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Prove to Us That You’re Still On Our Side
By Frank
Salvato
There is little doubt that a heated
debate is taking place over the issue of immigration reform. The alarming
aspect of this debate is less the where, when and why it is taking place
and more about who the debate is between. With an overwhelming majority of Americans from every political
party in opposition to the current proposal being floated by select
senators and the White House, it appears – incredibly – that the debate is
actually between the people and our government.
Our nation is a Democratic Republic, a
Representative Democracy. The electorate casts ballots to elect
individuals to represent them in Washington DC. In turn, these elected
officials are bestowed the authority to place votes representative of
their constituents. In theory, these elected officials are charged with
learning about and debating the issues so that the concerns of their
constituents can be heard and the best interests of their constituents
safeguarded. In the end, they cast their votes on pieces of legislation as
representatives of their constituencies.
This is how it is supposed to work.
Most everyone has heard the expression,
“inside the beltway mentality.” It alludes to the attitude many elected
officials develop once they are elected and acclimated to office. It is a
kind way of saying that the pure motives they once had for wanting to
serve their constituency have faded, replaced by the seduction of power.
It is a gentle way of saying that they have forgotten from whence they
came and for whom they work and are now drunken with a greed for political
capital, addicted to the political game like crack-whores to the
debilitating white rock which they crave.
“...power tends to corrupt, and
absolute power corrupts absolutely.” – Lord Acton
The fact that a select group of senators
hunkered down with members of the Bush Administration in secret to
hammer out the provisions of anything should make every one of us
suspect of their intentions and their motives. With the exception of
intelligence gathering and select law enforcement operations, and war
strategy and planning, our government should be as transparent as Paris
Hilton’s religious epiphany.
There are two things that can be stated
today that few will argue with: 1) If someone is toting an AK-47 and is
wearing a black mask adorned with Arabic he is usually a terrorist, and 2)
If anyone in American government is contemplating legislation
clandestinely they more often than not don’t have their constituency’s
best interest in mind.
The piece of legislation currently being
foisted upon the American people by Harry Reid, Lindsay Graham, John
McCain, John Kyl, Ted Kennedy and President Bush does not best serve the
interests of our citizenry or the well-being of our nation. It is a
political tool crafted by those who place politics before good government
and politicians worried more about their political longevity than honestly
serving their constituents.
On the one side of the aisle we have Ted
Kennedy and Harry Reid literally drooling over the prospect of legalizing
a voting block they have had to pretend wasn’t voting in national
elections, a voting block courted by their party to do so regardless of
its illegality. Arguments that lend to validating this notion come in the
form of identifying the laughable motor-voter registration requirements
and the bleating protests over legislation requiring a photo ID to access
a ballot. Democrats see a new “underclass” they can legislate into
existence just in time to save their sorry behinds in light of the exodus
of American Blacks from the ranks of their party.
On the other side of the aisle we have
the spineless who routinely find themselves dancing on the end of special
interest puppet strings. They believe that legislating a new working-class
into existence will ingratiate “big business” into filling their campaign
coffers allowing them to once again outspend their political rivals in
their march toward re-election.
The losers in this pathetically
transparent game of political opportunism are not only the American
people, but those composing the ranks of this proposed new
working-class/voting block.
I have stated in the past that I am all
for meaningful immigration reform. Our country is still reeling from the
last attempt at immigration reform – a complete amnesty and failure in
border enforcement, ironically crafted, yet again, by Teddy “Hey! There’s
saltwater in my scotch” Kennedy. It is well past time that this subject be
given honest consideration by those interested in preserving our American
heritage. This requires a measured and thoughtful contemplation of the
issue in a 21st Century context so that the best interests of the American
people – not those banging at the door to get in – are held in the highest
regard and so that our country isn’t sold to the highest bidder.
We, the American people, also need to
demand that the issues of border security and immigration reform be
separated and addressed as stand-alone issues. In a post-9/11 world – and
as ABC News is reporting that al Qaeda and the Taliban have dispatched
legions of newly trained suicide bombers to the US, Britain, Canada and
Germany – we can ill afford to wait for inside the beltway elitists to
dislodge their craniums from their sphincters so that they can see the
seriousness of the matter.
Those elected to office need to prove to
the American people that they are at least “on our side.” A good way to do
that is to immediately and successfully secure the borders. Then, and only
then, will we be inclined to believe that proposals for immigration reform
are genuine and not politically self-serving.
This issue exposes one more thing that is
worth mentioning here.
Many among us say that our system of
government is broken, citing partisan obstructionism, corruption and
pandering to special interests as proof of this assertion. The truth be
told, our system of government isn’t even close to being the problem. The
problem is an under-informed, unengaged, apathetic populace that keeps
sending charlatans to Washington DC because they are too pre-occupied with
their own lives to give a damn about our country!
If you want change, stop electing people
who make promises they never keep. If you want change, change the only
person you have control over; yourself. Read-up – honestly – on the
issues, engage your government and hold your elected officials accountable
for their words and actions. Until that change takes place the status quo
will remain, our country an over-populated and Balkanized place for your
apathy.
I’m sure Teddy, Harry, Lindsay the Johns
and George – and all the rest of the political creatures who apathy feeds
– will appreciate you for it.
Related Reading:
Poll: Voters Want Smaller Steps to Immigration
Reform With Focus on Enforcement
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/poll_voters_want_smaller_steps_to_immigration_reform_with_focus_on_enforcement
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