The Real Cost of Illegal Immigration

Illegal immigration is one of the most contentious and important issues facing this country today. A key aspect of the debate and disagreement on illegal immigration relates to its costs. Based on my review of six studies I came to the conclusion that no one really knows the cost of illegal immigration. There are two main problems. Almost all of the studies purporting to document the cost of illegal immigration are written by groups with a particular point of view. I will say more about this later. Secondly, the economic benefits of the illegal immigrants in this country have typically not been adequately addressed.

The Eagle Forum produced a well-documented report addressing many of the cost factors in illegal immigration. However, it is important to know that the Eagle Forum has been a leading advocate for the pro-family movement since 1972 and is therefore not without its biases. The report is worth reading if you are interested in more details about this issue. The Center for Immigration Studies sponsored a report written by Stephen Camorata written in 2004. This report focused on the "High Cost of Cheap Labor." It is important to know that The Center for Immigration Studies is a Pro-immigrant, low-`think-tank which seeks fewer immigrants but a warmer welcome for those admitted. Therefore it too has its own particular point of view. The report is important because it addresses the cost-benefit aspect of illegal immigration, which has all too frequently been neglected.

Some of the costs of illegal immigrants are obvious and indisputable. Examples of these include costs incurred by hospitals, costs incurred by the states and federal government to incarcerate illegal immigrants convicted of crimes, and costs to local school systems.

Mr. Camorata documents important "benefit" issues such as the fact that, "On average, illegal households pay more than $4,200 a year in all forms of federal taxes. Unfortunately, they impose costs of $6,950 per household.” It is important to note that in addressing taxes paid by illegal immigrants Camorata neglects to factor in sales taxes paid for food, clothing and other purchases made by illegal immigrants and property taxes paid by the illegal immigrants. The reduced cost of services and products as a result of the cheap labor provided by the illegal immigrants has a significant but unknowable effect on the overall cost of living in this country. This is particularly true in the construction of housing where many illegal immigrants are employed.

What I have written resolves nothing, but hopefully puts the issue in a little bit clearer perspective.

Macho Man Rush Limbaugh

Jeffrey Feldman reported in the Huffington post that Rush Limbaugh “took time out this week to besmirch McCain's maleness, wondering aloud during if the Republican candidate could really count as 'a man' in the wake of his speech in New Orleans.” Good grief Rush, have you given up Oxycontin and started overdosing on Human Growth Hormone? John McCain flew an A-4 Skyhawk during the Vietnam War, while Rush Limbaugh did not serve in the military, and was reported to have avoided service because of a small congenital cyst. Rush Limbaugh's weapons of choice are bombast and overdoses of misinformation.

In 1967 while McCain was on a bombing mission over North Vietnam he was shot down, badly injured, and captured as a prisoner of war by the North Vietnamese. He spent five and a half years as a prisoner of war, experiencing episodes of torture. The only torture Rush Limbaugh is likely to have suffered apart from any withdrawal from a illegally obtained narcotics, was being unable to heat his meals on a timely basis.

For Limbaugh to have challenged McCain over the air in the manner he did was consistent with his style of meaningless invective. It is often the case that men who challenge other men's "maleness" frequently have strong questions about their own. Does anybody know a whether Limbaugh ever played football, basketball or any other sport involving physical contact with a man or woman?

I assume that Rush Limbaugh is aware of his self-image as he he utters his derogatory comments over the radio. Such comments are intended to provide evidence of his power and whip up his adoring audience into a frenzy. Does Limbaugh really think demeaning people is a sign of power? One wonders. Can we next expect to see Rush Limbaugh take on Randy Savage in a cage match?

Tom Delay says Barack Obama is one of the Marx Brothers

Thursday, on the conservative Mike Gallagher radio show, former House Majority leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, said "if McCain does not define him as what he is — hey, I have said publicly, and I will again, that unless he proves me wrong, he is a Marxist." Later on that afternoon however, Tom Delay reportedly clarified his earlier remark by saying that Barack Obama is a real comedian, one of the Marx Brothers. When Senator Obama was informed by the comments made by Tom Delay he initially laughed, then wondered out loud which Marx Brother Tom Delay thought he was. Insiders say that Obama's favorite Marx Brother is Chico, because he played the piano so well.

Maybe DeLay thinks he is also one of the Marx Brothers. Probably Harpo, because he frequently had his hands in his rather large pants pockets. Although, in DeLay’s case his hands were generally in the large pockets of lobbyists. One would think DeLay would be careful in making remarks about other people given his own current circumstances. DeLay was indicted on a charge of criminally conspiring with two political associates to inject illegal corporate contributions into 2002 state elections that helped the Republican Party reorder the congressional map in Texas and cement its control of the House in Washington.


DeLay is still a free man pending his trial, but the picture below may be a "portrait" of things to come.
It's good to see the Tom Delay was able to smile about having his mug shot taken. He may not be smiling for much longer.

Will the Democrats Lemming-like Behavior Hurt Obama's Bid to Become President?

Lemmings are small rodents that live in or near the Arctic. Under certain circumstances large migrating groups will reach a cliff overlooking the ocean. They will stop until the urge to press on causes them to jump off the cliff and start swimming, sometimes to exhaustion and death. Political lemmings, the humankind, emulate their rodent cousins when it comes to key elections. Rather than support their party's candidate, they find reasons why it would be better for them not to vote at all, and thereby let the opposition candidate win. While not totally comparable, there is a politically suicidal behavioral element in what my mother used to call, "Biting off your nose to spite your face."

A number of groups that strongly supported Senator Clinton are threatening not to vote for Senator Obama. If you were a Senator Clinton supporter would you really want Senator McCain to be the next president of the United States? You've got to be kidding! Some Democratic women who are threatening not to vote for Obama are making it a feminist issue. I participated in a discussion regarding this on another blog. Is it possible for a woman to call herself a feminist and vote for Senator McCain, a man who allegedly called his wife a four letter word that I won't put in my post. Of even greater importance (one would think), is whether a feminist would would want one or more new conservative Supreme Court justices added so there will be an absolute majority on the Supreme Court who will tell the women of America that they don't have control over their bodies.

This type of lemminglike behavior has been seen before, but never more odiously then in the 1968 presidential election. Many of my liberal friends said there was no difference between Richard Nixon and Hubert Humphrey. When I challenged their sanity, they accused me of political naiveté and questioned whether I was really a Democrat. As we all know, Nixon won the election and American democracy was severely threatened. The Nixon Cabinet was the first one since the Ulysses S. Grant administration to be able to hold cabinet meetings in prisons. I had moved by the time of the Watergate travesty and was not able to look my old friends in the eye. I may appear to be digressing, but I'm trying to emphasize the point that rational thinking can often be completely discarded in a heated emotions of political posturing. Stay tuned, this will only get more interesting.

Coming next: the Presidential candidacy of Senator McCain and Republican Lemming-like Behavior.

Senator McCain Overwhelms Senator Obama in First Debate

In a surprising development, Senator McCain clearly won the first presidential debate over Senator Obama. McCain was on top of his game and had all the facts at his fingertips. He spoke clearly and articulately without pausing, and never once hesitated in responding to the questions asked. On the other hand, Obama time and again seemed at a loss for words, mumbled on more than a few occasions, and scratched his head as if puzzled by very direct questions.

Senator McCain presented a well articulated concise and plan for the phased pullout of American soldiers from Iraq and assured the nation that we would be not involved in any long-term commitment there beyond a few critical divisions and an Air Force Base. Senator Obama's response left much to be desired, when he said, "We gotta get the hell out of there," and refused to elaborate on his plans when pressed by Tim Russert.

It was on economic issues that Senator McCain shined brightest. He presented a new five point plan for economic recovery that would reduce the deficit in half within four years and still be able to give increased tax cuts to all Americans. He seemed to have an answer for every critique his plan and had clearly mastered the economic problems and the need for specific solutions on a timely basis. Senator Obama seemed out a loss when asked about his economic plan and continually asked to have the questions repeated. This was clearly a tactic to avoid answering critical questions that all Americans have a vital interest in. It was most embarrassing for Senator Obama.

Lastly, Senator McCain looked at the camera and all Americans and said, "I'm the man to lead you for the next four years and I promise I will implement my entire campaign platform within two years." When Senator Obama questioned him on that, McCain looked him in the eye until Senator Obama was forced to turn away in embarrassment. Senator Obama had some difficulty in finding the camera, and when he did so he resorted to index cards to talk to the national audience. In a nutshell, the whole evening was an embarrassment for Senator Obama and a clear triumph for Senator McCain, most likely our next president.

That’s Not Laughing Gas You're Buying

My partner and I went from Myrtle Beach to Savannah a couple of weeks ago. We got there on a tank of gas, but on the way back I had to fill up the tank again. At that time gas was still under four dollars, but it still cost me almost $50 to fill up the small tank in my Toyota Corolla. $50 for a Toyota Corolla? Is somebody kidding me! I didn't notice anybody around me smiling at that time, and now with the gas over $4 a gallon there's likely to be even less levity at the gas pumps. The people filling up their SUVs need laughing gas to get through the pain of paying for filling them with gas. But then again, they were free to buy more fuel-efficient cars in the first place. But this is America and everybody has a right to buy whatever they can afford. Unfortunately, when richer people decide to make choices that force us to import more oil everybody ends up paying for it.

How did we get to this place where we are dependent upon buying barrels of oil from countries that despise us and our way of life and are all too willing to gouge us out of our last dime? What about our "National Energy Policy?" Oh that, there isn't any. Well, with a president who was in the oil industry, and most of his oil buddies back in Texas run the state, and a vice president who worked for Halliburton, you surely didn't expect a national energy policy. Not that the Democrats have worked any harder at this. Big oil has big bucks and enough lobbyists to spread the wealth lavishly over each and every member of Congress. Hard to keep your mind on a national energy policy when you're sitting down to lunch with an oil lobbyist who is giving you a large check. Well some people are hard at work implementing alternative energy sources. T. Boone Pickens is spending billions of dollars on wind farms in West Texas. Unfortunately that will take a while to change the situation. Ultimately the Japanese will save us. Not intentionally, but rather by making alternative energy vehicles and forcing Detroit to follow suit. Everything will turn out okay, we hope. In the meantime, forget about all those cross-country trips.