Monday Morning, And We Are On Immigration Again
I was not feeling well yesterday, which is why I failed to post yesterday. Thomas only got one post up with the work we are still doing around here. So, regrettably, the weekend did not go as planned. But, as we say, the news waits for no one. And today it is apparently so. From Hugh Hewitt this morning:
Chapter Nine of the new book anticipated the internal knock-down the GOP now finds itself engaged in, a fight that can still be called off and the damage repaired if party leadership moves to the only position that makes sense: immediate authorization of a serious border security initiative built upon the construction of the 700 miles of fencing authorized by the House and a comprehensive regularization program for the 11 million illegal aliens already in the country, though not one including citizenship for decades.
He also cites a portion of Bill Kristol's new piece in the Weekly Standard which talks about what will happen if those driving the GOP bus succeed in taking it over the edge of the cliff:
Most Republican officeholders know that the political--and moral--cost of turning the GOP into an anti-immigration, Know Nothing party would be very great. It could easily dash Republican hopes of becoming a long-term governing party. How many Republicans will have the courage to stand up and prevent the yahoos from driving the party off a cliff?
We are most definitely headed for certain defeat if the GOP does not pay attention to its base when it comes to immigration. Hugh is right to bring up the fence, and Thomas was right to make that the first point of his piece yesterday. And the simple explanation for why this is necessary is Israel. Since erecting their security fence, they have cut down, considerably, the amount of Palestinian suicide bombers and terrorists coming into the Israeli side of that fence. The IDF can quickly cut off the terrorists, and either kill them or round them up.
Of course, in our case, we would not be killing them as much as we would be rounding them up. It is eesential that we gain control of our southern border, and that starts with controlling the points of entry. And Hugh and Thomas seem to be on the same page regarding those illegals already here. We do not want to reward these people for breaking our laws. But we do need to locate them, and identify them.
When Thomas first wrote about this back in November of 2004 on his old site. It spurned a debate between both of us in regard to what action should be taken to deal with the borders. He still holds onto much of what he held then. This is despite the attacks he endured from other conservatives who told him he did not know what he was talking about.
To those people WE answer: Yes we do. We live this everyday. We see it everywhere we go. It is a problem. We may not be as "nuanced" as other conservatives, but it does not make our blood boil any less when we see known lawbreakers getting away with their crimes, and enabled to do so by the states they are in. Any by that, I mean the government assistance. They have welfare, and state-sponsored health care thrown at them. In some cases cash assistance. Their kids seem to get a level of preferential treatment in public schools. We have seen it, and we know it happens.
What has grown from a minute problem to an overblown migraine headache is the fact that we have ignored the problem for too long. I blame the nation for turning a blind eye to it, but I lay almost all of the blame at the feet of the government. Especially after 9/11, this government should have been doing more to keep an eye on our ports of entry, and they did not. They pooh-poohed the idea that a terrorist could sneak into this nation. Hugh has brought up Beslan lately, and think it is right to do that. Make sure it serves as a reminder that we do not need this sort of a situation occurring because of a porous border.
I honestly do not understand how the GOP is going to pull back from the brink of going over the cliff, though. On one side, you have a House bill that will have a fence erected, and crack down on the law breakers. (Granted, I feel that their plan would better served with an idea like Thomas has presented, regarding the location and registration of every illegal in America. We must know where these people are, and keep track of them.) The Senate bill, the one co-authored by McCain and Kennedy, cannot be allowed to pass. That is the one driving the bus completely over the cliff.
This sort of infighting cannot be allowed to continue. The Miers nomination showed plenty of interneccine squabbling within the GOP. And whereas her nomination was not enough to kill the party, this debate very well could, and if it does the GOP can kiss their majorities goodbye in 2006 and the White House in 2008. Now I will grant our readers that this sort of decision within the GOP should come from common sense, not what is politically-strategic; our security shold be the first thought in our minds, and that security is not defensive as the war goes on, but economically as well because the illegals are a drain on the state economies--especially the southwestern states.
Arizona spends $150 million annually to give health care to illegals. The University Medical Center in Tucson has even sent bill collectors into Mexico seeking payment for bills left unattended to. Illegals are ten percent of our current prison population. 25% of illegals that come here live below the poverty line. And $187 million is spent anually in Arizona to educate (K-12) illegal aliens. The pro side would like to remind everybody that illegals put into the system, as well. Their tax money goes tot he coffers just as easily as ours do. That might be true for goods and services, it does not equal out in the end. They are far behind repaying their debt to society.
No, we are not racist. We are not xenophobic. However, we are Americans who are sick of the lip service from the government regarding an issue of not only national and economic security, but also one that deals with those people breaking our laws. And doing so with full knowledge of what they are doing. This did not just start yesterday. It has been ongoing. Thomas pointed to the fact that Reagan did grant amnesty during his time as president. That, I agree, was a mistake. It is also a mistake that cannot and should not be repeated.
It is time to get tough on this issue, and remind the world, especially Mexico and Canada, that we mean what we say. We have sovereign borders. And while we have no problem with someone coming here to visit or to work legally, we really do not want any further incursions into our nation from illegals. Now, Vincente Fox and the pro-illegal, extremist groups can deny our sovereignty all they like. They can march in the streets and demand that the "occupied" territories be given back. But, history is not on their side. This land is ours, fair and square. If you don not like that, you are free to head back home. But we are not caving into the extremists who claim they will fight to reclaim certain areas of our country. You can try, and you will lose.
The Bunny ;)
I was not feeling well yesterday, which is why I failed to post yesterday. Thomas only got one post up with the work we are still doing around here. So, regrettably, the weekend did not go as planned. But, as we say, the news waits for no one. And today it is apparently so. From Hugh Hewitt this morning:
Chapter Nine of the new book anticipated the internal knock-down the GOP now finds itself engaged in, a fight that can still be called off and the damage repaired if party leadership moves to the only position that makes sense: immediate authorization of a serious border security initiative built upon the construction of the 700 miles of fencing authorized by the House and a comprehensive regularization program for the 11 million illegal aliens already in the country, though not one including citizenship for decades.
He also cites a portion of Bill Kristol's new piece in the Weekly Standard which talks about what will happen if those driving the GOP bus succeed in taking it over the edge of the cliff:
Most Republican officeholders know that the political--and moral--cost of turning the GOP into an anti-immigration, Know Nothing party would be very great. It could easily dash Republican hopes of becoming a long-term governing party. How many Republicans will have the courage to stand up and prevent the yahoos from driving the party off a cliff?
We are most definitely headed for certain defeat if the GOP does not pay attention to its base when it comes to immigration. Hugh is right to bring up the fence, and Thomas was right to make that the first point of his piece yesterday. And the simple explanation for why this is necessary is Israel. Since erecting their security fence, they have cut down, considerably, the amount of Palestinian suicide bombers and terrorists coming into the Israeli side of that fence. The IDF can quickly cut off the terrorists, and either kill them or round them up.
Of course, in our case, we would not be killing them as much as we would be rounding them up. It is eesential that we gain control of our southern border, and that starts with controlling the points of entry. And Hugh and Thomas seem to be on the same page regarding those illegals already here. We do not want to reward these people for breaking our laws. But we do need to locate them, and identify them.
When Thomas first wrote about this back in November of 2004 on his old site. It spurned a debate between both of us in regard to what action should be taken to deal with the borders. He still holds onto much of what he held then. This is despite the attacks he endured from other conservatives who told him he did not know what he was talking about.
To those people WE answer: Yes we do. We live this everyday. We see it everywhere we go. It is a problem. We may not be as "nuanced" as other conservatives, but it does not make our blood boil any less when we see known lawbreakers getting away with their crimes, and enabled to do so by the states they are in. Any by that, I mean the government assistance. They have welfare, and state-sponsored health care thrown at them. In some cases cash assistance. Their kids seem to get a level of preferential treatment in public schools. We have seen it, and we know it happens.
What has grown from a minute problem to an overblown migraine headache is the fact that we have ignored the problem for too long. I blame the nation for turning a blind eye to it, but I lay almost all of the blame at the feet of the government. Especially after 9/11, this government should have been doing more to keep an eye on our ports of entry, and they did not. They pooh-poohed the idea that a terrorist could sneak into this nation. Hugh has brought up Beslan lately, and think it is right to do that. Make sure it serves as a reminder that we do not need this sort of a situation occurring because of a porous border.
I honestly do not understand how the GOP is going to pull back from the brink of going over the cliff, though. On one side, you have a House bill that will have a fence erected, and crack down on the law breakers. (Granted, I feel that their plan would better served with an idea like Thomas has presented, regarding the location and registration of every illegal in America. We must know where these people are, and keep track of them.) The Senate bill, the one co-authored by McCain and Kennedy, cannot be allowed to pass. That is the one driving the bus completely over the cliff.
This sort of infighting cannot be allowed to continue. The Miers nomination showed plenty of interneccine squabbling within the GOP. And whereas her nomination was not enough to kill the party, this debate very well could, and if it does the GOP can kiss their majorities goodbye in 2006 and the White House in 2008. Now I will grant our readers that this sort of decision within the GOP should come from common sense, not what is politically-strategic; our security shold be the first thought in our minds, and that security is not defensive as the war goes on, but economically as well because the illegals are a drain on the state economies--especially the southwestern states.
Arizona spends $150 million annually to give health care to illegals. The University Medical Center in Tucson has even sent bill collectors into Mexico seeking payment for bills left unattended to. Illegals are ten percent of our current prison population. 25% of illegals that come here live below the poverty line. And $187 million is spent anually in Arizona to educate (K-12) illegal aliens. The pro side would like to remind everybody that illegals put into the system, as well. Their tax money goes tot he coffers just as easily as ours do. That might be true for goods and services, it does not equal out in the end. They are far behind repaying their debt to society.
No, we are not racist. We are not xenophobic. However, we are Americans who are sick of the lip service from the government regarding an issue of not only national and economic security, but also one that deals with those people breaking our laws. And doing so with full knowledge of what they are doing. This did not just start yesterday. It has been ongoing. Thomas pointed to the fact that Reagan did grant amnesty during his time as president. That, I agree, was a mistake. It is also a mistake that cannot and should not be repeated.
It is time to get tough on this issue, and remind the world, especially Mexico and Canada, that we mean what we say. We have sovereign borders. And while we have no problem with someone coming here to visit or to work legally, we really do not want any further incursions into our nation from illegals. Now, Vincente Fox and the pro-illegal, extremist groups can deny our sovereignty all they like. They can march in the streets and demand that the "occupied" territories be given back. But, history is not on their side. This land is ours, fair and square. If you don not like that, you are free to head back home. But we are not caving into the extremists who claim they will fight to reclaim certain areas of our country. You can try, and you will lose.
The Bunny ;)
posted by Syd And Vaughn | 11:56 PM
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