Thread: Border Policies Hurt the Poorest

Health, growth: U.S.-Mexico boundary
Study: Policies hurt poorest along border

Diana Washington Valdez
El Paso Times
Thursday, March 9, 2006

A high rate of hepatitis, a young population and a high rate of homeownership are among the findings released Wednesday in an unprecedented study of U.S. border counties.

"It is apparent that the poorest families in the country are absorbing a disproportionate share of the costs of federal policies, or the lack of policies," said El Paso County Judge Dolores Briones, who was in Washington, D.C., with other county leaders to unveil the study. "The border is the work force of the future, yet the study shows that we are underemployed, unemployed, undereducated and lack access to health care.

"The study presents challenges and opportunities," Briones added. "We are at a crossroads, and our nation's leadership needs to decide whether to invest in the border now, or chase the problems after the fact, which will cost more."

The U.S.-Mexico Border Counties Coalition commissioned the University of Texas at El Paso Institute for Policy and Economic Development to conduct the two-year study. The study covered many areas, including health, environment, crime, the economy and housing.

Study findings will be used to raise awareness about the border's problems, and to seek money and policies to solve them.

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If the region were a 51st state, it would rank first in federal crimes, second in tuberculosis, third in deaths due to hepatitis and near the bottom in education, per capita income and access to health care, the study found. As a state, the region would rank 51st in the number of health-care professionals.

The most common type of hepatitis on the border is hepatitis A, said Dr. Armando Meza, an infectious diseases specialist at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.

"We see it on the border, and it is usually caused by contaminated water. Hepatitis by itself means inflammation of the liver. It is important to isolate what kind of hepatitis the study is talking about to determine if it is the kind that can lead to complications that people may die from." Meza said.

In the past, a lack of sewerage and potable water was blamed for high rates of hepatitis in children in El Paso colonias.

Health-care professionals are familiar with the high incidences of diabetes and deaths from diabetes complications. "This mirrors the high-risk Hispanic population," Meza said.

The UTEP study also noted that the border would rank fourth in military employment, 12th in government and government enterprise employment, and 22nd in homeownership.

Because of the national focus on immigration, that issue received considerable attention in the beltway.

But Patrick Call, chairman of the Cochise County (Ariz.) Board of Supervisors, said, "There are many other significant issues that come as a result of being on the border, and frankly, tremendous opportunities."

"The Southwest is what the rest of the country is going to look like in five, 30 years: Hispanic majority, very young population, immigrant population," said Dennis Soden, director of UTEP's Institute for Policy and Economic Development.

"That places a burden on the school systems, on the health system," Soden said.

The study found that El Paso County had 186,168 foreign-born residents, and that 108,347 of the county's residents were not U.S. citizens.

Despite immigration, more people move out of the region to seek higher wages than move in.

The 24-county border region also ranked No. 50 when it comes to insurance coverage, and the poor trend is likely to continue. Earlier this week, the Texas Children's Defense Fund reported that 20,000 children in the state had been dropped from the Children's Health Insurance Program since Dec. 1.

El Paso County accounted for 1,500 of the children dropped from the program.

Because the Southwest region is arid, a limited water supply will continue to be a limiting factor for growth, the study also said.

Diana Washington Valdez may be reached at dvaldez@elpasotimes.com; 546-6140.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

http://elpasotimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar ... 90316/1001

said El Paso County Judge Dolores Briones, who was in Washington, D.C., with other county leaders to unveil the study. "The border is the work force of the future, yet the study shows that we are underemployed, unemployed, undereducated and lack access to health care.

And I'm here to tell you that Dolores Briones needs to get fired along with some of the rest of the clowns but also that the high percentage of illegal aliens in El Paso County is the biggest reason for these problems she cites.

The WORKFORCE OF THE FUTURE??????? very interesting phrase, that one.

If the region were a 51st state, it would rank [quote:10s5luxk]first in federal crimes

, second in tuberculosis, third in deaths due to hepatitis and near the bottom in education, per capita income and access to health care, the study found. As a state, the region would rank 51st in the number of health-care professionals.
[/quote:10s5luxk]


And the city officials and local news stations claim this is the second SAFEST city of it's size in the nation. Such disparity among the know-it-alls!

The study found that El Paso County had 186,168 foreign-born residents, and that 108,347 of the county's residents were not U.S. citizens

This is atrounding since El Paso, the city, which is in El Paso County has 563,662 people as of the 2000 Census! But 108 out of 186 Thousand is more than half illegal aliens!

El Paso is the county seat of El Paso County in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city had a total population of 563,662. source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Paso,_Texas

Earlier this week, the Texas Children's Defense Fund reported that 20,000 children in the state had been dropped from the Children's Health Insurance Program since Dec. 1.

El Paso County accounted for 1,500 of the children dropped from the program.

But what Ms. Valdez doesn't bother to say is that the reason these people were dropped fronm CHIP was because their parent was too damn lazy to read a letter and send in $35 bucks for a year's health insurance for their kids by Dec 31, 2005. And she also didn't bother to mention that most of them are already back on the roster because they all started whining over their own laziness and stupidity so they got another free ride.

Can YOU get a deal like that? Thirty-five bucks a year for health insurance per child? My husband pays over ELEVEN THOUSAND dollars a year for the two of us in health insurance premiums. Why is that?

Despite immigration, more people move out of the region to seek higher wages than move in.

And by the sound of things you better look out NC and VA because they are headed your way!

This is just one example of the screwed up news we get in the El Paso Times because the people who print this rag are pro-illegal to the core!

"It is apparent that the poorest families in the country are absorbing a disproportionate share of the costs of federal policies, or the lack of policies," said El Paso County Judge Dolores Briones, who was in Washington, D.C., with other county leaders to unveil the study.

She's right about one thing if she were to be speaking on behalf of legal American citizens, which she isn't.

It's the poorest and most vulnerable Americans who have ALREADY been dragged through the dirt in order for President Bush to provide cheap labor to his pals and an escape hatch for his good buddy, Vicente Fox.

"Send em on over, Good Buddy, we'll let the Americans absorb your problems. Relax, Good Friend, take your wife out and buy her 100 new pairs of shoes and stop worrying. Hey, I bought a new dirt bike, you'll have to come to the ranch and ride on it, Pal"

President Bush to the American people: "I appreciate my good friend, Vicente Fox and his strong efforts to control crime at our borders. He's a good friend of America, and we're gonna......blah, blah, blah, blah"

Well guess what JORGE. WE DON'T APPRECIATE YOU ANYMORE and if you don't wake up tomorrow and get out of the bed on the RIGHT side, instead of the WRONG side and start to TAKE CARE OF THIS COUNTRY according to your oath of office.....you're not going to have ANY CREDIBILITY ANYWHERE in the world......starting with U.S.

You're not living in the White House, you've been transferred to the DOG HOUSE. And until you're "USA President Trained" you'll STAY THERE.

Whew. How was that ?

But what Ms. Valdez doesn't bother to say is that the reason these people were dropped fronm CHIP was because their parent was too damn lazy to read a letter and send in $35 bucks for a year's health insurance for their kids by Dec 31, 2005. And she also didn't bother to mention that most of them are already back on the roster because they all started whining over their own laziness and stupidity so they got another free ride.

Can YOU get a deal like that? Thirty-five bucks a year for health insurance per child? My husband pays over ELEVEN THOUSAND dollars a year for the two of us in health insurance premiums. Why is that?

good one Ann- I hope you sent that to the editor-
once again, the real american poor are forgotten - you know the ones that are here legally

Well did it feel good to let off some steam, Legal?

once again, the real american poor are forgotten - you know the ones that are here legally

Some of the people on CHIP are legal. Some aren't. The point is that if they can't lift a finger to help themselves, I don't feel sorry for any of them and I think it was a good time to have cut the illegals from the herd entirely. But nobody bothered to do that. They just reinstated everyone who complained, by the looks of things.