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| - by user LionusUnleashed To listen to proponents of various positions on this subject today, it almosts comes across as if illegal immigration is a newly discovered 21st Century circumstance which crept upon us without warning of any kind. This would almost have to be the case, for certainly, were it an ongoing problem of any substance or import; reasonable, rational adults would have figured out a means by which to resolve the problem by now. Wouldn't they? There isn't really anything which is new however, in either Hollywood, or politics. And, in the case of illegal immigration; the matter of the border between the United States and Mexico has a radioactive half-life which dates at least back as far as the first utterance of the immortal cry, "Remember the Alamo." As in the case of virtually every situation where there are competing political interests, it is not the age, or even substantial significance of the controversy which determines whether, and how it will be addressed...if at all. The single motivating factor which will control the outcome of all potential courses of action on any given political "problem," is what number will appear on the "Political Fallout Richter Scale" in the event that either something...or nothing, is done. Ronald Reagan waited until his second term as President before forcing an Immigration Bill through the Congress which resulted in over 2.7 Million previously illegal immigrants, primarily from Mexico, being granted amnesty and becoming United States Citizens. Ronald Reagan had a keen understanding of the Mexican Immigrant. After all, he had been the Governor of California...a state which had an enormous population of "Illegals" who had mainly come across our Southern border. Imagine that...not only a "conservative," but "THE conservative." "Mr. Conservative." "The conservative's conservative." In fact, if you listen to tomorrow night's very first republican Presidential debate of the 2008 campaign, I have no doubt you will hear not less than half of the ten participants tell you how Ronald Reagan has come back from the grave, and lives, and breathes, through them. I wonder if each will then follow up that statement by telling how we need to close our Southern border and deport the now approximately 12 - 13 Million "Illegals" which we are willing to acknowledge? Perhaps Chris Matthews should then remind them about "The Great Communicator's" Amnesty Plan, and suggest perhaps that the vast majority of modern day "Illegals" are simply attempting to re-unite with family members to whom Mr. Reagan previously handed the "Keys to America." Like I said, though...Ronald Reagan, of course knew how to handle the issue of illegal immigration. After all, he was the governor of a state with a huge population of illegals. He was also particularly "pro-business." He had also risen to the presidency with the full support of big business. And, why wouldn't he be the champion of big business...following on the heels of Jimmy Carter and several years of near thirty percent rates of inflation. But, I digress. Fast forward to 2007...where we find in the White House...a President, who...in the words of the inimitable Gomer Pyle, "SUR-PRISE, SUR-PRISE, SUR-PRISE"...is a former governor, of a state which sits on our southern border...which has a substantial population of illegal immigrants, primarily from Mexico. Good thing the current President doesn't have any ties to big business. DAMN! Oh well...at least he is not in his second term. Ruh roh...I don't like the way things are shaping up here...Reagan didn't even SPEAK Spanish, and HE granted amnesty to 2.7 MILLION "Illegals." To be honest, and we always are in this Blog...Mr. Bush has been trying to get an Immigration Bill passed since before the ink was dry on the Resolution to Use Force against Saddam. In fact, I am reasonably confident in saying that one of the few, if not the ONLY issue on which George W. Bush and Ted Kennedy AGREE...is "the need for comprehensive immigration reform." How strange is it, in the case of Ted Kennedy, that a significant amount of his career-long support has come from organized labor. Yet, organized labor has, and will continue to be hit hardest by the American job loss due to the continuing flood of illegals coming into the country. How strange is it, in the case of George W. Bush...that in order to protect America, he needs a Patriot Act which will allow the FBI to track my library activity and video rentals as my phone conversations are monitored...BUT...that 1,951 mile southern border which sees over 1,000,000 potential terrorists a year just stroll on in...hey, why worry about THAT? And, oh boy...when the needle on that ol' "Political Fallout Richter Scale" starts to tremble JUST a little bit...don't a think it would be JUST ENOUGH to make both sides happy if we put about, oh, say 700 miles worth of fence up? That should keep the REAL "conservatives" happy...AND, move the next million illegal border crossers to the REAL "rural areas"...far away from any television news cameras, Minutemen, or Border Patrol Agents. I get seriously disgusted when I hear certain elements of this argument talk about a Guest Worker Program. These same people acknowledge that WE HAVE OVER 12 MILLION ILLEGALS HERE ALREADY. HOW MANY MORE JOBS ARE THERE which "Americans will not do?" Drive by ANY Home Depot or Lowe's ON ANY DAY OF THE YEAR. TRUST ME...THE ILLEGALS WHO ARE HERE DON'T WANT ANY MORE COMPETITION for those jobs...from ANYONE...American, OR other Illegal. BUT...if you are the former governor of a border state, now President, in your second term, who owes your allegiance entirely to the "pro-business" agenda which has handed you every job you ever had in your entire adult life...AND, you could care less about the next crop of Presidential Candidates, since your brother isn't one of them... Se Habla Amnistia? American is a melting pot. Our southern border is 1951 miles long. Our northern border is 8891 miles long, and is the largest common border with any country in the world. Our northern neighbor STILL has one of the most liberal immigration and political asylum policies, at least in this hemisphere. If this was REALLY a Homeland Security issue...should we not be at LEAST as concerned about prospective dirty bombers coming across the much longer and far less guarded, Canadian Border? The issue, you see...isn't one of Homeland Security, at all. The issue is, in this case...as it is in EVERY CASE...one of corporate profit. Oh, and the allegiances which that profit will then buy. Republicans LOVE to compare the current administration to the Clinton Administration...especially when something is wrong NOW...and, is all of a sudden RIGHT...because, "CLINTON DID IT, TOO!" In 1999, the Clinton Administration fined 890 Employers a total of $3,690,000, for employing undocumented workers. In 2004, the Bush Administration DID NOT FINE A SINGLE EMPLOYER, EVEN SO MUCH ONE DOLLAR, for employing undocumented workers. Good thing all of those "Illegals" from the Clinton Era went back to their own homeland, eh? What happened in 2005, you ask? Mr. Bush appointed Alberto Gonzales to the post of Attorney General, and gave him responsibility for enforcing federal statutes relating to the employment of undocumented workers. Se habla AMNISTIA?? __NOEDITSECTION__ From The Opinion Wiki, a Wikia wiki. From The Opinion Wiki, a Wikia wiki.
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