Saturday, May 19, 2007

Immigration

Like millions of other folks around the country, I have been following all the hullaballu about illegal immigration, and what to do about it. The recent bill before the Senate only serves to prove that our elected officials have no clue. Here's how I see it...

America is our home. Now, people can be in your home as residents, visitors, workers doing a job or, in some cases, as burglars or trespassers. All people in your home should be accorded the treatment normally bestowed upon any person in that class. Residents (legals) may come and go as they please, as long as they follow the rules of the house (the laws). Visitors may be invited, and stay only until they either choose to leave, or are asked to leave. While in your home, he must follow the house rules (adhere to the laws, if they fly a flag, it should be the Stars & Stripes, and they should attempt to speak the language) Workers should be allowed to do their job, then leave. And trespassers (univited guests) should be sent packing, or even arrested.

Therefore, as I see it, the answer to the immigration situation is no different from how you would treat a person coming into your home. Each should be treated according to their purpose for being in your home. If an illegal immigrant breaks the law, or does not contribute to the community and nation, they should either be deported or arrested and jailed. If they come here to work, they should leave when the job is done - and their presence does not entitle them to raiding the fridge or watching the television (no entitlements).

We already have laws on the books that allow us to control the immigration situation, so the proclivity of congress to pass MORE laws seems rather inane - if they won't use the laws they already have, why pass more that will also be ignored?

We have a great and wonderful nation. If we want it to prosper and remain strong, we need to be wiser in how we run it, and smarter in who we put in Congress and the Presidency. Right now, I look, and I am not impressed with the choices of either party. We need to get past looking down party lines and seek out people who have intellect, wisdom and strength of conviction, and elect those people regardless of party affiliation. John Kennedy, Theodore Roosevelt and Ronnie Reagan were such people. I am looking for others in our current time, and to date, have only found one that I feel good about. And maybe, just maybe, Newt will run. Meanwhile, I will look for others.

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