Image via WikipediaObama Treating Latino's Like Used Kleenex
By now, most have seen or heard President Barack Obama's decidedly un-Presidential, and embarrassing speech on border security. The Bamster is in full campaign mode, playing to the far-left, pro-illegal immigration crowd as he ramps up the rhetoric, and his base, for the lead-up to November 2012.
Doing his best Saul Alinsky, he said:
"We have gone above and beyond what was requested by the very Republicans who said they supported broader reform as long as we got serious about enforcement. But even though we've answered these concerns, I gotta say I suspect there are still going to be some who are trying to move the goal posts on us one more time. Maybe they'll need a moat. Maybe they'll want alligators in the moat."
Mr. Reach-Across-The-Aisle has now taken to mocking those who want serious attention payed to the flood of illegal bodies pouring over the border.
For those of you who want to see this issue as anti-Mexican, or anti-Hispanic, you couldn't be more wrong. Barack Obama is the one attempting to play Hispanics like a Stradivarius in his quest to win reelection. He won-over 67% of the Hispanic vote in 2008 due, in part, to his tough talk on tightening the border and providing a pathway to citizenship for an estimated 12-15 million persons in the U.S. illegally. Though he claimed that his plan was tough, it essentially consisted of a slap on the wrist, with paltry fines, lack of background checks, and effectively moved those who had broken immigration laws to the "front of the line".
His claim that the border is more secure than it's ever been, and that border security fence is "nearing completion" is an outright lie. According to the Government Accountability Office, the Border Patrol control only about 40% of the border and only 15% of that right on the border with Mexico. That is, only 15% has a secure fence!
Obama and the Democrats love to play the role of being concerned for all of the "hard-working", "disadvantaged", "undocumented" workers coming into the country to make a better life for themselves. It's all very touching and sensitive. Though for some this description is accurate, for many others it is an open corridor for drug trafficking, kidnapping, and other illegal activities. It is also an open door for jihadists using Mexico as a weak point to enter the U.S. undetected.
How is the lefts' stance on illegal immigration immoral? It is a route for human trafficking, whose victims end up in forced prostitution and working in sweat shop in places like the garment districts of L.A. and New York.
Thousands have died crossing some of the most extreme desert areas in the U.S. Southwest, most from dehydration, and heat related causes. Nearly 500 died in 2005 alone, and this is just the known deaths. Estimates of actual deaths are much higher.
Illegal immigration also depresses the wages of legal immigrant farmworkers in the U.S. Cesar Chavez, the late leader of the United Farm Workers union knew this, and was a staunch opponent of illegal immigration. Yet the proponents of open borders and "amnesty" continue their pimping of votes for the Democrat Party.
Taxpayers are not spared, in regards to illegal immigration, either. The Federation for American Immigration Reform reports that illegal immigration costs $113 billion annually, with border states picking up the lions share of the tab, with the single largest cost nationally being to educate the children of illegal aliens - a whopping $52 billion a year.
Make no mistake, the GOP has at best, been anemic in their response to what is a very real problem. With a timid leadership that is afraid of alienating Hispanic, they have allowed the Democrats to control the tone of the debate. I, for one, don't know what the hell that they are afraid of. Coming up with Democrat-lite solutions in this debate garnered John McCain 33% of the Hispanic vote in 2008. A strong conservative candidate needs to frame the debate in a bold way which will counter the totally immoral position that the Democrats have on this issue. The Democrat position promotes lower wages of farm laborers by enabling those who wish to enter illegally a nearly unimpeded route through large swaths of the southern border. They oppose enforcement of existing laws to identify and deport those who are discovered, as well as enabling the hiring of illegal immigrants with inadequate penalties to those employers who do hire them. The GOP would also do well to articulate a modern day "Bracero" program for laborers to enter the country and work legally, with all the basic workers rights and protections afforded citizens, including fair wages.
Barack Obama ran in 2008 with promises to the Hispanic community to "fix" the immigration problem. He is now out repeating the same script to shore up his 2008 Hispanic base. However, Hispanics need to ask him what he did in his first 2 years in office. He had the Presidency and effective super-majorities in both houses of Congress - and did nothing.
From 2008 to 2010 the GOP had virtually no power to stop a Democrat juggernaut, yet a major promise to one of his major constituencies was completely ignored - until now. Election season. One: the latino community should be able to see right through this. They are being used as a means to an end. Like his sudden conversion of wanting to drill for oil after having demonized all things petroleum for two and a half years, all of a sudden he is putting immigration on the front burner again. Two: this issue is one that the GOP should be able to own, both on a humanitarian and on a national security standpoint.
The key, in my mind, is not to turn this into an "Hispanic" issue, but an American issue. It's the Democrats who like to divide everyone into little special interest sub-groups, pitting one against the other, and throwing a scrap to one here and another one there. The GOP should take both of the issues head-on and shove them right down Obama's political throat. Frame the debate as it should be framed - as an American one. Point out how the current status quo and the Democrat "solutions" continue to keep the Hispanic community in a place of subservience to a Democrat Party that trots "their" issues out only at election time to use them as props, milk them for votes, and then promptly puts them back into the closet for the next election cycle, as they do with all of their special interest groups. In addition, our national security is put at risk with gangs, drug cartels, and groups like Hezbollah spilling over the border. The Democrats are beholden to two things - power and the unions. The latter because they are what gives them the power. All others are simply political pawns.
For Republicans to own this issue, being Democrat-lite is a recipe for failure. McCain proved that. Bold differences, with articulate, common sense explanations on why securing the border first is paramount and then actually doing it, will go a long way toward showing fortitude. This would include equipping Border Patrol with the type of equipment and weapons to gain the upper hand with drug smugglers, gangs, and paramilitary units crossing the border. Hold U.S. employers accountable for hiring illegals. Increase penalties if they are also abusing illegals physically, mentally or paying substandard wages. Then articualte and put forth a plan for some type of "Bracero" program for those seeking seasonal work. Other details on immigration can be worked out in a slow, reasonable, and responsible manner that benefits both the U.S. as well as those who are currently risking, literally, their lives to find work.
The Republicans are staring a win in the face if they have the backbone to actually get in the game.
From 2008 to 2010 the GOP had virtually no power to stop a Democrat juggernaut, yet a major promise to one of his major constituencies was completely ignored - until now. Election season. One: the latino community should be able to see right through this. They are being used as a means to an end. Like his sudden conversion of wanting to drill for oil after having demonized all things petroleum for two and a half years, all of a sudden he is putting immigration on the front burner again. Two: this issue is one that the GOP should be able to own, both on a humanitarian and on a national security standpoint.
The key, in my mind, is not to turn this into an "Hispanic" issue, but an American issue. It's the Democrats who like to divide everyone into little special interest sub-groups, pitting one against the other, and throwing a scrap to one here and another one there. The GOP should take both of the issues head-on and shove them right down Obama's political throat. Frame the debate as it should be framed - as an American one. Point out how the current status quo and the Democrat "solutions" continue to keep the Hispanic community in a place of subservience to a Democrat Party that trots "their" issues out only at election time to use them as props, milk them for votes, and then promptly puts them back into the closet for the next election cycle, as they do with all of their special interest groups. In addition, our national security is put at risk with gangs, drug cartels, and groups like Hezbollah spilling over the border. The Democrats are beholden to two things - power and the unions. The latter because they are what gives them the power. All others are simply political pawns.
For Republicans to own this issue, being Democrat-lite is a recipe for failure. McCain proved that. Bold differences, with articulate, common sense explanations on why securing the border first is paramount and then actually doing it, will go a long way toward showing fortitude. This would include equipping Border Patrol with the type of equipment and weapons to gain the upper hand with drug smugglers, gangs, and paramilitary units crossing the border. Hold U.S. employers accountable for hiring illegals. Increase penalties if they are also abusing illegals physically, mentally or paying substandard wages. Then articualte and put forth a plan for some type of "Bracero" program for those seeking seasonal work. Other details on immigration can be worked out in a slow, reasonable, and responsible manner that benefits both the U.S. as well as those who are currently risking, literally, their lives to find work.
The Republicans are staring a win in the face if they have the backbone to actually get in the game.
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