I Have An Idea...

 November 6th is only 3 weeks away and I suspect that a majority of Americans are ready to be done with all that comes with the campaigns. No more political adds, debates on TV, and political mailings clogging up your mail box with even more junk mail. I suspect a few days after the election Facebook will again be a peaceful place where everyone can be friends again. I know I have at least 5 people I am going to re friend once the election is over. By now they must certainly know I am right and they were wrong.  In any event the time for choosing a candidate is coming to a close. So I ask you one question and that is have you got any detailed answers to your questions and issues that are important to you?

 The truth is I am disappointed because I don't believe that either candidate has laid out specific plans in many areas. My biggest problem with Obama in 2008 was he ran on Hope and Change. That sounds good but how are you going to bring about these noble endeavors? Clearly he didn't think it through and there was really no plan other then live off Bush's failures. This was obviously not a workable plan. So where are the answers? Why can't bipartisan plans be implemented. I personally think it is because Washington has become to partisan to work effectively regardless of who the president is. So here is a novel idea. How about we as Americans start dialogue between each other and see what workable solutions we can come up with. So I have decided to write about one topic that has been mentioned in every debate. Here is my idea on how to resolve the illegal immigration issue. Let me know your thoughts.

 Presently there are somewhere between 12-18 million illegal immigrants in the United States. There is no way to really know for sure how many there are because after all they are here illegally but experts believe the numbers above to be pretty accurate. Not only are there millions already here but on average over half a million try to enter the country every year, and that is a low estimate. Border protection has become a major issue in this country and is costing American taxpayers billions of dollars every year.

 Lets look at the cost of protecting the borders. First you must pay the agents, then once you collect an illegal immigrant then you must prosecute them. This in and of itself is an extremely high cost. Public defenders must be employed the court systems in the Southwest are over capacity with illegal immigration cases alone, let alone all the other normal cases you would find in a US Court system. If the court costs weren't staggering enough for you then there is the housing, feeding and medical expenses that comes with making an arrest of an illegal. In one section of Arizona over 307,000 illegals have been caught and then had to be prosecuted. Can you imagine the strain that puts on the local economies and the local law enforcement. It is no wonder some of the Governors of the Southwest states have openly defied the federal government. They need help and they need it fast. So here is what needs to happen.

 I realize this would be a radical move and terrifying for most Americans but I do think there is a precedent for it. On September 15, 1863 President Lincoln imposed Congressionally authorized martial law. The President suspended habeas corpus (the right to be heard) throughout the entire United States and focused the suspension on the prisoners of war, spies, or aiders and abettors of the enemy. Now I know that some reading this are freaking out about declaring Martial Law but the Supreme Court decided that suspending habeas corpus was against the constitution in places that local courts were still in session. So I am not advocating the Martial Law everywhere but simply on the Southwest borders and only for the issue of illegal immigration. Another time this was used was in San Francisco when in 1934 when California Governor Frank Merriam placed the docks of San Francisco under martial law, citing "riots and tumult" resulting from a dock worker's strike. Again, I am not advocating martial law for any place other then the border itself and suspending habeas corpus for illegal immigrants only.

  Article 1 Section 9 of the United States Constitution states,
"The Migration or Importation of such Persons as any of the States now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by the Congress prior to the Year one thousand eight hundred and eight, but a Tax or duty may be imposed on such Importation, not exceeding ten dollars for each Person.

The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it."

I find it interesting that the founding fathers put these two section together. Did they know something about what immigration could cause and the potential for rebellion or invasion?

 Now let me ask you what constitutes an invasion? Does it need to be a hostile force? Some would say that a country being overrun by over 12 million people is an invasion and I would be inclined to believe that but clearly a case can be made for public safety. Not only are the illegals coming over and taking jobs and costing taxpayers billions of dollars, more sinister plans have been exposed in both drugs and weapons trafficking. Lets face it the worst nightmare for this country is if a terrorist was able to enter through the southwest borders.

 So my proposal would be to grant amnesty for all illegals that are presently here. Lets face it the cost to find them, track them down and send them home would be ridiculously high and it's never going to happen. Now I know my conservative friends are sharpening their pitch forks and torches but hear me out. Then I would deploy the US Armed Forces to the borders. We have the best trained and equipped forces in the world. With the drawn down in Iraq and eventually Afghanistan we will have many troops coming home and looking for work. The United States Department of Labor stated that 8.3% of veterans are unemployed. How many troops would have stayed in the military if they could have done their job while serving at home. Much of what the troops are doing overseas could be used in the Southwest so there would not need to be billions spent on training. Also the military could institute it into their regular training schedules. A month a year patrolling the borders in the south would be excellent real world training.

 This would save taxpayers billions. It would allow local law enforcement to do their jobs and focus on a mission they can actually handle. Because habeas corpus is suspended there would be no need for civilian courts to deal with the overload of illegals and the illegals could be shipped home immediately with no cost for housing and care. Word would quickly spread that it doesn't pay to try and get into the United States illegally. Immigrants would be forced to pursue legal means of becoming citizens or coming to work. Another benefit would be the drug and weapons traffickers would be met with a force with superior firepower thus discouraging them from trying to do business in the US.

 Now I know my plan isn't perfect. So tell me why it won't or would work.

Thanks For Reading
Steve