An Incomprehensible Bill
Fred Thompson - continuing to run a heck of a campaign for someone not even in the race - comes out with a full broadside against the "comprehensive" illegal immigration reform bill that the Senate announced. Which hasn't even been written yet - and may not be available for inspection until after it is voted on. Heck of a way to run a government.
I'd tell you what was in the legislation, but 24 hours after the politicians agreed the bill looked good, the Senate lawyers were still writing what may turn out to be a one thousand page document. In fact, a final version of the bill most likely will not be made available to the public until after the legislation is passed. That may come five days from now. That's like trying to digest an eight-course meal on a fifteen-minute lunch break.
We've tried the "comprehensive" route before to solve the illegal immigration problem with a bit more care and deliberation, and the results haven't been good. Back in May 1985, Congress promised us that it would come up with a comprehensive plan to solve the problem of illegal immigration and our porous borders. Eighteen months later, in November 1986, that comprehensive plan was signed into law.
Twenty-two years and millions of illegal immigrants later, that comprehensive plan hasn't done what most Americans wanted it to do — secure America's borders. Now Washington says the new "comprehensive" plan will solve the problem that the last comprehensive plan didn't.
The fact is our border and immigration systems are still badly broken. We were reminded of this when Newsweek reported that the family of three of the men, arrested last week for allegedly plotting to kill American military personnel at Fort Dix, New Jersey, entered the U.S. illegally more than 20 years ago; filed for asylum back in 1989, but fell off the government's radar screen when federal bureaucrats essentially lost track of the paperwork. Wonder how many times that's been replicated?
Thompson figured it out - and will get a lot of votes from all sides in the general election should he secure the nomination. I have said ever since I started writing about illegal immigration that if the border is secured - really secured, not lip service - then a lot of other things can be worked out. I also believe Thompson's message will resonate with a lot of voters, regardless of their party affiliation or lack thereof. An overwhelming majority of people in this country want that border secured first before anything else. Thompson is listening.
Immigration Reform | Gaius Saturday, 19 May , 2007
By Ted Goldman, Saturday, 19 May , 2007 @ 10:44 am
Questions:
Why should nearly 90% of illegal aliens be from Mexico?
Why not import eastern European, African, or Asian “illegals” so we may achieve “diversity”?
Do we not already have enough cooks, car washers, and gardeners? What about technicians, mechanics, computer engineers, and other tradesmen?
After all, fair is fair.
Ted G.