01/06/2004
The Bush Administration proposes giving Amnesty to millions of illegal aliens, and also open the floodgates to more immigration through a "guest worker" program.
In a very Clintonian fashion, the Bush Administration calls amnesty "immigration reform."
The Bushies are forced to do this. Their allies in Big Business like lower wages for Americans and therefore support amnesty. But ordinary Americans overwhelmingly oppose amnesty for illegal immigration. Anything labeled amnesty has almost no chance to pass Congress.
On the other hand, the public is in favor of "immigration reform" — cutting legal immigration and deporting illegal aliens.
By labeling amnesty as "immigration reform", the Bushies hope to muddy the waters.
The key for real immigration reformers to win is simply: language discipline — calling amnesty "amnesty."
Immigration reform writers must never fall into the trap of calling the Bush amnesty proposal anything but amnesty.
The only exception: sometimes, later in articles or conversations, it may be acceptable to note briefly and ridicule the fact that the Bushies call their amnesty proposal "immigration reform." (Immigration deform?)
But only very briefly.
If ordinary people call this amnesty bill "immigration reform," it will pass and Big Business will drive the American standard of living downward.
If Americans call amnesty by its proper name, it will fail and working Americans will benefit. The people in the immigration reform movement can make the difference.
It’s a simple as this: never call amnesty anything but "amnesty."
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