Sorry Rey, but I think there are a few holes in your argument. 1) We now export food - we have excess capacity for our needs. 2) We now produce enough oil to produce food for ourselves - it would be tough, but "do-able." And time favors changeover to other fuels. 3) I am already paying the rest of the cost of the hamburger in taxes. I want to know what it really costs me so I can come up with alternatives, if I find the cost too high. I also want others to pay for what they use, and I only want to pay for what I use, I don't want to subsidize them. 4) As far as free trade goes I agree with you. In the mean time the finances in our schools, hospitals and jails will improve without the presence of illegal immigrants. In net, the tradeoffs for American citizens are in favor of sending illegal immigrants home.
Sure, send them home. No problem, but the reasoning in the article is almost to the extent that I should pay the bus fare.
Alternative fuels? Sure, possibly. Cost is obviously a big issue there, but you are not going to quickly reformulate all the herbicides and pesticides which a frequently petroleum based.
My main argument is do not burden me with more checking and compliance. We fail at the border and then its my job? Sorry, I don't think so. What about people that house them? Make them all homeless and jobless and then they'll go home. Gee, maybe that would drive up the price of housing?
Yes, you pay in taxes to subsidize, but to me it is like paying for our defense (I'm really mixed on the subsidy issue. I've never collected and would like to see them go, along with the FDA, ICC, EPA, Dept of ag and a myriad of other agencies that impede my ability to market products). Could we tool up quickly and produce our own oil, maybe (I kind of doubt it, but for the sake of argument I'll say yes). I do not think you can do the same farming and ranching - too much land and skill involved.