A Commentary by J. D. Longstreet
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I don't know, but I have this queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach that is screaming at me that we voters are having the wool pulled over our eyes by the US House of Representatives concerning the Immigration Reform bill, known otherwise by its more truthful moniker -- the Amnesty for Illegal Aliens bill.In the past few days I have become convinced the House is going to pass that monstrous bill no matter the opposition against it by the electorate.
I am ashamed of the GOP. It is not the political party I was proudly a member of for a solid fifty years -- until last November, to be exact. After the awful handling of the republican campaign for president I had had it up to the gills with the lack of testosterone within the hierarchy of the party. Before that election was over I had become convinced that the GOP was actually trying to lose the election -- keep the numbers reasonably close, but lose, nonetheless.
Look. The blue bloods and the country club set who are, for the most part, liberal republicans and/or moderate republicans, seem far more interested in maintaining their prestigious positions in the Congress than in acting in the best interests of the voters and the country as a whole.
It is despicable! Nevertheless, to an outsider looking in, that is exactly what it looks like, just more underhanded, duplicitous, back room deal making.
Early last month (July 2013) the chance for passage of the immigration bill in the US House seemed to be slim and nine. Rep. Doug Lamborn of Colorado was quoted in the press as saying: "there's almost unanimous agreement among the Republicans that the Senate bill is fatally flawed."
The bill most certainly IS flawed, in many ways, chief among them is not securing the southern border -- FIRST -- before anything else, and that so-called pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens who are already criminals for having broken US law when they jumped the border fence and entered the country illegally. It's the same as breaking and entering into your abode -- into your home.
The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Buck McKeon of California has been quoted in the press as saying: "There was pretty strong consensus that the border has to be secured before anything else." Well, DUH!!!
Early last month (July 2013) Speaker of the House, John Boehner, issued the following statement:
"Today House Republicans affirmed that rather than take up the flawed legislation rushed through the Senate, House committees will continue their work on a step-by-step, common-sense approach to fixing what has long been a broken system. The American people want our border secured, our laws enforced, and the problems in our immigration system fixed to strengthen our economy. But they don't trust a Democratic-controlled Washington, and they're alarmed by the president's ongoing insistence on enacting a single, massive, Obamacare-like bill rather than pursuing a step-by-step, common-sense approach to actually fix the problem. The president has also demonstrated he is willing to unilaterally delay or ignore significant portions of laws he himself has signed, raising concerns among Americans that this administration cannot be trusted to deliver on its promises to secure the border and enforce laws as part of a single, massive bill like the one passed by the Senate."
You know what's frightening about Boehner's statement above? He uses the words "common sense" not once -- but TWICE! Any time our national legislators begin referring to "common sense" it scares the heck out of me. The depth of their lack of that quality is immeasurable.
Look. It is no secret that our immigration policy is out of whack. It has been for too long now. But we don't need a "Grand Plan" to fix it. What we need is a moratorium on immigration for an undetermined length of time until we can devise a cool-headed approach to fix what ails the current policy. Much of the "fix" I suspect would be simply enforcing the law we already have on the books.
The first thing we must do is secure the borders of the United States. Heck, we have US troops securing borders of foreign countries today and yet, our own border is as porous as a cullender. Plus, it MUST be understood that amnesty/pathway to citizenship is off the table ... period. If you're in the country illegally and we find you, we WILL arrest you and deport you. Believe me when I tell you that in the southern states there is absolutely no sense of compromise on amnesty/pathway to citizenship.
Consider the words of Representative Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.): "I cannot sell in South Carolina a border security plan where the security comes after the legalization. I can't sell a border security plan where Janet Napolitano gets to tell us the border is secure. I can't tell sell a border security plan when the executive can turn on and off triggers for politically expedient reasons, nor would I try to sell any of those plans." SOURCE: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2013/06/30/rep_gowdy_the_senate_bill_is_not_going_to_pass_in_the_house.html
It is a sad commentary on America when I cannot believe that my government will do what it says it will. Even with all the assurances coming from the House of Representatives that the Immigration Reform Bill will not pass in the House, I believe that it will.
Yeah, I know. I have a real problem with suspending my disbelief. You won't be surprised to learn that I don't believe in the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny, either.
© J. D. Longstreet
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"When you tell them all this, they will not listen to you; when you call to them, they will not answer.
"Therefore say to them, 'This is the nation that has not obeyed the LORD its God or responded to correction. Truth has perished; it has vanished from their lips'." – Jeremiah 7: 27-28
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