For the Record

Most of us here in America are not Native Americans. Thus, we come from foreign stock at one time or another. A mixed bag in many cases, others more pure-bred where the families are perhaps more recent immigrants to the United States than others.

As for me, I am a mongrel of sorts. Irish, Scottish, Cornish, (English) French Canadian and Dutch. I'm proud that my paternal grandfather came from Holland. He came here legally at 8 months old in 1879, worked as an insurance salesman, truck driver, laborer and a landscaper. Yes, a landscaper like many Hispanics do today. But he came here through Ellis Island in New York legally! He came to California to follow his dream, and died here in 1941, still working, and without reaching that pinnacle of wealth, the street paved with gold, that most hope for in their life. I never knew my grandfather, but I hope he at least was a happy man and loved and lived life to the fullest possible. At least in his Final rest, he is buried with the movie stars and celebrities in Forest Lawn. It took death to be side by side with them, but he made it.

My paternal grandmother's father was from Cornwall, a place off the English coast that is Gaelic and many people speak the Gaelic language, similar to Ireland. Her mother was all American, the only one whom we can trace roots way back to American soil and the time of the Revolution. My maternal grandmother was a foreigner too, from Nova Scotia, Canada. Her mother was from Scotland. My maternal great grandfather's side of the family was from Ireland.

So, as you can see, although I consider myself an All American, I am composed, as many of us are, of a melting pot of heritage from all over. But, the big difference is that our families came here legally, and worked, paid taxes, built the country, not drained it and didn't look for handouts.

Our forebearers didn't look for some sort of "entitlement" where simply by taking breath they had everything coming to them. Somehow that attitude has pervaded our society, and the government panders to the multitude that holds out their hands in greed rather than gratitude. We have allowed generation after generation of welfare recipients to grow on the backs of taxpayers, where one welfare child has children, and those children have more offspring to be fed, clothed and taken care of by the system, while the "baby daddy" is responsible for nothing. Watching TV, I note there appears no shame for the welfare recipient to announce that the "baby daddy" is in prison for drugs or other criminal activity, or has deserted the mother and child, leaving the taxpayers to foot the bills. And, no, if he's not in jail, she won't admit to who he is anyway, because there is a minuscule chance the authorities might actually find him and cut off some of her welfare!

Then we have the illegals who have multiple children, paid for by the taxpayers, and somehow think this is their "right" to come here and live off someone else. And groups form and tell us these illegal aliens have "civil rights" after they break Federal Law and protest when our law enforcement agencies actually have the audacity to enforce our laws? Go to another country and do something illegal and see who protests for you! See how the foreign authorities there coddle you! Nope, only here do we make laws and then allow people to continually break them with no penalty. And now, the illegal population and their supporters are depending on Obama to help them gain amnesty and citizenship for breaking the law. With his record so far, there's sadly a good chance he'll pander to them and do so.

Is it any wonder why people are so dead set against illegal immigration? Yet more people draining our taxpayer-fed system? Sure, illegals do work that many don't want to do. But if you cut off the supply of illegal labor, and fined and jailed those who take advantage of cheap illegal labor, the jobs would pay more, and would be open for legal workers, regardless of where they're from. People deserve decent wages and living conditions, and living in a cardboard box while working for less than decent wages at some establishment, whose owner knows he's employing illegal labor, is patently wrong, morally, ethically and legally. And if both sides of the immigration issue can't see that, there is something very wrong.

Bring back the day laborer program. Let people enter legally, work, pay taxes, and return home when they want. Make employers pay fair wages, and if they employ labor for more than a day, require they provide adequate housing that is inspected and safe. Allow them to charge a nominal fee for housing and meals and require they provide a safe environment with good sanitation. Close the border tightly to illegal immigration. That would be fair to all, especially the taxpayers who are sick and tired of footing the bills for illegal immigration.

How about it Washington? Are you listening? Or are you more interested in ripping off the taxpayer and bankrupting the country with more bailouts and give-aways this week? Better listen to Bernanke or you'll be broke sooner than later. He's one of the brighter stars on the wilted tree in DC.