Reagan as an Immigration Model?
I just read Governor Schwarzenegger’s commentary in the Wall Street Journal opinion section.
In the first paragraph, the Governor mentions Ronald Reagan’s sensitivity on subject: "Perhaps because he’d been a border state governor, Reagan understood the challenges and the opportunities presented by immigration. He believed, as I do, that we can have an immigration policy that strengthens our borders and welcomes immigrants."
To me, that’s both a naive interpretation of the California of 40 years ago and a bad example of a Republican overplaying the Reagan card (one of the first things you learn in GOP Speechwriting 101: feel free to plagiarize Reagan, Lincoln, and Teddy Roosevelt).
Was illegal immigration a hot-button topic during Reagan’s gubernatorial years (1967-1975)? Of course not — certainly not compared to Vietnam or student unrest at Berkeley.… Read More