Thread: Why the rush to tackle illegal immigration?

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Peter Somssich: Why the rush to tackle illegal immigration?
By PETER SOMSSICH
Your Turn, NH
47 minutes ago

THE DIVISIVE issue of illegal immigration must be thoroughly discussed before bills are passed or walls erected. November is only a deadline that politicians, particularly Republicans, are pushing for. More time is needed for a fair and lasting solution.

Liberals and progressives should not be suckered into this debate. Otherwise, we could find ourselves on the side of employers who exploit cheap labor instead of paying a living wage and depress wages for everyone, helping big Republican donors and supporting groups that stand to profit if U.S. taxpayers pick up the costs of illegal immigrants (schools, hospitals, welfare, law enforcement, prisons and repatriation costs).

President Bush's administration has failed miserably at securing our borders, not only against illegal immigration but also against drug-trafficking, smuggling, criminal gangs and possible terrorists. Because of the administration's total lack of leadership and creative ideas, Arizona, New Mexico and local law enforcement have taken unilateral actions to enforce existing immigration laws without support from the feds.

Since my family came to the United States as immigrants, I know the issues first-hand. However, we came here legally, wishing to become American citizens, and never demanded the right to break laws or be given special rights. Also, as a 35-year veteran with Amnesty International, I am confident in saying that no country in the world considers illegal immigration to be acceptable, nor is there an international right for a citizen of one country to enter another without permission.

When a plumber is called to fix a leaky pipe, the water is first turned off before a cleanup can begin. If the United States does not get control of the flow of immigrants into our country, no laws or programs will help. So let us not be rushed into a bad solution while more urgent problems wait (withdrawal from Iraq, healthcare for Americans, corruption in Congress and government, and Big Brother Republicanism invading our privacy).

An honest immigration debate should address the following issues: 1) Illegal immigrants break both U.S. and Mexican laws by entering the United States illegally; 2) The corrupt Mexican government believes President Bush and the United States is responsible for improving the lives of its citizens, but why should Mexico not pay these costs; 3) A temporary worker program will result in permanent immigration (see President Reagan's failed program); 4) Employer sanctions are a joke; however, if those employing illegals had to reimburse the local and state treasuries for the full cost of illegal workers, including repatriation costs, things could change quickly; 5) Immigrants' rights groups should spend more time criticizing countries that ignore their citizens' hopes instead of lobbying for illegal immigrants; 6) Legal immigrants and those applying for entry should be insulted by some of the demands of illegal immigrants.

Americans have shown themselves in the past to be a compassionate people and are always willing to help if asked. However, when illegal immigrants demand such help we have the right to say no. All politicians should remember that illegal immigrants cannot vote, while the rest of us do. The Democratic Party, in particular, should not allow mainstream Americans to lose their standard of living just so big business and big donors get their way. We should be both fair and compassionate, but not suckers.

Peter Somssich is chairman of the Portsmouth Democratic Party.

O.K---a point well made.

Now let's call all of the House of Representatives that support the Sensenbrenner bill, and encourage them to dig in their heels to DEFY the Senate, and the President!

That still leaves the question of the irrelevant Democrats and Republicans that we elect every two to four years. WITHOUT A DOUBT, the two party system (is) and has, BANKRUPTED this nation!

So the citizens must find the will to create a third party! This is to give the political (teeter-totter) two party system stability and common sense. Instead of an ever increasing momentum on the teeter-totter of Republican and Democrat children trying to jettison each other off of THEIR toy, we create the first element of political stability---A PLATFORM---and thus stability, and a firm foundation (like the three legged table of greek philosophy and geometry).

From this platform, we Citizens, the rightful authority figures (parents), need to pull both rotten ill-behaving Democrat and Republican (children) off the teeter-totter, and dismiss the playground supervisor (the President) post haste through a two-thirds majority of state legislative sponsored initiatives of IMPEACHMENT!

Now there is more food for thought........................................... ...