A MODEST PROPOSAL
A New Set of Voting/Immigration Laws to Consider
There’s so much controversy about voting and immigration, but sometimes, we need to reconsider our choices to make our country work for its citizens. Too much consideration has been given to the “rights” of people here illegally, so much so that some citizens have annulled their citizenship. We need a change.
New Rules for Voting
1. All ballots will be printed in English.
2. Voter registration will require a photo, a fingerprint and a signature to prevent forgery and fraud.
3. Non-residents will have no right to vote, no matter how long they have been here
New Immigration Laws
1. If you do come to this country illegally, you will be actively hunted and, when caught, sent to jail until your deportation can be arranged. All assets will be taken from you.
2. Foreigners may have NO protests; NO demonstrations, NO waving of a foreign flag, NO political organizing, NO bad-mouthing our president or his policies. These will lead to deportation.
3. There will be no special bilingual programs in the schools.
4. All government business will be conducted in English.
5. Non-citizens will never be able to hold political office.
6. Foreigners will not be a burden to the taxpayers. No welfare, no food stamps, no health care, or any other government assistance programs. Any who are a burden will be deported.
7. Foreigners can invest in this country, but it must be an amount at least equal to 40,000 times the daily minimum wage.
8. If foreigners come here and buy land, their options will be restricted. Certain parcels including waterfront property are reserved for citizens naturally born into this country.
9. Birthright citizenship only accrues to those whose parents are in the country legally.
10. Legal immigration is primarily focused on filling the job needs of our country, focusing on bringing in people who can add value and not displace citizens.
Modest or Crazy?
Except for number 9 and 10, which I added, these are the laws of our neighbor, Mexico. Many countries have similar laws, designed to protect citizens and discourage illegal immigration. Countries need to put their citizen’s needs first. Our other neighbor, Canada, has strict rules and focuses legal immigration on getting the people they need to fill jobs they can’t fill internally. That’s the proper role of government, which I added as point 10.
The only citizens who would disagree with these rules are those who have an agenda, a focus on bringing in people to vote for them. The rest of us want great people who want to come here who will bring benefit to our country, not simply by reproducing, but by bringing skills, market capital, innovation and drive. We’ve done very well when we focus our immigration on this. Of course, every country should have some room for a limited number of refugees, but we have to be cautious. These refugees cannot be in such number and so much need as to cause tax increases to cover their expenses. And even for refugees, there should be a limit on how long you can be on the dole. No one should assume that they are allowed lifetime support, except the few who are so handicapped that they can perform no useful, paid function. That’s not going to be very many people.
Our infrastructure is failing and we have serious issues with energy supply and water. We can’t afford to take in the world, nor should we have to.
America is a very attractive place to live for many around the world. But that doesn’t mean they should have the right to live here, especially at the expense of our citizens. And citizenship is a privilege which should not be handed out like candy at Halloween. We need to value our country as much as those who want to come here and define and enforce our laws. After all, even when my father emigrated here (and had no help learning English), obtaining citizenship was not that onerous. It could be worse. To become a citizen in France, one must sing the Marseilles to a panel and prove one’s ability. At the very least, we should require competence in English.
