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On gay marriage and immigration

On gay marriage and immigration

The political cartoon featured in the April 2 Daily Herald spoke volumes. It characterized the Republicans doing an about face regarding their stand on illegal immigration and gay marriage by joining forces with the Democrats on their pro stance.

This proves once more that politicians are not always patriots in doing what might be best for their country but often doing what is in their best interest to just get elected. As it is often said “politics creates strange bedfellows.”

History has left us with some notable examples: The Women’s Suffrage Act back in 1920 came with a price tag. To get the women’s vote in their pockets politicians of that era had to pass the Volstead Act against their better judgment.

Women were viewing liquor consumption as a bane on American family life. Prohibition quickly ushered in an era of bootleggers, gang warfare and widespread corruption just as the politicians had surmised. Years later FDR got the electorate on his side by voting down Prohibition.

Today, politicians are eying how to profitably deal with some 11 million people in our midst that came here as invisible immigrants by jumping borders or over staying their visas.

In spite of a bad economy, there would be a huge payoff by giving a legitimate status to those eleven million individuals. Politicians would have created a huge voting bloc to keep them in office for eons.

As for gay marriage or civil unions? Let’s stay tuned on this as the numbers may not be great enough for pay back votes later one.

Walter Santi

Bloomingdale

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