What Bush Fails to See at the Border
By Ronald F. Maxwell, Published April 6, 2006
Dear President Bush,
Perhaps you know me from my work. I wrote and directed the movies “Gettysburg” and “Gods and Generals.” Walking Civil War battlefields, soaking up the letters and diaries of that generation, re-creating the world of our ancestors — all this has given me a deep appreciation for our country …As one of the very few directors of major motion pictures who sees you in a different light, I implore you to listen seriously to what I have to say…Many pundits claim you will be remembered in history as the president who won (or lost) the war in Iraq. I see it differently. I believe you will come to be seen, in the years and decades to come, as the President who saved (or lost) the Southwest of the United States.
… Your immigration policy is viewed as captive to the cheap labor — big business lobby and inimical to the survival of our country…We who understand the vital stakes will not be placated by rhetoric or slogans. The failure to recognize this growing and deep disaffection among Republicans, conservatives, independents and, indeed, many Reagan Democrats, is, in the short run, going to lead to a monumental defeat for your party at the polls in November.
When I watched the Senate Judiciary Committee’s one-day public session on immigration reform … it was remarkable for the near absence of any senator speaking on behalf of the American people or their own constituents. It seems the overriding concern of most senators of both parties is for the illegal immigrant population. … Listening to the self-serving and pandering speeches, you’d think the senators were elected in Mexico or any other country on the globe except America.The Senate has already begun its bloviations and self-agrandizing platitudes, its morality play of good and evil wherein they the noble senators are cast as the redeemers of the entire world population seeking only to “live the American dream.” We know by their coded words they will do nothing meaningful to really solve the problem or to defend America. If their actions of the past 20 years are a guide, they will only take the pose of pretending to do so. As a movie director I can see bad acting a mile away.
Today there are two Republican Parties. One is now seen correctly by most Americans as responsive first and foremost to the demands of multinational corporations, the agro-business and the Chamber of Commerce. The other, best represented by the embattled members of the House, represents grass-roots America — we the people. In this debate you have the opportunity to make the party one and whole again, to regain its soul and return it to the service and the sovereignty of the American people…
miguel i prado
April 7, 2006 @ 10:38 am
Dear Mr. Kelly,
I think it might help to view the immigration problem from a different prespective.
First and foremost it is not the fault of the immigants. They are indeed the most dynamic, risk taking entrepreneurs south of the border. They are desperate to provide food and shelter to their families. They walk thousands of miles and risk life and limb just to get $6/hr jobs.
There are basically two problems associated with immigration. The lesser of the two deals with the US government.
The US has undefended borders and tolerates different government agencies to hold different positions on immigration. Associated with the two are laws or lack of laws that in some cases provide and in some do not provide various different services. For example the IRS is eager to collect taxes even if you are an illegal. The IRS lawfully issues Tax ID Numbers (TIN) to any temporary visitor that works in the US. But the IRS is not obligated to check any documentation or reject anyone. Therefore illegals work illegally and pay taxes on illegally earned income. A good lawyer might extrapolate that the taxes collected are therefore also illegally collected. In fact many, if not most, illegals see the US welcoming them into the country. They also feel some rights are due them because they do pay taxes.
The other problem associated with immigration is that illegals really would prefer to remain at home if, that is, they could find a way to support their families. They can not because local governments do not provide them with the necessary market driven environment or opportunities that would create a sufficient pool of jobs for them.
Securing our borders and creating a uniformed government policy should not be much of a problem for us to achieve in a relatively short period of time. But it would be futile if at the same time we do not ensure that the necessary economic and political reforms are instituted in the various Latin American countries, starting with Mexico.
Illegals are really refugees from a repressive economic and political system. We should view them as such.
I do not therefore think it is productive to attack illegal immigrants nor do I think it is productive for them to take to the streets.
If illegals want to demonstrate against anyone, it should be against their own government for forcing them to risk their lives coming here, seperating them from their families and of living a life of constant fear of being arrested. In many Latin American countries there is also a growing problem of fatherless or even parentless families thus creating a future of potentially disfunctional families throughout their societies.
At the same time the US should secure our borders, provide a unifimor policy towards immigrants, grant all immigrants a temporary stay as economic and political refugees while we force open the economies of Latin America.
The recent massive invasion of the US by illegal immigrants and the ascendency of the left in Latin America is a direct result of an incomplete and poorly managed US policy toward Latin America of reforming those countries to a market economy.
Illegal immigrants are and could become our most important allies in effecting positive change in Latin America.
Miguel I. Prado
Chairman
La Asociaci
Daniel Q. Kelley
May 1, 2006 @ 9:29 am
Miguel, I agree with just about everything you say. No one should demonize these poor people, but we have to reestablish the rule of law in this country, not to mention the stupid inter-governmental contradictions that you criticize. I’m particularly taken with your description of immigrants as refugees from repression. The Mexican government loves to export its “problems.”
Thanks for your great comment! dqk
cheap-shots
September 11, 2006 @ 3:01 am
whether or not you believe Pres. Bush is good or bad. You ahve to admit he has had to make some pretty tough decisions compared to other presidents. He might go into history as losing the war in Iraq etc. but he will be seen as a president who had to make decisions based on the information at hand.