Elites Vs. Schlubs

If you read this blog you are well aware that I take after the Daddy Warbucks with a passion for being Cappucino breathed weasels.

The Center For Immigration Studies was nice enough to supply some numbers...

Read article here.

* The results of the survey indicate that the gap between the opinions of the American people on immigration and those of their leaders is enormous. The poll found that 60 percent of the public regards the present level of immigration to be a "critical threat to the vital interests of the United States," compared to only 14 percent of the nation?s leadership ? a 46 percentage point gap.

* The current gap is even wider than that found in 1998, when 55 percent of the public viewed immigration as a "critical threat," compared to 18 percent of opinion leaders ? a 37 percentage point gap.

* The poll results indicate that there is no other foreign policy-related issue on which the American people and their leaders disagreed more profoundly than immigration. Even on such divisive issues as globalization or strengthening the United Nations, the public and the elite are much closer together than they are on immigration.

* When asked a specific question about whether legal immigration should be reduced, kept the same, or increased, 55 percent of the public said it should be reduced, and 27 percent said it should remain the same. In contrast, only 18 percent of opinion leaders said it should be reduced and 60 percent said it should remain the same. There was no other issue-specific question on which the public and elites differed more widely.

* The enormous difference between elite and public opinion can also be seen on the issue of illegal immigration. The survey found that 70 percent of the public said that reducing illegal immigration should be a "very important" foreign-policy goal of the United States, compared to only 22 percent of elites.

* Also with respect to illegal immigration, when the public was asked to rank the biggest foreign policy problems, the public ranked illegal immigration sixth, while elites ranked it 26th.

* The very large difference between elite and public opinion explains the current
political stalemate on immigration. For example, supporters of an amnesty for illegal immigrants have broad elite support ranging from religious to business and union leaders. Normally elite support of this kind would lead to policy changes, but on this issue public opposition is so strong that it creates a political stalemate.

* Continued deep public dissatisfaction with current immigration policy indicates that candidates or political parties that advocate a reduction in immigration might reap a significant political benefit. This is especially true because it could be marketed as "anti-elite" and more in sync with the American people, a message that has traditionally been well received by voters.

* President Bush?s efforts to grant amnesty to illegal immigrants appear to be hurting him politically. While 53 percent of the public said his handling of foreign policy overall was excellent or good, on immigration only 27 percent said his handling of immigration was good or excellent; moreover, 70 percent rated Bush as poor or fair on immigration. the lowest rating he received on any foreign policy-related issue.

Study breakdown here.

It seems pretty clear to me that the people on the poopy end of the stick here have made their wishes more than clear. What will it take to make our elected officials hear us?

Post 9-11 our constitutionally elected asshats have...

* Dick Gephardt, then-House Democratic Minority Leader, proposed in October 2002 an amnesty for most of the 8.5 million illegal aliens in the country. The White House has also indicated its desire for amnesty, although at least so far only the three to four million illegal aliens from Mexico would be eligible. The administration also wishes to create a new guest worker program for Mexicans.

* President George W. Bush has repeatedly pressured Congress to pass an amnesty for perhaps 500,000 to a million illegal aliens under a provision known as Section 245(i).

Utah Republicans Sen. Orin Hatch and Rep. Chris Cannon are leading a vigorous
effort to let illegal aliens pay in-state tuition to attend college.

* Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) succeeded in moving a bill through the House Judiciary Committee to make it much easier for immigrants convicted of
felonies to remain in the United States.

* Senate Democrats inserted without debate into the Homeland Security bill provisions that reversed changes to asylum procedures enacted in 1996. The changes would have again allowed a larger share of applicants for asylum to be paroled into the country rather than remaining in detention.

And this is from 2002, just imagine the asshattery since then, the mind boggles.

If this issue is important to you, then take comfort in this...

It was this sense that the electorate is demanding real immigration enforcement, and would no longer be fooled by the usual cliches and bromides, that led the House leadership to craft a relatively strong bill and stand fast in the face of business opposition. Even the White House strongly endorsed the Sensenbrenner legislation. Public fury has moved the center on immigration in Congress so much that Rep. Tom Tancredo, who has worked for years to get his colleagues to take the issue seriously, was able to sit back last week and let others do the heavy lifting for a change.

Let me challenge you dear reader. If you've never taken the time to call your Congresscritter now would be a good time to start.

NumbersUSA keeps an eye on things for us working schlubs. And if you sign up for their newsletter they'll give you the skinny on which Congresscritters are selling you out.


illegal immigration
Center For Immigration Studies
Opinion Polls
Elite Opinion