We must shut door to illegal immigrants

Don't think for one minute that the immigration bill is dead. President Bush lobbied his fellow Democrats Tuesday with a personal appeal during a rare visit to the Capitol. Bush is clearly putting what remains of his political clout behind this legislation but for the life of me, I do not understand why. But I have a suspicion.

I suspect Bush believes the current immigration bill would be much better than a Democrat bill that will undoubtedly surface following the 2008 elections. The current immigration bill - or so Bush believes - will at least put some restrictions on future immigration. But he's wrong. He doesn't see the obvious writing on the wall.

When the Democrats take control of the White House in 2008, this country will follow a path that is doomed from the start. If the Democratic party can continue to grow those dependent on the government, their power will continue. A massive, low-income Hispanic population will give them what they crave. And once down that path, I fear greatly for the future.

I have had countless discussions with folk a bit older than myself. Each generation, it seems, sees hard times ahead. The changes in society are almost always seen with some apprehension. We all yearn for the "old days" to some extent. And nothing in my lifetime bodes as concerning as the prospect of millions of non-English speaking, low-income immigrants who have no desire to adapt their culture in this new country. I've said before and I'll repeat once again: The war in Iraq pales in comparison to the upheaval of this explosion of immigrants.

The immigration bill carries a fine for those who have entered this country illegally. Rest assured, that fine will be waived in short order. This new bill promises stronger border security but, rest assured, that provision will evaporate over time.

This immigration bill - regardless of what the politicians tell you - will most assuredly mean amnesty for the 12-15 million illegals in this country. You can put lipstick on a pig but it remains a pig. In my lifetime, Hispanic voters will hold a majority in California, Arizona, Texas and perhaps Florida. That is just the beginning.

What will follow will change your life. At the very least it will drastically change the lives of your grandchildren. Much more of their paychecks will go to the government to take care of this new population. Eventually, we'll just give all of our money to the feds and they will "provide" for our needs.

On one point I agree with supporters of this immigration bill. The current "system" does not work. It is flawed from every standpoint. But the answer is not to hold the door wide open to any and all. Those story book days are gone. We must understand this new wave of immigration is far different from any we've experienced in the past. We are not welcoming the best and brightest from other countries who yearn for the freedom of this great land. We are attracting an element that is fleeing a country for economic reasons. They bring little to the table here. And the cost to the taxpayer here will soon be beyond our imagination.

If Bush wants to leave a legacy, here's a suggestion. Seal the borders and promise that not one single illegal immigrant will cross into this country for the remainder of his term.