Let no man imagine that he has no influence.
Whoever he may be,
and wherever he may be placed,
the man who thinks becomes a light and a power.
Henry George
DREAM Act? An Alternative Proposal
Harry Reid and President Obama have not been able/willing to deliver on immigration reform, even with super-majorities. But let's be realistic; I am a strong pro-immigration reformer, and the Democrats, with the exception of certain high tech allies, are not really in favor of what I call "immigration reform", i.e., fixing a broken temporary worker program, ending chained immigration (relatives get preference, regardless of merit), setting more merit-based criteria (in-demand professional/entrepreneurial knowledge and skills, academic credentials, working knowledge of English, etc.), revising (larger) quotas for larger countries, etc. They are instead focused on unauthorized Latinos, primarily low-skilled workers and their families.
The DREAM Act is an interim step to a comprehensive immigration reform bill which would decide a "final status" for the 11 million or so unauthorized Latino visitors. Many law-and-order conservatives are vehemently opposed to immigration reform, noting that the previous 1986 immigration reform act was supposed to have ended the flood of unauthorized visitors but instead government seems to have looked the other way while unscrupulous employers hire these workers under the table or ignore warning signs of forged documents (like California GOP gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman was alleged to have done with her maid). In their view, granting "amnesty" (in fact, granting those whom crossed the border illegally a path to US citizenship in exchange for what is basically seen as a mere slap on the wrists) simply reinforces the benefits of working around legal entry and sets the stage for another amnesty down the road, say another 20-25 years from now. And so they've demanded a necessary sealing of the border to end, for once and for all, this cycle of illegal entry before deciding a "final status".
The DREAM act would allow foreign-born children of unauthorized visiting workers a path to citizenship if they volunteer to serve in the military or attend college for a specified number of years. (There are certain qualifications regarding a suitably-long residency in US pre-college schools, no criminal record, etc.) Advocates argue that dependent children should not be held responsible for the actions of their parents; opponents counter that this is little more than a back door to amnesty which would set a bad precedent.
On balance, I oppose the act as it currently stands because it is unfair to international students whom follow the rules but are not provided the same path to citizenship and I believe that immigration reform should be decided in a concurrent, comprehensive, not piecemeal fashion. In no case should other family members be able to piggyback off a dependent's separate path to citizenship; it sets a morally hazardous, unconscionable precedent of unauthorized parents using their own children to establish legal residency. However, I am more open to the path of citizenship for foreign young people whom choose to serve in the US military (and in particular at risk assignments, e.g., Iraq and Afghanistan).
I think a reasonable compromise might be to also allow current resident college-age students to apply for student visa programs through their native country. Furthermore, I am supportive of a path to citizenship for ALL foreign-born students whom complete their programs in certain in-demand scientific, technical or professional areas (e.g., science, engineering, math, technology, nursing and medical doctors).
A Season of Giving: Some Comments
It is a very challenging global economic environment, and we should not forget the growing numbers of people in need. In deciding where to distribute one's limited resources for charitable purposes, it is important to be hard-nosed in assessing the worthiness of the charity: how much of the money donated actually spent on relevant goods and services? How transparent are the charity's business operations, and are its financial statements fairly stated?
I personally recommend considering the Better Business Bureau's resources. They have a set of 20 standards for charitable accountability; interested persons can check out appraisals for a large number of charities here. The BBB has a Wise Giving Alliance Accredited Charities program list and a related voluntary National Charity Seal program list.
I'm personally intrigued by charities that focus on what I refer as "starter dough" ("teach a man to fish") concept: providing small loans to help those, particularly in developing countries, to start or expand their own businesses. Some organizations, such as FINCA, offer microfinance programs, e.g., offering a female small business owner a loan. I leave to the reader to read some of the remarkable stories, like that of Florence Nabukenya from Uganda. Florence, a mother of 3, took into her one-bedroom home 4 orphaned nephews and nieces whose parents had died of HIV/AIDS. She used her microcap loan with fish wholesalers to buy in bulk and increase the operating margins at her fledgling fish market store; today she also owns a small shop and farm, and future plans include the purchase of some land on which to build a retail building yielding rental income for her retirement.
I will point out that FINCA has been criticized by BBB for not meeting 3 of its 20 standards, which have to do with a relative proportion of compensated personnel, its new compliance with international versus (more rigorous) American accounting standards, and insufficiently transparent expense statements. I would encourage FINCA to address the BBB's concerns and leave it to the reader to make his own judgment. I do like the story this charity has to say; it stands in stark contrast to the progressives in the Congress and the White House whom have done little but to foster an unhealthy dependence on government handouts.
Political Humor
"The turkey that President Obama will pardon this year for Thanksgiving will come from California. The spokesman for the turkey said it doesn't need a pardon, it needs a job." –Conan O'Brien
[Well, it was going to get a pardon until it got into Michelle Obama's vegetable garden. The family could tell it was a California turkey--it had a strong smoky flavor to it... Obama nicknamed the bird "Joe Biden".]
"We've patted you down twice, Congressman Frank. Why don't you just go to your office now?" -- Ann Coulter, speculating on what if members of Congress had to go through TSA-like screens on the way to their offices
[No doubt Congressman Frank would also do the full-image scanner and take a second image, just in case the first got his bad side. He would then order an extra set of prints for his boyfriend...]
An original:
- The TSA has picked up a few tips from how the USPS does business. For a small additional fee, you can get your package stamped "First Class/Handle With Care" and it will get to your destination faster.
Musical Interlude: Instrumentals/One-Hit Wonders
Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, "Lonely Bull" This song reminds me of the time I was in high school, and the family went into Nuevo Laredo to see our first bullfights. The stadium charged two prices: one for the sunny side, the other for the shady. [One of the first albums I ever purchased was Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass' Greatest Hits; highly recommended!]
