We have a severe problem in our country with immigration. It is a festering open wound tearing our nation apart. It hangs like a dark pall over our country. Our Republican leaders acknowledge it is a major problem, but ignore the problem. They have consistently used their votes in congress to block any proposed Democratic solutions.
In our history with immigration, America can never be accused of doing the right thing for immigrants arriving in our country through Ellis Island. We observed quotas, to be sure. But that is where the responsibility of government stopped. We changed people's names. split families, even sent families back to their native soil. All done in the name of our immigration policies and convenience.
Once immigrants were passed through Ellis Island, our government forgot about our descendant's, our great grand-parents, our mothers and fathers. They were on their own, a hardy class settling in ethnic friendly ghettos to make their way and earn a living. The Irish, Germans, Italians, Greeks, Poles, Dutch, Chinese and Russians kept their religions, language and cultures in ethnic societies. Our nation is enriched by it. Most were treated with prejudice as second class people even preyed upon by the established American citizens defending society from who they considered immigrant riff-raff.
They endured difficult time, making their way in this rough country, yet they persevered. Most of us know their stories passed down from generations. They came to this country for a better life, for freedom and work. Few were welcome, except by their ethnic groups. They took menial jobs, worked hard, lived hand to mouth, were frugal and saved for the future. They opened businesses, retails shops, and farms. Most raised their children, educated their families and survived. Over generations they assimilated into our society as good citizens. Our government let them alone and they generally prospered.
Today, in many major cities, they represent a centralized cultural destination point, as Chinatown in San Francisco
So now, we are in a so called immigration crisis. based on Republican politico's intolerance and fear mongering they call a crisis of undocumented immigrants, focusing particularly on the undocumented migrant workers, whom they demonize by calling them "illegal aliens." We have all heard these slurs before, vicious names gutturally coined for a specific ethnic group.
We know who they are specifically talking about when they refer to the term "illegal aliens." It is the Mexicans and South American immigrants who have taken risks and illegally crossed the border for precious jobs, working for money to raise their families, and the freedom to work those jobs. They have the same idea as our descendants. Many have been working paying taxes for generations. Like our forefathers they have absorbed the pattern of survival, doing menial work, picking our vegetables and fruit, cutting our lawns, cleaning our hotel rooms, serving our meals. The have endured, raised and educated their families, gone into business and served our nation in war.
Today, it is the Republican politicos who simply do not want these immigrants here because they are undocumented, and have broken our law by coming here. It is a ploy, a political expedient mantra to emotionally work us to a frenzy of anger, prey on our psyche and gain your vote. They spread fear of undocumented immigrants and their families taking over our country with fears of impacting our health care, education and low labor costs. Now, their rhetoric is broken borders and national security beating the tired angry drum.
Republican politicos estimate we have at least twelve million undocumented immigrants in our country. Some research indicates it is higher. Six an a half million are undocumented workers. According to the New York Times, they contributed seven billion dollars into the Social Security system last year, receiving no benefits. This tax contribution represents about 10 percent of the current Social Security surplus. And, the Social security Administration estimated that three quarters of undocumented immigrants pay Social Security tax. For the taxes they pay, we can buy a lot of health care and education with seven billion dollars.
Consider these immigrants numbers as a whole country or state of people our Republican politicians cavalierly dismiss as 'unwanted," preach loudly about rounding them up and sending them home, or forcing them and their families to return to their native country by intimidating businesses to take the work from them. If the work is withdrawn, several industries like agriculture and hospitality may suffer economic instability. And, what happens if the native countries denies this influx of twelve million access to the country, simply refusing to let them in. That is another can of worms ill considered. Does the term "refugee camps" ring a bell?
The truth is, we have an estimated twelve million or more undocumented people living in this country that are politically unwanted. While the Republican politicos like to rant and rage how they broke the law crossing our borders, the reality is, they are here, and they simply do not know what to do with them, or any idea they can agree to solving the problem. Their rhetoric is a cover-up for their inaction to resolve the problem. Every day, the situation becomes thornier. The Republicans are not part of the solution. They are the problem. Their feverish rhetoric has attempted to whip American citizens into an angry lather against the undocumented immigrants, stressing they broke the law and should be punished for doing it. Many have bought this insipid rhetoric. However the politicos offer no sensible, tolerable, workable solutions, just angry rhetoric, rhetoric, rhetoric!
John McCain on "Meet the Press" 1.27.2008 says we have two million immigrants incarcerated in our prison system. This sounds like a highly inflated number, but let's use it. They are Senator McCain's numbers. Senator McCain agrees they should b e sent back to their native country, and they should!
Why haven't they done it? Why over the past seven years have the Republicans in power put the financial burden of warehousing these prisoners on the American people and our states? What is the cost of housing two million prisoners at $25,000 each per year? We can buy some decent education and health care for those funds!
Why haven't they been returned to their native country and relieve our prison system of this financial burden? There are laws on the books to accommodate this action. Many are incarcerated in private prisons...which are businesses and low paying local jobs.
The freedom spoiled Republican politicos do not seem to realize freedom is such a precious way of life people will do just about anything to gain it, and will fight to keep it. They will live in fear and hiding for years to keep it. Ask the people about freedom who risked their lives to get past the Berlin Wall how precious freedom is.
Now, we are clamoring for a wall, it's not a fence, but a high wall, electronic devices, increased border personnel and aircraft to survey our broken borders with Mexico. Why has this not been done over the past seven years? The technology has been there...the Republican will has not!
When will the Republicans get an infusion memory and humanity in their conservative blood?
Most of them have forefathers that paid a high price for their freedom to run at the mouth about the laws and degrade the status of other people. In their spectacle of the adulation of business and wealth, have they forgotten where they came from and how the way was paid for them?
The Republican charge we have to secure the border first. OK, that is sound, but can't they do multi-tasking , do more than one thing at a time. Why has the border not been secured in the past seven years of the current all Republican administration if it was so critical? It could have been don, but the time was squandered by congressional inaction. Why?
Americans talk about how they like to do the right thing. When you settle back and relax over a drink in your home, ask yourself: "Why are we afraid to do the right thing? Where are our arms reaching out to embrace these culturally rich people in the American tradition of our forefathers?"
