Posted on 10/14/2003 3:23:16 PM PDT by HiJinx
This is today's editorial from the Sierra Vista Herald.
For education and discussion:
The federal fiscal year has just ended. With it comes the final tally of what illegal immigration is doing to our great county.
Unbelievable as it may be, Cochise County was the site for nearly one fifth of all illegal immigration apprehensions in the nation.
Two thousand miles of unprotected border with Mexico, and little old Cochise County leads the way in this regrettable statistic.
We wish we could trust the government to tell the truth in regards to this amazing indicator. Our cynicism however, won't let us.
How is it that the great illegal immigration funnel just happens to be in the Tucson Sector of Arizona? It couldn't be political, could it? After all, the funnel could just as easily be in California with its 54 presidential electoral votes or Texas with its 32 electoral votes. Right?
Unfortunately, for the mostly politically powerless in Southern Arizona, where half the residents north of Tucson can't even locate the county on a map, the fight is being fought in a political vacuum. Despite efforts by Rep. Jim Kolbe, R-Ariz., the powers in Washington, D.C., will never worry about this funnel since it is happening to a county where just 118,000 Americans call home.
Heck, that doesn't even qualify as a suburb in such great cities as San Diego and Houston. If the funnel somehow found its way to those cities or some other major American port, you can believe the national politics of illegal immigration would soon move to the forefront.
While we appreciate the efforts of the U.S. Border Patrol, it's never going to be enough. The reasons are simple, too few Americans to make a difference in any politician's future, too little reason to upset national governments, and too much money being made by U.S. private businesses.
As the new fiscal year begins, those living along the border with Mexico in our fair county are faced with living in a continuing nightmare.
For them, every day, it's a real reminder of how power in America makes a difference.
Unfortunately for them and the rest of us, we predict no shift in the political fortunes surrounding this terrible situation in the coming fiscal year. The best that can be hoped for is that our national Arizona representatives can continue to sneak in appropriations in various bills which will address some of the larger, social impacts this situation is causing.
For the private citizen, for the trashed desert environment, and for the rest, the only sobering advice we can offer is to hope it doesn't get any worse.
Copyright © 2003Sierra Vista Herald.
HJ, I'm not sure that's a relevant statistic.
I'll admit y'all have a severe problem in Arizona, but the rest of the border has problems equally severe.
I just don't think that much effort is expended in apprehension of illegals along the Texas border.
One thing is for sure, we're all hurting, and it ain't over by a long shot!
Well, at first blush I'd say that was probably one of the dumbest ideas I've heard in a day or two.
I can see all kinds of boogers waiting to bite us in the ass with Mexico as a state.
I don't think 3 billion or even 3 hundred billion would touch what it would cost to raise Mexico's standard of living up to ours.
But I'd be willing to evaluate some more data.
We have compassion for the countless families struggling to get somewhere to make a decent living for their families.
If I were them, I'd be doing the same thing.
What Congress looks at is the cheap labor and easy votes available from the illegals.
Compassion doesn't enter into the picture.
As long as the people effected and Congress look at this problem from two different perspectives, there is no solution.
Those exact words are posted by different posters from time to time. Is it some kind of cult thing? The response I always give is...don't do anything that will enable the Democrats to control any part of the government. If you help the Liberals, then you are part of the problem.
This is deja vu all over again.
Here is a suggestion to give you peace of mind:
• If he/she has an "R" after his/her name, vote for him/her.
• Yes, in politics, winning is everything.
• Republicans running against Democrats have earned your vote.
• When both candidates are evil, always vote for the lesser evil.
• Common sense trumps principles, morals, and conscience because even the bad guys have principles, morals, and conscience — but they don't resemble yours in any way, shape or form
When it comes to immigration both parties are the same. It would be nice if there was at least a little difference between the two when it comes to bringing in the world.
Most people in the country, myself included aren't in favor of such a policy but no one except for a few in Washington is listening.
How about we just conquer them and not admit them as states for at least a generation or two? I'm not eager to give the Dems access to almost 200 million new voters right away.
That's why it will take both parties to fix the problem, IMO.
Oh man!
That's crazy talk.
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