Oh, do we even touch on such a highly charged issue? Ah, what the heck – let’s open the gates…join the conversation if you’d like…. I welcome opposing views as long as we respect each other, that’s all I ask.
First let me tell you, I believe we as a nation no longer have the ability to think and act and vote clearly without prejudice clouding our judgement. The animosity on both sides of the fence is too great. Ah, therein lies a big rub. Why is there a proverbial fence between us as a united people? That’s my main gripe. If you only have eyes for one political affiliation, ever, on all topics, then you are part of the problem. The party system is part of the problem. Haven’t we all evolved enough at this point in our history to know there is no black/white in our universe and closed minds are dangerous. That’s what we’re becoming.. a body of divided closed -minded people, especially those employed and empowered in the political arena but hey, we each bear responsibility as voters.
Someone I know ranted that Democrats are the reason for the immigration problem we face today in our country. You see.. right there… closed mind, not factual.
Below are just bits and pieces of the past quarter century history of
attempts at immigration reform – fraught with political vote-getting
agendas, inconsistencies and lack of follow-throughs, and an inability
to come to agreeable terms between business and labor interests.
” President Reagan, in 1986, signed the Immigration Reform and Control
Act, which legalized close to
3 million undocumented immigrants. The laws was supposed to be a
comprehensive solution with provisions intended to clamp down on border
security.
These provisions were never enforced, and the subsequent explosion in
illegal crossings has resulted in some 11 million illegal aliens living
in the United States today. An estimated 1.8 million illegal immigrants
are currently residing in
Texas, compared with 1.1 million in 2000. In ten years, that represents
an increase of 54 percent, or 70,000 persons each year coming to our
state illegally.”
More –
1996: Under President Clinton, most reform was aimed at reducing immigration amid rising anti-immigrant sentiment in the country. But the backlash against strict reform led many of the harshest measures to be rolled back, meaning that ultimately little changed.
Partisan and intraparty disputes over how far to go caused multiple delays. Attempts at a national identification card went nowhere, as did legislation — introduced by Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) — that would deprive the children of undocumented immigrants of citizenship. (Reid apologized for that legislation in 2006, calling it the “low point” of his career.)
* 2004-2007: You could say that talk radio killed President Bush’s attempts at immigration reform. He hoped to appeal to both business owners and Hispanic voters with a comprehensive overhaul, but he was stymied by his own party. Bush began pushing for a guest worker program in 2004. An early attempt by Sens. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) and Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) died a quick death, in part because of election year politics. But even the prospect of reform stirred up a backlash from conservatives, in particular Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.). Tancredo appeared on talk radio constantly warning of the dangers posed by illegal immigration.
President Obama is catching a lot of heat for his approach. While I don’t agree with everything this President has brought to the table, I’m not horrified by his actions when Congress has repeatedly failed to do what they’ve been appointed to do. Some of you will disagree, but I see a man who knows the failures of the past and wants to make the changes he was elected to do. Environment, health reform and Immigration were the big issues. He’s attempting to make strides where others are floundering. Have floundered badly.
His words – “To those members of Congress who question my authority to make our
immigration system work better, or question the wisdom of me acting
where Congress has failed, I have one answer: Pass a bill.” – Amen.
Here’s what I understand regarding what he proposes… .. in simplest terms. Tighter control at borders.. will it be imposed? We’ve heard that promise from Presidents before, yet to be seen, but necessary. For those who qualify, a temporary stay of three years will be granted as long as a background check passes and back taxes are paid. They are not being offered a path to citizenship and will not be eligible for federal benefits and health care programs.
“If you meet the
criteria, you can come out of the shadows and get right with the law. If
you’re a criminal, you’ll be deported. If you plan to enter the U.S.
illegally, your chances of getting caught and sent back just went up,”
Obama said.
The President argued
that ordering a mass amnesty would be unfair but mass deportation would
“be both impossible and contrary to our character.” Our Character.
In farm fields across America.. who do you see working in those fields?…. more often than not, immigrants. Who do we see taking care of our affluent citizens children? Who are you hiring to drive you from point A to point B in the city?.Who’s washing dishes in your favorite restaurant? Immigrants have always been a vital part of America’s economy.
I’ve heard the complaint that immigrants are taking their pay and shipping some of it back to their families in their homeland. How is that worse than Corporate America shipping it’s jobs to foreign countries for cheaper labor and tax evasion?….
How do we keep overlooking the most basic truth, that we are all immigrants unless you are of American Indian decent? Irish, English, German, Italian, Chinese, Africans…… are responsible for the construction of
the roads, railroads, bridges, businesses,etc.
First… lets kill all the hypocrisy. Easier said than done, but it’s my belief we are capable if we get our head out of our uncompromising asses and unite once again as one people, instead of this divide and conquer mentality we seem to now embrace, especially in government. It has clouded our capacity to get things accomplished in a positive way. I am not singling out one group, let that be known. Are you a Republican? Democrat? Liberal? Conservative? Tea partier! Far Right, Far Left, walk the line?…. We all have sound ideas, valid concerns, needs, hopes and expectations. That’s what we all have in common….and jeez, just seems to me, those should be the important things. The things that bring us together. The inability to work through these issues as a civilized enlightened nation is what divides us and makes us look weak. No one man in any particular office is responsible for that.
*sigh*
