Drafting an Immigration Bill

I'm not sure how I'm going to go about naming some of these blog posts. I'm sure with this one you can see where six months from now I may run into a problem, as another draft of another bill may come about. I'll worry about that when the time comes. In the meantime, I found this article in the New York Times very promising:

Bipartisan Effort to Draft Immigration Bill

By RACHEL L. SWARNS

Published: December 26, 2006

"The bipartisan bill would place millions of illegal immigrants on a more direct path to citizenship."

It appears to address what I think many folks would like to see; a bipartisan effort, doesn't require all illegal immigrants to leave in order to apply for citizenship, includes a temporary worker program, and perhaps incentives for illegal immigrants to leave the country (though I guess there'd be some debate as to what incentives would work).

Apparently it had all better come together before the presidential election comes into full swing, because then it becomes a political "hot potato". Amazing. Or not, depending on how jaded you are.

So, we wait and watch. If the bill comes together, perhaps we contact our representatives and press them to act quickly. I'm not entirely optimistic, but at least partially so. It's a good way to end the year, knowing there might be forward, positive movement on this issue in 2007. Here's hoping.

A very Happy New Year to you and yours.

*Photo courtesy of celikins.