This blog originally posted Friday, March 02, 2007
Current mood:Algebraic Category: News and Politics
Two trains leave the station on the same track. One leaves from Sinaloa at 6:15 pm traveling at 5 miles an hour. The other leaves Washington D.C. at 8:00 pm traveling 60 miles per hour. At what time will they collide and who has to clean up the mess?
OK, it is way past time that I commented on this issue. I know that the world waits with baited breath to see where I fall on this. OK, maybe not the world, definitely not politicians. But, it is my blog and I am waiting to see what I have to say. Yeah, I've probably brought this up before, but I have plenty to say.
The issue of illegal immigration is past the point of intelligent debate and has long since hit the level of the ridicululous. Now, it is rapidly approaching the danger zone. There is no longer rational discussion or thought given - you are either a right-wing wacko who hates them 'damn mexicans' (as if all immigrants come from that one country) OR your are a liberal nut who thinks we should ban the term illegal alien because it might offend someone here illegally. (true story - legislator in Florida wants to ban the term 'illegal alien').
As usual (for anyone who knows me) I fall somewhere in the middle (which is where most intelligent thought occurs).
I listen to talk radio and constantly here people talking about immigrants taking our jobs. They say that if all the immigrants weren't here, Americans would fill all of the low end jobs. OK, I gotta say - if you think that you cannot do math. I had to be tutored through college algebra by a 16 year old girl (thanks Brigitta - you are the smartest and coolest). Anyway, I can do basic math. Our unemployment rate is currently hovering around 4.7%. Back in high school economics I learned that anything below 5% is considered perfect because there are always people who are between jobs and always people who don't want to or can't work. So, if we remove 12 million people from our workplace (estimate of illegal immigrants), where are all the people who are supposed to fill those jobs going to come from? Most conservatives think that amnesty of any kind is not an option. Who wants to do the math to figure out the cost of attempting to track down and deport 12 million people and the cost of importing 12 million legal ones to fill the jobs they would vacate!!! As a side note to all of these fools who make the statement, "It is all about the law, the simple fact is that they are breaking the law and should be punished." If you make that statement, then you had better never speed (yeah, right), you'd better never fudge on your taxes (even to the penny), you'd better never steal office supplies (even a paper clip); otherwise you are a solid brass hypocrite.
Now, how about some math on the other side. In 2004, according to the Tucson citizen, the border patrol arrested 1.2 Million people crossing our borders illegally (north and south). The border patrol estimates that it catches 1 in 5! Of the ones they catch, they estimate 1 in 10 is from the middle east!!! That equates to 120,000 caught from the middle east and an estimated 600,000 getting through. It only took 19 to bring down 4 planes and 3 buildings on September 11. Now, I'm not saying that all middle easterners are terrorists, but you gotta play the odds.
The math shows that BOTH border security AND an easier legal immigration process are important. Comprehensive reform of this situation is required. We must have an easy, affordable process for legal immigration that brings in affordable labor that we can't provide. We must have a process for existing illegals who are otherwise following the law and working to atone for their crime (it is a misdemeanor by the way) and have a path to citizenship if they want it. Heck, those are the people I want as citizens. We also must have border security to prevent criminals and terrorists from gaining access.
These things are required now. Here is why:
I make two predictions:
1. Our next terrorist attack on this country will come accross the border.
Both of our borders are a joke. We have no border security to speak of and we know it. We are inviting attack. Our terrorist enemies have shown time and again that they are very sophisticated and are ready to exploit our weaknesses.
2. We will soon see violent attacks on Hispanics begin by racists who assume they are illegals (whether they are or not).
Rhetoric regarding this issue (from both sides) has reached the point where we have stopped seeing the human dilema and have started seeing people as issues. When that happens, it is a short jump to begin deciding to resolve those 'issues' any way possible. We have already seen a beginning of this in the Minute Men. Despite any claims they make that they are non-violent and not racists, it only takes a few minutes of listening to Chris Simcox to know that the roots are there. We aren't that far removed from the Civil Rights movement and the violence that accompanied that.
The final truth of all of this is that math controls the answer too. You won't see comprehensive reform. You won't see a stop to border traffic. You won't see a stop to the rhetoric. Why? I'm glad you asked. Too many people make too much money from paying illegals below minimum wage to do work. This may be the only thing that Businesses and Unions will ever agree on (but they won't admit it in public). The government even gets to keep a bunch of tax money from illegals who are paid using false social security numbers who therefore can never file taxes and get that money back. Illegal immigration is a money maker for our country, so no body really wants to stop it or provide a legal process for immigration that might mean immigrants are protected and will have to be paid more money. Oh, the politicians will make their speeches and public figures will rant and rave, ignorant people will still call into radio shows and people like me will still write blogs.
But the problem will never be solved.
The math proves it.
Did I ever mention that I hate math?
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