 187 was none of the above.

It simply said that Californians would not pay for the health care and schooling of illegal aliens. In spite of that, a federal court ruled in 1998 that Prop. 187 was unconstitutional. (I read the constitution again recently and don't see where having to pay to support illegal aliens in any way, shape or form is even mentioned.)

Further Comments:

Proposition 187 in its latest incarnation will be a good thing, and it's too bad theoriginal hadn't survived the courts.

Because if Prop. 187 had gone into effect, by now we would have developed a rational immigration policy.

We do need many of those who are currently here illegally. With a change in immigration policy, maybe a new "Guest Worker Program", many of the current "illegals" would be here legally. That would solve some of their problems without them having to risk death to get the kind of life they can't get in their own country. They would get that better life, and would contribute their fair share to the country providing it. Both sides would win.

And maybe best of all, we wouldn't have Vicente Fox constantly crossing the border and twisting arms to get the US to solve his political, social and economic problems [Corruption in Mexico: A Different Landscape?].

I really hope Kristol butts out this time.

Postscript and a peek at the future:

Things may get ugly here.

We've already had a one-day boycott of schools by illegals. Legal immigrants don't necessarily agree, and one of them wrote this to the Times:

I, along with my parents, were "legal" immigrants to the U.S. ... If they are here illegally, not respecting this nation's laws, not willing to get in line and wait their turn to emigrate, they have no right to clamor for those privileges to which they are not entitled. [LATimes subscription]

Another Californian wrote that the illegals "... should permanently boycott schools. This would drastically reduce spending for public education and ease the overcrowdingin our schools." (Problem solved!)

Joaquin Avila of the UCLA’s Chicano Studies Research Center, then took the next step into La-La Land: UCLA study says non-citizens should be able to vote.

Maybe the rest of the country is right about California.

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