He had no business saying that
February 19, 2007
We've heard some doozies coming out of the Texas Capitol over the years, but a comment made last week by state Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler, is a top contender for the Miriam "Ma" Ferguson Rhetoric Award.
Written by the Editorial Board, Austin American-Statesman
Rep. Leo Berman and Fmr. Gov. "Ma" Ferguson
We've heard some doozies coming out of the Texas Capitol over the years, but a comment made last week by state Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler, is a top contender for the Miriam "Ma" Ferguson Rhetoric Award.
When a group of Mexican American legislators, joined by the Texas Association of Business, reasonably suggested that 14 state bills filed this session dealing with immigration should be vetted for constitutionality by the Texas attorney general, Berman was quick to react. Berman is the author of a bill that would deny birthright citizenship and in-state tuition to children born in Texas of illegal immigrants.
"I'm a life member of the TAB and I am absolutely disappointed, and will probably drop my membership since they got involved in an issue of illegal aliens, which has nothing to do with business," Berman thundered.
Oh yeah? The link between immigration and employers is so clear that business groups and business owners have weighed in on the issue nationally. To put it quite plainly: Business owners hire employees, some of whom may not be in the country legally.
Businesses obviously have a stake in the immigration debate because any immigration decision is going to have an effect on contractors, restaurant owners, hoteliers, meat plants and agriculture — to name but a few. Technology companies have a deep interest in the immigration debate as well. Incidentally, Berman also wants to impose fees on money transfers to Mexico and Central and South America, which will effect bankers and some title companies. Both fit the standard defintion of businesses, if not the political one.
Moreover, the point the legislators and the business group made was a good one: Immigration is a federal issue and should be dealt with by Congress. The fact that Congress hasn't acted is no excuse for state legislators to monkey with the U.S. Constitution.
Berman's comment that business has nothing to do with immigration is reminiscent of the quote attributed to Ferguson, a former governor of Texas: "If English was good enough for Jesus Christ, it's good enough for the children of Texas."
She was voicing objection to children learning a foreign language in Texas classrooms. The language was Spanish.
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