A troubling implication of Trump's war on immigrants that I believe has not received sufficient attention is what it means for the upcoming US Census. The census happens every ten years, and the Constitution says you have to count everyone.
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That decennial count has enormous political implications. Among other things it determines how House seats are allocated to states. If you can monkey with the Census for political ends, you lock in a structural advantage that lasts, at a minimum, for a decade
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You can manipulate this count in ways that are perfectly legal. For example, you might decide to send a police officer out with every census taker, to protect them from MS-13. No sane immigrant or naturalized citizen (myself included) would open the door to a cop and census taker
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This whole enchilada is run by the Department of Commerce. The only way to get a clean census in 2020 is to have Congressional oversight, and clear political consequences for the war on immigrants, war on black Americans, war on women, all the awfulness of the last two years.
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So what people need to do, which is really difficult to do, is to figure out how to channel their current rage and helplessness at the family separation policy into meaningful political *power* in time for 2020. The only way I can see to do this is by winning the election.
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Under Trump we've seen a succession of straw fires, where great public energy dissipated after an immediate threat (the travel ban, ACA repeal) had passed. The challenge for all of us is how to mobilize in a way that is politically effective.
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At the moment, though, there aren't signs of this happening. Turnout is flat or down in primaries. Voter apathy is at the same high level it's always been. No one is running the show on the Democratic side. Maybe other people's experience is better; mine has been dispiriting.
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I think that is simply wishful thinking, given the results in primary races so far this spring. But of course I hope you're right, and I'm wrong.
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