IT'S ALL ABOUT THAT LINE

I have come to the conclusion that many of today's key issues are "all about that line". There are many lines to discuss during this time. Today I am going to discuss that "line" that is invisible but is also the center of much debate and concern to most Americans. That "line" is the one that defines the borders of the United States of America. The Government of this nation or any nation has the basic right and indeed the obligation to its citizens to establish and protect and defend the line that is the border. Over the years leaders of the American government (through the will of the people) have established many laws with respect to entry into the United States. This post is not to necessarily defend the content or merits of our current laws but rather to discuss the fact of the law. What does having a law mean? Once a law is established it then becomes the responsibility of all people to follow that law and the equal responsibility of all those charged with enforcing those laws (including all government leaders) to be vigilant in guarding and protecting each and every law. If a law is deemed to be impractical or out dated or just wrong then the Legislative branch of our government is empowered to create changes or new laws. Can a nation ultimately survive if only some of the laws are followed? Who is allowed to decide when crossing the legal line and allowing violations of our laws is acceptable. What about the violations that are occurring from the use of illegal identity documentation by the illegal immigrants or those that provide the documents? Should those laws be ignored and violations "forgiven" as well?

Unless it has been rescinded without the publics knowledge there is a current Federal law that basically says that it is illegal for any individual to enter the United States of America without authorization. For several decades, lawmakers, Presidents, and "we the people" have essentially turned our collective heads as millions of people have been allowed to violate this federal law. The reasons for this range from simple apathy to exploitation to business greed to the creation of a political vote getting issue. I believe that the most important effect has been not the crossing of "that line" at the border but "that line" our nation has crossed by dilluting our reverance for our law.

The President of the United States and many others of his political party have joined forces with a large portion of the other major political party, the Democrats in a campaign to convince"we the people" that crossing (or blurring) this particular "line" (be it the border or the law protecting it) isn't a serious breach of our national integrity. Many, including our President have presented the rationalization that a) the invasion of illegal immigrants are just a group of individuals searching for a better life even though they violated the laws of this country from day one and continue to do so each and every day and b) that somehow the shear numbers of 11 or 12 or 20 million illegal immigrants makes the United States incapable of enforcing the law because of whatever impact it would have on commerce and because so many have"been here for a long time" and work in jobs "than Americans won't do" (which is false).

Now I would ask the readers of this posting, should enforcement of U.S. law be determined by the number of violators or by the law itself? If there were 478 or 855 or 2,612 illegal immigrants rather than the huge number there actually are, should or would the lessor number of individuals be allowed to stay because they too might simply be "willing and hard working people just looking for a better life"?

The President has proposed a "guest worker" program (not the one already in existence) that ultimately (no matter what it is called) would allow MILLIONS that have entered this country "illegally" (and therefore crossed both lines) to remain and be forgiven not only for the illegal entry but also for living and working with false and illegal indentification (further violations of U.S. Law). The President tells us that once these individuals come forward (which is itself a questionable event), pay fines (with money they don't have), pay back taxes (again with money they don't have) from a system where they "worked" either for cash or for people that didn't keep clear records of employment since the employers are also violating U.S. law, therefore making it very difficult if not impossible to compute the amount of back taxes owed, and then telling all these millions of people that "if" they choose to seek U'S. citizenship (what's the alternative?) they would be "placed at the back of the line" (there's that line again) behind all those who have legally applied for entry and residence into the United States.

A natural question to the Presdient's "back of the line" proposal might be; "Just where is this line?" Are the hundreds of thousands of people who are now waiting in the "legal" line already IN the United States or are they waiting in line in their native nations? If the President is telling us that the current illegal immigrants (11 to 20 million of them) would NOT be placed in the line AHEAD of those already waiting for legal entry how then can a program (or new law) that does in fact, allow the currently illegal immigrants to remain in the country during this "waiting in line" period possibly be justified or accepted? The President has, through his proclamation that "we can't actually remove all the illegal immigrants because it's just not practical to do so" has told these individuals that the government of the United States of America does not intend to protect and enforce the law, so not to worry. This seems a classic example of the concept of "strength in numbers". What is the real message being sent to everyone in this country and around the world? How can we expect everyone to "toe the line" with respect to our laws when the "line" is allowed to be moved because of political pandering or pressure from business interests or because "they're really nice people"? That line that is being crossed is the one that formed the basis for our entire system of government. Consider the real issue and not the smoke screen.

It is TIME TO THINK AGAIN!

There are several other "lines" to discuss and I will in future postings so stay tuned.