Criminal Border Crisis: Both Parties At Fault. (EP. 356)

Introduction

We have a massive, entirely avoidable and inexcusable crisis at our Southern border. But the crisis is merely a symptom; the disease is in DC–and in us. 

That is the subject of today’s 10-minute episode.

Continuing

The Democrats want more voters who will be in their camp, with the idea of ensuring that no Republican will ever again be elected to national office–and fewer to state offices. The Republicans in part want cheap labor, and in larger part have no idea how to either get their act or their courage together and get the right things done. And as is often the case the right thing is so very clear. More clear specifics on border and immigration solutions in a few minutes.

The Washington Post criticized the Biden administration’s handling of the southern border crisis and pushed for a coherent strategy to deal with the record number of migrants trying to enter the U.S. illegally.

In an editorial, the Post predicted the “incoherence” of the Biden administration’s policies could lead to Democrats losing control of the House and Senate in the 2022 midterm elections, and there was likely nothing in its current strategy that would change that outcome. 

“In its apparent desperation to fashion an immigration strategy that will impose order on increasingly out-of-control migration, the Biden administration has unleashed a torrent of words and goals untethered to specific policies and timetables,” the Post wrote. “Officials have effectively reversed and rolled back some of the Trump administration’s most pernicious policies, but without a clear road map to address the immediate crisis — a decades-high surge in illegal border-crossing — or the long-term challenge driving migration: dysfunction, disorder and decay in Central America.”

And this from the liberal/progressive Washington Post.

I believe that America is a unique and exceptional place, and that you–you and I–have an equally unique and exceptional role to play in it. Yes, you have heard that from me before, and you will hear it again. That’s part of what drives this podcast.

Your role, our role, includes knowing what is happening in our immigration system, how to fix it, and what our role is in fixing it. Yes, we all have a role to play here.

Our government, both sides of the aisle, is failing us. The comprehensive immigration solution is simple to understand, and very implementable. Personal and party gain are what is keeping our elected representatives from doing even the basics of their job with immigration. They feel, with some cause, that attacking and insulting will get them what they want; to be elected and to keep being reelected. If we want more from our elected representatives, we, we the people, we the voters, need to lead.

To get to what our role is here, we need to ask one–one– simple question, hoping for a simple, truthful answer: “Do we want open borders?” We have open borders between states. Travel is unrestricted; one can become a citizen of a different state by merely showing up and staying. We are one nation, with free movement among the states, and free access to the benefits, including a variety of taxpayer-supported services, the various states offer. And voting; more states, like my home state of Colorado, offer same-day voter registration. Is that what we want for our country? Do we want to offer the same type of free, instant access to taxpayer-funded benefits and voting–in other words instant, full citizenship privileges and benefits–to residents of other countries that we allow residents of other states?

If the answer is yes, then we must have the courage to say it clearly and out loud. “The simple truth is, I want open borders. National boundaries should mean no more than state boundaries.” We could stop spinning our wheels in disingenuous arguments about the effectiveness of walls and who is and who isn’t being fair and inclusive. And we could stop wringing our hands about terminology like “undocumented” vs. “illegal”–everyone would be legal. Declaring the simple truth “I want open borders” would take the debate to a very different–and honest–level. Right where it needs to be.

Pause to define undocumented vs. illegal by example. If I am a qualified driver and am driving without my paperwork with me, I am undocumented. If I am not a qualified driver and am driving anyway, I am illegal. Being pulled over and asked for my paperwork does not have any effect on my status; it merely exposes it.

I don’t want open borders. No nation can exist for any length of time like that. And I don’t want to be the State of America in the United Nations of the World. What I do want is a secure, prosperous, welcoming America; an America that can continue to be attractive and lead the way for the rest of the world. Here’s how we do that–5 easy steps:

1. Secure our borders. Stop using the term “wall.” We don’t need a wall everywhere; technology, manpower and natural boundaries can be very effective. It worked for Russia when they used a border to keep people in undesirable East Berlin. And it is working right now for Israel to keep suicide bombers out. 
2. Insist that employers use E-verify prior to hiring. In other words, don’t hire illegals because they will work for less money than people who are here legally.
3. Use technology to track those who overstay their visas; by most accounts most of those who are here illegally have overstayed their visas.
4. Create a path to citizenship for illegals. Put them behind those who came here legally and followed the time-consuming legal process. And no path to voting; that’s a bridge too far for anyone who snuck in. Yes, this is amnesty. But with secure borders–finally–it will be the last amnesty. Repeat amnesty is nothing more than a painful—and dishonest—way of creating open borders.
5. Allow in a generous number of legal immigrants every year based on both merit–who we want–and based on need–people who need to be here, regardless of what they can contribute. In round numbers, we are letting in 1M legal immigrants every year–more than any other country on the planet–and about 500K illegals. Perhaps a total of 1.5M immigrants is correct as an annual target, perhaps it should be 2M. And likely to change as our situation and the world changes. Additionally, it seems like an 85%/15% mix of merit, who we want and need, and who needs to be here regardless of merit, AKA asylum, is about right. The exact number of immigrants and percentages are not the key here; they can be altered as our thinking and circumstances change as time goes on. But the secure border is key. Without that, what we think is right and what is right means nothing. The people sneaking in make all the decisions for us.

Once we have decided where we stand, we need to let our voices be known. Q. Where do you start? A. Where do you have any influence? Social media? Groups like church, book clubs and hiking or biking friends? People still read letters to the editor; write a few–or several. Email government officials. Subscribe to this blog/podcast. Recruit others. Help grow Revolution 2.0™. 

With these 5 steps in place, no one who came here would have to take the legal and physical risks of sneaking across the border. No one who came here would have to hide. They could walk tall and be proud to be here. And we could walk tall and be proud to have them.

We all have the personal responsibility to be a part of the solution, not just stand by and either cheer or boo.

Speaking of personal responsibility, it does not stand alone; the two main and interdependent principles at Revolution 2.0 are:
1. Personal Responsibility; take it, teach it and,
2. Be Your Brother’s Keeper. The answer to the biblical question, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” is a ringing, unequivocal “Yes.” There is no other answer.

Where do you stand? What are you going to do? Remember, it does not matter where you stand if you don’t do anything. You can start by subscribing to these episodes, and encouraging others to subscribe with you.

As always, whatever you do, do it in love. Without love, anything we do is empty. 1 Corinthians 16:1.

Contact

As we get ready to wrap up, please do respond in the episodes with comments or questions about this episode or anything that comes to mind, or connect with me on Twitter, @willluden, Facebook, facebook.com/will.luden, and LinkedIn, www.linkedin.com/in/willluden/. And you can subscribe on your favorite device through Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and wherever you listen to podcasts.

Will Luden, coming to you from 7,200’ in Colorado Springs.