Case for President Obama, Essay Example

Both President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney claim they will tackle the immigration issue though their solutions may be different. One cannot evaluate the positions taken by both candidates unless one studies the history of both candidates on immigration issues as well as the solutions they offer. On the basis of immigration plan provided by both leaders, I support President Obama’s proposal because it is humanitarian and practical at the same time. In addition, President Obama has also displayed more consistency on his positions over time as compared to Governor Romney, thus, making President Obama more credible than his opponent. President Obama should be re-elected because his solution to immigration issue is moral, practical, as well as economically beneficial to the country.

When President Obama presents his plan, it is clear that he doesn’t only want to discourage illegal immigration but also provide solution to those already in the country. President Obama’s proposal includes additional personnel and technology to protect borders, taking steps to keep families together, cracking down on employers who hire undocumented workers, requiring undocumented immigrants to learn English as a requirement of application for legal status, and increasing cooperation with Mexico to promote economic development and discourage illegal immigration (Wasem). Governor Romney, on the other hand is more focused on reforming the immigration system and less focused on providing solutions to those already in the country. Governor Romney also only partially supports the Dream Act. He only supports military service as a way to gain legal status (Madison) but not education which is surprising. The Dream Act allows qualifying youths to obtain citizenship either through military service or obtaining a college degree (DreamAct.Info). Governor Romney’s position implies that he puts greater value on military service than education.

Governor Romney’s opposition to the education requirement in the Dream Act is a surprise since he comes from business background and should understand the importance of educated workforce more than anyone. This is especially given the fact that by 2020, forty percent of college graduates will come from only two countries, India and China (Coughlan) and research indicates that education and investment in human capital are the most important drivers of economic progress over time. India and China will also produce more graduates because they have population advantage over other countries including the U.S. (Dai). Thus, one of the most effective competitive strategies U.S. can adopt is by producing more graduates and undocumented immigrants can help U.S. produce more graduates. But instead of using them to help the country since we have already invested significant resources in them through free high school education, Governor Romney considers it more appropriate to deport them unless they join the military.

President Obama’s opposition to Arizona’s immigration law is well-known and Obama’s immigration even sued the state of Arizona on the grounds that its immigration policy will lead to racial profiling (Fox News). Governor Romney on the other hand has stated that he will drop lawsuits against Arizona and other states on day one of his presidency (Foley). Governor Romney’s approach will only lead to confusion if states start implementing their own versions of immigration laws. One of the main arguments made by the Obama Administration in its lawsuit against the state of Arizona was that immigration policies are federal government’s responsibility and Arizona overstepped its authority (Fox News).

Another difference between President Obama and Governor Romney is that while Governor Romney is primarily focused on solutions, President Obama is also focused on addressing the root causes such as employers’ willingness to hire undocumented workers as well as poor economic conditions in Mexico that force its citizens to search for better opportunities across the border. Unless the root causes of illegal immigration are addressed, any proposal will only provide temporary solution to the immigration issue.

President Obama also comes across more intelligent leader because he understands the issue better than Governor Romney. President Obama is not afraid to claim that illegal immigration is not merely a violation of rules by undocumented immigrants but businesses who hire undocumented workers in search of cheap labor are also responsible for the immigration crisis. On the other hand, Governor Romney merely claims his immigration policy will be favorable to businesses that need labor with specific skills but doesn’t hold businesses responsible for contributing towards the problem. A wise leader carefully analyzes the whole picture instead of letting his personal bias influence his understanding of the underlying issue.

It is clear that President Obama will be a better president than Governor Romney because President Obama offers a more specific plan to address immigration issue and also has a consistent record of his positions on the immigration issue. Governor Romney’s positions on immigration issue give the impression that he tries to appeal to conservatives instead of doing the right thing, hence, his conditional support for Dream Act.

References

Coughlan, Sean. End of empire for Western universities? 10 July 2012. 23 October 2012 <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18646423>.

Dai, Serena. China and India Are Catching Up to the U.S. in College Graduates. 22 August 2012. 23 October 2012 <http://www.theatlanticwire.com/global/2012/08/china-and-india-are-catching-us-college-graduates/56071/>.

DreamAct.Info. Welcome to the Dream Act Portal. 23 October 2012 <http://dreamact.info/>.

Foley, Elise. Mitt Romney: Arizona Immigration Law ‘Underscores The Need’ For President To Act. 25 June 2012. 23 October 2012 <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/25/mitt-romney-arizona-immigration-law-sb1070-scotus_n_1624618.html>.

Fox News. Justice Department Files Suit Against Arizona Immigration Law. 6 July 2010. 23 October 2012 <http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/07/06/justice-department-file-suit-arizona-early-tuesday/>.

Madison, Lucy. Romney on immigration: I’m for “self-deportation”. 24 January 2012. 23 October 2012 <http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57364444-503544/romney-on-immigration-im-for-self-deportation/>.

Wasem, Ruth. Immigration Reform Issues in the 111th Congress. 2010. Web. 23^rd October 2012. <http://www.nationalaglawcenter.org/assets/crs/R40501.pdf>