Archive for the ‘Philosophy’ Category

I did a piece on this some time ago and I wanted to update my position. I have had a lot of new information and new perspective on immigration and the border. As a result of this new information, I did a lot of thinking and soul searching to make certain I was on the right path in my thinking. After all that mulling it over, I find I still support open immigration. I do, however, have a heightened interest in making sure that an “open immigration policy” is not confused with an “open border policy”.

I still do not support a wall, I do not think I ever will. I do not want to live in a walled country. I think it is at best a symbol of a controlling government and a lack of freedom and a presence of fear. The reason I have an interest in defending the border is because of an extreme amount of violence on that border. The vast majority of this is not being done by would-be immigrants (if they are involved, it is not by choice), nor is it being done by U.S. citizens. It is predominantly being perpetrated and orchestrated by the drug cartels and other forms of organized crime. Private property is being invaded, people are being killed, immigrants are being used as sheilds and bait and mules, etc. I believe we need to do two things about this.

First, we need to go down there with our superior military power and take down every initiator of violence on the border. We have the power to do so. Will another criminal just take their place? Maybe, but not without thinking twice. The second thing we need to do is defund the organized crime down there by legalizing drugs and drug production here, so that there is no motivation do engage in violence, because who wants to fight if there will be no profit?

Now, there are actions being taken by organized crime, such as kidnapping and theft and other means of extorting money, but at least a dent would be made in the profitability of crime if we removed the drug portion of it. A strong show of force combined with a loss of at least 1/3 of the revenue will discourage a lot of the violence along the border.

As for the immigrants themselves, they will be less likely to be able to be used as pawns or abused in any way if they are not stopped from coming over because we have some oddball limit on how many people can come in. As always, we must make sure that we are not giving money away, there is no way we can support the immigrants by any means other than economic growth and voluntary help. If there is only those things, only those who can handle the risk and the work will come, and I welcome every single on of them.

I also do not see how a country can have the right to stop an individual from entering their border and still be a free country, unless there is specific reason to stop them, such as past offenses or threat of action against the nation or its inhabitants. I am not saying we just let thieves and murderers in so they can escape justice, but that is not what is happening. We are stopping thousands of non-violent people from coming here for no good reason, and in pushing them to seek a way to sneak in, they are making holes that all the murderers and thieves and violent people can easily walk right through. It is yet another one of those unintended consequences, in seeking so-called “security”, our security is made worse. The worst part is, the real fear is not even criminal or terrorists, it is economics.

People fear cheaper labor and a change of the status quo. They fear a different culture, they fear having to work harder to succeed. So they seek a way to protect their comfort, and in doing so they defy the principles of freedom, not only for others, but for themselves. This is not what America stands for, it is not what it was built on. America was built on risk takers, daring explorers, hard workers, and people who would risk it all for a great opportunity, or just for the chance to be free and to be their own person. That is what made us great. America is the land of the free, the land of opportunity. If we lose that, we are nothing, and we will be nothing.

The economy is not a static thing, it grows and changes and adjusts. A lot of cheaper labor could be the thing that brings production back to our shores. We cannot last much longer on the economic basis we have been running on, we will fall. The more we try to hang on to the status quo the worse it will get. Change is the only constant in life, and innovation the only survival tool. Freedom supports this, fear restricts it. Let go of your fear and be an American. If the immigrant population is willing to take the risk for freedom and opportunity, as far as I am concerned they are better Americans than those who would keep them out.

I understand the frustration with the impact of the incoming culture. I see the anger and frustration and the racially charged arguments. I get it, but it does not justify a reaction of fear or anger. The vocal minority among immigrant groups may be violent or angry, but they are no more a real representation of the majority than the vile and vocal minorities in many other groups.

I know times are tough, and I know that the border states are having a lot of cost put on them. Most of this is due to government services that should not even be there, but much is due to the increase in population that is well above average. In a struggling economy, that is not easy to handle. It will not be easy, and it will not be evenly distributed. I cannot promise that no one will be hurt or put under pressure. I cannot promise there will not be anecdotal evidence that open immigration is bad. I only say that freedom is the better path in the end, and it will prove itself the better path if we let it. Freedom is not easy, but it is the best way to go. If all men are created equal and freedom is a right, then it must apply to all mankind, not some arbitrary number or a group confined in an arbitrary area.

Those who valued Freedom above Safety.

Those who committed Treason against Tyranny.

Those who died free, winning freedom for others.

Those who tried to build a free nation no matter the cost, the risk, or the lack of precedent. They pushed on based on their philosophy of what was right and what was needed, they did not need to copy others.

Those who forged the foundations of this nation in debate and patient explaination.

Those who spread the word to others.

Those who beleived in the cause even tho they were not part of “the founders”. In a way all who fought England for independence were founders.

Those who tried to come to a peaceful solution. They exhausted all means they had before taking up arms. Something we have not nearly done.

Those who helped to improve our nation by amending errors in our constitution, making all men and women equal under the law.

Those who fought and lived to rebuild this nation.

Those who took this great free nation and through work and innovation made it the greatest power on the planet.

Those who still hold those values today, let us come together an uphold those United States of America that once were and could be again.

So I have been talking a big game about being able to fund government without using forced taxation. I truly think it is theoretically possible. It is not something that could be implemented easily. This is an idea that could only work after a long period of moving toward freedom, or a new country, “starting fresh”, if you will. It also involves a redefinition of citizenship, and what qualifies one for it.

Of course this whole thing would hinge on an incredible reduction of government expenditure. This particular post is not a “how to get there from here” sort of post. This is more of a “If I started a country, what I would do is” sort of post. So throw out everything you think of when you think about government costs. This would be a government based on a very strict diet and limitation. It would also be based on a lack of government monopoly on a great many things. Read the rest of this entry »

There is a lot of fuss about the founding fathers of this country. There are those who swear by them, feel that they are some of the greatest men in our history, and believe their intentions were impecable. Most of them also believe in the Constitution of the United States as a great document with few flaws, and that things would be far better if we got back to it instead of treading on it constantly. There are others who point out the flaws of the Founders, the hypocrisy of them being slave owners or sexist or whatever. Most of them are quick to dismiss the constitution as an outdated document, or at best as an “evolving document”, something that should change with the culture, as if the wisdom of today and our leaders is comparable to the Founders. Read the rest of this entry »

I have done a lot of philosophizing with libertarian ideals and a little with what to do to move in the right direction. Freedom is not an easy thing, but I believe it is still the best thing. The big question for today is not whether all men are created equal, but what defines a man. I am, of course, presuming that “all men” in that statement is referencing all mankind, or at least all of adults. So the question remains, what is an adult? What is the dividing line? If rights are born, and not granted, then when do they kick in? What is the line between child and adult, and what rights are we born with as children? Read the rest of this entry »