Call for submissions

I am thinking lately about a regional prosperity plan for Central America. All too often we look at immigration as simply an issue of law and order, but the fact is that we will continue to have people crossing our border illegally as long as their is such a wide disparity of incomes and quality of life among Central American nations, and between them and the United States.

CAFTA & NAFTA clearly are not the answer. I'm asking you to tell me what you think can be done to help all of Central America improve quality of life. This is not simply economics, although that's certainly part of the equation. 

How can infrastructure be built? What economic ties will help all nations, including the US? How do we ensure quality health care for all? What questions am I leaving out?

Campaign School

I spent today at McHenry County College, attending a candidate school. It was very informative and interesting, but I think the best part was meeting people running for other offices. Dave Kalbfleisch, Green Party candidate for US Representative in the 10th district, as was Frank Wedig (McHenry County Board, district 5) and Steve Alesch (US Rep, 13th district).

Speakers included Presidential hopefuls Kent Mesplay and Jared Ball. I'm not ready to decide who I will support for President, but I truly appreciated these two showing up. I'll be checking out their websites to learn more about their positions; you should, too.

Next up is contacting Libertarians.

H-1B

To date my posts have been based on current news. I'm going to take a departure this time to talk about H-1B visas. They get news attention from time to time, but not very recently. They are part of a much broader immigration debate.

H-1Bs, and immigration in general, are a huge topic and I'm hoping that you will weigh in on this topic in the comments. 

I have mixed feelings on this topic, but it is clear that there is abuse of the system. It's also clear that abuse is being aided and abetted by our leaders at taxpayer expense.

To start, a quote from George Bush's Secretary of Labor, Elaine Chao: "H-1B nondependent employers are not subject to the conditions, and their H-1B  workers may be hired even when a qualified U.S. worker wants the job, and a U.S. worker can be displaced from the job in favor of the foreign worker."

These visas were implemented for the purpose of allowing employers to find specialized workers when they were unable to find legal residents capable of doing the job. The United States government is now on record as telling employers to circumvent the rules and FIRE Americans in order to hire aliens.

Equal Employment Opportunity has various rules concerning how an employer must advertise a job. If you don't believe that many employers are spending money to violate those rules, check this out www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCbFEgFajGU. 

When discussing immigration keep this in mind; it's not just a question of crossing the Rio Grande illegally, we're also talking qualified U.S. workers being turfed out in favor of lower paid aliens. Those brought in at a cheaper salary will be required to return in a few years, never qualifying for a pension, and replaced with another foreign applicant.

Democrats Still Unable To Lead

It's become a familiar scene, Bush asks for the world and the Democrats compromise by saying "You can have Australia, North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Antarctica and most of the islands, but you can't have everything!"

This time it's about wiretapping. Two months ago the Dems promised to roll back the broad, over-reaching wiretapping authorities given to the National Security Agency. A Democratic bill being released to the House today shows that they have no intention of doing any such thing. Nancy Pelosi's office stated that the bill gives the NSA what it legitimately needs to protect America.

Why do they ever need to wiretap without without a warrant? A FISA court can be called in secret at any time of day or night. These courts can issue warrants in secret on the authority of a judge knowledgeable in national security, yet the Democrats don't think even that should be required.

Stepping Back a moment

First off, I am led to believe that Obama missed the Kyl-Lieberman amendment vote due to a sudden change in scheduling by the nefarious Mr. Reid. If that's true, apologies are in order and we'll all be expecting Mr. Obama to not approve the Defense Reauthorization bill as long as said amendment remains attached.

Now, on to new business. 

This week is banned books week. Celebrate by reading a banned book. If you have kids, read one to them. If you participate in a book club, make sure to discuss banned books with your friends. Apparently the most challenged book of 20o6 is "And Tango Makes Three," the story of two male penguins that raise an orphaned baby penguin together. Come on, people! How silly can you get? I'll be going to the bookstore and looking for this book very soon; I think my boys aged 3 and 6 will likely enjoy it.

My favorite title among the top ten most challenged books of 2006 is "The Earth, My Butt, And Other Big Round Things." That sounds like a winner to me! Off the list is "Catcher In the Rye." If you haven't read that one, you should. Especially if you're male aged 16 - 25.

This brings to mind a story my father told me. While in the army he was reading "War And Peace" by the Russian author Tolstoy (I think that was the book, but it was a Tolstoy of some sort). One day he left it on his bunk and, when he returned in the evening, it was gone. A sergeant, or other officer, called informed him that he was not to be reading any more communist literature. I couldn't help wondering if something by a red-blooded American author, maybe  Steinbeck's "The Grapes Of Wrath," would be more acceptable. You can take your own lessons from this anecdote, but I feel like the vast majority of those who call for banning a book are no more intelligent than the sergeant that thought the czars were commies.