A REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY?

By way of introduction, I’m not a lawyer, I’m not a statesman, and I aspire to be neither; I am an average American citizen who grew up on a Kansas farm, managed to get through college and retired as an Air Force Officer. Seventeen years later, I retired again, this time from a major Defense Contractor here in the Washington DC area. So, with that, it’s clear – I have no special credentials, I’m just the typical American citizen. However, I am convinced that our government is failing us and we must act, and we must act now.

As citizens and voters in a representative democracy, we have a responsibility to become informed of issues which face our country. Rarely will we find a candidate who represents our every view, and thus we must make compromises, and when the time comes, we have the responsibility to vote for those candidates whom we believe will best represent our views in the conduct of official government business. One hundred Senators, 435 Representatives, one President and nine Supreme Court Justices. Those 545 human beings represent you and they represent me. But do they really? Do they truly represent us or do they rely upon an ego-based infusion of super-human intelligence resulting from victory on election day to represent this country?

Some of us send our Congressmen E-Mails, letters, and even call them on the phone to express our views, but when was the last time that a seated politician came to your door, called you on the phone, or sent you a survey to ascertain your view on a particular issue pending in the House or the Senate? Their campaign workers call, asking for money, but to ask for your opinion and advice on issues? Rarely. I always thought our politicians were supposed to work for us and by that, I mean, represent us, ascertain and represent the major opinion. I don’t need them to wave as convertible-chauffered celebrities during the 4^th of July parade nor do I need them to show up at a community improvement work-day for a glad-hand photo-op in a business suit. No, I don’t want them to be reclusive either, but I see them as workers, not as movie star or the athlete-like celebrities. The ego trip associated with political success often leads to the conviction that by virtue of being theirs, their vote on issues is automatically the best for us commoners. If they do not know the view of their constituents, how can they represent their constituents? They don’t, they represent their own view.

There is no single issue facing our country where the failure of politicians to learn and represent is more glaring than in the area of immigration and the enforcement of our federal immigration laws.

The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007 is a prime example; it included a number of provisions concerning reporting, proof of residency, and payment of back taxes and fines that could never have been enforced, not even to mention being funded. Yet this piece of legislation was crafted by a few “experts” and presented as “here’s what’s best for America.” In response, millions of American citizens spoke up in horror and to the embarrassment of a few, the issue was tabled. But is the issue of amnesty for the 12 – 20 million illegal aliens in this country dead? Absolutely not! Is that what the American people want? No it’s not, and the sad part is that our Representatives and Senators know that full well…but for personal agendas, THEY do. Wait, I didn’t think that was how it was supposed to work.

Don’t misunderstand, I don’t expect our elected officials to seek opinion on every issue or even many issues, certainly not. However, the issue of excusing 12 – 20 million of those who entered this country in violation of federal law is no small issue. I believe that the vast majority of the American people do NOT want amnesty for illegal aliens. If that is true, there should be no amnesty – end of story. At least, this is one issue of such magnitude that it warrants a measure of the American will. If that measure were taken however, “it wouldn’t sit well in Peoria,” oops, Washington.

The issue of amnesty for illegal aliens is certainly not the only issue in which the federal government “represents” without knowing the will of those whom they theoretically represent. A case in point is the 24 June US Customs and Immigration Enforcement letter to the Mayor of Herndon, in which Jim Pendergraph, Executive Director, Office of State and Local Coordination, said that ICE must target “…serious criminal aliens and aliens of lesser offenses on a case-by-basis. ICE emphasized that removal proceedings would be initiated for illegal aliens processed under 287(g), but not all processed illegal aliens would be necessarily detained. The determining factor would be the available ICE resources.”

So, due to the success of the 287(g) program in identifying criminal illegal aliens within PWC and local municipalities, ICE has insufficient resources to accept them for deportation as originally agreed in the MOA. Henceforth, ICE will accept for deportation only those arrested and detained for having committed the most heinous crimes. Illegal aliens arrested for less serious crimes will presumably be released back into society following completion of their jail/prison term. Our elected congressional leaders fund pork-barrel projects at the drop of a hat, but can’t find the money to deport illegal aliens who have committed serious crimes in this country. Is that the kind of funding priority you supported when asked your view? I think not, in that we weren’t even asked.

Oh, here’s a suggestion. When you don’t have anything more productive to do, contact Senator Webb, Senator Warner or Representative Tom Davis, and explain to them your dismay with federal action on border security and the enforcement of federal immigration law. You’ll be amazed….as if being either an immigrant or the progeny of immigrants yourself, you just might not understand, they’ll first tutor you of how important immigration has been to the history and development of our country, conveniently forgetting the “illegal” part. Then, they’ll blame anything you perceive to be a failure of government on “the other guy.” Right on!!