The Midday Maryland Dream Act Debate: Wednesday October 31, 12-1 p.m.

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MDDreamDebate.mp3

The Maryland Dream Act is one of three controversial items up for a vote on the statewide ballot this November. The act, approved by the General Assembly but petitioned to referendum, would allow undocumented immigrants who have graduated from a Maryland high school to pay in-state tuition rates at Maryland community colleges and universities. Our guests: State Sen. Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City), a supporter of the Dream Act, and Brad Botwin, director of Help Save Maryland, an organization opposed to the new law. Original air date 10/11/12

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Brad Botwin is a very suboptimal guest

Submitted by Anonymous on October 31, 2012 - 1:16pm.

Is this the best spokesperson for the anti-Question 4 side that you could find? He comes across as very snide, partisan (taking an absolutely irrelevant shot at Pres. Obama), and xenophobic (calling "La Casa Maryland" an "illegal alien support network").

He also makes the all-too-common mistake of ignoring all forms of taxation outside of income tax. In one sentence, he referred to sales taxes, tolls, etc. Those are all taxes currently being paid by employed illegal immigrants. Most of his viewpoints on taxation are strawmen.

It's no wonder that support for Question 4 exceeds opposition, if this guy's arguments are the ones people are hearing.

Brad

Submitted by Anonymous on October 31, 2012 - 1:12pm.

I can understand the arguments for and against the Dream Act, but I really wish you had chosen someone other than Brad Botwin to argue against. Instead of appearing as someone genuinely concerned with how the Dream Act would affect Marylanders, he comes across as arrogant, elitist and racist. "Save your sheckles." Really?

Lawless Void?

Submitted by Anonymous on October 31, 2012 - 12:48pm.

The anti-Dream Act guest says passing the measure would send us "into a lawless void." Passing a law creates lawlessness? Really? Regardless of one's position on the issue, that's a curious argument. A law that would make lots of people's status clearer can only create a more ordered and law-governed society.