Mar 7, 2007

Illegal immigration -- a triple threat
JOHN G. NASH


Three great challenges face these United States: 1. A sick and weakening economy; 2. Fanatical Islamic aggression; 3. An unchecked flood of illegal immigrants. Of those, the most worrisome is the torrent of illegals pouring across our essentially unprotected border with Mexico, because it significantly exacerbates the other two challenges.

Driven by motives varying from an understandable desire to better themselves through work that pays relatively well, to a simple desire to escape criminal prosecution and harsh punishment meted out by a corrupt government, uncounted and unknown thousands cross our unrestricted southern border every day. Our own government?which, in this matter, at least, seems to be, if not driven solely by political expediency, then certainly incompetent?does nothing to attempt to stem the poisonous flow. In fact, many politicians propose idiotic legislation, such as granting the illegals amnesty, a quick path to citizenship, along with a cornucopia of other rewards for having repeatedly violated the laws of this nation. In many places around this U.S. of A., illegals are already given drivers licenses, credit cards, are allowed to attend our public schools (even sometimes given preference to enter universities), and are allowed to vote. The latest shocker is an unbelievable proposal to now provide them with Social Security cards.

Those that can't, or won't, see the damage being done by the hordes of illegals already in this nation, are prone to argue that "They are good for our economy, because they do work that no one else will do." That limp-wristed excuse simply won't stand up to rational analysis. Undeniable fact is: In a free, capitalistic economy (which ours has largely been), when there is a demand for a product or service, it will get done. If we need field labor to pick celery, for example, and if few apply for the jobs at the offered wages, then, in order to get the job done, we offer more money. Of course the price of celery rises as wages paid to grow it are increased, but that's the way our economic system is supposed to work. If we don't want to pay that much for celery, demand for the product will drop, and prices will re-adjust accordingly. In addition, if welfare/unemployment handouts are less generous than they are today, many more legal residents will take those relatively low paying jobs. If persons must work in order to eat (and if crime is made an unacceptable option), they'll take any job they can get.

The hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens now filling most of those "undesirable" jobs, cost us unknown billions of dollars each year, which further weakens our fragile economy. No one has any idea how low is the percentage of what the illegals earn here, that stays here. It is obvious, from the rapid proliferation of money wire services in places where illegals tend to congregate, that sending dollars out of the U.S. is big business. Because money earned here is not reinvested in our economy, it suffers. Further, those illegals pay little or nothing in the form of taxes, yet place a disproportionate load on tax-supported services such as medical, law enforcement, schools, courts, our Border Patrol, and more. Hospitals close emergency rooms because they are clogged with illegals that pay nothing for services received. Schools are swamped with illegals, which require special help, and further dilute the quality of education provided to legal residents. Our vehicle insurance rates go up because a significant number of accidents are now caused by unlicensed illegals operating uninsured and often unregistered motor vehicles.

Not only do illegals undermine our shaky economy, but they are acting in a manner that will, if unchecked, lead to their having created a powerful voting block, which will ultimately result in a further tilt towards a socialistic United States. Yes, as impossible as it may seem, illegals voted by unknown tens or hundreds of thousands in our last national election; they may even have been responsible for close contests being tilted to the Democratic candidate, and therefore for the rise of a Congress controlled by socialistic Democrats. That unlawful voting was encouraged and facilitated by widely circulated information about how to vote without proof of citizenship. Is there any doubt about whom was behind that campaign to attract another large group of voters that are in favor of policies espoused by the Democratic candidates. Illegal immigration has already benefited substantially from the Democrats' refusal to take action to stop the criminal influx, and to get rid of those already here illegally. Stand by for the "surprising" appearance of an influential block of legal voters, which was created by the illegals. Semi-literate, Socialist/Communist "Latinos" already have political control in parts of states such as California; will Florida be next?

It seems abundantly clear that the illegals are, in one respect at least, a cancer eating away at our faltering national economy and political system. Now let's consider how they also adversely affect our security. Of course, it's generally recognized that because it is so easy to cross illegally into the U.S. from Mexico, potential Islamic terrorists can enter at will; there may be thousands of them here already, along with their imported weapons of mass destruction, ready and waiting for the order to "Go!". However fewer of us give much thought to the other part of "security": ordinary crime in our cities and on our home town streets. Some reports-especially from communities with heavy concentrations of illegals-warn that most of the reported crime is now committed by illegals. If you think that's either an exaggeration, or simply something restricted to Los Angeles County, in far off California, you might want to look much closer to home. Right here in Florida, a teenager was recently kidnapped, apparently for ransom, by a "Mexican national and former farmworker" (understand that to be politically-correct speak for "illegal immigrant"). Authorities are reported to have said that "(The known suspect has) left Florida, and perhaps the country." Kidnapping for ransom is a popular occupation in many of the nations south of our border, including Mexico. Kidnapping for profit is now a widespread occupation in most nations south of our leaky border: I recently was witness to such in Guatemala. How many more kidnappings for profit, or other major crimes will be committed by illegals, whom flee easily to safety in Mexico? When supporting such as a proposal to ban guns, or the death penalty, liberals love to use the argument that "If it saves just one life, it's worth it." If by getting rid of hundreds of thousands of illegals we can save many lives, is that not worth doing?

Speaking about fleeing to Mexico, I was recently in El Paso, Texas, when I made an unplanned detour into Mexico. I had become trapped on a cloverleaf leading to a bridge over that muddy polluted trickle called the Rio Grande River. Now pay attention! At no time, on my way driving across the border on that bridge, did I see a manned inspection station; no one motioned for me, nor for any of the other vehicles streaming across, to stop for any reason; we all entered Mexico without a second look from either U.S. or Mexican authorities. Would it be easy for our recent kidnapper to have escaped to Mexico? Is the Pope Catholic.

Incidentally, on the way back north, at that same checkpoint, there was still no apparent border control on the Mexican side of the bridge. As I approached the row of seemingly unmanned booths on the U.S. side, I this time spotted one uniform; that on a man scratching his posterior while gazing off into the distance. As I slowed to a stop next to him, there was no indication of interest in me, so I gradually began to pull away. The officer leaped into action, pounding on the roof of my sedan, and screaming unintelligibly at me. I stopped, and rolled down a window next to him. He advised me that "This is an American border control station; you can't just drive through it." Then, he asked, "Are you a U.S. citizen?"; when I responded that I was, he waved me on, without checking any documentation, nor any part of my vehicle. Sleep tight: your borders are well protected, for which you may thank our President.

Yes, illegal immigration has, for several years, been seriously undermining our economy; weakening social services such as schools, medical care, and law enforcement; and been a boon to terrorists planning for our destruction. Now, it seems that we can add the possibility of a bloom in imported crime, such as kidnapping for profit. As long as we sit idly by, allowing our ineffective-even dangerous--politicians to do nothing to stop illegals from crossing the border, nor to round up and get rid of those already here, we will suffer the inevitable consequences. Both parties, Republicans and Democrats, are equally guilty in this matter, so whichever one is your choice, let your representatives know that you want immediate and effective action taken correct this deplorable and destructive situation, which should be of far greater concern than are Iraq, Iran, North Korea, or Al Gore.



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