THE PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE, USA
An Online Journal of Political Commentary & Analysis
Volume VII, Issue # 65, April 1, 2005
Dr. Almon Leroy Way, Jr., Editor
Government Committed to & Acting in Accord with Conservative Principles
Ensures a Nation's Strength, Progress, & Prosperity
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION, AMNESTY, ECONOMICS,
& AMERICAN CULTURE
By Dr. Ron Paul
PERIODICALLY GRANTING AMNESTY YO ILLEGAL ALIENS LIVING & WORKING IN THE U.S.A.: HOW SUCH A POLICY
ADVERSELY AFFECTS AMERICAN NATIONAL UNITY, U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY, BORDER-CONTROL EFFORTS, PUBLIC BUDGETS,
& THE AMERICAN ECONOMY -- WHY THE PROBLEM OF MASSIVE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IS FUNDAMENTALLY A WELFARE
STATE PROBLEM -- HOW THE PROBLEM IMPACTS ON SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICARE, & OTHER FEDERAL ENTITLEMENT
PROGRAMS -- THE CULTURAL ASPECTS OF THE IMMIGRATION PROBLEM
FULL STORY:
The dictionary defines amnesty as a general pardon for offenders -- a general pardon granted by a government.
The Bush administration’s proposal to grant legal status to millions of illegal aliens surely meets the foregoing definition. Millions of
people who broke the law by entering, staying, and working in our country will not be punished, but rather rewarded with visas. This
is amnesty, plain and simple. Lawbreakers are given legal status, while those seeking to immigrate legally face years of paperwork and
long waits for visas.
The President claims that America lacks the political will to deport the eight to twelve million illegal aliens already here in the U.S.A.,
so we have no choice but to grant them visas. But what message does this send to the rest of the world? If we reward millions who
came here illegally, surely millions more will follow suit. Ten years from now, we will be in the same position, with a whole new
generation of lawbreakers seeking amnesty. The Bush administration amnesty proposal does not provide a coherent immigration
policy, nor does it address the urgent need for stricter control of our borders. The overwhelming majority of Americans – including
legal immigrants – want immigration reduced, not expanded.
The immigration problem fundamentally is a welfare state problem. Some illegal immigrants – certainly not all – receive housing
subsidies, food stamps, free medical care, and other forms of welfare, or public assistance. This alienates taxpayers and breeds
suspicion of immigrants, even though the majority of them work very hard. Without a welfare state, we would know that everyone
coming to America wanted to work hard and support himself. Since we have accepted a permanent welfare state, however, we cannot
be surprised when some freeloaders and criminals are attracted to our shores. Welfare muddies the question of why immigrants want
to come here.
Illegal immigrants threaten to place a tremendous strain on federal social entitlement programs. Under the Bush amnesty proposal,
millions of illegal immigrants will qualify for Social Security and other entitlement programs. Adding millions of foreign citizens to the
Social Security, Medicare, and disability rolls will ensure financial ruin for America in the coming decades. Sending Social Security
benefits abroad to millions of illegal aliens who once worked here will cost hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars and will
very likely bankrupt the Social Security Old Age and Survivors Trust Fund. Every American who hopes to collect Social Security
someday should stridently oppose the President’s proposed amnesty for illegal aliens.
Financial considerations aside, we cannot continue to ignore the cultural aspects of the mass immigration problem. The vast majority
of Americans welcome immigrants who want to come here, work hard, and build a better life. This is a basic human desire that
Americans understand, especially when so many immigrants are born into hopeless poverty in their own nations. But we rightfully
expect immigrants to show a sincere desire to become American citizens, learn to speak English, and assimilate themselves culturally
into the American nation. More importantly, we expect immigrants to respect our political and legal traditions, which are rooted in
liberty and constitutionally limited government. After all, a lack of respect for the rule of law causes much of the poverty around the
world that immigrants seek to escape.
Problems arise when immigrants refuse to assimilate and show little interest in becoming loyal American citizens. One hundred years
ago, immigrants arrived in America after dangerous journeys, arrived fully prepared to embrace their new country. In most cases,
returning home was not an option. Most led very hard lives, took pride in American citizenship, and asked for nothing but the
opportunity to work and make their livings honestly. Today, however, some immigrants travel between countries frequently, enjoying
the benefits of America, but showing no desire to become Americans. Some even display hostility toward America and our ideals,
joining the chorus of voices demanding that the United States of America become a multicultural and multinational state, voices
demanding that America reject its own history. It is this cultural conflict that soon must be addressed, and the President’s amnesty
proposal simply turns a blind eye to the problem.
LINKS TO RELATED TOPICS:
Immigration & Illegal Aliens
Dr. Ron Paul is a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, elected from and representing the Fourteenth
Congressional District of Texas. Congressman Paul is considered to be one of America's leading spokesmen for constitutional
government, the rule of law, liberty under law, the private enterprise system,, free market economics, sound monetary policy, and
fiscal restraint on the part of the U.S. national government.
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Dr. Almon Leroy Way, Jr., Editor
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