So, I was just thinking about this today, and about the whole "immigration crisis". There seems to be a significant right turn over the past year on the issue. Now, some of it is gonna be because of fox news and republicans screaming about it and creating a commotion on it, but honestly, I've been kind of thinking, when DeSantis and Abbott decided to shift illegal immigrants up to northern states, did it create a crisis that's causing backlash even among some liberals?
I actually kind of think it is. I mean. Here's the thing, and this is my stance on immigration too. Like, I dont care about this issue, for the most part, immigration has been considered to be a net positive to america, they dont commit crime, they dont steal welfare, they contribute to the economy, blah blah blah. And as long as that image of immigration is positive, I could see a lot of americans being like "sure, we can be sympathetic on the issue."
But what happens if red states near the border who have waves of illegals coming in start shipping them to New York, Chicago, Boston, or various cities in California? Well, suddenly these cities are finding themselves having to find places for these guys to live. Suddenly public expenditures go up as we're giving them welfare and stipends to live on (I know I've seen New Yorkers on reddit going apecrap over this recently, asking where their monthly checks are, you could've had Andrew Yang, guys). I know when I research California one of Newsom's stunning healthcare achievements has been expanding Medi-Cal to illegals...while also shooting down single payer.
And I can't help but feel like if I lived in one of these areas, I'd feel resentment. Because I'm an ex conservative, and it's a feeling I know well. What many Americans think are "I work so hard, why should my tax money to go illegals so they can get crap for free? They shouldn't be here." And then people wanna deport them. In a sense, the right deporting these guys to blue states is creating anti immigration resentment in those blue states, and to be honest, I kinda get it. It's easy to be left wing on immigration when the issue doesnt affect you and you have no skin in the game, but when suddenly the taxpayers are charged with housing and sustaining these people resentment sets in.
And let's face it, I'm the UBI guy, even I'm like "yeah, illegals shouldnt get this as it creates a sustainability issue and a lot of resentment." I honestly think the solution to the resentment idea is universal programs. if we can get a UBI and universal healthcare that provides a net benefit to 70-80% of the population, then yeah that crap's gonna be a third rail of politics and never NOT be popular (as long as Americans can get past their obsession with work ethic and dogmatic Lockean property rights). But given we don't have that, even in the bluest of blue state, it's like "what are we even doing here? why are we providing for these people when we dont do this for our own citizens?" And that's where the resentment sets in.
The fact is, by deporting the illegals to blue states for them to deal with, the red states have driven the country right on that issue where suddenly most people believe we have an immigration crisis and most people believe it's more important to solve it.
Me, I live in a minority majority neighborhood and while I understand why some have gone in a Trumpian direction over that, I think a more Yangesque direction is better. UBI for all, healthcare for all, and boom, you solve poverty, you solve joblessness, you solve unemployment, and while some people will remain racist, it's like whatever. Trumpers gonna Trump.
But yeah for people who werent dealing with this who now are, they must be feeling a culture shock. Like, I can see why they can get resentful. Everyone is a virtue signaller who talks a big game until the issue affects them, then suddenly they turn into the biggest nimbys ever. It's why I dont like to deal with wealthy suburbanites for example in forming political coalitions. Dems are trying hard to win those guys over, but let's face it, many of those guys created the situations we deal with in the first place by committing urban flight a generation ago and now sit in their gated communities pontificating to everyone else about white privilege while simultaneously screaming "not my tax dollars" the second they're expected to shell out for anything. It's human nature. Most people are self interested, most are gonna support what helps THEM, the key is to design a platform around what helps MOST people and accomplish change that way.
But, let's face it, if illegal immigrants are going to be a burden on people rather than an asset that largely doesnt affect them, most people will turn against the left on this issue, and they're gonna have to triangulate. Honestly, my own position on the issue fluctuates with how much it does vs doesn't affect me. I honestly don't care about the issue but if it did affect me, if it did raise my taxes while I get nothing in return, or it did make a housing crisis in my community, yeah, I would probably care, and I would probably care FROM THE RIGHT.
My humanitarianism on the issue is ironically coming from a place of privilege, as is most people. if we can afford to not care about the issue, then yeah, being left wing is easy. But if it starts messing up our communities, well, we can see how quickly Americans can turn on a dime. I can't be surprised.
Honestly, i think dems have to move to the center on the issue to appease the citizens, although when they do, they're often not rewarded because the GOP will suddenly obstruct on it while simultaneously calling them weak and promising to do more. because let's face it, Republicans are obstructive, spiteful pieces of crap who obstruct for pure political reasons, which is why I did that rant on Mitch McConnell earlier.
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