Edward J. Erler, PhD Biography
- Title:
- Senior Fellow of the Claremont Institute and Professor Emeritus of Political Science at California State University at San Bernardino
- Position:
- Con to the question "Should the Government Allow Immigrants Who Are Here Illegally to Become US Citizens?"
- Reasoning:
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“We had an amnesty back in 1986… we almost had amnesties on two different occasions subsequently…but this would be a great boon for the Democratic party because Hispanics become Democrats. They don’t become Republicans by and large…
You can imagine if we have say 12-20 million illegal immigrants in the country now…and about 8-10 million are probably adults and given amnesty and eventually become citizens, here are 6-8 million…new Democratic voters and this is a great boon to the Democrats. They are looking to the long-term future. But Republicans also like illegal immigration…because we want cheap labor and we want exploitable labor…
I think that in the long run the Democrats have the best of the bargain. They get future voters and we [Republicans] get short-term profits. I think thats a bad, bad bargain.”
Talk at the Luxe Hotel (Los Angeles, CA), July 14, 2011, available at youtube.com
- Theoretical Expertise Ranking:
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Experts
Individuals with advanced degrees in fields relevant to immigration. Also top-level government officials (such as foreign leaders, US presidents, Founding Fathers, Supreme Court Justices, members of legislative bodies, cabinet members, military leaders, etc.) with positions relevant to immigration. - Involvement and Affiliations:
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- Senior Fellow, Claremont Institute
- Member, Board of Directors, Claremont Institute
- Professor Emeritus of Political Science, California State University, San Bernardino
- Former Distinguished Visiting Professor, Hillsdale College
- Member, California Civil Rights Commission, 1988-2006
- California Constitutional Revision Commission, 1996
- Director of Bicentennial Programs, National Endowment for the Humanities, 1983-1984
- Education:
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- PhD, Government, Claremont Graduate School
- MA, Government, Claremont Graduate School
- BA, San Jose State University
- Other:
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- Has testified before the House Judiciary Committee about birthright citizenship and voting rights
- Quoted in:
