P.T. Barnum would have been proud

The right has been having a lot of fun with the immigration issue.  Now if you are in politics, and you spot a weakness in your enemy, you would be foolish not to exploit it.  No, I am not talking about a weakness in the Democratic party, or in the Obama administration.  The enemy of the right that I am talking about is the American working class.

I know, class is a dirty word.  I'll get into that in some other post, that is not my point here.  The topic here is illegal immigration.  Let's think about this for a change, instead of just parroting someone's party line.

Question: Why do people sneak into the United States?
Answer: To get a job.

Still with me here?

Question: Why can they find jobs here?
Answer: Because business will hire them.  They work cheap, and if there is any messy problem like paying for overtime or wanting protective clothing when working with toxic stuff, hell, you can just call immigration and have them deported.

Question: Why would I care?
Answer:  First of all, this is bordering on slavery, and therefore immoral.  But as most of these people don't look like your neighbors, you could care less.  So let's try something you might care about.  They drive down pay and benefits for everyone else.  They will work cheaper than you, with no benefits.

Now here is the part where they get you.  The "pay no attention to that man behind the curtain" part where the tea party types and the others clamoring for building fences and deporting millions and militarizing the border lose touch with reality.

Question: Who benefits from illegal immigration?
Answer: The same people who supply the money to the Republican Party.  They look at you idiots and see "cheap labor" and "consumers".  They distract you with "Control our borders" while they are the ones hiring illegal immigrants, and holding them over your heads.  And you say, "Please sir, may I have some more?"
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Do I have an answer to all this?  No, I don't.  I am not sure what the right thing to do is.  And yes, I think what is right is more important than what is expedient.  But I do know this.  The right has no interest in a solution.  They are the ones who benefit from keeping things exactly as they are.  Perhaps making it a little easier to threaten and get rid of any illegal workers who might get too uppity and think they should be treated as human beings, but other than that, the system is working just fine for them.

And as long as they can keep you distracted from their hypocracy, by vilifying people just trying to feed their families, you won't notice that they are screwing you.  Oh, and you will keep voting for their puppets.