Thread: Don't Get Me Started

http://www.bcstandard.com/news/2007/013 ... s/010.html


Don't Get
Me Started
By Andrew C. ‘’Andy’’ Hefty
Time To Close The Borders






I have heard enough bloviating from all sides of the debate about illegal immigration. Billionaire H. Ross Perot asked a very poignant question: "We gonna talk about it or do somethin’ about it?" When it comes to the borders, it is time for action. Politicking, pontificating, and preaching on this subject only lead to procrastination.

Each state has to deal with immigration differently. Those who have no land borders but lots of water (Florida) have no use for a fence. Landlocked border states (New Mexico, for example) don’t need Coast Guard ships -- a few riverboats, but no ships.

And when Congress recently authorized a 700-mile fence along the border between Mexico and Arizona, they played us all for fools. It was either a washed-out attempt at the possibility of remotely listening to the peasantry or a sick, cruel joke. Our border with Mexico is almost three times that length. Besides, they only authorized its construction. Care to guess how much money was allocated? [crickets chirping] Zero. So whom did they please when crafting this useless piece of alleged legislation? Illegal immigrants.

OK, stop the incessant whining about how we are a nation of immigrants and whether we "stole" the land from Indians. I will not discuss what happened hundreds of years ago. I am talking about right now. Don’t even bother sending a piece of hate mail (achefty@yahoo.com). You’d be wasting your time.

And since I can already hear the screams of readers, saying, "Well, Mr. Hefty, since you know everything, what’s your plan?" I will answer that I am so glad you asked. Here is my 47-step plan (cut back to a simple five), provided to Congress and the White House -- once again, free of charge.

1. Close the borders. No more excuses. No more speeches in vineyards and orange groves. No more spilling tears about the poor and trodden doing work Americans refuse to do. Simply close the borders. If someone wants in, they need to visit the US Embassy in their home country for a visa. If they are being persecuted, we have measures for that. Otherwise, (dare I repeat it for emphasis?) close the borders. Now!

2. Enforce existing immigration laws and pare down the redundancy. Why is it so difficult to arrest and deport an illegal immigrant? Why do we simply give them a "note home to mommy" (usually called a Notice to Appear in court) and send them on their merry way? Put them aboard a bus and ship them back to the border.

3. Repeal badly abused statutes. Presently an illegal alien can give birth in America, and she then has to stay with her newborn American citizen. Nice incentive to cross the border when pregnant. And while you’re at it, kill the "fast track" program with terrorist-sponsoring nations, such as Saudi Arabia.

4. Make it difficult for business that exploit illegal immigration. If it’s illegal to employ them, begin hitting businesses where it really hurts. Fine them. A lot.

5. Require Passports -- In And Out. If you want to visit another country, even as part of a travel group touring Canada, you should have a passport. It’s a good thing to have. However, Congress should mandate the State Department with three simple steps. Make them less expensive. Make them easy to legally obtain. Make them difficult to acquire illegally. I’ll let all those policy wonks inside the Beltway figure out how.

Don’t forget that the majority of 9/11 hijackers were either here illegally or had overstayed their visa permits.

Finally, keep the borders secure. That goes for our coasts, airports, and our border to the North, as well. If government officials were truly interested in keeping our nation safe, they would do well to protect our own shores while the military is fighting the enemy abroad.

We could only wish that we had a leader that
would enforce exactly what you have written,Andy.

Very nice editorial....super nice.

Plain and simple. I like it. Just wipes out all the political correctness that got us into this mess in the first place!!!

Perfectly stated!

Very, very good post. And simple solution..right? It could be, but as I see it now, the States individually will have to take care of this because our government is not OURs any longer..they belong to Big Business's..and Mexico. We, as citizens have lost all our rights..to the Illegals..they have more rights than we do now, and unless something is done, and soon..I see a Civil War on the horizon..