Posted by
jarhead on Saturday, June 30, 2007 5:04:24 PM
I just listened to Mike McConnell on immigration and his argument was that now we can expect even weaker legislation and we would have been smart to accept what he perceived as the best we could hope for. My letter to him follows:
Mike McConnell,
I'm in California and rarely get to hear and when I do I like much of what I hear-but not all. Here are a couple of things I think you are missing on the immigration debate:
1. It went down because of an overwhelming response from an irate public. While our elected elite ARE arrogant and isolated they do fear for their futures and an outraged public that follows through, meaning some of the supporters of this bill lose office like Lott and Graham, then there will be some attention paid to what the public wants. Just giving up and saying it's the best we can expect to do got Graham booed off the stage in his native state. If our founding fathers had been so weak of will there would be no United States to worry about.
2. A lot of us think there should be some attempt at enforcement before we talk about all these new programs like 'touch back', 'employer verification' and 'Z Visa tracking'. Its against the law today and has been for 21 years since the last amnesty to employ illegals -so why is it still happening? Why are we finding members of every plot from 9/11 to the Kennedy terrorist plot are here on expired visas? If the current system for such tracking can't handle the limited number of visas now in place, especially those from countries of 'interest' just how in the hell will it take on 12 million more? Touch back?? Really? And what current system will efficiently and effectively monitor that?
These things can't work because our current systems of enforcement have not been utilized and have either atrophied or never been developed because of lack of use. A demonstrated will to enforce will get all this moving in the right direction.
3. 700 miles of fence authorized and maybe, depending on how you measure and what you measure-80 miles done. So maybe in 10 YEARS we might be done?
Here's what I think:
1. Start enforcing existing laws. Raid suspected employers of illegals. BUT give everyone 6 months to figure out how to deal with their current batch of illegals. I believe that if we have 12 million folks working here, assuming they are working, and we have record low unemployment we need some of these folks. If you gotta have 'em and properly paid with proper benefits there are no takers for their jobs, then they get a work visa. You have to advertise the job, evaluate applicants fairly and hire U.S. citizens where qualified. No fines or recriminations if you do it right starting now. After 6 months-go to jail.
2. Build the fence-NOW. We repaired a span of a bridge in San Francisco recently in days using private contractors and incentives for early completion. If we really WANT the fence we can get it built DAMN fast.
3. Put Black Hawks and Hummers on the border and when the bad guys want a shoot out give 'em one. Don't count bullets and don't expect a 90 page dissertation on every encounter. Expect armed drug runners to attack and take them down! Hell the Mexican side of the border will benefit too because once the border is shut there is no reason for the gangs to be fighting for territory on that side. And there is NO excuse for ANY armed miltiary of a foriegn country to be on our side. They either immediately surrender, turn tail and run like hell or get taken down.
4. The protection of our borders is a Federal issue. If a community in California wants to declare itself a 'sanctuary' cut all federal grants and funds, remove all federal agencies from the area and prosecute those upholding such sanctuary to the full extent of the law.
None of this is impractical. If enough senators and representatives get on board this could be done and needs to be done. If enough of the public back it the congressional support will materialize. It's folk like you who can help get that done. You have a bully pulpit. Just try to think about this in a different way. If our founding fathers had been so weak of will as to accept any compromise as better than demanding what's right there would be no United States to worry about. Isn't it time we lived up to what they did to found this great nation instead of frittering it away piece meal by a willingness to believe that we can't do any better. Jimmy Carter would be proud-George Washington would throw you across the Potamac.