Obama Scours for Votes in Citizenship Fest
Obama Scours for Votes in Citizenship Fest
John M. Curtis
LA City Buzz Examiner
July 4th, 2012
Celebrating an Independence Day citizenship ceremony for non-citizen members of the U.S. military, President Barack Obama renewed his pledge to work for immigration reform. With an estimated 15-20 million illegal immigrants largely from South-of-the-border working in the U.S., the problems of undocumented workers continue to divide Democrats and Republicans. Obama favors amnesty with a path to citizenship, while GOP presidential candidate former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney favors deportation, strengthening the border and following current immigration laws. When the Supreme Court tossed out June 25 most of Arizona’s controversial immigration law, it signaled a victory for Constitution’s Supremacy Clause, where federal law supercedes states’ rights. Whatever criminal acts prompted Arizona’s tough immigration law, the state forgot it’s the fed’s job.
When you listen to the right wing, you’d believe that Democrats favor an open border policy, while Republicans seek to strengthen the fence. Considering the amount of Republican or Democrat-owned businesses, the truth is that both parties want the status quo allowing illegals to flood across the border without repercussions. Whatever strain opponents claim on the health care and education systems, the millions of illegals working in the States today with counterfeit Social Security Cards continue to pay whopping sums of income, Social Security and Medicare tax into the federal treasury. None of those payments are ever collected, in the way of benefits, by today’s mammoth illegal population. Both political parties have a vested interest in open borders to maintain the viability of the Social Security and Medicare systems, as well as fattening up the General Fund.
No one ever asks what happens to the millions, if not billions, of dollars collected by employers of illegal aliens’ income, Social Security and Medicare taxes paid into the federal treasury. It’s the dirty little secret the government doesn’t what you to know or figure out: That the federal government finances the Great Society on the backs of illegal aliens. “What a perfect way to celebrate America’s birthday—the world’s oldest democracy—with some of our newest citizens,” said Barack at the White House to newly minted citizens from Mexico, Ghana, Philippines, Bolivia, Guatemala, China and Russia. Obama used the occasion to appeal to Latinos who constitute the lion’s share of illegal aliens in the U.S. When former President George W. Bush tried to pass immigration reform June 28, 2007, it failed in the Republican-controlled Senate, despite strong bipartisan support.
Romney’s approach to immigration appeals to religious and social conservatives, focusing more on deportations and strengthening the border than providing a path to citizenship. Former President Bush’s approach lined up with liberal Democrats like the late Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.), who were prepared to grant amnesty to the nation’s 15-20 million illegal aliens. “You put on the uniform of a country that was not yet fully your own. In a time of war, some of you deployed into harm’s way. You displayed the values that we celebrate every Fourth of July—duty, responsibility and patriotism,” Obama told the diverse group of new citizens. U.S. service personnel are required to have legal immigration status before signing up. Illegal aliens, more than any other group, help pay the Social Security and Medicare benefits of aging U.S. citizens eligible to collect benefits.
Without any promises, Obama enjoys a wide lead over Romney when it comes to the Hispanic vote. Supporting Arizona’s now unconstitutional immigration law demonstrates the GOP’s disconnect with Latino voters. Most Hispanic voters, with the exception of Cubans, support progressive immigration reform offering illegal aliens and their families a path to citizenship. Talking about deportations and border fences only adds to the hostility perceived by Latinos over current immigration policy. While supporting immigration reform, Barack faces a real dilemma how to resolve the treasury’s big problem of issuing real Social Security cards to legal immigrants, eventually paying out costly benefits. With Social Security and Medicare facing fiscal challenges, it’s unlikely that the Congress will agree on comprehensive immigration reform in the foreseeable future.
Fourth-of-July citizenship ceremonies and picnics on the south lawn of the White House won’t fix the nation’s immigration problems. Before either political party is serious about comprehensive immigration reform, they must figure out how to fix Medicare and Social Security from their current fiscal strain. Pouring millions, if not billions, of dollars into the systems from illegal aliens help pay the costly benefits on now retiring Baby Boomers, slated to stretch both systems for the next 15 years. Illegal aliens currently offset the expenses by pouring in millions of dollars into both systems for the foreseeable future. While no illegal alien can collect Medicare of Social Security, the current system pays for their health care and education services with no questions asked at county health facilities and public education. Before immigration reform is possible, there’s more work to be done.
