Real fix needed for real problem

By Dave Patterson

When something becomes an issue in Washington, the first thing Congress does is try to tear a page out of the Constitution. This is the case with the immigration problem and Congressman Duncan Hunter.

Hunter was the guest speaker at the TEA party event in Ramona on Saturday, April 24, where I was able to ask a question and videotape his response. I put that video on YouTube, and by this writing it had been seen by more than 50,000 people nationwide: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hX11mTOY2XM

I encourage everyone to watch and listen carefully to what Hunter says in this video. In the first part, Hunter declares that he will not enter into the immigration debate until we can prove to him that the Southern border is sealed and not one person can get across. This is poorly veiled code speak for his intention to do nothing about the immigration problem. Inaction on the immigration problem has been the case for 40 years in Washington, and Hunter appears have gone mainstream.

In the second part of the video, Hunter explains that he supports deporting American-born citizens who are the children of illegal immigrants. The crowd cheered. As shocking as this may be to the reader, he also is pushing legislation that changes the interpretation of the 14th Amendment to Constitution, so that it applies only to the offspring of legal immigrants. Thus, Hunter has stepped up the very low bar of accomplished Congressman, by doing nothing to fix the problem, and trying to tear a page out of the Constitution.

In response we must not let him do nothing, because we need the immigration problem fixed. I believe that we can correct the large majority of the problem with two simple laws:

First we need to issue temporary green cards to every illegal that is currently working here. This way they can demand real wages and benefits and pay taxes. This will also relieve the downward pay pressure on citizen workers who are trying to compete with immigrants living well below the poverty line.

Second, we need very stringent laws that prohibit employers from hiring undocumented workers. This measure will stop the flow of illegals across the border because the jobs will dry up.

Neither of these measures will work alone, but together can be a real fix to a real problem. We do not need real ID, amnesty or automatic citizenship to fix this problem, regardless of what they say.

Congress has done nothing about this issue because we let them do nothing. It’s time for us to call Hunter, Feinstein and Boxer and make clear that nothing is unacceptable. I hope that we find the two suggestions made here a reasonable solution to offer.

Dave Patterson is a Ramona resident.