Word: reformer
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November's Democratic victory in Congress should have improved Bush's odds of getting what he calls "comprehensive immigration reform": tightened border controls and work-site enforcement, a new guest-worker program and a solution to the problem of the U.S.'s 12 million illegal immigrants. Although some Democrats side with unions in opposition to the President's proposed guest-worker program, a majority favor his broad immigration reforms. At the same time, some of Bush's most outspoken Republican opponents lost in races to Democrats who back his position. Post-election polls showed Hispanic voters punishing Republicans, abandoning...
...laws banning the employment of illegal immigrants. The effect has been a marked labor shortage, especially in agriculture. Growers nationwide blame the shortage for losses in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. With business leaning on lawmakers to do something, the crackdown has "increased the chances of comprehensive immigration reform," says a senior Senate Republican aide...
What happened to the good ole days of campaign finance reform? It has seemingly vanished with little more than a whimper. Take the recent actions of John McCain, the champion of campaign finance legislation, who recently removed his name as co-sponsor of a bill aimed at expanding the presidential public financing program. Yes, the McCain of the McCain-Feingold bill has retreated from the battle lines. But the leading Democratic candidates have not acted any better. Senator Clinton, Senator Obama, and John Edwards have already indicated that they will be opting out of the public financing system...
Although Obama’s actions are commendable, the truly commendable thing would be to help preserve the system by participating in it when he has the chance. Obama, arguably the most inspiring of the candidates, could single handedly reform the system by merely choosing to take part in it. Other candidates could do the same, and earn a lot of political capital...
Fourth, the American people—the focus of these campaigns in the first place—must signal their unwillingness to participate in a bidding war. While it may take a courageous candidate to reform our broken system, he or she must have the support of the electorate to have any chance of success. If the average citizen stops donating and instead works for campaigns, or writes letters, or waves flags, then, and only then, will this truly be a campaign of ideas and not of money...