With the election coming up in November, Irish Americans have to decide who to vote for. When it comes to Irish policy, President Clinton wins hands down for being the only president to risk Britain’s wrath and put aside the “special relationship” to extend the U.S. role as facilitator between the parties in Northern Ireland.
As readers of this magazine will know, Clinton, going against his own State Department, issued a visa to Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams, without which there would have been no peace process, and followed up with an economic conference in Washington, D.C., for Northern Ireland and the border counties, and a personal mission over there last November.
Contrast that to the Republicans, who made it very clear, in James Baker’s speech at the Republican Convention, that Northern Ireland is not an issue that they intend to get involved in. The former Secretary of State issued a strong attack on the President’s Irish policy, and called for the resumption of the “special relationship” with Britain.
So, despite the recent signing of the Jimmy Smyth extradition papers by Secretary of State Warren Christopher (see story page 10), the present administration seems to offer the only chance for American involvement in Northern Ireland.
But the does not guarantee the Irish American vote for Clinton. Many seem to be more concerned with domestic issues than they are about the North. The Ancient Order of Hibernians, the largest Irish organization in the U.S., invited the President to attend their annual conference because of his peacekeeping efforts, then disinvited him because of his stand on abortion.
And the A.O.H. are not alone. Many Irish Americans are finding that they have more in common with the conservative policies of the Republican party, on issues such as abortion, than they have with the Democrats. According to GOP Chairman Haley Barbour there are now more Republican Congressmen of Irish ancestry than there are Democrat.
If, indeed that’s true, Baker’s speech at the convention, indicates that Irish American Republicans don’t hold as much power within their party as Democrats do, or (with apologies to N.Y.(R) Congressman Peter King) having reached a certain level of assimilation and security, they can now view Northern Ireland at an emotional distance, and are not overly concerned.
Irish American Democrats, on the other hand, who are happy with the President over his Irish policy, should be upset over the welfare bill. Any Irish American, Democrat or Republican, with any knowledge of the Irish struggle with poverty, would shudder at the idea of condemning 1.1 million children to living below the poverty line. (Read Frank McCourt’s book reviewed in this issue, and understand what that is like). The bill’s racist nature against immigrants is also cause for concern, and one can only hope that, if re-elected, the President will reverse the harsher elements of the bill, and follow through with the promised creation of millions of new jobs for poorer Americans.
In the meantime, the people of Northern Ireland are waiting to see what the American election will bring.
The peace process is in a fragile state having just survived the Apprentice Boys marches of August. Talks (and one wonders what would happen to former Senator Mitchell’s role if Clinton is not re-elected) are scheduled to start on September 9. And, at press time, Sinn Fein are still not in the talks because the IRA haven’t declared a ceasefire. By not doing so, in an election year where domestic terrorism and foreign policy are key issues, the IRA could undermine the re-election of the only friend Northern Ireland ever had in the White House.
And, as to whether the Smyth extradition is an indication that that friendship is already on the wane, or that the Irish issue is no longer considered politically expedient, we will have to wait and see.
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in the September/October 1996 issue of Irish America. ⬥
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