Thread: WSJ: Economic Downturn Could Bolster US Immigration Overhaul

By Fawn Johnson

Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES


WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)--Tough economic times may be a boon for supporters of a broad overhaul of the nation's immigration policies, according to pollsters who are testing the waters ahead of an upcoming White House summit on immigration.

"If anything, the economic climate has actually improved the environment for immigration reform, at least as far as the public is concerned," said Celinda Lake, who heads Lake Research Partners.

"A salient issue is that reform would make immigrants all taxpayers," Lake said during a telephone briefing.

Lake Research Partners has done polling for former President Bill Clinton and Vice President Joe Biden, among others.

A recent survey by Benenson Strategy Group showed that 71% of likely voters think illegal immigrants should take steps to become legal taxpayers. Benenson does polling for President Barack Obama, along with other elected officials and Fortune 100 companies.

Right now, undocumented foreigners in the U.S. aren't allowed to become legal residents. It is difficult, and sometimes impossible, for them to pay taxes.

Policy makers for years have been struggling with how to restructure immigration laws to deal with some 12 million illegal alien residents and better handle the flow of foreign workers.

Immigration overhaul also is a top priority for businesses in the U.S., from high-tech manufacturing companies to the landscaping and farming sectors. Companies such as Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) and Oracle Corp. (ORCL) have long advocated for greater access to foreign labor.

But lawmakers on Capitol Hill, particularly in the House, are wary of confronting the immigration issue. Both Republican and Democratic moderates fear they will be skewered by voters if they support proposals to legalize illegal workers.

Recent interviews with citizens suggest otherwise. "They want a level playing field and they don't have one today," said Lake, whose firm recently conducted a series of in-depth focus groups on immigration. "There's a huge pool of workers that are playing by a different set of rules than they are."

The public also isn't interested in harsh punishments for illegal workers, Lake's research suggests.

"Every time we talk to voters, if anything, they push back that some of the positions might be too harsh," said David Mermin, a partner at Lake Research. "Acting tougher towards immigrants is going to make them less supportive. They want those immigrants to get legal."

Despite shifts in the political and economic climates since Congress debated immigration two years ago, advocates still face long odds that sweeping legislation will be enacted this year. Lawmakers already are overwhelmed with complex proposals dealing with climate change and health care.

The last time immigration was a serious focus in Congress, committees took months to draft legislation, and floor debate dragged out for weeks longer.

Pollsters believe a majority of voters support an immigration overhaul, but opponents of legalization are organized and vocal and can endanger some elected officials if they vote to allow undocumented workers to earn legal status.

The White House summit on immigration is slated for next week.


-By Fawn Johnson, Dow Jones Newswires; 202-862-9263; fawn.johnson@dowjones.com

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-200 ... 13696.html

Celinda Lake oh yes Miss Push Poll

These pollsters need to call me.

"If anything, the economic climate has actually improved the environment for immigration reform, at least as far as the public is concerned," said Celinda Lake, who heads Lake Research Partners.

"A salient issue is that reform would make immigrants all taxpayers," Lake said during a telephone briefing.

These people are smoke'n Crack

so we would rather have Illegal Aliens working Job's and paying tax's

that's far better than an American working and paying tax's

the WSJ needs to come right out an say it...

Americans are not worthy of working... the 24 Million Americans that are out of work and under employeed better wake up and I mean yesterday... these global freaks have car-jacked your country while you were watching dancing with the stars

Originally Posted by AirborneSapper7

"If anything, the economic climate has actually improved the environment for immigration reform, at least as far as the public is concerned," said Celinda Lake, who heads Lake Research Partners.

"A salient issue is that reform would make immigrants all taxpayers," Lake said during a telephone briefing.

These people are smoke'n Crack

so we would rather have Illegal Aliens working Job's and paying tax's

that's far better than an American working and paying tax's

the WSJ needs to come right out an say it...

Americans are not worthy of working... the 24 Million Americans that are out of work and under employeed better wake up and I mean yesterday... these global freaks have car-jacked your country while you were watching dancing with the stars

You took the smoke'n crack line right out of my mouth.. but the Dancing with the Stars REALLY hits the nail on the head!

I never had a reason to read the WSJ but now I have a reason to NEVER, EVER trust it.

I've said it before... THIS is the new talking point people!

"Legalize them and tax them".

"It's the only way to save Social Security!"

As if they would EVER give more than they would get, anyway.

– this is all about 30 Million instant Democrats. Period.

"If anything, the economic climate has actually improved the environment for immigration reform, at least as far as the public is concerned," said Celinda Lake, who heads Lake Research Partners.

This is the most ludicrous thing I've heard in weeks! And that's saying quite a bit considering the garbage that has been coming from the pro-illegal alien camp lately.

"A salient issue is that reform would make immigrants all taxpayers,"

Earning minimum wage with six children is not a taxpayer, it's a giant tax drain!!!

Now the politicians can make this true by either limiting amnesty to "immigrants" making over $100,000 a year, or to those without children that are irreversibly neutered.

This is a trial lead balloon!!!

Celinda Lake is a so called Expert of the pro amnesty lobby, along with these clowns:

Celinda Lake
Lake Research Partners

Simon Rosenberg
New Democratic Network

Pete Brodnitz
Benenson Strategy Group

Frank Sharry
America's Voice

http://www.immigration08.com/2008/expert/celinda_lake

Celinda Lake
President at Lake Research Partners
Celinda is one of the Democratic Party's leading political strategists, serving as tactician and senior advisor to the national party committees, dozens of Democratic incumbents and challengers at all levels of the electoral process. Lake and her firm are known for cutting edge research on issues including the economy, health care, the environment and education, and have worked for a number of institutions including the Democratic National Committee (DNC), the Democratic Governor's Association (DGA), The White House Project, AFL-CIO, SEIU, CWA, IAFF, Sierra Club, NARAL, Human Rights Campaign, Emily's List and the Kaiser Foundation. Her work also took her to advise fledgling democratic parties in several post-war Eastern European countries, including Bosnia, and South Africa.
Since its formation, Lake Research Partners has become one of the most respected Democratic polling firms in the country, with its Battleground poll widely recognized as one of the leading national issue and election thermometers. The firm's work has moved the progressive agenda forward on a variety of issues. Working against the conservatives, Lake's research showed not to call their side "religious right" but rather "religious political extremists". In the healthcare arena, her research showed that it was key to include getting health care costs down, not just the uninsured, and positioning the uninsured as 8 in 10 of working families. Her interviews and statistics have been quoted in the Washington Post, New York Times, Wall Street Journal as well as a variety of magazines, including Newsweek, Glamour and Marie Claire, and Lake has appeared on numerous television and radio news programs, including CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, Fox News and NPR, discussing her work and providing expert commentary.

Lake is one of the nation's foremost experts on electing women candidates and on framing issues to women voters. American Politics calls Lake a "super-strategist or, better yet, the Godmother," and Working Woman says she is "arguably the most influential woman in her field." She is renowned for her groundbreaking research on single women voters in conjunction with Women's Voices Women Vote and has helped elect numerous female candidates, including Barbara Mikulski, the "Dean" of Women Senators, Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, Blanche Lincoln, U.S. Senator from Arkansas, Mary Landrieu, the first woman Senator from the South elected in her own right, Patricia Madrid the first Hispanic woman Attorney General in New Mexico, and the historic victory of Carol Moseley-Braun, who was the first African-American woman to be elected to the United States Senate. She also works for Nancy Pelosi, the first female Speaker of the House.

In 2006, Lake served as pollster for Jon Tester, who won an upset primary win and went on to defeat incumbent Senator Conrad Burns. This built on a long record of defeating incumbents, including Jerry McNerney who beat Richard Pombo, Tim Walz who defeated Gil Gutknecht, and previously Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow and West Virginia Governor Bob Wise, both of whom beat incumbents. In 2006, Lake was the pollster for the largest 527 in the House races that helped Democrats and progressives take back the House. Lake Research Partners has a long history in successful initiative campaigns. In 2006, Lake Research Partners helped with successful minimum wage campaigns in five states and was the pollster on the first successful effort to beat a gay marriage initiative in Arizona. In the 1992 election cycle, Lake oversaw focus group research for the Clinton/Gore campaign and served as a general consultant throughout the campaign. An experienced moderator, she is also credited with identifying key voter groups, including Reagan seniors, NASCAR dads, waitress moms, the marriage gap and generation D. In 2005 she published with Kellyanne Conway What Women Really Want by Free Press.

Prior to forming Lake Research Partners, Lake was partner and vice president at Greenberg-Lake. Her earlier experience includes serving as political director of the Women's Campaign Fund, and as the Research Director at the Institute for Social Research in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Policy Analyst for the Subcommittee on Select Education.

Lake, a native of Montana and one of the political world's most avid whitewater rafters, holds a Masters degree in Political Science and Survey Research from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and a certificate in political science from the University of Geneva, in Geneva, Switzerland. Lake received her undergraduate degree from Smith College in Massachusetts, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with honors and was recently awarded the Distinguished Alumna Medal by the College.

Website: http://www.lakesnellperry.com/