IMMIGRATION - THE ISSUES

I decided to start discussing the issue of Immigration because I was thinking about the "fence" , you know, the one the President is so proud of that there are no funds for?, and because I had just finished speaking with a friend who is frustrated about the issue. Further discussion on this issue is of course to be continued, but I felt the need to begin.

There was a time in America, and many of you will probably remember those good old days, when a young boy or girl, too young for a work permit, could earn their own money by going to their neighbors getting jobs mowing lawns, shoveling snow, etc. Oh, those were the days weren't they? My mother used to call up her neighbor's son every time it snowed and he got to earn some spending money shoveling the driveway and sidewalk for her. He was young and strong, he got to make some money, and my mother was happy. She also had an arrangement with him to come weekly and mow her lawn. Gone are those days. I remember him and that was the beginning of him saving to go to college. Work ethic was taught well in those days as my mother also taught me. One wonders why young people today don't learn early the value of hard work, and working for what they want with odd jobs. Young people today are frustrated in their non-stop search for odd jobs only to find that small companies, employing immigrants, have grabbed up these services and the young people have to wait until they can get a work permit to work in a fast food place or large discount stores. And people wonder why we have kids hanging out on just about every street corner after school.

Even today, myself, have run into this. I live in an apartment complex and was looking for a young teen to clean the snow off my car for me when it snowed. It is impossible these days to find any young person in the neighborhood who is out when it snows looking to make money. Why? Well for instance, our apartment complex contracts out to a company to mow the lawns, and plow the snow and you are left to your own devices to clear off your car and move it for the plow. One day, I was out walking and the crew was here to mow the lawns, and I stopped to speak to one of them. They all spoke spanish and no english. Hmmmmm. Made me wonder if they were legal citizens or "cheap" labor for the contractor servicing our apartment complex. Yet I see long lines at the unemployment offices of CITIZENS, who would be more than happy for ANY job and I am sure would love to make money helping this company service apartment complexes' lawn care. Believe me, a man looking to feed his family is not too proud to do any work, even if it is mowing lawns and triming bushes. The same could also be said about convicted felons, out on parole, who MAY be, just MAY be looking to try and live a decent life and would be willing to begin their new lives with a simple job like working for a lawn care company. The jobs just aren't there for them and people wonder why some who could be rehabilitated revert back to their old ways because they can't be proud of themselves by finding such a simple job.

I also see this when it comes to the seasonal jobs where they need apple pickers here in New York. People I KNOW are desparate for work go and try to sign up for those jobs, but only to find that the orchards have already brought in ILLEGAL immigrants to fill these positions. These orchards should be fined for hiring illegal immigrants at cheap pay instead of paying the going minimum wage to US citizens. Many a poor family would be thrilled to be able to earn even the money from a seasonal job.

Not only are large companies taking their companies out of the US, but even the littlest job is difficult to find for the youngster who with good intentions to begin their earning ability can't find even a lawnmowing job. Now young men are turning to the usually reserved for young girls' job of babysitting to earn some spending money. Yet many families are turning to agencies to provide "nannies" for their children. Most of these nannies speak little or no english and work cheaply. I say to all American families, hire american citizens first. Young teens would be thrilled to earn money taking care of your children if given the opportunity.

Just who is saying that american citizens won't want the jobs being filled by illegal immigrants? I most certainly am one who would like someone to justify that statement. And the rich are the worst of the bunch. The saying "The rich are rich because they hold on to their money" rings true here. If you were to visit their homes, I would bet that a majority of the rich have in their employ mostly illegal immigrants. Gone are the days when a woman alone with children to feed can get a job as a housekeeper. Those jobs just aren't there in rich homes. Most of those jobs are taken, cheaply, by illegal immigrants.

I could go on and on discussing the jobs being taken over by immigrants from Mexico, at cheap wages, instead of having a wealth of opportunity for the poor in this country.

The burden on the american citizen financially for healthcare is another major issue I will discuss in another post, but I will say this. I am sick and tired of the underprivileged not being able to afford healthcare, yet billions of dollars are spent providing emergency healthcare for immigrants crossing the border of Mexico and our hospitals being forced to serve them in emergencies. I don't begrudge someone who desparately needs a doctor to save their life, but it is costing us dearly in healthcare funds that are desparately needed for our own citizens, many of whom have gone bankrupt if they have a medical emergency.

The reason this has interrupted my discussion on Barack Obama is a talk I had with a friend this morning. She and her husband are ready to retire and have been looking at many areas of the country as possible retirement locations. They really wanted to retire to the Southwest, but my friend is frustrated in the fact that she has to learn Spanish to even communicate in that area. She has checked community after community. She and her husband have travelled to the area and came back completely frustrated in trying to find a community where Spanish isn't the accepted language rather than English.

I read where a police officer is being sued because he did not speak spanish when he stopped a driver for speeding, therefore causing a language barrier. Now the speeder is suing the officer for failure to speak spanish in AMERICA! I find this outrageous! I am also sick and tired of going to my very own doctor's office and finding every single poster on the wall written in spanish and nowhere is there equal posters in English.

I have a question for you. Ever get totally frustrated when making a phone call to a company or doctor's office and get a recording in English and then all over again in Spanish before you can hit the button you need? I am tired of having to listen to a long explanation in Spanish before I can reach someone on the phone.

You may think these remarks are racist in nature. They are not meant to be. Mexicans who come to our country and make the effort to become American citizens make it a priority to learn ENGLISH first. There was a time if you look back in history, where Texas was part of Mexico. Appears it is becoming part of Mexico again and Mexico is more than happy to get rid of citizens they can't service with healthcare and jobs. I, myself, have been considering a move to the Southwest, but I am having to take a course in Spanish before doing so.

Immigration is a very complicated issue, one that needs to be addressed comprehensively by our next President. Not only are illegals looking for work crossing the border but also felons, criminals who come to this country and continue their crime spree.

And what is a rediculous act by our President is the fact he has sent troops to help patrol the border but they are not allowed to have LOADED WEAPONS while on patrol. They are shot at more frequently, stones are thrown at them and they are forced to retreat rather than cause a border incident. This I find completely rediculous. If the President is sending troops to assist in border patrol, he should not force a US soldier to RETREAT rather than stop the flow of immigrants and drug runners crossing the border. Come on Mr. President. You fail in Iraq and yet you keep hidden the fact the type of orders issued to soldiers in OUR OWN COUNTRY on how they should conduct themselves while patrolling the border between the US and Mexico.