More On Immigration

Long time readers of this rant will remember how long I have said or talked about illegal immigration with the key word being ILLEGAL. Certainly nothing has happened recently that changes my mind on this issue.
I am not a fan of CNN News, but I have been a longtime fan of Lou Dobbs on that network. Ole Lou is 'on fire' as it pertains to this issue. I strongly encourage anyone who will listen to tune into Mr. Dobbs when you can. In my mind, he nails the issue.
There is not much doubt in my mind that the republicans are going to pay a heavy price for going off in many different directions regarding this issue. Will it be enough to change the power structure of congress? Beginning to look like it to me.
What puzzles me is, we should be sending people to congress to make decisions, some hard, some easy. They are afraid to make the hard decisions it would appear. In my mind, if they are not going to make the hard decisions in the area of immigration, then they may as well take down Old Glory and fly the flag of the U.N. Furthermore, why introduce a new bill (read as law), when the current laws are not being followed? Makes zero sense.

P.S. I am thinking of enrolling in a spanish course... may well need it. :)

Immigration / Borders

Been saying for aloooong time that this will be 'the' issue in the 2006 / 2008 elections. Events are starting to show that feeling to be true. The huge numbers of demonstrators this past weekend begin to show the weight of this issue.
Puzzling though - to me anyway... very little mention (at least here), about 'who' is doing the demonstrating. A cursory look would indicate (at least make me wonder), if those doing the demonstrating are here legally. Hard to say I guess, and do not mean to stereotype.
One things for sure... we do NOT need to build fences to keep people [in]. And I for one do not, nor have I ever had a problem with them 'coming' in - as long as they do it legally. It seems that is not too much to ask, because if they are coming legally, then we at least purportably know 'who' is coming. I suppose even that is suspect, but we'd have a fighting chance.
The congress / president et al. are tween a rock and a hard place. Had 9/11 not happened, it would be like all the previous presidents, e.g., sign a bill granting amnesty and start a new list. Well, 9/11 'did' happen - you could see this coming from a long way off; if not handled correctly, it will cost the party in power... and no, I do not know what the right way is... it is a tough tough question.

Mr. President

I was out and about today getting my oil changed - The President was having a news conference. Mr. Plain Talk - about all I can say is - please give us more of this - it is a serious mistake to be holed up and not 'speaking to the people'... letting the press mold the public. And let there be no mistake... the public is moldable (if there is such a word). : )
I just think it is so very refreshing to have a man of principle - you don't have to agree, but having said that, you don't have to consider all the angles either. History will indeed judge the president, good bad or indifferent, but they will 'never' be able to say he didn't stand on his beliefs. That means something to me.

We got a little snow this first day of spring... wonderfully wet snow. Not getting hardly any during the winter months, this was actually a godsend. Being a retired sort, I would not have cared had we gotten twice as much. : ) I am grateful for what we did get.

Beauty In The Air

What an absolute beautiful day - been in the yard doing some raking and picking up old vegetation. I 'intend' to be much more proactive in the yard this year... trust me, it shows my neglect for the past couple of years. My mower for the past two years called to confirm his continuance and I had to inform him I was gonna give it another whirl this year since I will be home. Told him I'd let him know if I couldn't handle things.

There are fat robins, pregnant in fact, fluttering around out there. Just a peckin where I've been and it is just entertaining to watch them. I find myself wasting time and not caring. Then there is a bird bigger than a wren trying his/her best to get into the wren house. I mean, REALLY trying! I'm hoping the bird does NOT make it cause I doubt it will make it out if it finally makes it all the way into the house. No perch to begin from once inside.

I was in Wal Mart the other day getting a fishing license... I asked a young lady on the floor if someone could help me in sporting goods for a license... she paged for one and I waited, humming 'One Day at a Time' by Christy Lane. Nobody came, and the young lady twice more paged for someone, each time stating she was sorry for the wait. Know what? I didn't even care. Funny what this retirement has done to me... ha ha... every now and then I have to pinch myself and say there is no time constraint on me, take it easy and what will be will be. Umm, I think I am gonna like this!!!

The Ports Deal

And so it's over. The people have spoken, and the people generally get precisely what they want. As for me? I will, as often times, walk alone on this issue. In today's world, when as a street person in Hong Kong, you can sell your product to me in Bellevue... if you do not think this is a 'world economy' you have your head so far into that elephants butt it is unrecoverable.

And now today, TODAY after literally raping the administration with their bile, Ms. Couric, the Washington Post, just to name a couple, wonder.... what did we really accomplish. They were just going to 'manage' the ports, not be in charge of security. I feel bile in my throat when I read things like that from these people. I find it hard to even breathe at times.
We had a meeting with a financial advisor today; during the course of that meeting this deal came up, and he admitted 'he' was against the deal. Cited 'security', because that is what the media has fed us day in, day out - when I hear a congressman speak of it in security terms I wonder what else the lawmaker does not know. They are the creators of the laws in this country; for them at this point to believe that deal was about security (IN THIS COUNTRY) is frightening.

It is for certain the administration bungled this whole thing. On my prayer list is this - please let Halliburton have the highest bid for taking over the ports. It would be so very poetic to see em all squirm. I think I might even do a back flip in the cul de sac.

BTW just so nobody thinks I am inconsistent on this issue - I will say again, if the argument was they wanted to stop foreign 'ownership', please so state... I was not for the takeover of the Panama Canal, I certainly was not for the Chinese taking over the port of Long Beach - oh, that's right, that was with Senor Bill in the White House, so that was OK... nope, my only real fight is twofold, 1) the absurb way The President's administration sold the deal, and 2) the fact the opposition used security as their selling point (both republicans and democrats) - they are IGNORANT and should be sent packing!!!

Port Security

OK - let me get this straight. We are in a world economy; anyone who doubts that is absolutely out of touch with reality. A poorest of the poor, living on a street corner in India could open their own business 'ON THE INTERNET' and thrive if they have something others around the world want. Having said that, herewith a few thoughts.

1) No matter who you talk to in our political culture, to a person, everyone agrees we have not done enough to 'secure our ports'. OK? Perhaps I might agree with that theory.
2) Politically speaking, 'most' democrats, and 'many' republicans are now saying they do not want any foreign government to have control of American port operations (even though many still use the phrase port security).

I think everyone can agree with those two statements in toto... nothing really earth shattering about them... just reality, the lay of the land if you will. So, what to do? I propose the following:
1) If America's port security is so bad, determine who in the sam hill (read as what country), has the BEST port security.
2) Hire that company / country to fix ours!!! Oh, that's right, we can not hire those evil foreigners... well my friends, you are either going to hire them or you are going to be more and more isolated.
3) We could 'always' hire that famed American company, umm lessee, Halliburton! Yea! That would really go over... what a world we live in... the global economy is indeed reality - one day we will all have to acknowledge same.