The Steel Patriot
By J. James Estrada (05/16/06)
Have you seen this guy Juan Hernandez on The O'Reilly Factor? He's described as being a former member of the Vincente Fox cabinet in Mexico? He reminds me of a fox in hen house with that silly grin he constantly wears. And when he speaks, it gets worse, spouting off about how illegal Mexicans in the U.S. are the backbone of the country. If American politicians had a backbone, they'd demonstrate it by finally authorizing the construction of what I'd like to call The Steel Patriot: a state-of-the-art fence to provide defense against border incursions from the south. Once in place, Hernandez might just have to concentrate on fixing Mexican economic and security policies, not dictating ours.
How much will The Steel Patriot cost? Well, what is the cost of illegal immigration to the nation? $10 billion per year? $20 billion? How much do taxpayers pay in the education and emergency medical costs for illegals? How about the costs for the criminal justice system? What about the cost of drug smuggling on American society? And what of the cost of terrorists crossing the border with nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons?
Building a fence is not a new idea. In fact, it was the Clinton administration that launched Operation Gatekeeper in 1994. This operation called for fences to be erected in California and Texas. It has succeeded in funneling illegal traffic to the largely unprotected borders of Arizona. The current administration was given an ultimatum by the Minuteman Civil Defense group to add troops on the open border here or they would construct fences on private land starting May 27th.
Arizona’s politicians are split on what do about the problem. Democrats and John McCain consider the illegal influx into the state as something to celebrate (who else would pick lettuce in Tucson?). Republicans are on the “other side of the fence” from their left-of-aisle foes. Senator Jon Kyl and Congressman J.D. Hayworth have voted for increased border security measures, including the building of fences.
Here’s what Kyl said in a press release in March: “Nearly half of illegal aliens crossing the southern border of the United States enter through Arizona in the Tucson and Yuma Sectors….Fencing works. The construction of a triple layered fence in the San Diego Sector has clearly done a great deal to reduce the flow of illegal immigration and drug smuggling in California.”
Hayworth had this to say to Vinente Fox’ opposition to the fence: “President Fox should shut up…He should shut up about all of this because he is only fanning the flames of poor relations between our two nations. He needs to cease and desist."
It’s time for Juan Hernandez to head back to Mexico and Fox to save Americans from any more of his silly declarations. And it’s time for The Steel Patriot to save Americans, period. As Americans, it’s time to support candidates who will uphold their constitutional oaths to protect this great country from all enemies.
J. James Estrada
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