Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Local Immigration Issue

Voters across Chesterfield are gearing up for the last 50 days before the elections this Fall and as the debates begin with the forums across the county it is becoming readily apparent that the two most important issues residents are talking about are:

1. Growth: Roads & Schools
2. Impacts of Illegal Immigration

The latter I am sure will be a prime focus on the debate among candidates for Chesterfield Sheriff scheduled for October 10th at the Central Library at 7PM.

In the meantime, Chesterfield County officials are currently considering an ordinance that will set limits on the number the persons able to live together in a single house or apartment. Officials are reviewing implementing a square footage requirement in determing the numbers of person permitted to live in a given home. The County currently does not have a restriction regarding the number of "family members" that may reside in any given location as long as they are related to the owner/tenant of record.

The timing of this comes when Chesterfield, like many Virginia localties, are addressing the impacts of "illegal" immigration. Many localties feel forced to solve the issue of "illegal" immigration due the the failure of the Federal government to meet its burden on dealing with the issue on a national level.

It appears as if America is experiencing a government system on the brink of coming full circle with regard to states rights under the Federal System. The more the Federal government fails to meet its mandated burden more States will be forced to take action in dealing the impacts that the negligence of enforcement policy has created. The Federal government is forcing the hands of localities, some of which have determined to establish "sauctuary" areas for illegal aliens while other have sought to identify and remove illegals from their streets buy other means.

Many opponents to the enforcement of the laws regarding illegal immigration may be crying foul, but should they not also be focusing some of their energy toward the Congress who has managed to provide zero solutions? It amazes me how certain cities can publically snub the rule of law in the land and still cry for federal funds for their juristictions. It must be great to live in a city where the local government can determine which laws passed by Congress they seek to abide by and which ones they do not.

If I recall did we not fight a Civil War under such arrogance of ideology.

The only difference lies in the fact that during that conflict we had a Federal government willing to hold true to the rule of law and go to war to preserve it. Apparently, this Federal government is content on allowing the laws that it is tasked with upholding to play second or third fiddle to the politics of the day. I wonder just what other laws they might be willing to turn a blind eye to if it meant that it could be used as a wedge or a means to divide this country.

I think the politicians are entering dangerous territory. We have already seen the rage of the left and its attacking of State Republicans as "haters" and "racists"for focusing on the "illegal" immigration issue as of late. The perception of the left is the Republicans are using the issue to distract voters from its failed transportation agenda and however accurate they may or may not be it does not change the fact that main street wants solutions for this issue. Its far easier to attack the messengers but it does not change the fact that the incompetence of both legal parties to address the issue at the Federal level has left local governments with the burden of attempting to provide solutions to its constituents. Its as if the political machine of the far left is simply rollong over its opposition for the war into the immigration debate and I think that is a very dangerous game to be playing. I do not think you can treat the two debates in like manner in that there has to be a sensitivity involved in the immigration debate in that it truly does "impact" everyone. Unfortunately, the war in Iraq has not met that thresold with regard to the public and furthermore the average American can and does feel the results of the failed immigration policy.

The fallout of the divide can be seen in such areas like Manassas and Prince William County where groups are taking up sides on the issue and mobilizing efforts to bring about resolution. Ohter juristictions realize that if PWC passes significant ordinances against "illegals" than the illegals will be sure to move to areas where access to services would not be so prohibitive or at the very least easier to get. Counties such as Stafford and Spotsylvania may very well have to brace for that impact. This is why it is crucial that all localties begin to look at the issue and address the concerns of its residents and develop a comprehensive plan with regard to "illegal" immigration.

In Chesterfield, the housing ordinance would begin to address the community' concern regarding the numbers of people residing within homes and standarize the number based on square footage. If an ordinance can be created to limit the size of a house on a particular lot, you would think that an ordinance could also be passed to limit the number of people who can reside in that house but there will certainly be opposition to such a measure.

It will be interesting to see how the opposition shapes its arguement moving forward. The arguement that it is the Federal governments responsibility to solve the illegal immigration problem will not fly in the face of the fact that the Federal government has no intention of solving it and in doing so is asking citizens to go along with the status quo and that is simply unacceptable.

This issue will not be going away. If the Democrats want to leave the debate of potential solutions to the State GOP so be it.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Liberals or Progressive as they like to call themselves these days in the blogosphere aparently like to forget it was they who supported the Davis Bacon Act and other minimum wage law based on race: tp prevent blacks from securing the same work for cheaper wages than whites. They did so at the bequeth of the labor unions. Now they portray Republicans as being racist for wanting illegals out and use the whole labor issue in reverse. Just like liberals to follow the ends justify the means mentality of governing.

Anonymous said...

The hate mongering has to stop. The left is in itself perpetuating it by there very language. If they move on immigration the way the have with Moveon.org and the War they will lose the support of the conservative Democrats if they even care about them anyway. Seems to me if they address the "common good" and nail down illegals that are costing the State milions they would have funding for mental health, pre-k funding and maybe extra funding for roads.

Anonymous said...

The liberals have no intention of looking at immigration as anything other than another one its social welfare programs. We are supposed to sit back and allow illegals steal from us by way of all the public services that we fund. They always use the logic that these illegals are paying into the system and yet fail to identify that most illegals in contruction and agriculture are day laborers who get paid in cash and then wire much of the earnings back to their country for family. If they want people to pay for their upcoming tax increases how about starting with the the illegals. get them signed up and let them pay into the system like everyone else.

Anonymous said...

To anonymous,

Who do you think the illegal’s work for? The contractors who are supporting the Conservative (falsely so called) Republican Party are the ones who employ a vast majority of illegal’s. The Republicans that are currently in control in Chesterfield County are really not concerned about illegal aliens. That is because they are concerned about their pockets books getting thicker behind back door deals with the building community.

I am a Democrat and I believe that we need to hold the federal government accountable for immigration. I will add that I am running for office in this political corrupt County of Chesterfield to put an end to the Good Ole’ Boys and their criminal conspiracy against the citizens.

When the Republican Board of Supervisors always rule in favor of the contractors you have to ask what is wrong with this picture. Now their answer to illegal immigration is to create an ordinance that prevents the number of people sharing a residence that are not related. That means that college students, struggling citizens and anyone else does not have the right to exist in this county because they do not have enough money. Oh that’s right, if anyone holds a different view than the conservative Republican then they are a threat to society and they can’t live in Chesterfield.

Perry DeMay
Candidate for Sheriff
Chesterfield County