USA Today Gets it Totally Wrong

I opened up USA Today, and my blood immediately starting building up pressure. Bob Beckel and Cal Thomas were debating the issue. Bob, as often is the case with liberal supporters of the bill, gets his facts totally wrong.

It's the conservative radio hosts who are stirring passions against this bill, not because it's bad policy, but because it's an issue that excites their base and stimulates ad revenue.

Wrong.

For that chucklehead's information, I have never listened to talk radio, conservative or liberal. I get my opinions the way that I wish more people did - reading a wide variety of INFORMATION about the proposed legislation (including the actual text, when available), and forming my opinions on an educated basis.

Not slavishly following the pre-digested biases of others.

Finding common ground in the era of polarization is a tough process that requires five things:

1. An agreement that a problem exists.

2. An agreed-upon set of goals.

3. Difficult concessions.

4. All sides represented in the negotiation.

5. An avoidance of partisan rhetoric.

According to Bob, the problem is

with partisan rhetoric as the sole holdout, this bill could be doomed nonetheless.

Wrong.

We don't have an agreed-upon set of goals. Most of the anti-illegal immigration folks want the illegals to LEAVE - not "have their status regularized" - which is a code word for ignoring the fact that they broke the law. We're willing to let them leave, without further penalty, as long as they STAY out.