Let's talk about immigration

Talking points:

+ The President is right:

No one should pretend that immigrants are a threat to American identity, because immigrants have shaped America's identity... No one should claim that immigrants are a burden on our economy because the work and enterprise of immigrants helps sustain our economy

We need more population, especially to do what Tom calls the 3D jobs (dirty, dangerous and difficult ). Remember that Peter Drucker told us our biggest challenge would be scarcity of labor? Our birth-replacement rate is dropping. If we don't want to become Europe eventually (not that there's any immediate danger), we need immigrants just from a simple, economic point of view.

Aren't people only against immigration because they're worried about jobs? We need to get Americans retrained for higher-paying, better jobs that immigrants can't do and let the immigrants come. And then their children will bump up to middle class, too. That's the churn I think we should be after.
+ Being an 'illegal alien' should not be a felony.
+ On the other hand, having 'illegal aliens' and their children protesting grates a little bit. It's because of us that they want to and get to be here. Which part of that free education (albeit partially paid for by taxes paid by illegal aliens) are you protesting?
+ You will never be able to keep out immigrants as long as there is a market for their labor. Again, that's simple economics.
+ I would, of course, like to see guest workers in good standing be able to progress to citizenship. In that respect, I favor the McCain/Kennedy bill:

Employers and immigration advocates prefer a bill drafted by Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., that would allow illegal immigrants to become eligible for permanent residency after working for six years.

+ Making it a crime to help 'illegal aliens' is certainly a bad idea. Making it a crime to employ them probably is, too.
+ Here's a pretty decent AP graphic on legal status, country of origin, and jobs they take.

Let's try to stay on message, shall we? ;-)

But, seriously, what do you think?