Reid, Angle, and Fool's Gold
Opposition to legalizing illegal immigrants wasn't an effective political issue, respectable reformers once assureed us. But it's becoming hard to say that with a straight face ...
In 2006, immigration reformer Tamar Jacoby—who favors a "path to citizenship" for illegal immigrants—was quoted in the Arizona Republic:
"In the past 10 years, a lot of politicians have looked at polling and said, 'Here's this big pocket of voters who don't like immigration,' " said Tamar Jacoby, a senior fellow of the Manhattan Institute.
"It has turned out in every instance to be fool's gold ... "
OK. Now it's 2010. Sen. Harry Reid is boasting of his work pursuing illegal immigrant legalization. Meanwhile, his opponent, Sharron Angle, "has decided the strongest message she has in the final days is back to the issue of illegal immigration," notes WaPo's Dan Balz. She's attacked Reid for supporting "amnesty" and calls him the "illegal alien's best friend." If Angle wins, Jacoby has her work cut out for her if she wants to argue that opposing legalization ... sorry, "comprehensive reform," is political "fool's gold," no?
In fact, Jacoby's already moved to give herself cover, writing in the NY Times that this year "could be different since emotions are running high."
"But then what?" she asks, arguing the both sides will still have to come together to achieve a "difficult, down-to-earth, pragmatic compromise." Here's another possibility: Jacoby's side loses. That would be similar to what happened with another dramatic, damn-the-perverse-incentives policy idea, the "guaranteed annual income" idea of the '60s. First it became the respectable consensus position. Then a Republican president went against type and pushed for it. Then it lost narrowly in Congress. Then the public turned decisively against it. The next time it was proposed it didn't get as far as it had before. And then it went away ... 1:03 a.m.
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The lesson of Kendrick Meek: Don't talk to Bill Clinton, because if you then don't do what he wants Clinton's aides will discuss what you said with reporters, to your disadvantage ... 1:01 a.m.
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What's the lesson of the amazing Larry Tribe letter to Obama (dissing Justice-to-be Sonia Sotomayor and Justice Stephen Breyer)? Is this a) an effective letter, or is it b) rather too explicit to be put down on paper, in a way that would cause a pol like Obama to lose some respect for the sender? I say (b). Tribe seems to be a klutz politically. I remember seeing him give a speech on behalf of Sargent Shriver once. It was cringe-inducingly clumsy. ... P.S.: Jeffrey Rosen got a lot of grief for for saying essentially the same thing in public as Tribe did in private about Sotomayor (that she's not that smart and a bully). Anyone want to apologize to Rosen? ... 12:57 a.m.
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