Classy Positive

Considering political advertising is now 24/7/365, one would think we could hear an intelligent discussion, explanation and essay presentation of how we could make our governance work better, be more effective, and benefit the well-being of the American people. I’m not talking just national elections, but regional, state and local ones, too.

I’m looking for material that presents a clear definition of a problem or condition, and then suggests we need to do something about it.  Like immigration, for example.

Immigration is a large topic and in today’s ideological climate, a hot button issue. In my mind, immigration is as natural as, and American as, apple pie. Our nation is made up of people who all have immigrant roots in their family tree. The tiny portion that don’t share this trait, are pure bred native American Indians. The rest of us have roots from other nations, continents, and some would say worlds!  Now that would be alien!!

With that backdrop fully understood – and accepted, please – let’s turn to what’s wrong with our current immigration situation. We have large numbers of people who wish to live within our borders and share our freedoms. This is a good thing on one hand, and a challenge to deal with on the other hand. Too many people flowing into our country at any given time stresses our infrastructure and social norms to properly care for it. So that is a problem to be defined.

How many people can we adequately absorb? Over what timeframe? And where? How can we properly manage an orderly flow of new immigrants that helps us and them at the same time? Over the long haul we know immigration renews our social wealth, our knowledge base, and our humanity. It is what defines America. So we don’t want to turn off the source of our own cultural enrichment. Our unique enrichment.

The question is not shutting down immigration or opening the gates 100% for all comers. The question is how to we manage the inward flow of new people wanting to be citizens? What is a good flow rate? What kind of support do they need to be productive and orderly in their adoption of a new home? What issues affect those of us already in country that may need better care and management?

Those questions are all good ones and deserve proper study and understanding. Then we need to determine the range of options in managing the situation in the best manner possible. And how to pay for it. We have done this many times in our history; some eras were done well; others poorly. So, through our journey, we should be able to determine an optimal methodology.

Let us also agree that one word or short catch phrases do not serve our understanding of this complicated issue. Immigrants are not criminals, misfits or terrorists, certainly not any more so than our own population. We have our own criminals, misfits and domestic terrorists. We accommodate them; we can do so with the immigrant variety as well.

Calm discussion and study. That’s what’s needed. And the application of our combined genius to address the problems that inevitably occur.

It might interest the reader to know that both conservatives and liberals think similarly on this issue. Over time these two sides have held similar views on what the end result should be. They just differ on the how part. Both republicans and democrats have addressed the challenge and several times at the same time. George W. Bush and Senator John McCain worked on this with key democrats early in his administration. But conservative republican leaders shut them down abruptly. Democrats had already agreed to help address the problem, but republicans insisted it was not the right time to do so. That is only one instance where bipartisan support was present on this issue. There were many other instances, too.

So, instead of beating each other up during the never ending political campaigns, why don’t we focus attention on the issues that matter, agree to do something about them, and then vote on the solutions that seem best for the good of the country? Sound appealing?

Then why haven’t we done this. Logic tells us we need it. Our emotions and frazzled nerves tell us we need it. What is holding up reasonable people  from working together to solve our shared problems?

Enough of the campaigning. Let’s sit down and talk like civil adults. Let’s focus energy on problems we need to improve on. Not fight over. Endlessly.

November 6, 2018