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Immigration as a Failed Wedge Issue: the Dog That Didn't Bark

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On Tuesday, the Center for American Progress (CAP) hosted a panel entitled – “A Case Study in the Coming End of the Culture Wars: Immigration as a Failed Wedge Issue.”  While the event brought a unique style of summer heat to the immigration debate, the whole panel agreed on one thing: Immigration reform needs to happen before the 2010 midterm elections.

The panel consisted of Washington Post columnist, E.J. Dionne; Ruy Teixeira, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress; Republican analyst, Ana Navarro; and America’s Voice Executive Director, Frank Sharry

Teixeira kicked off the back and forth by classifying immigration as a wedge issue in 2010 as “the dog that didn’t bark.”

But the 2010 and 2012 elections could see a resurgence of immigration as a wedge issue.  And unlike the usual one-party’s-loss-is-the -other-one”s-gain, not coming to terms on immigration reform could be destructive for everyone.