canaries in the coal mines

[zetetyc]

From an Economist article on the shift in illegal immigrant populations away from Los Angeles

Yet the fact that people are being drawn away from places like Los Angeles is worrying, too. Illegal immigrants are the canaries in the economic coal mine, sensitive to the slightest changes in the job market. Their presence in a city may cause problems,

Comments

[worldandtime]

"Is there a national shift to the right?" You're kidding, right? Or did you miss the Congressional mandate for the war in Iraq...

[zetetyc]

i still think that the center line is shifting to the right. more conservative values, smaller government, and the lot. I wouldn't mistake a reaction to a war (America lots the stomach for long wars a long time ago, if they ever had it) and to a presidency which has been less than transparent (leading to trust of government issues) and to a Republican congress that failed to do any substantial legislation, except for passing the war budget, for a leftward shift.

I *don't* think that the values of diversity, larger government (a social safety net and suchlike), and whatever else the bulwark of the democratic party may be, are really taking root in a meaningful way. anyhow, i don't think the war itself is really a barometer for conservatism.

[worldandtime]

Sorry, I must not have been clear. I think the fact that nearly everyone in the congress voted originally in favor of the war in Iraq, large numbers of democrats included, shows a definite shift to the right in this country. 9/11 definitely played a part in tilting the rather evenly balanced see-saw heavily to the right. Dude, where do you get the "smaller government" from, though? One of the reason some of my "truly republican" friends can't stand Bush is his total sellout of the "small government" idea. Look at the budget deficits, if you think we've had a small government ever since the war started

[zetetyc]

ah, yes. now i agree with you :]

there are signs, especially in places where the refugee population is high and growing of increased diversity in small town America, as well. (and not grudging diversity either). I think it's a good sign.

I think that the last presidential election could easily have swung the other way, if the democrats could have fielded an opponent who stood *for* something, rather than against bush...

i'm still waiting for the religious left to start carrying it's weight as well. Consolidated religion has put a lot of effort in trying to build the religious left the way it built the religious right. we'll see how that goes. i think it could be good to have a large diverse group speaking loudly for what they have in common. we don't get much of that anymore.