I’m disappointed in our U.S. Senator from North Carolina — Kay Hagan.
She voted with Republicans to keep the DREAM Act from getting a vote in the Senate, which kills the bill for now.
Even though 55 Senators wanted a vote and would have passed it, a majority is not enough these days. The filibuster is the norm rather than the exception.
Even Utah Senator Orin Hatch, who introduced the bill, voted against letting it come to the floor for a vote.
Of course, we all know that expecting integrity from a U.S. Senator, these days, is like looking for a healthy vegetable in a fast food burger.
I don’t have a lot of integrity on this issue myself. I never emailed my Senator before the vote — and I had every opportunity to do so. And here I am, blogging about it afterward, when it’s really too late.
It might be a few years until it gets another chance. The argument against it is that it should be part of comprehensive immigration reform.
Between now and the day it passes, sometime in the future, many good students will be denied the scholarships and fellowships they need to become educated, productive members of society. They will be denied the opportunity to serve in the military. And they will be denied the chance to work toward citizenship.
They probably won’t start many businesses, hire people, and buy houses. That’s the flip side. The downside.
Since 9/11, the country has become suspicious of immigrants.
The global economy — with much of our manufacturing base gone to overseas lands — has also created resentment of those not born in the U.S.A.
This suspicion and resentment has not done our economy any favors.
Who are the hardest workers? Immigrants.
Who most wants to live the American Dream, start a business, hire people? An immigrant.
What causes the housing market to grow? Population growth.
What does our country need now? New business, hiring, a rebound in the housing sector.
This is not a well-informed blog. I never took a course in economics — and I don’t pretend to know the facts and figures to back up my argument.
But I’m pretty sure that immigration is part of the solution to our countries economic problems, not the cause.
Senator Hagan, I think I understand you’re vote. You’re afraid that the anti-immigrant sentiment will hurt you in the next election. I can’t think of any other reason why you would block the DREAM Act.
And, Senator, I’m disappointed in you.