The sequel to Ronald Reagan's amnesty Alice in Wonderland

Editor's Note: With immigration dominating the, well, news of the day, we thought we would revisit our past literary excursions thereon.

Beginning with this, penned on August 17th, 2001:

Amnesia - Amnesty

Paul Gigot’s August 16th thought piece in favor of President George W. Bush’s proposal for immigration reform commits two errors in logical analysis; one of commission and one of omission.

He does give a cogent, if not totally accurate, analysis of the political ramifications of the Bush proposal. In the 2000 election, Bush received 38% of the Hispanic vote. Do you really see this granting of amnesty causing the 15% increase necessary to create a GOP majority?

What makes it a less likely proposition is that this improvement must take place amongst the larger pool of voters that this change will obviously create.

Adding to the difficulty is that most of these new voters will be well under the $50,000 annual income level pollster John Zogby found to be the Hispanic GOP vote threshold.

It is a daunting feat to increase your vote total by this significant amount in a static voter pool. It is utterly impossible to do so when you substantially increase these voter rolls, especially when the vast majority of those you are adding are well below the income level acknowledged as the catalyst for them to start voting Republican.

WSJ's Brave New World

What Gigot completely overlooks in his article is the slap in the face this granting of amnesty would be to the rule of law, something conservatives hold near and dear, this article's evidence to the contrary not withstanding.

Conservatives who oppose this do so at least partially on legal grounds. These are, after all, ILLEGAL immigrants.

Conservatives do not oppose this because they want America to remain an all-white clique, or because they are anti-immigration specifically or xenophobic generally. They oppose it because it is anti-rule of law, and conservatives cherish this above most if not all else.

On His, And Ahead Of The, Game

With his decision on Proposition 187, California Governor Pete Wilson did not define Republicans down, he defined California law and it's taxpayers up. They were tired of the ever-increasing costs of illegal immigrant social services, and he therefore rightly supported a moratorium on their having to pay for them. This isn't racism, it is common sense.

There is an axiom that states, "Of anything you subsidize, you will get more." California was, and continues, subsidizing illegal immigration, and look what it has begotten.

And there is no evidence whatsoever that this idea, implemented in any form, will lead to greater assimilation. As residents of Texas, we have seen time and time again that often these people do not learn English, live only amongst themselves, and in general do nothing to become a greater part of American society.

Caution: Illegals Crossing

To the contrary, they have contempt for American citizens and the country itself. The evidence is not only empirical; it stands to reason that, as a people who have been shown to have a respect for the rule of law and morality, when they are given a pass on their illegal entry it gives rise to a contempt for us for allowing it to happen, even as the laxness in question benefits them.

They have little desire to assimilate into a culture they find disreputable from the outset.

This trumps the education bill as the worst notion to come out of the Bush administration thus far. I hold out hope that neither of these paradigms of foolishness become ratified. Do not forget, Mr. Gigot, one can never out liberal a liberal; let us endeavor to try no more.