I have read several thoughtful diaries about Obama's chances in PA. As with other state's primaries, the predictions are all over the place. There is the pessimistic and the hopeful as well as the action oriented.
I have been optomistic because of all the wonderful diaries about the Obama rally in Philadelphia but after reading an article in the Washington Post today, I think I am going to have to side with the more pessimistic predictions.
On the front page of the Washington Post Online there is an article about the continued controversy over Prince William County's illegal immigration policies. (Prince William County is just south of Washington DC and has always been a conservative stronghold. It has less expensive housing than the inner suburbs and has a fairly large military presence. (I lived there for 10 years)). The article is sympathetic toward the plight of legal and illegal immigrants and tries to make the case that the policy that was implemented by the County Board is actually starting to backfire.
Elected officials and business leaders in Prince William say they are worried that the county's focus on illegal immigration is hurting Prince William's image at a critical time in its growth and effort to remake itself.
It continues:
County business leaders have created "image committees" to examine the direction Prince William is heading. Now, some analysts said, the economic downturn makes it a bad time to carry out the immigration measures.
"It undermines the image of the county as a good place to invest," said Stephen Fuller, director of the Center for Regional Analysis at George Mason University. "The political environment has made people feel unwelcome."
So why does this seemingly fairly progressive article make me concerned about Obama's chances?
The comments!
There is this:
Every time I see one of these articles crying about the plight of these CRIMINALS I simply must post a comment.
and this:
So let me get this straight. This so-called reporter (who from my recollection has never written about anything other than sob stories on behalf of illegal aliens) wants me to believe that the country is suffering because businesses don't want to come here because we are getting rid of law breakers? So doesn't it follow suit that these same businesses would be only interested in hiring illegals and not Americans or legal immigrants? Then why in the hell should we want those illegal employers in our county????? Send those employers elsewhere, thank you very much. In fact, send them to the host countries of all the illegals and see how they like doing business in those environments.
oh and here is a good one:
Do you want illegal aliens with false documentation, gang affiliation, and extensive networks of how to steal public resources from legal residents, in your child's school? I sure don't. At the public swimming pools, the lifeguards don't enforce the rules on proper attire - inebriated, non-English speaking men wear filthy cut-off shorts into the water, and anchor babies/toddlers don't wear swim diapers.
Yikes.
The anti-immigration fervor, fueled by Lou Dobbs and others is a problem that needs to be addressed. It isn't just Republicans, it is Democrats too. Even my supposed progressive sister was complaining the other day that insurance rates are high because she is paying for all the illegals who are getting free health care. That kind of misconception is ingrained in people, especially those who are having a hard time making ends meet. They want to blame someone. It sounds to me like PA has some of the same demographics as Prince William County. People afraid for their jobs. People afraid of the changes that come from a huge influx of immigrants (legal or not). People afraid because all of a sudden the housing boom has gone bust and there are thousands of houses being foreclosed on. People tend to vote conservative when they feel threatened.
Obama's message of hope needs to cut through all that fear and anxiety. Reading those comments, I find it hard to believe that message will get through to people with those views.