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Is America broken? No. Divided? Yes. Problems to solve? Yes.

America saved the world from authoritarianism, fascism and communism in the 20th Century. Only America is capable of defeating the terrorist menace gripping the world today. The priciples of the Declaration of Independence and the American Constitution and Republic remain the beacon and hope for freedom for the people of the world. American prosperity reminds the despots and the planners that freedom produces wealth and socialism produces poverty.

I will fear for America when Americans start emigrating to other countries instead of foreigners walking across deserts and hiding in cargo holds desperate to try to come to America.

I like both of your arguments about the extremes that others are willing to undertake to become a part of America. The beacon or is it beckoning of freedom is still a magnet. I don't dispute the attraction of freedom What I am challenging is how much freedom will they find when they arrive on our shores. I grant that it may still be substantially more than what they had anywhere else, but how does it compare to the standard we once set? Are our standards of freedom lower? Are we less free than we were?

Income tax day is almost upon us. According to things I have seen in print, taxes are the singlest largest item in any family's budget, not savings for retirement, not food, not shelter, nor anything else. Is is freedom to see your wealth and future retirement confiscated by politicians seeking re-election who intend to give it to their constituents?

Have you ever looked in library at our tax code? Not only is beyond the scope of any average American, it is beyond the scope of its authors and enforcers. And if you have taken the time to read it, it is absolutely meaningless. I could write a more meaningful code on the back of an envelope, and there is no one who would think it unfair or confusing.

Look at the rest of the US code, state codes, municipal codes and the train loads of regulations that are issued by governments. Do you believe these laws and regulations extend your rights and freedoms while empowering you to make decisions or are they more likely to limit your ability to make choices and/or decisions while empowering a government bureaucrat to make that decision for you. Do these rules and laws make you more or less free?

If you are still reading, now ask your self if most of these rules actually make any sense or are they often confusing and contradictory? Presumably some of these rules affect your livelihood and some area of life in which you have expertise. I have met my fair share of government bureaucrats. There are exceptions, but over whelmingly they represent the dregs of any career area. They are generally the least skilled and most incompetent to make decisions especially in areas where private citizens have demonstrated their ability to excel. Planning by private committee is generally not efficient. Government planning is an oxymoron. Socialism fails every time it is tried. How long are we going to have to wait in this country before we admit that it has failed again. The unfunded liabilities of SS and Medicare are going to start coming due in spades in about ten years. By then it will be too late to save anything. Rome is on fire, how long will you ask us to let it burn?