Our founders created a system of limited government to minimize our dependence on Washington. They were pragmatic, but they never intended that policy be dictated by politics. Things have changed. With a national debt of $22 trillion, unfunded liabilities exceeding $200 trillion, and U.S. troops stationed all around the world, separating politics from policy is all but impossible. We hear lots of calls for “the other side to rise above politics and do what’s right for the country,” but this rarely happens. President Trump’s address to the nation on illegal immigration (and the Democrat response) illustrate this point.
The Democrats claim that Trump is manufacturing a crisis. I don’t agree. To be fair, one could argue that problems at the southern border are not as dire as he claims, but it’s difficult to find anyone on the left actually making the case. I see the same politicians who supported physical barriers to boost border security in the past now claim that such structures are immoral, ineffective, and a waste of resources. Their position changed once Trump adopted “the wall” as a central part of his campaign in 2016. Rather than engaging in a serious debate about borders and policy, they seem focused on the 2020 election.
Past Presidents and Congresses have refused to tackle illegal immigration for years, lest they battle corporate interests, offend activists, or be tagged as racists. I give the President credit for attempting to resolve it. Trump makes a similar argument about intellectual property, state-owned enterprises (SOEs), and other trade concerns with China. Agree or disagree with his approach, he’s being proactive.
Illegal immigration is a complex issue, but unlike many issues debated in Washington, our government has a Constitutional responsibility to address it. There is no perfect solution, but it’s inexcusable that our leaders can’t seem to make any progress.
I grew up in a family that was politically split. But even my Democratic relatives, most long since past, were Americans first. Country and American values always came first. It’s sad what the Democratic party has devolved into. In my opinion, the border battle (to the left) is simply about iron fisted central government control, aka power. If you can’t convince the American populous to side with your ideology, then replace the people. It’s not more complicated than that. They and the media will try to spin this as compassion or doing what’s morally right. I see right through this. I just pray that the majority of the country comes to the same conclusion.
I don’t understand everything about immigration but I don’t see why we can’t secure the border. Walls and fences are everywhere. Why not there?
Simply put, walls work otherwise they would not exist anywhere. In 2016, the DNC erected a four mile 8 ft tall guarded fence around their convention. The physical barrier was obviously built to secure their convention. I have no problem with that. Just pointing out their hypocrisy.
If the dems think walls are immoral, then why don’t they introduce legislation to tear down the existing ones?