Illegal Mexican Workers in Ohio—Border Insecurity—Bombing Libya & Qadhafi-Change in America
Posted: Thursday, April 07, 2011
by Steve Kovacs
The Kovacs Perspective
It was a cold afternoon today as I drove through the upscale Northeastern Ohio neighborhood. I pulled into a shopping center and at the entrance, I saw six Hispanic appearing landscapers being directed by a Caucasian supervisor. They seemed to be working flawlessly. I know the area well and know there is a group of Mexicans who come to the area every spring to work in the landscape industry. Local landscape companies sponsor them and house them on their property throughout the season. Come wintertime they go back to Mexico. As police cars drive by them, they look down and away hoping that they won't be questioned or found out. They rarely are ever bothered. Everyone knows they are illegal but local authorities have more important things to concentrate on. This has been going on for at least 15 years in this neighborhood. And it is worth to note that this is in Ohio, nowhere near the U.S. Southern border with Mexico—in fact, well over a thousand miles away. When I was a police officer, I had limited contact with some of these illegal workers and never had a problem with them. I do not remember a single criminal complaint on any of them. However, they were nervous wrecks every time a cruiser drove by them and they were breaking the rule of law.
15 years have gone by and nothing has changed. No realistic United States workers program has been developed for people like these Mexicans who simply want to work in the U.S. No realistic border security has been developed either, nothing that realistically manages who comes and goes through our borders. Yet, we are lobbing bombs in Libya, telling them and their leader Moammar Qadhafi, what he can and cannot do. While we are laying ground rules for Libya, we have also spent more than 550 million dollars doing it. Not 550 million spent here in the United States, but on a Libyan task. All the while, no border management developed, no realistic functional workers program, gas prices rising to the point where if it continues, it will derail our economic growth, and we are telling others in the world what to do!
I heard America had to get involved in Libya because there was about to be a massacre by Qadhafi forces against people fighting his rule. I don’t know if that was actually the case—I personally think it was Qadhafi blowing his horn, but perhaps we couldn’t take the chance. America, the world policeman jumped in. Okay, but America needs to jump in and take care of American issues too. Too much political fear by our leaders curtails results. Everyone, Democrats and Republicans both are afraid to make major concrete moves in fear of losing popularity and votes.
Do we need a major tragedy in the U.S. for our leaders to “go for it”, to start having results? I thought that’s what we just recently went through and I thought our leaders, on both sides of the aisle, said change was coming. I don’t hear the whistle from the change train…do you?
I heard America had to get involved in Libya because there was about to be a massacre by Qadhafi forces against people fighting his rule. I don’t know if that was actually the case—I personally think it was Qadhafi blowing his horn, but perhaps we couldn’t take the chance. America, the world policeman jumped in. Okay, but America needs to jump in and take care of American issues too. Too much political fear by our leaders curtails results. Everyone, Democrats and Republicans both are afraid to make major concrete moves in fear of losing popularity and votes.
Do we need a major tragedy in the U.S. for our leaders to “go for it”, to start having results? I thought that’s what we just recently went through and I thought our leaders, on both sides of the aisle, said change was coming. I don’t hear the whistle from the change train…do you?
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Top-level comments on this article: (4 total)Nice. What would Steve Kovacs do if elected president, beyond an immigration worker and border security policy,:-) that would help get the country turned around, that would undoubtedly cost his reelection his second term for doing something that was unpopular? Oh, and good luck with that. I'd vote for you though.:-)Thanks for putting me on the spot Dave…here’s a couple of things I’d do…
I would not commit to military intervention without consulting Congress and follow Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution, which gives only Congress the power to declare war.
I would utilize diplomats who would represent a much firmer and more no-nonsense U.S. approach to OPEC nations and its manipulating of oil prices. I would immediately start temporary drilling for oil on U.S. soil/waters. I would initiate more solar and wind technology incentives to manufacturers and users however, as of now, no technology can sustain the U.S. or the worlds energy needs but coal or nuclear produced electricity. There is no such thing as clean coal and coal kills people—nuclear energy has never killed anyone in the U.S.
After what I suspect will be much less damage caused by the nuclear plant problems in Japan (which were caused by not having high enough Tsunami walls protecting them) than most people fear will occur I would push for more nuclear energy plants being built in the U.S. for clean energy. I would continually use the president’s bully pulpit to continue to push electric vehicles as the vehicles of choice for manufacturers and consumers.
I would negotiate a more U.S. “friendly" business relationship with China regarding our importing of their manufactured goods— which would include them starting to import much more of our manufactured goods. They are licking their chops as we are buying everything they make and our manufacturing base is dying. I would work with union leaders and companies together to accept a more realistic manufacturing wage for much of our manufacturing base. I would initiate tax breaks for companies who could reach acceptable wage goals for workers to make their business models sustainable and yet profitable.
Lastly, I’d triple my Secret Service team protecting me because with these proposals I’d have tons of people wanting a piece of my hide!
Spoken like a true gentleman. Thank you for writing a great article. Charity starts at HOME!Jesus,
That was one of the nicest things anyone has said to me in ages...I almost believe it--thank you kindly sir.
Steve
That's truly very interesting how you presented the facts. Now, I somehow feel that Obama is forced to act and not acting out of his will. Just a presumption. Nowadays, the remote control is in someone else's hands. That's how power situations have become in many countries other than Libya, Kuwait, Bahrain and Egypt. The so called gets elected because someone else "stage manages" it.Hi DM,
I don't believe he is forced to act but I would have to agree he is pushed to act certain ways and maybe if you want to stay in power you have to follow the pushing. It's amazing how some countries deal with crazy or inept leadership and the whole time the PEOPLE suffer.
Thank you for writing.
I've been following the news about Libya on BBC and CNN, Steve, and Gaddafi is massacring his people. He's a psychopath. So is his son. But I hear what you say about the US spending on Libya instead of fixing its own problems.You may be right Jennifer but I personally have lost faith in CNN's coverage--at least Anderson Coopers--he seems biased and has own persoanl agenda which can shade the truth--but the rest of the network seems spot on. And if the BBC is saying the same I guess it is occuring--shame there are leaders like that in the world!! Hopefully the country gets some peace soon. They need and deserve it. Thanks for your comment.
Steve
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