http://www.claremoreprogress.com/archive/article24766

Senator echoes support for Mexico border fence
By Clarice Doyle - Date: 2006-02-23 16:35:49


Illegal immigration may be the hottest political topic on Congress’ domestic agenda, but Senator Tom Coburn believes redefining the United States trade policy with China is also a must-do priority.

“Job opportunities are going out of this country because we are not being treated fairly by the Chinese,” Coburn said Wednesday during a Chamber of Commerce lunch forum at Rogers State University’s Post Hall.

The Senator blames the loss of jobs and the “shifting of our future to China” on a system that consistently undervalues their currency and allows the Chinese to “routinely cheat,” stealing technology and ignoring patent rights.

“That’s not fair trade” and Coburn said he will join Senator Lindsey Graham to do something about it.

Legislation will be passed, and “we will be taking it to the World Trade Organization,” Coburn assured luncheon attendees. Coburn, however, does not hold much hope that the United States will even “get a fair deal” at the WTO.

“The President will veto, but we will have enough votes to override it,” Coburn said. If need be, Graham and Coburn will take the United States’ case outside the WTO, perhaps even take a trip to China.

“We must protect the best interest of this country,” Coburn said. “We can not continue to shift our future to China. Our policy doesn’t reflect the real world.”

Coburn was the second member of the Oklahoma delegation to speak in Claremore in the last two days. Congressman Dan Boren spoke Tuesday to the noon Rotary. Both are working the home districts, giving updates and answering questions, during a break from their Washington D.C. duties.

BORDER SECURITY
Back on the homefront, the Senator assured audience members that illegal immigration and shoring up the nation’s border security whether with Mexico or through the ports is a priority.

East Coast Ports: Coburn said last week, he joined two other Democrats in asking the President to take another 45 days to investigate the United Arab Emirates’ purchase of six U.S. ports on the East Coast, including: New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, New Orleans, Miami and Philadelphia.

Coburn’s Web site www.coburn.senate.gov states that ports have long been considered the most vulnerable targets for a terrorist attack and experts agree that shipping containers are the best way to smuggle a Weapon of Mass Destruction (WMD) in to the United States.
“Only 5 percent of containers entering our ports are actually inspected,” Coburn said.

“It just make sense to take time out ... to assure us there is no risk.”
President Bush told the Associated Press Wednesday he will veto any attempt to thwart the pending $6.8 billion Port sale.

Mexico border: Coburn, like Congressman Boren, signed on to border security legislation in November that calls for the construction of a fence in Arizona.

That’s just the beginning. Coburn said to expect more comprehensive legislation when they return to session — legislation that will probably call for more fences and steps to halt the flow of illegal immigrants into the United States via the Mexico border.

“We are going to have more funds and political will to control the borders,” Coburn said. He said middle income families are lagging behind economically due in part to influx of illegal labor.

But Coburn cautioned that as the flow of illegal workers slows, the economy will “see some jerks and movements.”

“If there are not enough workers, we will have to address it,” Coburn said.

“We’ve already started to speed the exit of people (illegal immigrants) other than those from Mexico.” Coburn said of the 6 percent of illegal immigrants crossing the border, 94 percent are other than Mexican.

During the forum’s question-answer session Claremore businessman Frank Robson volunteered a personal encounter along the border lending first-hand creedence to the Senator’s statements.

“We were hunting about 60 miles west of the (Mexico) border ... when out of the bush came these people,”

Robson said one of his hunting partners attempted to speak to them in Spanish, but they did not understand.

“They were Romanians. Three men, two women and one old woman” on their way to New York.

“They had no idea where they were,” Robson said.
Coburn believes incidents such as the one Robson witnessed can be stopped by securing the borders, strictly enforcing immigration laws and removing incentives to illegal immigration.

Census figures estimate there are between 8-12 million illegal immigrants living in the United States. A fact Coburn said cannot be tolerated. “Illegal immigration undermines the rule of law, displaces American workers, causes wage depression for American workers and may allow terrorists to enter the country.”

Other topics

War in Iraq: “I believe we will see a process of disengaging.”
“It is a complex issue,” Coburn said recalling that it took 13 years for the United States to establish its own democracy. “We have to give them time to decide how much freedom they want.

“There is a real possibility things will disintegrate.

“I wish we weren’t involved, but we are ... we’ve got to give them a chance.

“What we can’t do is send a signal around the world that the we don’t keep our word,” Coburn said.

Congressional spending: Coburn blames some of Congress’ out-of-control spending on the “earmark strategy” started in 1980.

“Members of Congress decide where money is spent and these earmarks are used as political currency,” Coburn said. In 1994 the amount of funds earmarked had already doubled.

“To do away with earmarks, that’s my goal,” Coburn said.
In addition to the earmarked funding system, Coburn said the lack of congressional oversight (efforts to identify fraud) is fixable.

“The tragedy is: As we waste, our kids will have to pay back.”
Coburn said he will be joining with Senator John McCain to bring “sunshine” back to the legislative body.

National Meth Bill: Coburn said a recent talk with officials at the Port of Catoosa revealed the toll meth is taking on the American workforce. In one instance, out of 400 people applying for jobs at the Port, 80 percent had positive drug screenings.

That’s why Coburn said he will be supporting a national meth bill.
Coburn said meth legislation along with “true border security” can kill the potential for further addiction of our citizens. And, addicts who find themselves in the criminal courts should be placed in environments that provide rehabilitation.

There is good potential for rehabilitation. We need a new approach. Two-thirds of them we can recapture and make contributors to our society,” Coburn said.

Social Security: “I’m not happy we didn’t fix Social Security.” Coburn believes every year the Social Security system is not fixed will cost our children $660 billion dollars.

Oil company profits: “I’m not upset with the oil company’s making a bunch of money, I will be upset if they don’t reinvest it,” Coburn said.
He predicts “gas prices are going to come down late in the spring to around $1.80 to $1.90” and that the price per barrel would drop $10 each is “speculation” is taken out of the market.

“The oil producers would like to see it. The only people who don’t want to see it are the speculators,” Coburn said.

He said legislation will be introduced that says is you are going to speculate, you have to take delivery. He referred to the Hunt Brothers run on the silver market that drove prices up through speculation. Rules were enacted that required them to take delivery of the silver and prices fell.

Indian health care: “Indian healthcare is overused by white folks.
“Real indians are being displaced by those who have a historical lineage but only a very small amount of blood quantum.”
He said the system is overtaxed and the way to fix it is to create a sliding scale for health care benefits based on the amount of blood quantum.