http://blogcritics.org/ A sinister cabal of superior bloggers on music, books, film, popular culture, politics, and technology - updated continuously. en Copyright 2005 by the authors Mon, 23 Aug 2004 08:20:56 EDT http://backend.userland.com/rss Blogcritics.org custom software http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/08/23/070928.php#comment-81054 Hmm. Having lived for years in Texas, I can tell you for certain that there are jobs that are done by illegals because there is economic incentive to get them done more cheaply and without the safety requirements that US labor would be able to require. The INS (or whatever it's called today) is poorly organized. The same agency that is responsible for borders and enforcement shouldn't also be responsible for benefits: it creates an organizational schizophrenia that prevents either task from being clearly and efficiently executed. While I am entirely in favor of having a system of immigration that benefits the US first, I'm not sure that a lot of what we see from the INS meets that goal. And some benefits should not be denied on the basis of legal status. Some kinds of public health benefits, for instance, help us all. Allowing a raging Cholera epidemic to sweep through the Rio Grande Valley and spread to Houston because we wouldn't treat victims doesn't just hurt the victims, it hurts all of Texas. Illegals shouldn't vote, absolutely. Neither should felons who have not had their rights restored, nor the recently deceased, nor minors. Housepets and three year old children shouldn't be making $1000 donations to campaigns to get around the individual maximums. I'm not sure what's wrong with saying "if it's not a crime that's happening, let's not ask an underfunded agency with no jurisdiction over elections to spend time and money fixing it". Hey, I know! Let's make it unconstitutional to sodomize your same-sex spouse while wearing a burning flag... 81054@blogcritics.org Mon, 23 Aug 2004 08:20:56 EDT