Here is what I would like to hear from the ’08 presidential candidates. So far, I haven’t found any of them very satisfactory.
For me, the three most important issues are the War and
Iraq, immigration reform and trade negotiations.
Unfortunately, the Republican candidates want to continue the war in Iraq, the Democratic candidates want to maintain the underclass of workers coming from Mexico and neither party is ready to stand up to international corporations and demand fair trade and port security.
Feel free to use the comments to express your own wish list for the ’08 presidential contenders.
Here is my wish list.
The War in Iraq
Dennis Kucinich comes closest to my view on this important issue. He has proposed a plan (Gosh imagine that! Someone with a plan!) to get us out by working through the UN and using diplomacy to bring other nations in to bring security to Iraq and assist in its reconstruction. Of course this would mean that corporate America couldn’t exploit Iraqi oil reserves and maintain a monopoly on reconstruction contracts. I’m willing to trade that for American and Iraqi lives.
Immigration Reform
It is interesting that the Democrats claim to represent American workers but support President Bush’s “comprehensive” immigration reform package that would continue to maintain an underclass of illegal or cheap labor for exploitation by American corporations. I definitely am opposed to any guest worker program. If we need more workers in the United States, then we should provide more opportunities for legal immigration. There is no place for an underclass of workers in this country and no proof that guest workers would return to their nation of origin once their visa expired. Guest workers would marry, have children in the U.S. and we would continue to have the dilemma we face now concerning undocumented workers with family who are citizens.
If any of the Democratic candidates for president expect my vote next election they need to fix their stand on immigration reform.
Here is what I would like to see in immigration reform:
1) Compassionate visas (C- Visas) for undocumented workers who have immediate family who are American citizens, including parents of minor children who are citizens. The C Visa would allow them to stay in the United States and work, but not lead to citizenship. If they wished to become American Citizens they could remain in the United States and apply for a green card. Proof of citizenship for the relative would be required and the individual would need to have a sponsor that would guarantee them employment or economic support. They would also have to undergo a medical exam and background check.
2) Border security would need to be increased with additional trained border patrol and physical and virtual barriers.
3) A tamper-proof ID system would need to be in place for all legal residents and citizens of the United States. The blue paper social security card and paper birth certificates just don’t work in a digital society. Verification of a worker’s status would need to be made prior to employment by every employer. Failure to verify a worker’s status as legal would result in a fine in proportion to the number of workers employed by the employer.
Fining a small business $5,000 for hiring an illegal employee is significant. Fining a major corporation the same amount is not a deterrent. Fines would increase for repeat offenders. No driver’s licenses would be issued by states without proof of the applicant’s legal right to reside and work in the United States. All driver’s licenses would designate the status of the driver as citizen, R-Visa, H-1 visa, or C-Visa. Unless one is authorized to work in the United States they would be unable to open a bank account, minor children of citizens, legal residents and students on student visas for the period of time stated on their visas would be the exception.
I know the argument about giving up our privacy and big brother watching us, but I have already given up my privacy to financial institutions, insurance companies, Internet advertisers, etc. The IRS already knows where I work and everything about me. For a change, I would like to see the technology used to protect my identity and my rights instead of using it to protect the rights of business and financial institutions to exploit me.
4) The quota for legal immigration should be increased.
5) Employers who wish to have someone enter the country under an H 1 visa should provide evidence that they are paying that individual the prevailing wage for American workers working in similar positions and provide evidence that they have attempted to hire an American worker to fill the position.
International Trade and Port Security
I am opposed to allowing foreign corporations to operate our ports. The ports in the United States should be operated by American corporations or the government of the United States. I am also opposed to allowing private control of American highways, selling of state toll roads should not be permitted. I agree with Dennis Kucinich , end NAFTA and the other trade agreements and renegotiate them on a bilateral basis.
4 comments:
Hi Cee Jay ... welcome back from your self-imposed commune with nature by taking morning walks along the paths near your home.
Obviously listening to the birds has helped to clear the clutter from your mind made by fellow human beings enabling you to form some definitive political conclusions about issues that confront us. More people should embrace your routine. :)
Although I think it's far too soon to be declaring Presidential favorites, it's not too early to be contemplating the issues they've raised.
Like you, I favor Kucinich's approach to Iraq and International Trade. Both must be ended for the sake of humanity if the United States is to restore its national dignity globally.
These policies were made for the purpose of advancing the interests of American corporate imperialism which knows no morality.
With respect to immigration, I feel the best way to correct the problems of illegals is to not renew NAFTA which is the reason so many Mexican people are seeking work in the U.S.
NAFTA originally allowed American companies like Walmart to go to Mexico and set up labor sweatshops to produce goods cheaply to be consumed by Americans. When a similar international trade agreement was reached with China but for cheaper labor all the American companies shifted production to that country abandoning poor Mexican workers in the process. This is why you have a flood of illegal Mexican immigrants trying to get into the U.S.
Rather than build walls on our Southern border or violate everyone's personal privacy with I.D. cards, we should be helping these countries to develop healthy economies built with union labor so their citizens don't have to come to the U.S. to find decent work.
In my view, the Immigration issue is a political contrivance to refocus our attention away from the Iraq war and paint Bush as a humanitarian for promoting a guest worker program.
Like Bush's Iraq solution though, it's a game of smoke and mirrors to fool voters in 2008. The GOP needs a new issue to rally their base around because the war is so unpopular.
The only plan that can succeed next year is a candidate who comes forward with a vision to end the disasterous war and trade policies of the past 25 years.
Peace,
Cosmic
Hi Cosmic,
Thanks for your comments. I agree that NAFTA is one of the major reasons for the flood of immigrants(the other is corrupt Mexican government, not that we have any right to throw stones). However, I also see the need for tamper proof ID cards. Identity theft is not only perpetrated by those wishing to work in our country illegally, but by the criminal element as well. I do not see it as an invasion of personal privacy. Having a card that can prove one's identity and keep others from usurping it is essential in a digital, global and interdependent world.
What information would the government have about me that they don't already have with my driver's license, my teaching certificate, my passport, my social security record, and my income tax? An individual already gives up personal privacy if they want to work legally in the United States. They give up even more if they want to drive a car, have a cell phone, be connected to the Internet, buy anything on credit or have health insurance.
Border security is something that should be a given for any sovereign nation. What other country in the world allows all who want to enter it to come in illegally, over stay their visas,and work without a work visa? Then after the individual has gained illegal entry into the country and usually after they have forged or stolen official documents, they expect to stay in the country and continue to work ahead of those waiting in line to enter the country legally.
I do agree with you that the way Republicans have approached this issue with the scare tactics about illegal immigrants is a smoke screen to take some of the heat away from the failure in Iraq. It also confuses voters about their real motivations in dealing with immigration which is to maintain the status quo and the flow of cheap labor to undercut unionized workers throughout the world.
Hi Cee Jay ... my only concern about privacy is the government's inability to establish a secure method to keep commercial companies from accessing the data it collects on us.
The government still hasn't convinced me they aren't selling this data to marketing companies to raise money for their war effort either.
Please send an Email to me at my address listed in my Blog profile or at Mark's place. I need to discuss something with you and won't use it irresponsibly ... thanks.
Peace,
Cosmic
Hey i am new to this website. How do you get your backround like the way you want it?
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