Immigration

With all of today’s headlines about immigration I wanted to weigh in with a few thoughts. I suppose that what I am going to outline is not terribly new but it does take issue with both sides as they try to position themselves for their core constituents.

First, it sounds obvious, but we have to admit there is a problem. There are many who do not feel that there is. A country’s border is sacred to its citizenry for it separates one country from another in social, economic, security and political ways. The United States is the destination for people all over the world because we are a beacon of social, economic and political freedom rarely found in other countries.

To maintain many of these freedoms we must have control of who enters our country in number and identity. The latter, even more so in today’s world of terrorist plots and threats. Those who believe that our border is secure need only see the unaccompanied twelve years olds walking or swimming across the border to realize the borders are not secure. This leaves the door open for all forms of immigration abuse. Most every country in the world controls, in some form, its own border or its own economic interests by visa or other controlling factor. Why should we do anything different?

On the other hand, those that believe the eleven or twelve million undocumented individuals in this country should be deported are not being realistic. It will simply never happen. Yes, they entered illegally or entered legally and overstayed their visa and they will need to pay a price for not following the laws of our country. What that price is can and should be debated. What plan comes from this is not amnesty. Amnesty would be to ignore the illegal act and give everyone citizenship without a paying price.

So just what is the answer to our immigration problem? Here is my solution. You may have your own and that creates a healthy debate that we need to have in this country. Not by the headline grabbing talking heads but by those actually responsible for enacting our laws and enforcing them.

The first thing is to actually secure the border, not just temporarily but permanently. The next step is to increase the number of legal visas and work permits substantially. This will allow for a legal work force to follow many of the agriculture related jobs that flow across the border. Additionally, we need to substantially increase both work visas and citizenship for higher educated individuals. Finally, we will need to finalize a path to citizenship for the millions of illegal individuals already here.

Of course, none of this can happen without strict enforcement of the laws we already have in place. That may well mean that those with criminal records are deported immediately but others will no longer be looking over their shoulder and afraid of deportation if they follow the new laws. Yes, there will some gray areas and those can and will be worked through over time.

It is time that we stop ignoring our immigration issues and stop the rhetoric (from both sides). It’s time to do the humane thing, and that is to find a solution now. All in the name of freedom, health, safety, and the economic benefit of our Nation.

More later…

Veterans Cemetery Revisited

We had the opportunity to spend a few minutes yesterday with Congressman Sam Farr and State Senator Bill Monning at an open forum updating everyone on the status of the Veterans Cemetery on Ft. Ord. It was a fairly well attended event with parties from both sides of the issue.

My first thought is it’s rather odd that there would even be two sides to this issue. Clearly the community has spoken out in support of the Veterans Cemetery time and time again over twenty some years. Yet, there are still a handful of people that continue to harp on the same issues that have been addressed and readdressed time and time again. Clearly their collective opposition is that they want nothing done at the site, or for that matter, anywhere else on the former Ft. Ord. Period.

So please allow me to once again address the issues in a calm and easy to understand form:

First, let’s address the biggest of the scare tactics currently being used. The Veterans Cemetery is NOT connected in any way to the Monterey Downs project. Senator Monning carried legislation a couple of years ago to completely separate the two projects. So supporting the Cemetery does not mean you support ‘gambling’ or any other perceived social ill the opposition continues to throw out by connecting the two.

Second, the project is being reviewed for environmental impacts by both the State and Federal government. Each has identified issues that will be easily mitigated during the construction of the current 17 acre project. These include the replacement of trees and the usual air quality, drainage and other steps used during most any construction process in California.

Next is the actual size of the project. When this project was first envisioned twenty some years ago it was to be some 260 plus acres. That was simply too big for everyone involved and has been completely re-imagined under a much smaller total build out. Currently the only area under consideration is the 17 acre columbarium. Any additional phases or additions will require additional environmental review at that time. Legally, the current proposed 17 acre site is all that can be reviewed at this time because there is no funding or plans for the additional expansion that may or may not happen over the next ten years or more.

Then there were comments made that the project needs more review, that the site should be somewhere else and, of course, there will be trees that will be removed. Let’s be clear about one thing. This project has been reviewed, and reviewed, and reviewed - again over a twenty plus year period. The site was selected years ago and reviewed in public by the Board of Supervisors and by FORA. The general plans have been reviewed by FORA, the County and the State. The voters weighed in with a special referendum and now the State of California and the Federal government are making their final reviews of the current 17 acre plan. This has been one of the most public projects in the history of Monterey County and likely the State of California.

Trees. I will stipulate yes, there will be trees removed. Just as there are trees removed for almost any other construction project. Of course, there will be trees replanted as well. Let’s also be clear in that most of the trees are scrub oaks, not the big majestic oaks that one might imagine. Let’s also remember that this area has survived the most powerful army in the world. It has withstood bombing, shelling, canons, grenades and just about any other form of explosive, plus tanks, half tracks, trucks, jeeps and thousands of troops stomping over the grounds… I do believe it will survive as the permanent home for those that have served this country for generations.

It’s time that we ALL stand up and give our full support to the Veterans Cemetery project and stop the fighting. As Congressman Farr stated…”he has never seen so much made about so little”.

More later…