Category Archives: The Drive-By media is studiously avoiding talking about illegal immigration even though for many inside of the Republican party it is one of the prime reasons that the base is so upset with the establishment GOP. The American people have struck down the last few attempts to run amnesty past us. When it mattered, in the face of overwhelming majorities of Senators in favor of it and a President aching to give amnesty to 20 million illegals, the people have spoken and refused such amnesty. You might think that would be worth talking about with one of the architects of said amnesty.
Following are excerpts of a transcript of an interview conducted by The New York Times’s Adam Nagourney and Michael Cooper with Senator John McCain in Hudson, Wisconsin, on July 11. The answers are transcribed verbatim; some of the questions are paraphrased. The other people Mr. McCain refers to, who were in the room, are his wife, Cindy; Mark Salter, a senior adviser; Brook Buchanan, his press secretary; and John Taylor, an economic adviser. Transcript - The Times Interviews John McCain - Text - NYTimes.com
Robert Samuelson wrote about this interesting phenomenon the other day at Real Clear Politics. Campaign 2008: The Sounds of Silence.
It is one of our fondest political myths that elections allow us collectively to settle the “big issues.” The truth is that there’s often a bipartisan consensus to avoid the big issues, because they involve unpopular choices and conflicts. Elections become exercises in mass evasion; that certainly applies so far to the 2008 campaign. A case in point is America’s population transformation. Few issues matter more for the country’s future — and yet, it’s mostly ignored.
Two changes dominate — aging and immigration — and they intersect. In 2005, 12 percent of the population was over 65; by 2050, that will be almost 20 percent. Meanwhile, immigration is driving population growth. By 2050, the population may exceed 430 million, up from about 300 million now. About four-fifths of the increase will reflect immigrants and their children and grandchildren, estimates the Pew Hispanic Center. The potential for conflict is obvious. Older retirees and younger and poorer immigrants — heavily Hispanic — will compete for government social services and benefits. Squeezed in between will be middle-class and middle-aged workers, facing higher taxes.
What do John McCain and Barack Obama say about these looming problems? Well, not much. Of course, they’re against poverty and fiscal irresponsibility. They oppose illegal immigration and favor “reform.” But beyond these platitudes, they’re mostly mute. It’s not that the problems are secret. Dozens of reports have warned of population aging, which affects most wealthy societies. Global aging is “a demographic shift with no parallel in the history of humanity,” argue Richard Jackson and Neil Howe in their recent “The Graying of the Great Powers.
Mr Samuelson hit a lot of good points but missed the most obvious point. Sure it is possible that the Parties can decide to NOT talk about certain issues. But the press is not supposed to be under the same constraints. So we can applaud Mr. Samuelson for being part of the Drive-By that is talking about it we should also wish that his colleagues would start asking some tough questions.
