Jane Harman: “Occasionally in politics, and in life, unusual allies surface. Former Bush speechwriter and well-known conservative…”

“Occasionally in politics, and in life, unusual allies surface. Former Bush speechwriter and well-known conservative Michael Gerson has embraced the Dream Act--legislation that would provide a path to citizenship for young people who, through no fault of their own, were brought to this country illegally. In a Washington Post column titled ``How the Dream Act Transcends Politics'' Gerson not only endorses the legislation, he blows out of the water every cynical argument for denying citizenship to this group of young people while also making the case that the bill is good politics for his party. Gerson writes: ``It would be difficult to define a more sympathetic group of potential Americans. They must demonstrate that they are law-abiding and education-oriented. Some seek to defend the country they hope to join. The Defense Department supports the Dream Act as a source of quality volunteers. Business groups welcome a supply of college-educated workers. The Department of Homeland Security endorses the legislation so it can focus on other, more threatening, groups of illegal immigrants.''”