Feedback to Washington

I faxed this to 14 members of Congress and the President. Most of the faxes went through on Friday night. Only John McCain and Lindsey Graham had their fax machines off the hook. (I tried for 18 hours and finally e-mailed them both.)

My feedback on the Comprehensive Immigration Reform proposal as outlined on the White House website - - - - - -

Dear Sirs:

I am appalled at the bipartisan plan announced today for “Comprehensive Immigration Reform.” Here’s why:

1) Enforcement first. Why not House Bill 4437 if you really mean it? You must realize from the fact that 2/3 of Americans have given you unacceptable approval ratings that we do not believe you can implement anything unless you prove it to us first. Read your mail! The GAO told you in December that the US VISIT technology was way behind schedule. They even told you that it may be unworkable. Perhaps you ought to watch the video of the WTC crumbling one more time to remind you how important this is.
2) Employer verification tools. See above. You’ve had Basic PILOT for ten years.
3) Temp worker program. We now have 6.5 million illegal workers in America, about 5% of the workforce. You add 400,000 guest workers a year. That amounts to 17% of the net job creation a year. And this improves the situation in what way?
4) No amnesty. The only way you can legitimately say that is to require them to return to their own country and get in line at the embassy. Anything less rewards them for having come here in defiance of our law. The “without animosity” part comes in when we allow them to go home without prosecuting them.
5) Strengthening assimilation. A great concept but why do the taxpayers have to fund the program. Sorry, no entitlements. Come here legally and work for the English lessons.
6) Merit system. I’ll assume it will be better thought out and better executed than the 1965 fiasco. Do you realize that the politicians of the day testified that the impact would be 5,000 new immigrants a year? Do you realize the first year actually brought 90,000 new immigrants? And 90,000 more the year after that.
7) End chain migration. Yes, but the other end needs some work as well. How about new laws to prevent future anchor babies?
8) Clearing the family backlog. Only if it benefits the people of the United States. Let’s not simply do it as a political move.