Month: April 2019

The Immigration Crisis Is Tearing The US Apart

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The immigration crisis on our southern border has grown even worse with the resignation of Kristjen Nielsen. The controversy is out of control because President Trump is continually at war with fellow Republicans and Democrats alike.

We all know that Trump prefers sycophants who do his bidding, often times in violation of laws, precedents and tradition. The problem is that the president looks at interlopers from the south as invaders, not refugees looking for a better life.

The situation the US now faces is a crisis and a humanitarian disaster. Understandably most blame Trump for the current impasse and contention. But the “blame” also belongs to the presidents, lawmakers and politicians that balked at installing effective immigration policies during the past 20 years.

The current number of illegals in the country is probably about 15 million or just under 5% of the US population. Why has the US turned a blind eye to this situation? Why have the country and border states allowed millions to just walk into the US?

As crazy as it sounds Democrats must be thinking that new, poor immigrants who become citizens will ultimately give liberals an edge politically. Keep in mind that Texas has historically been a red state, and the influx of new Democratic voters could change the political calculus.

Similarly, the liberal stronghold in California would be strengthened by an influx of poor voters. Of course this process would be evolutionary as it takes several years to gain citizenship. Keep in mind that the birth rate of the interlopers is high compared to the US, and all newborns in America are citizens.

The existing situation has caused great consternation in border-states and throughout the country. Millions of poor people have dispersed to places away form the border such as Los Angeles, New York City and Chicago. The stress that these people put on educational and medical institutions has dramatically impacted state and federal resources.

There is no other sensible response to the existing number of interlopers than providing a pathway to citizenship. We could not summarily round up millions of illegals, separate them from their children who are citizens and send them back to their countries of origin.

That brings us to the current problem. The inflow into the US is down from astronomical levels, but it is still large. Thousands of families are approaching our border looking for asylum and support. The response by Trump and Congress has been nothing but confusing and lacking in empathy. Why? Because the policies to deal with immigration have not been settled.

It is perfectly acceptable for the US to take care of the illegals that are already in the country, and do everything possible to end any further illegal immigration. This is the right policy.

Unfortunately the leadership of conservatives is in the hands of a man who fights all opposition with a slap in the face. And the opposition has responded inexplicably by attacking those agencies that protect our borders by establishing sanctuary cities, demanding the dismantling of ICE and resisting all efforts to stop the flow of illegals into the country. The actions by liberals are stunning in so many ways.

The road to good immigration policies will be difficult and controversial. This problem is not unique to the US. Other developed countries around the world are trying to deal with the same issues. Nativism and nationalism is growing globally as citizens rear up and object to illegal and legal immigration for a plethora of reasons. The issue is tearing people apart.

It’s time for maturity, wisdom, empathy, courage and strength. The US cannot adopt all people who approach our borders. Those vying for political power should be prepared to answer very tough questions about how they will deal with illegal immigration.

Democrats Will Not Win In 2020

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Democrats are playing into the hands of Donald Trump. He’s likely to be reelected because the opposition is making so many bad political decisions starting with their selection of candidates.

Most everybody in the country wants the Mueller investigation to end. Liberals were hoping that the president would be implicated in a conspiracy with Putin. It didn’t happen.

A massive collusion was something Democrats were depending upon. They wanted to ride it all the way to impeachment and/or the election. But the truth has been revealed. Trump and his band of dingbats are clumsy, indiscreet and naïve. And, they are totally incapable of orchestrating a massive effort to influence an election.

Would everyone please keep in mind that Trump is not a spy like James Bond. He’s a real estate guy. The president has been incapable of putting together a cohesive and effective administration. How could he possibly mastermind a scheme to take over the US government? It’s all fake news. And now it’s been exposed.

Most people thought Mueller and his ultra-liberal crew were honest hard-working idealists who live to put bad guys in prison. Not true.

They are serial leakers. All they want to do is bring down the president even if the evidence doesn’t justify it. Even now they are sending notes to liberal politicians that AG Barr misrepresented Mueller’s findings. If so, why hasn’t Mueller spoken up? The answer is that there was no collusion.

So what do Democrats want to do? Generally they hope to destroy the president at any cost. Specifically they want to keep alive the conspiratorial fake news gravy train. But it’s not going to help them garner an advantage over Trump, or result in impeachment.

Mueller’s done. He couldn’t find enough evidence to prove what he really wanted to prove. The American public is going to beat congressional Democrats to a pulp in 2020, if they move forward and redo the Mueller witch-hunt.

Democrats are allowing the newest, most inexperienced and most radical elements of their party to set the agenda for the presidential campaign. And the party platform is being loaded up with socialistic and progressive pie-in-the-sky nonsense that voters won’t ultimately support. Why is this not obvious to the bumblers vying for liberal votes?

It’s not necessary to go crazy left to make gains against Trump. Even large portions of the liberal base won’t support contenders that propose the country adopt Marxist principles. America is a capitalistic society in which exceptionalism is valued and rewarded.

Other than idealistic college students who are influenced by left-wing professors, and the most radical elements in our society, no one wants their homes, schools, salary, cars and bank accounts to be the same as their neighbor. People want a chance to be great. They want to innovate, invent, be creative, work harder than others, make more money and have a more comfortable life.

Socialism is a non-starter in this country. Republicans are going to continually point out the pitfalls of socialism including the fact that every meaningful socialistic experiment in the world has failed.

Democrats keep resorting to initiatives that have already failed. Health care aka Obamacare is a bust. Premiums are higher, deductibles are greater and service is declining. Obama’s dream and legacy has become a nightmare for many Americans.

What do Democrats now propose? Universal health care. The Obamacare mandate already has many Americans addled. Why is the government trying to make them buy health insurance if they don’t want it? The answer, Obama’s plan would have this group subsidize the unhealthiest among us.

The latest gambit is to go all in and have every American be insured with the same plan. It won’t work for two reasons. One, almost 200 million Americans are unwilling to give up their company or private health care coverage. Why? Because they want to keep the their doctors, and they don’t want to wait for services.

The other reason universal health care is a non-starter is because our country can’t afford it. Liberals, if they spent any time analyzing the facts, would know that the current health care system, in which nearly 200 million Americans pay for coverage, is already bankrupting the country.

If everyone was 100% subsidized by the federal government, all the entitlements that Americans now enjoy would end and a federal bankruptcy would be imminent.

Nothing substantive legislatively is going to happen prior to the 2020 election. Trump will attempt to do beneficial things for the country and will be stymied at every turn. Total obstruction is what we will experience.

There is one ray of hope for the country. We must all pray that Trump gets fed up being president and resigns. He’s going to win against anyone in the current group of Democratic candidates. But if he resigns, Nikki Haley can save the day. I understand Haley made a big splash at the recent AIPAC Conference.

The Pope Should Deal With His Own Issues

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During a visit to Monaco Pope Francis had some choice words for President Trump and his efforts to build a wall to put a stop to illegal immigration into the US. The pope must think a good offense is the best defense even as he attempts to quell the response to widespread sexual abuse within his Church.

Francis has become a man of platitudes, and not so much action. For instance, “[he] warned on Sunday that those who close borders ‘will become prisoners of the walls they build.’” In 2016 the pontiff suggested, “Mr. Trump ‘was not Christian’ for his belief in building walls, rather than bridges . . .”

It’s outrageous that the pope suggested that Trump’s legitimate actions to protect the US are un-Christian while his entire priesthood is under indictment for sexual predatory acts against children, nuns and priests. And his hierarchy has systematically worked to shield abuses, and those that cover them up for the “good of the Church.”

According to the UN Refugee Agency there are 68.5 million displaced people in the world including 25.4 million refugees. These numbers don’t account for those who are attacked for their religious beliefs and ethnic backgrounds. There are countless places throughout the world that put people in danger. Unfortunately there are not enough destinations available to provide sanctuary for these people.

Illegal immigration has skyrocketed in recent years. Estimates indicate that the US has experienced a wave of illegals that is at least 15 million people or about 5% of the total population of the country. These interlopers are looking for asylum and/or a better life, and seemingly, will do anything to escape dangerous and unpleasant living conditions in their homeland.

The problem is not less in other places throughout the world. Europe, another prime destination for displaced individuals, has encountered serious immigration issues. Even if governments are willing to accept a certain number of refugees, indigenous people are often times unwilling to accept the impact of increased immigration that could lead to a loss of jobs, draining of financial and social resources of the host country, the establishment of ghettos, a disruption in the political balance and an increase in violent activity.

The US is by no means the only country that is struggling with the humanitarian and political implications of illegal immigration. But, do wealthier nations have a moral obligation to assist those seeking sanctuary and a more conducive living environment?

Of course there is an obligation, but it’s not open ended. In the US the government has turned a blind eye to wave after wave of illegals that have overwhelmed our country. They are needy, hungry, must be sheltered and require medical assistance, all of which they can’t pay for. The result is that taxpayers must pony up money to subsidize illegals.

This use of resources has put a great strain on many border communities and beyond. Our cities barely have the financial wherewithal to repair infrastructure and to take care of our homeless. Now a new group needs support. It’s a daunting problem that requires great patience, foresight, determination and courage to say no at some point.

Illegals should not be allowed to jeopardize the tranquility of US citizens. And, the US has needs that are not being met because more and more tax money is being diverted to interlopers.

This growing problem in the US and around the world is not something that will go away. And to have pontiffs flinging insults, even while they are under duress, does not make the situation easier to deal with.

The pope often speaks about income and wealth inequality while it hoards billions, and perhaps trillions of dollars, of real estate and art treasures. The church should tend to its own problems and let the rest of the world deal with their issues.