April 11, 2006 | By Nathaniel Ward

Assimilating immigrants

A program of patriotic assimilation will teach immigrants to love America—and remind us of what it means to be Americans.

Yesterday’s large pro-illegal immigration rally on the National Mall here in Washington was heartening, in a way: tens of thousands of demonstrators carried American flags and loudly proclaimed their allegiance to the United States. This is an encouraging sign that immigrants would be open to a program of patriotic assimilation were Congress to pass a much-needed reform strengthening citizenship requirements.

As Heritage’s Matthew Spalding explains in a new paper, our nation must ensure that new immigrants become Americans. “An effective naturalization process,” he writes, “would aim to create new citizens who would understand the principles of free government, speak a common language, reflect good character and civic virtue, and have a real stake in America’s economic success.” This program would encourage new immigrants to be first and foremost Americans, “drawing their primary national identity from the United States, even as they retained their ancestors’ language and culture.”

But enacting a program of patriotic assimilation is not merely for the benefit of immigrants, Spalding explains. It also allows us, as Americans, to recommit to our Founding principles.

[Assimilation] reflects our national self-confidence and is a measure of our commitment to America. How can we expect the immigrant to love America if we do not love it ourselves—if we do not strive to make it worthy of affection? Reviving and deepening our understanding of citizenship and strengthening the conditions for civic formation is a way to remind all, native and immigrant alike, why this regime—its principles and laws, its history and statesmen, its meaning and promise—is good and worth defending.

Patriotic assimilation should form a part of any Congressional immigration reform, which should also require that illegal immigrants now in the country return to their home country before gaining legal status.

• Keep your friends and family in the loop on immigration reform. Forward them this e-mail and encourage them to sign up for MyHeritage.org e-mail alerts.

The conservative reforms in Gov. Romney’s health insurance plan

Several readers were somewhat distressed by last Thursday’s e-mail on the recently-passed Massachusetts health care reform. Gov. Mitt Romney’s plan, they argued, amounts to a form of socialized medicine. But this is hardly the case.

Two solidly conservative reforms are at the heart of the Massachusetts plan, as Heritage’s Ed Haislmaier explains in a new Heritage paper :

• Establishing a market exchange for insurance. The exchange, an idea pioneered by Heritage, would be a clearinghouse that allows individuals to purchase a health care plan that suits them. This means that health insurance would no longer be tied to employment, creating a more dynamic market. It’s not a new regulatory agency; it’s a facilitator of trade, just like a stock exchange, that could help lower premiums over time.
• Reforming Medicaid to end expensive hospital subsidies. Instead of spending taxpayer money on costly hospital care, Massachusetts would instead redirect these funds to help low-income individuals buy into the exchange. By helping people into private insurance and giving them health care choice, this reform could work to reduce dependence on government—and save taxpayer money.

In his op-ed in today’s Wall Street Journal, Gov. Romney specifically cited Heritage for devising a mechanism “allowing citizens to purchase health insurance with pretax dollars.” This important reform would make health insurance portable, since individuals would enjoy the same tax benefits as employers when purchasing insurance.

Other aspects of the plan, such as the penalties on businesses that do not participate, are certainly onerous. The bill isn’t perfect, but that’s how the legislative process works—especially in a state as liberal as Massachusetts. The reforms are due to be signed into law tomorrow (when we hear Gov. Romney will make good use of his line-item-veto pen).

• Have you read Ed Haislmaier’s concise explanation of the important reforms in the Massachusetts plan?

There is the threat that liberals could at some point in the future hijack the plan and establish a European-style single-payer health system. But this is always a danger we must consider, and it’s not something unique to the Romney plan. On balance, this is a major step forward towards the creation of a free market for health care in America and a step away from socialized, single-payer approaches.

Saddam Hussein's government fell three years ago Sunday with the liberation of Baghdad.

Iraq: Three years later

Three years ago last Sunday, Saddam Hussein’s Iraq ceased to be as coalition forces captured Baghdad and began dismantling the Ba’athist regime. Since then, despite a concerted effort by al Qaeda terrorists and holdouts from the Hussein regime, Iraq has become the Middle East’s newest democracy (albeit one still learning the ropes).

Despite the media’s shrill assertions that Iraq is devolving into civil war, things are actually somewhat better. Blogger Pierce Wetter crunched some numbers on the war from the liberal Brookings Institution and came to some startling conclusions: both American and civilian casualties are down and more Iraqi troops are available for combat. American casualties are in fact at their lowest point in more than two years.

Meanwhile, another of the media’s stories about “catastrophe” in Iraq is losing its legs. For more than a year, the media told us that military enlistment was down because young people didn’t want to fight. But today, military recruitment continues on pace for the 10th consecutive month, and the number of soldiers reenlisting in the Army continues to beat expectations.

In other news

• A new government report says gasoline prices will be higher this summer. Some have proposed taxing gas companies or increasing fuel regulations, but these will do little to help, Heritage’s Ben Lieberman explains. Instead, the government should lift regulations and expand energy supplies by opening domestic supplies, like those in ANWR.
• Responding to weekend reports that the US was considering a military strike on Iran’s nuclear program, the White House said that America will continue to pursue diplomatic solution to the brewing crisis. But administration officials insisted that using military force remains an option.

Coming up at Heritage

To attend these or any other Heritage Foundation events, RSVP at Heritage’s events website. Or you can watch these events live online at Heritage.org. All times are Eastern.

• On Wednesday, April 12 at noon, key staffers from Capitol Hill will discuss the important issues that will arise during Chinese President Hu Jintao’s visit to Washington next week.
• On Tuesday, April 18 at 11am, Heritage will host a panel on rebuilding America’s submarine fleet to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
• On Monday, May 1 and Tuesday, May 2, The Heritage Foundation will host its twice-annual President’s Club meeting in Washington, DC. Speakers include House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-OH), United Nations Ambassador John Bolton, television host John Stossel, columnist George Will, and Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) of the Republican Study Committee. The event is open to President’s Club members.

Nathaniel Ward is the Editor of MyHeritage.org—a website for members and supporters of The Heritage Foundation.

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