Inexcusable Crisis at our Southern Border (EP.148)

Introduction

We have a massive 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 blog/podcast.

Continuing

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 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 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. 
2. Insist that employers use E-verify prior to hiring.
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, 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™. 

“Think globally, act locally.” -Henry David Thoreau. Applied here, it means to picture how you want immigration reform, oh heck, what we really want is an immigration overhaul. Picture the immigration overhaul the way you want it, then go do what you can to make it happen. Now. And tell me how it goes. I am truly interested.

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.

Segueing from the specifics of today’s topic to overall principles, the core, driving 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.

And do it all in love; without love, these are empty gestures, destined to go nowhere and mean nothing.

If we apply those two core principles, personal responsibility and brother’s keepers, simultaneously, never only one or the other, we will always be on the right path. Depending upon what we face, one principle or the other may appropriately be given more emphasis, but they are always acted upon together.

The Founders, Revolution 1.0, were declared traitors by the British Crown, and their lives were forfeit if caught. We risk very little by stepping up and participating in Revolution 2.0™. In fact, we risk our futures if we don’t. I am inviting you, recruiting you, to join Revolution 2.0™ today. Join with me in using what we know how to do–what we know we must do–to everyone’s advantage. Let’s practice thinking well of others as we seek common goals, research the facts that apply to those goals, and use non agenda-based reasoning to achieve those goals together. Practice personal responsibility and be your brother’s keeper. 

Let’s continue to build on the revolutionary vision that we inherited. Read the blog, listen to the podcast, subscribe, recruit, act. Here’s what I mean by “acting.”

• Read the blogs and/or listen to the podcasts.
• Comment in the blogs. Let others know what you are thinking.
• Subscribe and recommend that others subscribe as well.
• Attach links from blogs into your social media feeds. Share your thoughts about the link.
• From time-to-time, attach links to blogs in emails that mention related subjects. Or just send the links to family and friends.

Revolution 1.0 in 1776 was built by people talking to other people, agreeing and disagreeing, but always finding ways to stay united and go forward. Revolution 2.0 will be built the same way.

Join me. Join the others. Think about what we are talking about and share these thoughts and principles with others. Subscribe, encourage others to subscribe. Act. Let’s grow this together.

And visit the store. Fun stuff, including hats, mugs and t-shirts. Recommend other items that you’d like to see.

Links and References

Border Wall

Build the Wall? Yes! No! (EP. 91)

Contact

As we get ready to wrap up, please do respond in the blog with comments or questions about this podcast or anything that comes to mind, or connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. And you can subscribe to the podcast on your favorite device through Apple Podcasts, Google, or Stitcher.

Now it is time for our usual parting thought. It is not enough to be informed. It is not enough to be a well informed voter. We need to act. And if we, you and I, don’t do something, then the others who are doing something, will continue to run the show.

Know your stuff, then act on it. Knowing your stuff without acting is empty; acting without knowing is dangerous.

Will Luden, writing to you from my home office at 7,200’ in Colorado Springs.