Democrats took a swing and missed on citizenship, which is very much on my mind these days. These so-called liberals talk a lot about fairness, but don’t want the 2020 census to tell tax-paying citizens (who fund the $20 billion census) how many non-citizens reside in their states and voting districts. Moreover, fixing immigration will remain an argument because debates need more data-based information – not less. Good governance requires nothing less, but Democrats don’t give a hoot about government for the people (who elected them).
As a purely political matter, Democrats are in trouble on this issue. A recent Harvard/Harris poll found that 67 percent of registered voters want the citizenship question on the 2020 census (88% of Republicans, 63% of Independents, and 52% of Democrats). This is no small matter, because Democrats should not ignore the will of two-thirds of the electorate – especially after whining about the electoral college and how it did not reflect the will of the majority in 2016.
It is obvious what the Democrats are doing: defending yet another supposed “aggrieved” identity group. This week, Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) decried the citizenship question as an attempt by Republicans to “make America white again.” It’s racially divisive for the speaker of the house to inject identity politics, and intellectually dishonest to assume she knows what non-white citizens want.
According to Harvard/Harris polling, a majority of registered minority voters are in favor of adding a citizenship question to the 2020 census (55% of Latinos and 59% of African-Americans). Further, 58 percent of urban voters and a whopping 74 percent of rural voters want the 2020 census to include a citizenship question.
It should be obvious to those who govern that the opinions of registered voters matter, because they are this country’s most responsible (they register) and active (they vote) citizens. Registered voters actually create the government of the people; therefore, this should be a simple binary decision. Politicians should not elevate non-citizens over the very people who voted Congress into office. Go figure.
At the heart of the citizenship question is America’s social contract between those who govern and the governed. Our government is obligated to tell citizens how many (and where) non-citizens reside within our borders. Especially working-class citizens – of every color – who should know how many un-documented immigrants are competing for their jobs. I suspect Democrats would rather keep that number under wraps.
Pew Research found that 10.5 million illegal immigrants reside in the US. If that doesn’t concern you, then the numbers found by Yale and MIT will. They determined there are 22.1 million immigrants living in the US as shadow citizens. This explains why Democrats don’t want to risk a citizenship question scaring non-citizens away from the census: the extra federal funds (from your taxes), seats in the House, and electoral votes will be staggering.
Democratic opposition to the citizenship question is a “remind and recruit” opportunity. By awarding non-citizens the same “aggrieved” status as Rosa Parks, they hope to add voters (sooner or later). Democratic support has always been fleeting: once voters feel less aggrieved, they tend to drift away from the “liberal” party. This is how Democrats lost the upper midwest.
Nancy Pelosi tried to “remind” black voters the citizenship question was the same whitelash that elected Donald Trump. Nice try, but black citizens don’t think illegal immigrants are entitled to the same rights as Rosa Parks. Ms. Parks was a US citizen whose civil rights were denied. Non-citizen residents – even if documented – are foreign nationals. Period.
The DNC is probably misaligned with its traditional base, because 52 percent of registered Democrats don’t care if the citizenship question discomfits the non-citizen. Even so, Democratic presidential candidates have proposed extending Medicare to illegal aliens and abolishing ICE. And what’s up with Beto O’Rourke campaigning in Mexico? So much for borders.
I am a citizen and registered voter, who believes we should demand honesty and transparency of non-citizens. Horrible living conditions exist south of the US border and the economy does need more young employable adults, but the issue here is national sovereignty and distinguishing between US citizens and foreigners.
The “citizenship” issue will re-appear in the 2020 presidential campaign, especially in many states that Trump narrowly won or lost in 2016. Any Democratic opponent, who supports less information and illegals dodging law enforcement, will be branded by Trump as the “stupidity and crime” candidate. And – Trump will be right to do so.