Test for Politicians

Friday's Editorial Cartoon   —   Posted on April 5, 2019

Question(s)

1. For the past three presidential administrations (24 years), each president (Democrat and Republican - Clinton, Bush and Obama) has declared illegal immigration to be a problem. (See videos under “Resources” below.) At times, each president’s party held a majority in Congress yet failed to act. The Democrats blame the Republicans and the Republicans blame the Democrats.

What common accusation against each party’s continued decades-long inaction and refusal to solve this crisis does the cartoonist illustrate?

2. Ask at least two parents or older relatives (preferably 3 or 4):
Consider the decades of inaction by Congress over illegal immigration crisis. Do you agree with the cartoonist’s assertion about each party? Please explain your answer.

3. The rules for dealing with migrants/families from Central America make it impossible to swiftly return or detain them. There are no rules or laws to return these migrants home, to hold them after they cross the border, or to remove them once they are in the interior. And word has gotten out. There’s a reason that the number of migrants from Central America (that we can’t stop from getting into the country or send back once they’re here) is rapidly growing. Since he took office, President Trump has been asking Congress to act to change outdated laws. What do you think Congress should do? Ignore President Trump, work together to change the laws…? Please explain your answer.

4. Watch the videos under “Resources” below (two Obama administration officials speaking this week and three former presidents' past statements).

Currently, the media narrative is that President Trump is exaggerating, he is a racist, bigoted xenophobe and there is no crisis at the border. What is your reaction to the media narrative considering the sentiments in the videos?