WHY ARIZONA, WHY ME?

WHY ARIZONA?

The federal government has been trying for years now to solve the immigration problem. Members of Congress write legislation, but it doesn’t pass. Or a measure passes, but it doesn’t solve the problem – like the bill authorizing a fence. Ultimately, only the federal government can fix what’s wrong with the immigration system. But Arizona can’t wait – we need the workers now.

DOESN’T THE SOLUTION START WITH ENFORCEMENT?

Far too many people, in Arizona and elsewhere, think we face a choice – immigration or the rule of law. They couldn’t be more wrong. Of course, America needs to get control of the border. Of course, we need to restore order where we work. But that need not – cannot – mean that we as a state must choke our economy. Arizona can remain open for business and restore the rule of law, too.

WHAT CAN ONE STATE ACCOMPLISH ALONE?

Congress might or might not grant Arizona the waiver it needs to implement an Arizona-only temporary worker program. But the only way to find out is to call Washington’s bluff. And even if Washington won’t authorize an Arizona-only experiment, an uproar in Arizona might prod Congress to do its job. Remember Wisconsin’s experiments in the late 1980s with welfare reform? Wisconsin too saw itself as a laboratory, tackling a problem others said could not be solved. And before the state’s pilot project was even a few years old, the federal government was imitating it with broad, bipartisan landmark legislation to solve the problem nationally.

AM I REALLY NEEDED – WON’T SOMEONE ELSE TAKE CARE OF THIS?

Americans who are frightened of immigration are active and engaged. They are a small minority – no more than 20 to 25 percent of all voters. But they make enough noise to drown out everybody else. And meanwhile, there is no organized constituency making the case for a solution that would work. We can’t expect politicians in Phoenix or Washington to do this alone – can’t expect them to defy those angry voices unless we too speak out.

The change that’s needed won’t happen without you. And now is the time. Unless you get involved, we aren’t going to turn the tide.