by Alex Gonzalez
In last night debate, lefty progressives presidential candidates like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren continued to beat a dead horse on immigration and Healthcare for undocumented immigrants. These Democrat candidates are pushing unrealistic ideas that are popular with very left party activists, but not with voters.
For example, most Americans favor a comprehensive immigration reform with a path to citizenship for the 11 Million of undocumented immigrants already here. Similar, most Americans want a Dream Act because they recognize Dreamer are already Americans.
Most American feel ashamed to see children in cages under the Trump administration.
However, most Americans also want border security. And nobody really wants a full repeal of 8 USC §1325.
But it also true that most Americans don’t want the federal government offering services for those here illegally, states can offer independently something, as it is the case in six states. But the fact is that this can be solved with an Immigration reform, with a comprehensive bill there will be no more need to give services to “Undocumented.”
Furthermore, most American don’t want their private insurance to be taken away or their taxes raised with a so-called ‘Medicare for all.” Just Look at California.
But for those looking for serious policy solutions, California is a great example. The Golden State is a good model for where the Democrats should be – middle of the road.
As a blue state, California is 17% of the U.S. economy and home to 40 million residents. The state has had experiences, and real solutions, with many of plans Democrats candidates are proposing.
For example, Democrats in California, while it passed a gradual minimum wage increase to $15 per hour by 2023, it rejected any immediate increase statewide demanded by the unions while letting cities do what was best for them. There is mandatory $12 per hour, but only some coastal cities have passed local $15 per hour ordinances. A statewide mandatory $15 per hour would have been detrimental for small and rural communities with high unemployment in 2016 when the bill was signed by Jerry Brown.
Democrats California also rejected offering healthcare for all Undocumented workers in the state and limited to only giving access to Medicaid to those undocumented Immigrants under 26, which is a very small group since most undocumented Immigrants who live in California are older than 26; most came in the 1990s and early 2000s and are older than 26 and won’t qualify for healthcare.
Democrats in California rejected Medicare for All in 2016, albeit they had a super-majority in the legislature and a Democrat Governor, Jerry Brown who in 2016 cautioned them about such bill. This happened while leadership of California Assembly and Senate were led by two Latinos.
California is a “sanctuary state” but under the law, the state still honors Immigration Warrants that have been properly signed by an Immigration judge.
Free college for all in California? Not really. California offers free community college for low-income students but only the first 2 years. This years, California’s new budget will cover two free years of community college for first-time, full-time students.
California is America’s largest state economy and is now the world’s fifth-largest economy by being very pro-business that leads to innovation and competitiveness. Progressive ideas aren’t very popular with voters, even if party activists say so.
So who are these progressive presidential candidates pandering to? Not the voters and purely ideological party progressive activists.
Alex Gonzalez is a political Analyst, Founder of Latino Public Policy Foundation (LPPF), and Political Director for Latinos Ready To Vote. Comments to [email protected] or @AlexGonzTXCA
