PrintApril 29, 2011
Obama's Immigration Reform Bluff
After ignoring the issue of "comprehensive immigration reform" for the first two years of his administration, President Obama has rediscovered it just in time for the start of his 2012 re-election campaign. Of course, Obama expects the majority Republican House of Representatives not to be amenable to this and that really is the point. Obama and the Democrats do not want a "solution" to this issue; they just want to create animosity by pitting one group, Hispanic-Americans, against another, other Americans. It is the typical leftist ploy of divide, demagogue, and destroy. This time, however, Americans should call Obama's bluff.
Obama's objective in bringing up this issue is plain and simple: power. It's a cynical tactic to get re-elected. His objective is not a better America; it is "four more years." However, Americans can use his phony political maneuver as an opportunity to create a better country. It might actually be the real change we have been waiting for.
The uniqueness of America can be summed up in its original motto, "E Pluribus Unum"; Latin for "From the many one." That motto asserts the creation of one culture, an American culture, from the disparate parts of others; a culture whose common bond is "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." It is a grand experiment where people from different parts of the world can come to set aside their differences. While our ingredients are diverse, our strength comes from our commonalities.
The left hates America's strength and will do everything it can to undermine it. One of its most successful tactics has been to foist the canard of multiculturalism upon us. Euphemistically called "diversity," it is really a maniacal blueprint to pit Americans against each other based upon any differences, real or otherwise, conjured up by the left's fetid imagination. The left, even if it does not read the Bible, knows that "a house divided against itself will fall."
Though it certainly was not his intention, Obama's bluff provides an opportunity to start putting our house back together. If his goal is to award millions who have no respect for America's laws with a path to citizenship (i.e., amnesty), then Americans should take the opportunity presented and attach rigid conditions upon his attaining his putative goal. Each condition should be focused on re-invigorating America's grand experiment: "E Pluribus Unum." Here are just a few:
- English, once and for all, must become the official language of the United States. A common culture needs a common language. Along with English finally becoming the official language, the practical aspects of promoting this one language must be inculcated within the federal government. Therefore, all domestic business conducted by the federal government must be done in English. Additionally, no appropriation of tax dollars should be made for conducting such business in any language but English. Those residents who do not speak English and who must deal with the federal government must provide a translator at their expense. Finally, real English proficiency must be a requirement of citizenship.
- All "diversity" based programs (programs that depend upon and provide special benefits based upon race, skin color, ethnicity, country of origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender, etc.) and funding for such must end, including affirmative action. These programs promote division, foster resentment, and amount to nothing more than legal discrimination. The federal government has no constitutional or moral basis to categorize American citizens into discrete groups other than male and female. Thus, the federal collection of demographic data containing these elements must also cease. No more federal government promotion of hyphenated Americans.
- Those receiving amnesty will not be eligible for citizenship until fourteen years after the implementation of the legislation. Any felons will never be eligible and will be subject to immediate deportation. The basis for the fourteen year period is to ensure citizenship to those illegals who have made a significant time investment in the U.S. thereby signaling their desire to become Americans. Additionally, because they did not respect the laws and sovereignty of the United States, they should not be rewarded by being put in front of those prospective immigrants who do. Finally, because the left's main purpose in wanting to grant amnesty is to feed off the neediness of this new group of "huddled masses," at least three presidential cycles must elapse in order to frustrate this purpose. It will also give the illegals time to appreciate the uniqueness of the United States and to understand that the left does not want their success but needs their failure.
- Speaking of elections, photo ID must be required to vote in all federal elections. The option of voting early must be eliminated as it creates opportunity for fraud. Additionally, all same day registration and motor voter programs must be eliminated. Significantly increased jail time and extreme financial penalties for those who violate federal election laws must be instituted. Finally, to mitigate voter fraud, strict enforcement of federal laws requiring state governments to ensure the integrity of voter rolls must be enforced. Congress can make this a condition for funding the racialist Voting Section of the Department of Justice. Nothing destroys a country and a culture faster than when its electoral process has been corrupted. The left will do everything it can to circumvent or enfeeble election laws in order to achieve power, including using those who are not eligible to vote. This must be stopped.
- Federal welfare benefits for any illegal seeking a path to citizenship must end. The mantle of the United States as a land of opportunity needs to be reclaimed. Awarding law breakers by providing them free benefits paid for by U.S. taxpayers does not promote this objective.
- To further American opportunity, ruinous job crushing legislation and regulations must be repealed. First and foremost America's development of its vast natural resources of oil, gas, and coal must be exploited to grow our economy by creating real, productive jobs. All executive orders, stifling environmental and regulatory laws, unconstitutional land grabs, and other federal mischief that have shackled the American people from utilizing the God given resources of their country must end. The farce of ethanol subsidies, which have only made the cost of food skyrocket without achieving any objective, be it environmental or as an energy source, must expire permanently. The nuclear power permitting process must be streamlined to promote the building of nuclear power plants, especially the new generation of mini-plants which could easily and affordably solve the country's ever-growing need for electricity.
Besides these and other obvious conditions such as securing the border, enforcing existing immigration laws, and ending the anchor baby loophole, Americans can call Obama's bluff with anything and everything that promotes the American experiment. Because Obama and Congressional Democrats seem to be so enamored with ridiculously large pieces of legislation, we should appeal to this fetish by taking Obama up on his offer and provide him with immigration reform that is truly comprehensive.
David P. McGinley, an attorney from McLean, VA, is a visiting professor at Handong International Law School in South Korea.
