Illegal Immigration
I thought it was a joke when I read that our elected leaders had decided to "fix" the illegal immigration problem by building a 700 mile fence along a 1500 mile border. I kept reading the newspaper looking for the punch line but there wasn't one. What did catch my eye was a statement that our leaders were expecting to spend between 2 and 5 billion tax dollars to erect this fence (which means it will probably cost 6 billion or more by the time it is finished).
Could they actually be serious - a 700 mile fence along a 1500 mile border? Does anybody really think that will stop illegal immigration? I finally concluded that this was a serious article and that this really was the plan that our leaders had come up with. When I realized that this was actually their plan I just didn't know what to say. That's rare for me.
Border security has become a hot topic now days because our country is being flooded with hordes of South and Central Americans who should stay in South and Central America. The American Taxpayers don't hate these people. We just want them to stay in their own countries.
I have seen lots of Mexicans here in the Midwest and I have to say that they seem to be very hard workers and a humble sort of people. You almost feel sorry for them because you know that they just want to get ahead in life like the rest of us. The great majority of them are not purposely causing crimes and problems. Nevertheless, these people are indeed Mexicans and illegal immigrants. Illegal Mexican immigrants belong in Mexico and that's the law. The same laws apply to Central Americans and all other illegal immigrants. Illegal means illegal.
For some reason our federal government is not taking this problem as serious as the American Taxpayers want them to take it. Maybe the politically correct term in this case would be "perpetual foot draggers". Though the American Taxpayers want something done about this (yesterday), it's the same old story coming out of Washington. These elected leaders of ours know how to play the game. They are not stupid. They know that a 700 mile fence and 4 or 5 billion tax dollars spent will calm down the American people. Like everything else, we will eventually quit complaining and comply. That's how it always works.
My main plan for rectifying the problem of border security is described in detail elsewhere on this website. [See Index 1 and click on "The Big Deal".] But concerning the issue of illegal immigration I think it is important for us to remember that there are reasons why these people are coming to our country when they would rather stay in theirs. Understanding why they come here will help us figure out a solution to the problem.
I think it is clear that the reason most of these illegal immigrants risk life and limb to come to the U.S. is because they need money. They are willing to take our lowest of jobs and the low wages that go with them because they will make a lot more money than they would if they stayed in Mexico, where they had nothing. Just like you and me they want to provide for their families.
Surely there are those who want to smuggle drugs into the U.S. and there are those who come for all of the government perks (which you and I pay for) but I think that the vast majority of them need jobs. If they had money down there they sure wouldn't risk their lives to come here - where they know they will receive a dog's welcome and be looked down upon by Americans.
The permanent solution to this problem is not only a mass deportation and military bases along our southern border (see "The Big Deal" in Index 1 for an explanation) but a lot of jobs in northern Mexico for these people so that they won't need to come across the border illegally. There's no reason that we can't help them jump start the economy in northern Mexico (sort of like a version of NAFTA that actually works). We've done it for other nations on the other side of the world, why can't we do it for them?
We've provided some of the Asian countries with thousands and thousands of jobs. Why can't we move some of those low paying jobs closer, which is what NAFTA was supposed to do? Remember that these people are our neighbors. And don't forget that there are many legal immigrants from Mexico who are good citizens. We just need to do something about helping out with the financial status of the people in northern Mexico - without making the American Taxpayers pay for it.
This can only be accomplished by bringing some of the jobs that we have sent to other continents back to this hemisphere in fulfillment of the NAFTA dream. [In context, these are low paying jobs that the American Taxpayers don't want. My plans for the U.S. economy include bringing all high paying jobs that Americans want back to America. See Index 2 and click on "Jobs".] Due to the globalization nonsense that our elected leaders have forced on us over the last 40 years we have done a splendid job at providing foreign nations, especially communist China, with thousands and thousands of jobs.
Is there any reason that we can't work a little harder with the Mexican government and/or Mexican businesses so that we can divert some of the low paying jobs done in Asia to northern Mexico? Surely they won't work as cheap as the communists in China but they will work much cheaper than Americans. And do we really want to support slave labor in communist China anyway? I say China's on the other side of the world. Let them do business over there and let's work to move those jobs to Mexico, Central and South America.
Here's the best scenario for Mexico and for the U.S. in my opinion. It would be an America that is well protected from the south and that has good relations with Mexico, and a more prosperous northern Mexico where the people can live respectfully. Though wages for the Mexicans might be somewhat higher than China, goods that are produced in Mexico would be much cheaper to ship since they wouldn't have to come from the other side of the world. That would not only help equalize the cost of producing products but would also be much better for the environment. American businesses could get involved as they see fit, just like they have in other foreign nations.
There is one real world hitch in these plans though. This kind of planning would require that the illegal drug smuggling be addressed and eliminated on the border. We would have to get the okay from the Mexican government to clean house on their side of the border if they're not willing to do it. I believe they would be glad to work with us on this if they understood that we really want to help their people in the north with jobs. If they don't want our help, it would be their loss. But I still think that there are other nations in Central and South America who would love to have some of the low paying jobs that we have been sending to the other side of the world.
I believe that this "illegal immigration" issue is another one of those complex issues that the American Taxpayers deserve a say so in. The American Taxpayers want it settled.
When I become president in 2008 we will address it within the first year of my administration via the "Meet and Vote" process so that the people can decide what they think is best for our country. I'm sure that many good ideas will come up during the nationally televised "Meet and Vote" sessions. Especially from those who live down around the southern border and have first hand knowledge about the situation. Once your elected leaders hear what you want, they will come up with some options for you to vote on. As usual the American Taxpayers will go to the polls and vote on those options. And as usual, the majority will rule.
[This issue will be addressed early in my administration since the American Taxpayers want action (yesterday). However, the "Iraq war" (if it is still in progress) and the "War on Terror" need to be dealt with first. See Index 2 for my plans concerning these problems.] Please note that it is important to read "The Big Deal" in Index 1 to better understand how I will deal with this problem since border security and illegal immigration are interrelated problems.
| INDEX 1 - AGENDA | INDEX 2 - ISSUES |
