10/26/21

By Josh Rubin

Heather Cox Richardson suggests in her daily essay that the right is fanning the flames of anti-immigrant sentiment to help distract from things like the Jan. 6 revelations, and to aid the slow collapse of many of the things the democrats originally put in the reconciliation package, namely climate change and the expansion of the social programs that are sorely needed.

But she goes farther, pointing out the traditional use of immigrants as a scapegoat of authoritarian regimes to build support for the atrophy of civil liberties. And, she draws a line from the withdrawal of financial help to Northern Triangle countries under Trump and timing for the “surge” of migrants to feed the furor just in time for the midterms.

The details are telling, but the general theme is nothing new. And neither is the weak-kneed reaction from the Democratic administration, which has refused to stand up for the people we care so much about, the victims of our exploitation and neglect. The goal of our policy has been, and remains, to disown the consequences of the policies of greed and mindless destruction that drive people from their homes.

That some have used these consequences to vilify the victims is, as Richardson points out, sadly nothing new.