Spark It Up!!!: John McCain - Border Security and Immigration Reform

I have been researching John McCain's website, looking for something, anything to motivate me to support him. I looked at his issues page and found "Border Security and Immigration Reform." This important issue is discussed and resolved in less than 400 words. I urge you to read the plan here. It wont take but a couple minutes. hell, I will paste it here and save you a trip.

Immigration is one of those challenging issues that touch on many aspects of American life. I have always believed that our border must be secure and that the federal government has utterly failed in its responsibility to ensure that it is secure. If we have learned anything from the recent immigration debate, it is that Americans have little trust that their government will honor a pledge to do the things necessary to make the border secure.

As president, I will secure the border. I will restore the trust Americans should have in the basic competency of their government. A secure border is an essential element of our national security. Tight border security includes not just the entry and exit of people, but also the effective screening of cargo at our ports and other points of entry.

But a secure border will contribute to addressing our immigration problem most effectively if we also:

Recognize the importance of building strong allies in Mexico and Latin America who reject the siren call of authoritarians like Hugo Chavez, support freedom and democracy, and seek strong domestic economies with abundant economic opportunities for their citizens.

Recognize the importance of pro-growth policies -- keeping government spending in check, holding down taxes, and cutting unnecessary regulatory burdens -- so American businesses can hire and pay the best.

Recognize the importance of a flexible labor market to keep employers in business and our economy on top. It should provide skilled Americans and immigrants with opportunity. Our education system should ensure skills for our younger workers, and our retraining and assistance programs for displaced workers must be modernized so they can pursue those opportunities

Recognize the importance of assimilation of our immigrant population, which includes learning English, American history and civics, and respecting the values of a democratic society.

Recognize that America will always be that "shining city upon a hill," a beacon of hope and opportunity for those seeking a better life built on hard work and optimism.

Border security and our failed immigration system are more examples of an ailing Washington culture in need of reform to regain the trust of Americans. In too many areas -- from immigration and pork barrel spending to Social Security, health care, energy security and tax relief -- business-as-usual politics prevents addressing the important challenges facing our nation.

That is the McCain Border Security and Immigration Plan. I failed to see the securing part of his plan. 386 words that scream of Mexico first, flexible labor markets, etc. Juan Hernandez should be proud. What about the Border Fence? I can sum up McCain's plan in four words - Open Border and Amnesty. There is a reason old Juan Hernandez hangs with McCain. Peas in a pod. This "plan" is a joke. McCain sponsored amnesty before with McCain/Kennedy. He makes no mention of building Duncan Hunter's Border Fence. He refuses to sign the No Amnesty Pledge that Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul have signed. Here is the pledge:

"I pledge to oppose amnesty or any other special path to citizenship for the millions of foreign nationals unlawfully present in the United States. As President, I will fully implement enforcement measures that, over time, will lead to the attrition of our illegal immigrant population. I also pledge to make security of our borders a top priority of my administration."

The pledge is understood as

1. The 12 million illegal aliens now here will have to go home.
2. They will not get any legal status while here that allows them to remain long-term.
3. Once in their home countries, they may apply for re-admittance to the U.S. as immigrants, visitors or temporary workers through normal channels.
4. But they will not receive any special privileges on the basis of their having been in the U.S. illegally, such as being put to the front of a line.
5. There will be no new categories or programs through which they may re-enter.
6. There will not be an expansion of green cards in any existing categories that will speed up their movement to the front of the line.

John McCain wont sign and we should be asking him why. I think we know why. He pushed for amnesty before and he will not pledge against it now. Can you see down the road?

Mike Huckabee's plan is here.