"For years, our borders have been wide open, and our public schools, clinics, and social services have been overwhelmed. We are not a nation of infinite resources. It is only fair that the taxpayers of this state are protected from shouldering the heavy financial burden of providing services to those who have entered the country unlawfully."
—Excerpt from promotional materials supporting a California ballot initiative, 1994
Which of the following late-twentieth-century developments is most directly illustrated by the excerpt?
- Political debates over the economic and fiscal impact of new immigration patterns on state and local resourcesAnswer
- BA bipartisan movement to eliminate New Deal safety net programs such as Medicare and Medicaid
- CA dispute over the implementation of federal supply-side economic policies to fund urban public infrastructure
- DThe redirection of federal foreign policy goals toward the containment of international non-state actors
Answer
Political debates over the economic and fiscal impact of new immigration patterns on state and local resources
The correct option is correct because the excerpt reflects the arguments used to promote California's Proposition 187 in 1994. This initiative, along with similar debates during the late twentieth century, highlighted intense political divisions over the economic, social, and fiscal impacts of the post-1980 wave of immigration on state and local governments.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Debates over post-1980 immigration and its economic impact