Fever Swamps Infect National Discourse

by Dave Bennion · 2009-04-27 16:55:00 -0400
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It didn't take long for the bright lights of the conservative revolution to connect swine flu to undocumented immigrants.

One problem with these theories (and some of them are nuttier even than I would have thought): most undocumented migrants are trapped in the U.S. and have been for some time.  They know they can leave, but if they do, most won't be able to come back.  So they stay put.  Fewer people are coming to the U.S. now because there are fewer jobs available in this recession.

The people Beck, Dobbs, and Savage need to take a closer look at are students on Spring Break, the frequent-flying business crowd, or vacationing pensioners.  These are the people crossing the border now, when swine flu is being spread.  Or these pundits could support immigration reform that would enable the government to better keep track of the migrants already here and those entering in the future.  They could encourage President Obama to work closely with the government of Mexico to contain the spread of the flu and protect the citizens of both countries. They could acknowledge the reliance of the global economy on the movement of goods, ideas, and people.

But conspiracy theories make for better ratings in crazybaseland than clear-headed policy, and undocumented migrants are easier targets than jet-setting business travelers or college students.

Also.

Dave Bennion
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