They use issues to get power... but to what end? I sense that it really is all about identity. All human beings do everything they can to defend their sense of identity, because without this they feel empty and lost in a chaotic world. This applies equally to an old, white, slack-jawed, gun toting yokel living in Western Pennsylvania and young, Hispanic, lesbian, environmentalist, grad student in Southern California. Those who appear different from us are seen as threatening. We inherit these biases from our ancestors who evolved from higher primates to tribal hominids. Politics is just the arena in which we act out our identity defenses.
illegal aliens give the Dems the best chance to win.
Therefore, conservatives are against illegals.