Nobody's Right, If Everybody's Wrong - - Buffalo Springfield

"There's something happening here. But what it is ain't exactly clear."

Unless you are in the minority of people who have successfully buried their heads in the sand these last 14 weeks (or even the last four years), you know the jig is up. For most Americans, the choice is clear. In a few days, the Despotism vs Democracy Election will be held on November 4th. No matter which side you are rooting for, both sides claim that if the bad guys win, America will be ruined.

And why, exactly, is that catastrophe predestined? Well, again, depending on who you ask, the primary flash points seem to be women’s reproductive health, illegal immigration, consumer confidence in the economy, and Democracy as a core value.

If you ask for proof about these boiling points, you may get incestuous stories of children raped and being forced to carry their pregnancy to term or unbelievable stories of millions of illegal residents, some committing culinary atrocities, all pouring over the border to commit murder and mayhem, and complaints about inflation. But above all - the choice in flavors of leadership: the charismatic appeal of Donald Trump’s brand of authoritarian bull-in-a-china-shop style vs the empathetic, visionary spirit and tone of Kamala Harris.

There are elements of truth in both camps. Women’s healthcare, particularly of childbearing age has been compromised in many states and this issue is about far more than abortion. And, regardless of silly things said about eating pets, illegal immigration is up dramatically during Biden’s tenure. The fact that border security has been a long-standing issue that neither party has addressed successfully seems to be a matter of little importance.

But “the truth is hard to come by …”, as John Denver once sang in a song about diamonds and stones, two elements as hard as changing any partisan opinions at this point. But it is a fact that women’s autonomy over their own bodies is a key issue and is strangely ironic for the Republican Party, known to favor small government and personal freedom.

On the flip side, no sane person wants an open border. Illegal immigrants comprise 3.3% of the overall population, but 23% of the foreign-born population according to The Pew Research Center. Perhaps, the ugly truth is that human beings may innately be prejudiced against those who look different than they do

1899 cartoon hostile to immigrants voting in the United States. Public Domain - . S. Pughe from “Puck” Magazine

When President Johnson signed the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 into law on October 3, 1965, the U.S. was 85% White, with Black people (most of whom were descendants of slaves) making up 11%, while Latinos made up less than 4% . It was a bipartisan bill crafted by John F. Kennedy, though opposed by the southern conservatives. It boldly promised there would be no overall increase in immigration, but that was legal immigration they were talking about and no one saw what was coming.

That was then and this is now. Those who identify as white make up 58.2% of the U.S. population, according to census data estimates in 2023. Black Americans are at 11.6%, Asians are at 6.4%, Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0.5% and only 0.5% are Native American. The Latino population has grown to 19%.¹ On a percentage basis, a 475% increase. That’s not a judgment, just pointing out the obvious.

How we got here is complicated and explanations sound subjectively partisan, regardless of the source. But there are some dazzling factoids in the mix. Would you believe that the number of illegal immigrants living in the US decreased every year from 2005 until 2019? Mexican-born immigrants have long been the most common country of origin for unauthorized immigrants and their population peaked at just under 7 million in 2007 but decreased by 3 million over the next 15 years. Why that happened is a complex enigma as well. But illegal immigration from other countries south of the border, European, and African all increased to more than make up the difference.²

Many people don’t know or have forgotten about America’s legacy of racially discriminatory policies, some of which have lingering effects on economic disparities, civil rights, and community structures across generations. How many of these policies were included in the general history curriculum of your public school: The Naturalization Act of 1790, The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, The Immigration Act of 1924 (Johnson-Reed Act), The Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986, The Indian Removal Act of 1830, various Jim Crow Laws, or Operation Wetback (1954).³  These policies may escape the memory of many, much like the faded echoes from Philadelphia's famed Liberty Bell.

One famous person you will remember from history studied and commented on it. "The American Union (USA) categorically refuses the immigration of physically unhealthy elements, and simply excludes the immigration of certain races."- praise from Adolf Hitler in Mein Kampf.

Now the political pundits tell us the election will come down to one of a few swing states, maybe like Wisconsin or Pennsylvania. Looking closely at Wisconsin's population estimates for 1965 show that around 97% of the population was white. The Black population was small, constituting roughly 1% or less. Native Americans in Wisconsin also represented less than 1%. Hispanic and Asian populations data were limited in 1965, but obviously small.

The current population is 82.54% White, Black or African Americans are at 6.18%, American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.74%, Asian: 2.87%, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 0.04%, Some other race: 2.19%, and Multiracial: 5.44%. Hispanic or Latino is 7.6%, again a large percentage increase. ⁴

On the other side of the political divide, abortion in Wisconsin has been a complex legal issue, particularly since the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade. After Dobbs, a pre-Civil War law from 1849 was reinstated; abortion services ceased for over a year. However, in December 2023, a Dane County court clarified that the 1849 law does not apply to consensual abortions, allowing services to resume at specific locations across the state, notably through Planned Parenthood centers in Milwaukee and Madison.

While abortion is now technically available, it remains highly restricted. The Wisconsin legislature has enacted additional restrictions, such as mandatory waiting periods, required counseling, and limits on insurance coverage. While obstacles persist, abortion rights in Wisconsin hinge on ongoing litigation.

So maybe the election comes down to Immigration vs Women’s Autonomy with Democracy hanging in the balance. Or maybe, just the price of beans. My only prediction is that there are going to be a lot of hangovers in early November. My only hope is we can learn from our past mistakes and that people remember that we are all Americans.

Compromise is hard and sometimes leaves a bitter taste, as it did for many in Philadelphia during the hot humid summer of 1787 when the Constitution was written. Ben Franklin famously said: "I confess that I do not entirely approve of this Constitution at present; but, Sir, I am not sure I shall ever approve it... .”

For better, for worse, we are all in this together and solutions will only come if we act as our forefathers did and come together again - “… to form a more perfect union.”

1. U.S. Census Bureau 2023

2. Pew Research Center - https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/07/22/what-we-know-about-unauthorized-immigrants-living-in-the-us/

3. The legislative acts you mentioned have been well-documented as racially biased in various historical and legal analyses. Here are some sources that provide information on each of these acts:

1. Naturalization Act of 1790: This act restricted citizenship to "free white persons," setting a precedent for racial exclusion in U.S. immigration policy. For details, see the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

2. Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882: The first significant law restricting immigration based solely on nationality, this act specifically targeted Chinese laborers. Learn more at the Library of Congress.

3. Immigration Act of 1924 (Johnson-Reed Act): This act established national quotas based on race and ethnicity, severely limiting immigration from Southern and Eastern Europe, Asia, and Africa. An overview can be found in the History of the U.S. Immigration Laws.

4. Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986: This legislation imposed harsher penalties for crack cocaine, disproportionately impacting Black communities. For a detailed analysis, refer to the ACLU report on the War on Drugs.

5. Indian Removal Act of 1830: This act led to the forced relocation of Native Americans, resulting in tragic consequences, often referred to as the "Trail of Tears." For more information, visit the National Park Service.

6. Jim Crow Laws: Enacted in the late 19th century, these laws enforced racial segregation in the South. A comprehensive overview can be found at the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

7. Operation Wetback (1954): A U.S. government initiative aimed at deporting undocumented Mexican immigrants, often conducted with little regard for civil rights. More information can be found in the article by the AmericanImmigration Council.

These sources provide a solid foundation for understanding the racially biased implications of these legislative acts.

4. recent U.S. Census Bureau and American Community Survey data on Wisconsin’s population composition.