Good fences make good neighbors
So now it’s a big issue: what to do about 12 to 30 million (depending on who’s counting) illegal immigrants doing our dirty work or fouling up our schools and emergency rooms (depending on who’s telling the story).
As with most complicated problems, it’s better divided into its parts.
Part 1. The border.
Every country in the world jealously guards its border to the extent it can, or needs to. The European Community nations don’t guard theirs much, but that’s because they’re well on the way to becoming one big quasi-nation. So, their borders are more like our State borders. Our Mexican border is a glaring exception. Here’s a border with big problems: smuggling, violent lawlessness, a corrupt kleptocracy on the other side, and a huge flow of undocumented persons across it.
Any other country in the world with a problematic border like that would go to great lengths to secure it. We need only look at the Mexico-Guatemala border, which the Mexicans enforce with savage determination.
So yes, build a fence! Good fences make good neighbors. “But a fence won’t work”. Really? Tell that to the inmates of San Quentin, or the West Bank Palestinians, or the East Germans a couple decades ago. No it’s not perfect, but 99% success is not bad. “But it’ll make us look evil — like those East German commies”. Well, we can always paint it a nice color with frescoes of smiling children holding hands, and play Mariachi music from speakers every mile or so. Maybe we could serve free refreshments on Cinco de Mayo. “It’ll cost billions of dollars”. Yes, probably a hundredth or maybe a twentieth (if we use union labor) of what the Fiasco in Iraq has cost. After it’s built, it’ll probably start to save money.
Securing a border is a fundamental act of nationhood. I know the radical libertarians (I’m in the “boring and unradical” wing of the Libertarian party myself) and over-the-top free traders would rather dispense with nationhood anyway and go right to a borderless global economy. Well, we’re not there yet. The problem with a truly global economy (in the sense of further eliminating borders and regulations) is when the @#$@ hits the fan, and a real war starts and the trade routes shut down, the countries that have to import their fuel or food are in a world of hurt.
So let’s build the wall and secure the border as the first step in comprehensive immigration reform. (BTW: when I say “wall” don’t think of the Berlin wall or the Great Wall of China — think of a dozen or so methods each appropriate to the geography of the area — the point is to prevent unauthorized crossings). Securing the border will really help assuage the concerns of those who just want to kick the bastards out (whether from racism, xenophobia, or distrust of goverment — hey, that last one is completely valid!)
Next parts to be posted later:
Part 2: A generous guest worker program with the emphasis on “guest”.
a) 4-year passes, max of 3. Limited benefits. Protection from abuse. Yes, we need millions!
b) FICA? For guests, it’s a guest tax. Least you could do for such a generous invite. No, they don’t get Social Security!
c) Permanent residency only for proven succesful, largely assimilated persons after their 12 is up. Now, they start contributing to SS!
Part 3: Path to citizenship – line forms at the rear.
a) Constitutional amendment needed: being born here shouldn’t mean squat. It’s not 1865 no mo’. Who’s your daddy?
b) All talented and successful applicants are equal: We love the Finns!
c) No, we don’t need to increase the quota much. “100 men, we’ll test today, but only 3, will make the Green Beret…….”
Ciao, Russ