No, You Don't Understand

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has an editoral piece today "Green doesn't understand ", referring to Wisconsin's Republican Candidate for Governor, Mark Green.

The JS editorial refers to Greens stands on illegal immigration, and their decision that he doesn't understand the issue, but their writing shows the editorial board is actually lacking in understanding; or common sense.

For instance, on the idea of illegal immigrants paying in state tuition to attend the university:

Green would prohibit in-state tuition at the University of Wisconsin System for illegal immigrants who have graduated from Wisconsin high schools. Wrong. We should not penalize students who had no say in coming here. It makes no sense to invest in their K-12 educations and then drop interest when they reach college age.

Using that logic, why do we deny in state tuition to students from California or New York, who also had no choice in where their parents lived? Why not set tuition the same for everyone, from anywhere, since they didn't have a choice where they lived.

In state tuition is used to reward the tax paying citizens of a state, who still pay most of the bills of the university system. The parents of illegals, just like the parents of kids from New York and California aren't paying their share of income taxes, property taxes, and other fees in the state, the things in state tuition rewards.

The other truth is, if it's known while they are in K-12 schools that students are illegal, they should be reported to law enforcement, and deported. That would allow more resources to be devoted to those who are here legally.

Then they go on about law enforcement and public services with this (nearly funny) diatribe:

Green would require those applying for public assistance to show proof of citizenship. Gov. Jim Doyle notes that this is already required by federal law and that illegal immigrants are mostly barred from these services anyway.

They ignore the fact that the Attorney General of the State has given a free pass to government agencies that refuse (knowingly) to gain the federally required documentation. Dane County basically advertises that they won't question your immigration status if you apply for assistance.

Green would allow local officials, including law enforcement officers, to inquire about immigration status. The bottom line here is that illegal immigrants will then not step forward to report crimes or to testify.

UPDATE (10/15/06): The Journal misrepresents Green's position on this to start with, since he specifically says that he would require that local law enforcement agencies check on immigration status of offenders and report violations to federal authorities. In other words, witnesses wouldn't be targeted, only those arrested.

Even so, the editors evidently believe it's okay to be guilty of another (unpunished) crime, so long as you might be willing to testify about another. Does this mean that if the cops found someone on the FBI's most wanted list who saw another crime they shouldn't ask him about that poster in the Post Office?

No, Journal Editoral Board, YOU have it wrong this time. You should be applauding Green for trying to take care of the taxpayers money by getting rid of those who wish to use the system illegally, instead of showing indignation that he's got the gall to question why someone is here illegally.

Check out Jeff Wagner's take on the editorial
Thanks Charlie for the shout out.
Technorati Tags: Mark Green, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin, Illegal Immigration