Good sense, despite the rhetoric

The Field Poll, which is California's most famous polling operation released a poll this morning which suggests that Californians have seen through the bloviated rhetoric on both sides in the immigration debate.

75% of those polled agree with the notion that immigrants who came to this country without legal documents and have lived here for 5 years be granted the opportunity to become citizens if they remain employed, learn English and pay any back taxes.
60% support a guest worker program and by a similar number support that if a person has lived here for two years they could go to a port of entry and be classified as temporary workers.

But they oppose by 57% (with about a third supporting) and by about the same numbers proposals to charge undocumenteds with a felony or to grant them driver's licenses. By a small majority they support offering in state tuition to children of illegals who have graduated from a California high school.

In spite of attempts by the extremes on both sides the voters seem to understand both the values of immigration and the demands of citizenship. It is too bad the politicians can't follow the lead of the voters.