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Mar 27, 2006

Political Sidebar
I just had an epiphany about the current immigration/illegal alien hoop-la going on in congress.
I saw this picture, and bam! It was clear what has been bothering me about this issue lately.
Yes, the U.S.A. is made by immigrants, but they are of the LEGAL sort. I have no earthly problem with immigrants. They are what created this country. That sign is right. But they came here legally. They were processed legally. (Yes, I realize the early settlers do not apply, but I am going to take a leap to somewhere in the 19th century on this one...to when they were immigrants and not settlers...) They came en mass to Ellis Island. They came in disgusting conditions and spent their life savings to get here. They wanted to be CITIZENS. They wanted to be American. Not just live here.

I, probably more than many, understand why people stream across the border in search of what America holds. We have many employees who have done just that. They simply want a better life for their children. They are good people, they are good citizens. Keeping those people out is not what I, nor many politicians want. What they want is to control the flow. To know who is here. If you are born in this country, there is a record of you. Every single one of us. If you immigrate legally, there is a record of your presence. But if you sneak across the border, you are anonymous, you are faceless. If you commit a crime, be it robbery or terrorism, the ability to hold you accountable is nearly impossible if there is no record that you ever existed.

Yes, perhaps Bush's temporary worker program sounds like amnesty, but for once, I actually agree with him. Because there are 12 million illegal aliens in this country who we cannot account for, we also will never be able to find them all to deport them which is the current legal option (nor could we afford to). At least as temporary workers, they will be in the system. Accountable to this country for their actions and taxes.

Let's talk about those taxes for a minute...For simple math's sake, let's say each of the 12 million illegal aliens were to owe just $2,000 in taxes a year (I know many of those people are children but hear me out). The illegal alien population would account for $24 BILLION dollars in tax revenue. That money would go a long way toward helping fund things like arts and social programs, or on the other side of the aisle, homeland security or the war on terrorism.

Yes, building a fence sounds tacky, and yes immigrants built this country, but what is wrong with wanting to have a controlled, legal method to this madness?

To all of my Republican friends who still don't believe I am independent, I AGREE WITH GEORGE W. BUSH ON THIS ONE.
posted by Ty @ 3/27/2006 | 1 comments