The Democrats’ Shameful, Foolish Surrender on Immigration

For low-information voters—and the truth is almost every voter and a substantial chunk of elected officials are low information on immigration, which is a policy issue that inflames much passions but almost no one understands below the very surface level—all they see is strong versus weak. This isn’t going to work, and it’s past due time to try something else; liberals must coalesce around a concrete, straightforward, memorable, and forceful pro-immigration message that constitutes a full alternate vision, not just playing defense or shackled to the right’s terms.

So allow me to humbly propose a better approach for Democrats. Point to how
immigrants helped economically revitalize a depressed Springfield, Ohio, and cities across the United States instead of just ridiculing the pet-eating lie. Don’t let the right ever get away with talking about birthrates without hounding them over how this squares with the prospect of new arrivals. Force right-wing figures to explain how, exactly, the United States would have become a global economic and cultural locus without massive immigration, or how all this contemporary business about revitalizing domestic high-tech manufacturing or keeping domestic food production running could be accomplished without it. Ask voters: Do you like the prospect of Social Security and Medicare remaining solvent? Great, immigration is the straightest path there.

Just say it: Immigration is good. We should consider ourselves lucky to have had so much, and we should strive to have more. This psychopathic and—you can say it—white supremacist fixation on punishment and control of migration is not just a moral stain but a disastrous economic policy. If carried out to its full effect, it would represent one of the greatest acts of national self-immolation in our history. Say it over and over, a coordinated message across the country, a full alternative to what is a terrible but at this point default vision. Some voters will hate it, and centrist commentator types will lose their minds. That’s fine, because staying the course is a losing message—and not to mention, just plain wrong.