The President recently made remarks on the concept of “immigration reform.” He stood regally, read from his tele-prompt-ers (peppered with awkward pauses due, most likely, to a poor Tele-promp-ter Management Administrator) and spoke about things that almost made sense. However, he would quickly correct himself by speaking in his more familiar tongue of nonsense. Simply, it was a speech that was meant to say, “I gave a speech.” It was, once again, quasi-action designed to give the appearance of action from an administration that is deeply and gravely opposed to the concept of action – on a subject (illegal immigration) that requires definitive action.
I have grown accustomed to the nonsense from this administration. I have watched them with their deft skills maneuver around big issues, skirt major decision and purposefully fail to achieve solutions. This is the mark of the Statist. Problems offer opportunities for expanding power (government control) whereas solutions remove the opportunity to expand power (government control). Many people quote Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel when he said, “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste.” What they fail to mention, however, is the second part, which is the most telling, and most damning. Emanuel continues, “…and what I mean by that is an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.”
This is why the Administration won’t seal the border, and is virulently opposed to Arizona enforcing the existing Federal law. They call the Arizona law “ill conceived.” Solutions, for this administration, put an end to the opportunity to do things you think you could not do before. Solving problems stands in bold juxtaposition to the desires of the Obama administration.
In his speech, the President made overtures to the power of immigrants, and to the impact they have had on our country. However, he failed to understand why immigrants come to the country in the first place. If we are going to discuss the historical context of why immigrants traditionally came to the United States, then we must accept that it is for Freedom and Liberty. If we are going to then follow up, and understand what allowed these immigrants to grow, thrive and prosper, then we must accept that it is Capitalism.
The growth and success of immigrants is not by accident, nor is the growth and success of people born in the United States. Growth and success (and numerous other wonderful effects) are born out of opportunity. Opportunity exists when Natural Laws are understood and adhered to. Opportunity exists when government gets out of the way…..when people taste the fruits of their labors, when they are enabled to try, fail, learn and the try again.
We are not a prosperous, vibrant nation because we allow immigrants into the country, and I say this as a second generation American. My grandparents came to America in the 1930′s – on different boats – from Poland. They met in night school in Brooklyn where they were learning English. They were promised nothing tangible. They were not promised food, nor housing, nor clothing nor healthcare. They were not promised money, nor government hand-outs. What they were promised was the promise of America – opportunity. That they would not be attacked in the streets for being Jewish, (as opposed to the land they recently departed) and that they would not have their property taken from them without due process. That the concepts of “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness” derive from Natural Laws, and that no man has the right to take them away from another man. What allowed my grandparents to prosper was Capitalism. If they worked hard, if they had good ideas, if they were willing to try, they could achieve their American dream.
President Obama singled out Sergey Brin, the co-founder of Google, as if his success existed because we allow immigrants into the country. This is simply word play from the President – We allow immigrants, immigrants create search engines. Ta-Da!
The United States trusts, believes in, employs and relies on Capitalism to be the basis of a free people. When this system is allowed to work, with minimal government involvement, anyone who participates within it has the opportunity to grow and thrive. It is a testament to the system that those who are not born in the US can gain great financial and personal success if they work within it. The success of the United States is based solely and firmly in the concept of equal opportunity, and in enjoying the benefits of one’s hard work (as opposed to those benefits being the property of the state.)
It is dishonest for President Obama to simply say that our nation’s success is based on our allowing immigrants into the United States. This would lead one to believe that those who are opposed to illegal immigration are opposed to the success of the United States, and that any nation that allows immigrants will have instant success.
To be opposed to illegal immigration is an affirmation that the United States is a nation of laws. We do not allow ruthless thugs to intimidate us, nor do we allow those who do not follow the rules to gain credibility (and certainly not citizenship!) If any nation that allowed immigrants achieved instant success, then the United Kingdom and France (flush with Muslim immigrants) would be the most successful nations in the history of the world. Yet, as we know, they are not. The UK is, day by day, falling apart under the weight of its socialist government, and the undermining of its Western values. France is doing no better.
The President, once again, does not understand the issue in front of him. Capitalism is the foundation of our greatness. It comes from Natural Laws. The acceptance of ”…huddled masses, yearning to breathe free…” makes us a caring nation, but it is not our laws. It is not the basis of our way of life, and it alone does not, can not and will not make any nation great. It is Capitalism that provides the framework, the opportunity for greatness and lets all of our lawful citizens prosper – regardless of their place of birth.
