Immigration and Obamacare

Recently, the President made noise about making his next great legacy piece immigration.  In fact, he met with some groups supporting amnesty for illegal immigrants over Thanksgiving -- instead of meeting with the troops who protect this country, but I digress.  I fully support immigration reform, but not in the fashion some people hold near and dear.

First, a disclaimer:  I speak fluent Spanish, although I don't possess a drop of Latino blood.  I've worked with Latinos for year and respect how hardworking they are, how family oriented they are and how welcoming they can be.  I read their literature, know their customs and enjoy their lifestyle, for the most part. But that doesn't mean I'm in favor of lawbreakers getting a free pass.

I understand conditions in Mexico are hard.  Instead of coming here, however, why don't they take that work ethic and change their own country?  As it is, they send back an inordinate amount of their earnings to family in Mexico.  But why must they come here and try to recreate what they have in their home country here?

I have no truck with Mexicans becoming US citizens.  But they should do it legally.  Whether there is trouble in their homeland isn't my concern, so long as it's not persecution worthy of political asylum.  I don't agree with those who see a humanitarian issue every time someone suffers a paper cut.  These people must follow the rules entering the country.  Otherwise, how are we to be sure they'll follow the rules once they're in the country legally?

The reason this has me miffed today is that lawmakers -- that is, Democratic lawmakers -- are complaining that Obamacare should be extended to cover illegal immigrants.  As it is, Democrats cravenly try to purchase votes by extending all sorts of welfare to illegal immigrants.  Now, they want to bankruptcy the country by extending an already unworkable law that's hamstringing the economy to millions of undocumented people living in this country.  Again, this is nothing more than a crass attempt at gaining political advantage come election time.

Were the tables turned, and millions of Americans were residing illegally in a foreign country, we wouldn't have the level nor the number of benefits that illegal immigrants have in this country.  From the language to voting to schools to medical treatment to housing, illegal immigrants have it far better in this country than we would elsewhere.  To pull out a well-worn argument from past blogposts, there is little likelihood that if I were living illegally in a Spanish-speaking country, the authorities would not only let me vote, they'd put the ballot in English for me.  It's crazy.

I'm all in favor of humanitarian efforts where they're warranted.  But in this instance, ironically, we're making it easy for a hardworking people who are too lazy, or too impatient, to follow the immigration laws.  We're putting an immense burden on our country by adding to the welfare rolls people who don't belong here.  We should be taking care of our own first.  Extending the benefits of an already doomed law to illegal immigrants makes no sense whatsoever.

(c) 2013 The Truxton Spangler Chronicles