Curmudgeon's Corner

Angry, Disbelieving and Disgusted...

Posted by Al Campbell on May 21, 2010

Economy, Political, Quality of Life, U.S.

Politicians seem to have great difficulty in doing the right thing whenever they sense there are votes at stake.  The few who do the right thing in spite of votes being at risk are rare; they are so rare as to be nearly non-existent as office holders.  Most end up being former office holders either because they can no longer stomach the requirements of their office or because the voters could no longer stomach them.

I have succumbed to a set of emotional responses to the illegal immigration subject of which I am not particularly proud, but in which I feel justified.  I am angry.  I am in a state of disbelief. And, I am disgusted.

I was angry as I listened to the Mexican president berate us and Arizona over things that are present in his own country’s immigration policies.  I was angry that our president stood by and condoned that misrepresentation and added his own misrepresentation to the mix as well.  I was angry when I heard the roar of approval from members of Congress as the Mexican president addressed them with the same measure of disingenuous hyperbole.

We have a serious problem on our southern border.  Mexico has a serious problem on its southern border.  They treat their southern border problem in the same way we want our southern border problem treated, but we are wrong for wanting that.  Too many of our politicians are wont to really do anything more than pose for “holy pictures” since the growing ranks of Hispanic voters in our country are highly valued by those politicians.

I view this with a high level of disbelief that our country has sunk to this low so far as the defense of its southern border.  There are very obvious things that can be done that do not demean those desiring entry.  We could simply use the Mexican government’s approach which requires people to cross its borders legally, and which requires that they establish their identity, and that they establish they are capable of supporting themselves once in our country, and that they be able to produce the documentation that proves that.

I am disgusted with our current administration and with our last administration and with the administration before that, all of which have permitted this to go on largely unchecked.

Angry, disbelieving and disgusted.  That pretty well sums up where I’m at today even as I try to avoid such feelings.  I need help to overcome my shortcomings; I need a government that does what is right rather than simply what is propitious for its own perpetuation.