Illegal Immigration: Politics As Usual
There are numerous facets to the illegal immigration debate - amnesty, security, jobs & wages, and human rights, to name a few. The problem is that the primary issue has been lost in the shuffle. It’s been neglected for so long that it now appears to be at best only a secondary consideration, and this speaks volumes about the state of our nation.
There is a reason why illegal immigrants are considered illegal. They’re here without proper documentation. They’re working without any form of work permit or visa. They snuck into the country in blatant violation of our immigration laws. Simply put, their very presence on U.S. soil is a criminal act. This should trump any other consideration. But with government, nothing is ever simple.
Instead of enforcing the law, our elected officials around the country seem to favor rewarding law breakers. Here are a few of the rewards being considered - some of which are already in place…
Answer: Politics.
The Democrat Party sees the tide of illegals as being a potential voting bloc. With America’s booming economy, there evidently aren’t as many “poor and oppressed” legal citizens as there used to be. Being Democrats, they’ll take their votes where they can get them, legal or otherwise. They’ve even been seen at recent illegal immigrant “rights” rallies trying to sign Latinos up to vote (Democrat, of course), without really knowing if the potential voters were legal U.S. citizens.
Republicans on the other hand are largely in the pockets of business interests who see the illegals as cheap labor and a way to skirt around the minimum wage. It’s an economic issue. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has publicly stated that he favors illegals for tending to the green at his favorite golf course. In other words, Bloomberg doesn’t want to see a grounds keeper get a fair wage because he could end up paying a few bucks more for a round of golf. And Bloomberg is among the world’s richest men. Yes friends; Michael Bloomberg values 18 holes of golf more than jobs for legitimate Americans. Gee thanks, Michael.
And, both parties are desperate to get their greasy fingers on the votes of legal Latino citizens, many of whom favor amnesty for their illegal brethren. The Dems are determined to regain power, and the Repubs are determined to keep it - no matter what the cost may be to everyday Americans.
And just what might that cost be? According to F.A.I.R., the cost could rise to over 100 billion dollars by the year 2020. This estimate is based primarily upon the financial drain that amnesty would place on social programs and it allows for the limited tax contributions that would be made by “legalized” illegals. The estimated cost at present is $36 billion.
Nearly all illegals are poorly educated and unable to perform any work that promises a livable wage. Any amnesty program approved by our government will allow Mexico and other nations below our Southern border to export their poverty directly onto the backs of American taxpayers. Many urban-area schools are already crowded. What do you suppose a flood of Mexican students will do for that problem? Our classrooms would become sardine cans.
The hypocrisy is amazing. Democrats blather endlessly about a need for better jobs in America, but simultaneously demand that we open our borders. They can’t help but be aware of the downward pressure illegal aliens apply to wages here in the states. Amnesty will increase, rather than decrease, that downward push. The net result for them would be more people dependent upon government assistance, which generally means more Democrat voters. The Republicans believe that if they can take credit for an amnesty program, they’ll secure the Latino vote and the political donations from businesses who hire illegals.
It’s worth noting that the US House of Representatives approved a bill to increase border enforcement and criminalize “unlawful presence.” Kudos to the House. As is typical, the Senate’s version of immigration reform is a wishy-washy pile of legalese that would create a flood of poor, uneducated immigrants into our economy. President Bush seems to lean more toward the Senate bill. “Compassionate Conservatism” at its best.
All of the above would cease to be an issue if The Powers That Be would brave up to the fact that none of it is relevant. The only relevant fact here is that these people are here illegally. Their children shouldn’t be in our schools. They shouldn’t be bankrupting hospital emergency rooms. They shouldn’t be receiving taxpayer-funded government benefits. They shouldn’t have driver’s licenses. They certainly shouldn’t have access to discounted college tuition. How can any thinking person believe that someone who isn’t even supposed to be here can qualify for anything except deportation?
It isn’t a matter of what feels right. It is only a matter of following the law. It is unfortunate that our leaders value their political careers (and their golf game) more highly than our nation’s future.
Sources and Related Reading…
There is a reason why illegal immigrants are considered illegal. They’re here without proper documentation. They’re working without any form of work permit or visa. They snuck into the country in blatant violation of our immigration laws. Simply put, their very presence on U.S. soil is a criminal act. This should trump any other consideration. But with government, nothing is ever simple.
Instead of enforcing the law, our elected officials around the country seem to favor rewarding law breakers. Here are a few of the rewards being considered - some of which are already in place…
- Driver’s licenses
- Discounted college tuition (that many poor Americans can’t get)
- Welfare benefits
- Voting rights
- Free healthcare
- Amnesty and eventual citizenship
Answer: Politics.
The Democrat Party sees the tide of illegals as being a potential voting bloc. With America’s booming economy, there evidently aren’t as many “poor and oppressed” legal citizens as there used to be. Being Democrats, they’ll take their votes where they can get them, legal or otherwise. They’ve even been seen at recent illegal immigrant “rights” rallies trying to sign Latinos up to vote (Democrat, of course), without really knowing if the potential voters were legal U.S. citizens.
Republicans on the other hand are largely in the pockets of business interests who see the illegals as cheap labor and a way to skirt around the minimum wage. It’s an economic issue. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has publicly stated that he favors illegals for tending to the green at his favorite golf course. In other words, Bloomberg doesn’t want to see a grounds keeper get a fair wage because he could end up paying a few bucks more for a round of golf. And Bloomberg is among the world’s richest men. Yes friends; Michael Bloomberg values 18 holes of golf more than jobs for legitimate Americans. Gee thanks, Michael.
And, both parties are desperate to get their greasy fingers on the votes of legal Latino citizens, many of whom favor amnesty for their illegal brethren. The Dems are determined to regain power, and the Repubs are determined to keep it - no matter what the cost may be to everyday Americans.
And just what might that cost be? According to F.A.I.R., the cost could rise to over 100 billion dollars by the year 2020. This estimate is based primarily upon the financial drain that amnesty would place on social programs and it allows for the limited tax contributions that would be made by “legalized” illegals. The estimated cost at present is $36 billion.
Nearly all illegals are poorly educated and unable to perform any work that promises a livable wage. Any amnesty program approved by our government will allow Mexico and other nations below our Southern border to export their poverty directly onto the backs of American taxpayers. Many urban-area schools are already crowded. What do you suppose a flood of Mexican students will do for that problem? Our classrooms would become sardine cans.
The hypocrisy is amazing. Democrats blather endlessly about a need for better jobs in America, but simultaneously demand that we open our borders. They can’t help but be aware of the downward pressure illegal aliens apply to wages here in the states. Amnesty will increase, rather than decrease, that downward push. The net result for them would be more people dependent upon government assistance, which generally means more Democrat voters. The Republicans believe that if they can take credit for an amnesty program, they’ll secure the Latino vote and the political donations from businesses who hire illegals.
It’s worth noting that the US House of Representatives approved a bill to increase border enforcement and criminalize “unlawful presence.” Kudos to the House. As is typical, the Senate’s version of immigration reform is a wishy-washy pile of legalese that would create a flood of poor, uneducated immigrants into our economy. President Bush seems to lean more toward the Senate bill. “Compassionate Conservatism” at its best.
All of the above would cease to be an issue if The Powers That Be would brave up to the fact that none of it is relevant. The only relevant fact here is that these people are here illegally. Their children shouldn’t be in our schools. They shouldn’t be bankrupting hospital emergency rooms. They shouldn’t be receiving taxpayer-funded government benefits. They shouldn’t have driver’s licenses. They certainly shouldn’t have access to discounted college tuition. How can any thinking person believe that someone who isn’t even supposed to be here can qualify for anything except deportation?
It isn’t a matter of what feels right. It is only a matter of following the law. It is unfortunate that our leaders value their political careers (and their golf game) more highly than our nation’s future.
Sources and Related Reading…
- Zogby Poll on Illegal Immigration
- Voter Registration Drives at Illegal Immigration Rallies
- Michael Bloombergs’s Golf Comments
- CNS News Article On F.A.I.R. Cost Estimate
- Illegal Immigration Cost Estimate At F.A.I.R. Website
- Many Illegal Immigrants Have Jobs in U.S. Before Crossing Border
- Partisan Bickering Over Immigration Continues
- Illegal Aliens and American Medicine
- In-state college tuition for illegal aliens