One Reporter's Opinion – The Disconnect on Immigratio

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/article ... 3622.shtml

Good read! -- explores the disconnect between the elite and the hard-working American and is favorable to the MinuteMen Project.

One Reporter's Opinion – The Disconnect on Immigration
George Putnam
Friday, Feb. 4, 2005

It is this reporter's opinion that we are suffering in our beloved America from a real DISCONNECT. There are the screwball Libertarians, the limousine-driving Left, the editorial board of the Wall Street Journal and the Bush administration – all wacky on the topic of legal and illegal immigration. They don't seem to be able to understand the difference between reality and delusion.

Our situation is obviated in the case of Wisconsin's Congressman James Sensenbrenner. He is furious over a USA Today story that quoted outgoing Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge as saying that a part of the Intelligence Reform Bill doubling the size of the Border Patrol was 'FOOL'S GOLD' that would not be included in the president's budget.

Nice to say that we're going to have 10,000 more Border Patrol agents in five years but, Mr. Ridge asks, what other part of Homeland Security do you want to take money from? Originally they'd promised an additional 2,000 Border Patrolmen, but they didn't come up with the money to pay for it, so we ended up with only 200. No wonder the Border Patrol morale is at its lowest ebb!

It seems to this reporter that the president has his priorities upside down. He obsessively reverts back, whenever he speaks, to his pet "workers program," which, as most of us know, is sheer open-door policy and a crisis in Social Security.

Let's get it straight. Americans are concerned with: 1) an exploding federal debt of $7.4 trillion, 2) a threatening health-care crisis, and 3) the overwhelming burden of illegal immigration.

All well and good to be spreading liberty and freedom throughout the world. All well and good to engage in a crusade to stomp out tyranny. All well and good to attempt to superimpose our brand of democracy on tribal governments throughout the world. But what about 'We the People' here at home?

As one who has railed against the illegal invasion for over 35 years, how refreshing it is, at long last, to welcome Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity and other radio hosts to the fray. I always say, better late than never! Because of the media and the Internet, awareness is growing tremendously, which is very encouraging.

But the disconnect between the elite and hard-working America remains.

So now there are those who are taking matters into their own hands. For example, fed up with the illegal invasion and eager to send a message to our federal lawmakers, hundreds of volunteers from all across the nation plan to spend the month of April patrolling the Arizona-Mexico border, helping our Border Patrol to apprehend the illegals pouring into the U.S.

President Bush, this is a direct challenge to you, Karl Rove and the others who have continued to ignore the problem. If our elected officials, senators and congressmen and women, continue to do nothing about this growing problem, an organization known as the MINUTEMAN PROJECT will.

This group is headed by James Gilchrist, a retired accountant who says he and his group want to bring national awareness to the illegal alien crisis. It's a last-ditch effort to roll up our sleeves and do it ourselves, as they say.

During April, illegals pouring across the borders in California, Arizona and New Mexico are going to be met by a "welcoming party." A rally is planned for April 1, when organizers expect several thousand people to park their cars along the border, forming a gauntlet to repel the illegals.

This nonviolent group of patriotic Americans have adopted a no-contact policy. Unarmed, they will use only their eyes and ears to work within the law to spot and find illegals and report them to the Border Patrol.

Over the years people have stayed in the corner, afraid to speak out because of "political correctness." They have been muzzled in their efforts to do what our duly elected officials refuse to do. But now these bold American citizens are determined to halt the illegal invasion.

Not only do our brave men and women in the military deserve praise for their brilliant efforts, but also the countless everyday American citizens who are determined to preserve the sovereignty of America. And their numbers are growing. No longer is it just the people along the borders who are getting involved; people from every state in the nation are taking up arms and trying to thwart the inevitable disaster from this invasion.

Just to name a few of those mentioned regularly in One Reporter's Opinion: Glen Spencer, Chris Simcox, Frosty Wooldridge, James Gilchrist, Michael Spencer, Congressman Tom Tancredo, Congressman Sensenbrenner, Alan Wall, and a host of others are joining us in the media.

Newly aware and speaking out on the issue: Rush Limbaugh, who has apparently seen the light, Doug McIntyre, and 'John and Ken' of Los Angeles, who all but drove Rep. David Dreier out of office, (and who has undergone a swift political course correction on immigration).

But the disconnect remains. The elitists of big business and manufacturing – the One World Group at the top, buying its way with ill-gotten gains from cheap labor – all the way to the bottom, the peasants crawling across the border looking for a better life, doing as the president repeats ad nauseam, "THE JOBS AMERICANS WILL NOT DO."

And supporting it all is the shrinking middle class, trying desperately to cope with sinking wages and an outsourced economy and manufacturing base.

Mr. President, you have four years to save the sovereignty of America, reduce a $7.4 trillion debt, give us a guaranteed health-care program, and halt the flow of illegal aliens, who will otherwise destroy our nation. Why not use your alleged mandate to bring the people back together and reconnect America.

America is suffering from a disconnect; it's time to reconnect.