the Centrist

With the same impeccable logic that the Clinton Administration used when they gifted nuclear power plants to North Korea, the Bush Administration and our Congress are gifting our country to any who wish to enter … no matter their motives. Rather than export the American dream as NAFTA promised, the federal government insists on importing illegal foreign nationals. So ironically we find American soldiers protecting borders all over the world while we allow any who wish to cross ours. Although law enforcement agencies busy themselves fighting gangs from Central America who are rumored to be cooperating with Al Qaeda, the taxpayers busy themselves providing social programs for non-Americans who entered this nation illegally.
It isn’t hard to find why this is being allowed … the why is political capital. Since there are at least 11 million illegal aliens in this nation, the party who can enamor them will captivate both the Congress and the Presidency.
Taxpayers have spent $5.8 billion over the past three years to incarcerate 49,000 criminal illegal aliens inhabiting our Federal Prisons. We must add to that number an additional 74,000 inmates via the state prison systems at an additional $1.6 billion. Still the felonious monetary drain doesn’t end there as another 147,000 illegals reside in 698 local jurisdictions at an unknown cost. Moreover, that doesn’t begin to take into account the sufferings perpetuated on American victims by the above mentioned criminals. According to “Worldnetdaily” most of those incarcerated were from Mexico. They also listed New York State as one of the four ‘leaders’ on each list. The Center for Immigration Studies, using the Census Bureau’s data from 2002 and subtracting the oft mentioned taxes paid by illegal aliens from the value of services they enjoy, calculated illegal aliens are costing the tax payers an additional $10 billion a year … not including either the cost of aforementioned crimes or incarceration. But they underestimated the determination of Congress. They should have added an additional $1 billion for health care. In a nation where many of its citizens find themselves either uninsured or under insured, Congress is now providing ‘free’ health care to illegals. Even so, the rational is not totally illogical. The authorities fear aliens may be carrying serious infectious diseases. Should they shun health care services these diseases could spread. Rather than get tough on the borders on May 12th Senators Kennedy and McCain sponsored a bipartisan bill to grant clemency to all illegal aliens presently in America … without sealing the borders … talk about opening the flood gates. This in the face of more rational and reasonable solutions. One bandied about on Fox News was simply to modernize the Social Security cardboard card. Giving it a magnetic band and picture I.D. which would make it difficult to counterfeit. Then demand each employer require their workers have this card for employment. Add to that a very stiff fine for employers purposely hiring illegals along with a mandatory 5 year prison term for repeat offenders (employers) as well as deportation of the illegal and the flood gates would be closed. One should add to this remedy very strict protection of our borders. This can be accomplished with either the National Guard or volunteer groups such as the “Minute men” . Yet, thus far, the plan which makes the most sense is the simplest one … close the borders and find the illegals. Rather than granting clemency once found, if they are a drain on society … send them back to their country of origin; if they are contributing to society grant them temporary status and allow them the opportunity for citizenship after yet another 10 years and a full naturalization program (this is a close parallel to one of the better aspects of the McCain-Kennedy Bill). Any children born to them during this time would be citizens of their country of origin … not America … due to the illegal methods they used to enter this nation (I have yet to see this clause in any bill). As far as those needing medical attention … give it to them. America is far to compassionate to allow suffering and the threat of infectious diseases is to great a consequence to be ignored. But, why should we pay for it? They are not our responsibility … rather they are their country of origin’s liability. So send that country a bill, for both medical and social services rendered. Should they choose not to honor their debt … since these nations also receive American foreign aid or favored trade status … simply deduct the amount they owe us from their aid package? Rather, the politicians on both sides of the aisle continue to endanger American Citizens by ignoring the problem proving they covet power more than duty.