REFORM REFORM
Considering the upheaval over the
Immigration Reform Bill, it appears as though what we really need is reform
reform. The word reform is defined as an amendment to what is corrupt,
vicious, defective or depraved. Also, a removal or correction of an abuse, a
wrong or errors. It is further described as "to form again". So with these
definitions in mind, one can see that very often what is sold to us as being
"reform" , may or may not be reform because the spectrum of interpretation
is so vast. Such is the case with the immigration bill which is causing yet
another war of words between parties and the public in general.
My admiration for John McCain is well documented so I admit that bias up
front. As objective as I can be given that predisposition, I do think this
bill is a step in the right direction. It is not, for many of us, including
myself, what we want from a purely emotional point of view. All of us are
born of immigrants who came here from other places looking for a better
life. The splitting difference is, our ancestors had a process to follow,
and a strict one at that. It was pass or fail, and failure meant an
immediate return to your starting point. This is the glaring inequity in the
situation that faces us today. Too many have come here without the burden of
process, remain here to enjoy the benefits afforded Americans, and yet, are
not Americans, are not citizens. Many do not bother, nor intend to bother,
to learn the language or assimilate in any way. This is a problem.
Beyond the knee-jerk reaction of wanting to round them all up and send them
home, which is a tactical impossibility; we should consider how we got
ourselves to this point of crisis. The easy targets now are McCain and
Kennedy, two people that folks love to hate. However, they did not create
the problem. We all own a piece of it as we have allowed it to transpire
over decades, knowing full well that it has been a crisis in the making all
along. I tend to blame the administrations of the last few decades for
turning a blind eye, knowing that their corporate benefactors need the cheap
labor, and on the other side a hunger for those democratic votes. Both
parties have had a stake in allowing it to continue, for the benefit of
short-term interest over what is best for the nation. You may recall my
column on the "greater good", and this is a fine example of how the greater
good, for both Americans and the people smuggling themselves in here, would
have been to have the mechanics in place to process people in an orderly way
and control who and how many are allowed to come. The thought that we are,
or were, unable to do that, is nonsense. After 9/11 we were able to form and
place an entirely new division of airport security personnel in a matter of
weeks. The money we would save in the long run by getting this under
control, would offset the initial cost of doing it. There is no question
that the flood of illegal immigration to this country, and the ensuing drain
on services, etc., costs the taxpayer a fortune. Of course people are angry
at the unenviable position we find ourselves in...but don't shoot the
messenger.
It is, sadly, typical modern American style, to wait until a problem is a
crisis before we try to deal with it seriously. I believe the current bill
represents the compromises necessary from both sides to bring new laws
forward and begin to enact some control. Like most new legislation, it is a
foundation, not the entire building. It is a starting point. At least it
places some demands on the people who are already here, tightens border
security, and begins to chip away at the massive undertaking of accounting
for who is here and getting them into the system, paying their share and out
of the shadows. Without some kind of effort very soon, I'm afraid that in
twenty years, I'll be writing these columns in Spanish.