December 2, 2007
As Clinton moves to the center, she loses her appeal for the hard-core left
Progressives booing Hillary Clinton? Never, you say? Well, that is just what happened in Iowa recently:
An audience of progressive activists booed Senator Hillary Clinton today during an exchange on immigration reform. At the Heartland Community Values Forum in Des Moines, Iowa, Clinton was asked whether “giv(ing) undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship” would be a priority in her first hundred days as President. Clinton told the audience "comprehensive immigration reform will be a high priority for me.” That response elicited boos - and no applause.
Asked again whether she’d take up the issue in her first hundred days she said,“Well you’ve got to get the Congress to pass the legislation in order for the President to do as much as possible, which I will do.” That was met by still more loud boos. ---CNN.com
Key points:
In order to secure her party’s nomination and simultaneously position herself for the general election, Hillary Clinton has to walk a fine line on the illegal immigration issue. Most Americans want the government to put an end to illegal immigration. This is true on the right as well as on the left. Labor unions are among the most outspoken opponents of amnesty for illegals---as illegal immigration wage rates drive down the wages and living standards of working-class Americans.
But the far left sees any effort to control illegal immigration as quasi-racism. Therefore, Clinton can’t talk openly about fences and other more draconian measures aimed at curbing the inward flow from Mexico. The result is a sort of fence-sitting posture. Taking pains to avoid offending the hard-left progressive vote, Clinton sounds indecisive and downright evasive.
If Clinton does side with the leftwing of her party, look for her to get clobbered in the general election. Illegal immigration now negatively effects the finances of nearly every state in the union; and no candidate will be able to win the presidency this time around without presenting a comprehensive plan for protecting America’s borders.
