Resigned to immigration amnesty article

Jonah "I'm not a South Park Republican" Goldberg breaks ranks with most of the rest of the National Review over the Bush immigration proposals:

Anyway, I'm not furious about the president's plan. In fact, I think he should be commended to a certain extent for even going at it. He may not always follow through in time, but this president has an almost unprecedented knack for proposing to actually fix problems (Iraq, Social Security) instead of just throwing new coats of paint on condemned buildings. Immigration is such an unholy mess, to propose fixing it at all is like agreeing to fix a big wood chipper by sticking your arm into it while all the parts are still moving.

Now, I know that many reading this would rather gnaw off an arm themselves than read NR, so I'll summarize. Goldberg's basic argument is that while he opposes illegal immigration, it's necessary to deal with the world as it is, rather than the world as it should be. In the world that is, illegal immigration has become a godawful legacy problem that will not be resolved in anything resembling a simple fashion - he rightly calls mass deportation a dream of those on the far right, and I can imagine his thoughts about declaring everybody in this country at a certain time to be a citizen* (I'd be opposed to that myself) - so it's time to work in the realm of the possible. There's also some bits about the issue of gay marriage - Goldberg's a bit of a NR heretic on that, too (doesn't like it, but thinks that civil unions that duplicate the civil protections and privileges associated with marriage are a fair demand to make) - and a bit of the establishment of Righty streetcred, but that's mostly it. I'm generally in agreement with Jonah on this one, except that I am a bit less dismayed over the amnesty than he is.

But you should read the article yourself. Call it knowing the enemy, if you like.

Moe

*I have no idea if anybody has actually ever proposed this, but it sounded to be as simplistic a solution as the other one.

UPDATE: Apparently a line of text got eaten: I had to reconstitute it as best I could.

Comments

[von]

Goldberg remains the best thing at NR. Of course, given the competition (Derbyshire, . . . .), that may not be saying much.

[Moe Lane]

Don't get me started on Derbyshire.

[Matthew Stinson]

Ramesh Ponnuru isn't too bad on this issue, and a a few other Cornerites are actually starting to question the magazine's immigration party line. They're not questioning very loudly, though ;-)

I can imagine his thoughts about declaring everybody in this country at a certain time to be a citizen

I swear to God participants in that last Dem debate came close.

[Matthew Stinson]

* to advocating that position.