Thursday, May 01, 2008
Immigration and Oil
Immigration
This http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008May01/0,4670,ImmigrationProtests,00.html links to the foxnews story about the immigrants rights activists rallies. According to the story, a man identified as a legal immigrant from Mexico, carried a sign showing immigration agents handcuffing a man with a little girl crying, "Where's my family?" -- Emotional and inflammatory but hardly a meaningful statement for immigration reform. Parents go to prison for crime all the time. Their children suffer to some degree for the crimes of the parents. The illegal immigration issue is no different -- if they don't want their children to suffer the consequences, they shouldn't do the crime. Illegal immigration is a crime. The fact is, illegal immigrants are willing to take the risk for what they hope to gain. One thing that may make it worth the risk is the possibility of "immigration reform" or what is in fact "amnesty" or "shamnesty." Unfortunately, whenever the immigration issue arises, there is much hand wringing and complaints that we can't do anything about it, but maybe if we grant amnesty to all those that are already here (so we wouldn't have to worry about that whole problem) then, and only then, could we do something about our borders. But we have already been down that road (or rather, led down that primrose path). Congress gave Reagan a bill that included an amnesty provision. He signed it. Border security did not improve in any meaningful way but former illegal aliens achieved an unearned legal status.
This amnesty first idea makes about as much sense trying to take care of a flooding tub by refusing to turn off the water and instead arguing about whether the new flood level should first be declared a legitimate part of the home -- meanwhile the whole house suffers from the continuing water damage.
My idea of reform is to shut off the flow and then worry about how to drain the water we've already got. I have no doubt that we have the resources and ability to significantly improve our border security. I do doubt that we have the political will to do so. I won't rehearse Glenn Beck's arguments from his Inconvenient Book but I think it does suggest that there are influential people and organizations who have interests that are contrary to the border security of the United States of America.
Oil
I see that as oil prices go up, the money available for reconstruction in Iraq also increases. Canada and Mexico also benefit from the higher prices. We see an ever increasing flow of American dollars to these countries. Unfortunately, our enemies, the crazy leaders of Iran and Venezuela also benefit from the rising oil prices.
This http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008May01/0,4670,ImmigrationProtests,00.html links to the foxnews story about the immigrants rights activists rallies. According to the story, a man identified as a legal immigrant from Mexico, carried a sign showing immigration agents handcuffing a man with a little girl crying, "Where's my family?" -- Emotional and inflammatory but hardly a meaningful statement for immigration reform. Parents go to prison for crime all the time. Their children suffer to some degree for the crimes of the parents. The illegal immigration issue is no different -- if they don't want their children to suffer the consequences, they shouldn't do the crime. Illegal immigration is a crime. The fact is, illegal immigrants are willing to take the risk for what they hope to gain. One thing that may make it worth the risk is the possibility of "immigration reform" or what is in fact "amnesty" or "shamnesty." Unfortunately, whenever the immigration issue arises, there is much hand wringing and complaints that we can't do anything about it, but maybe if we grant amnesty to all those that are already here (so we wouldn't have to worry about that whole problem) then, and only then, could we do something about our borders. But we have already been down that road (or rather, led down that primrose path). Congress gave Reagan a bill that included an amnesty provision. He signed it. Border security did not improve in any meaningful way but former illegal aliens achieved an unearned legal status.
This amnesty first idea makes about as much sense trying to take care of a flooding tub by refusing to turn off the water and instead arguing about whether the new flood level should first be declared a legitimate part of the home -- meanwhile the whole house suffers from the continuing water damage.
My idea of reform is to shut off the flow and then worry about how to drain the water we've already got. I have no doubt that we have the resources and ability to significantly improve our border security. I do doubt that we have the political will to do so. I won't rehearse Glenn Beck's arguments from his Inconvenient Book but I think it does suggest that there are influential people and organizations who have interests that are contrary to the border security of the United States of America.
Oil
I see that as oil prices go up, the money available for reconstruction in Iraq also increases. Canada and Mexico also benefit from the higher prices. We see an ever increasing flow of American dollars to these countries. Unfortunately, our enemies, the crazy leaders of Iran and Venezuela also benefit from the rising oil prices.
// posted by Zerin Hood @ 12:00 PM 
