PRESIDENT OBAMAS IMMIGRATION SPEECH: COMPARE THIS TO DONALD TRUMPS "IMMIGRATION POLICY." PART 4.

Let us return to the Presidents Speech on Immigration.

Early on, he relates a Compromise Bill that Passed the Senate last Year:

"I WORKED WITH CONGRESS ON A COMPREHENSIVE FIX... 68 DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS AND INDEPENDENTS...TO PASS A BIPARTISAN BILL IN THE SENATE...IT WAS A COMPROMISE."

The Bill, According to the President, Would have;  "Doubled the Number of Border Patrol Agents, while giving undocumented immigrants a pathway to citizenship, if they paid a fine, started paying their taxes and went to the back of the line."

Obviously, this didn't pass through the House of Representatives, because House Leadership refused to hold a Vote on the Bill.

The Question becomes simply one of WHY?  If an Elected Official truly believed the Bill was wrong and ineffective, what led to this conclusion?

WAS IT:

-  DOUBLING THE NUMBER OF BORDER PATROL AGENTS.

-  ALLOWING UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS A CHANCE TO EARN CITIZENSHIP BY:  PAYING A FINE, MAKING TAX PAYMENTS, AND WAITING THEIR TURN BEHIND OTHERS ALREADY INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS.

-   A REASON  NOT SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSED BY THE BILL?  

Further, if the House Leadership was convinced that this was Irresponsible, and not supported by most Americans, a Vote would have made their position that much more Powerful.

President Obama goes on to say;  "... I CONTINUE TO BELIEVE THAT THE BEST WAY TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM... WORKING TOGETHER... TO PASS THAT KIND OF COMMON SENSE LAW."

In other Words, The President is saying; I WANT TO COMPROMISE, SO STOP TRYING TO ACT ALONE. REFUSING TO NEGOTIATE IS A STUMBLING BLOCK TOWARDS PROGRESS, AND FINDING LASTING SOLUTIONS TO THIS ISSUE.

With that being said, the Presidents Response to such Tactics is the Following Course of Action, stated in the Body of the Speech;

"BUT UNTIL THAT HAPPENS, THERE ARE ACTIONS I HAVE THE LEGAL AUTHORITY TO TAKE AS PRESIDENT, THE SAME KINDS OF ACTIONS TAKEN BY DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTS BEFORE ME, THAT WILL HELP MAKE OUR IMMIGRATION SYSTEM MORE FAIR AND MORE JUST."

LOOK FOR PART 5.

PRESIDENT OBAMAS IMMIGRATION SPEECH: COMPARE THIS TO DONALD TRUMPS "IMMIGRATION POLICY." PART 3.

Again, this is taken from the Transcript of PRESIDENT OBAMAS speech on Immigration.

"Today we have more agents and technology deployed to secure our southern border than at any time in our history. And over the past six years illegal border crossings have been cut by more than half."

What do we find if these Statements are checked?

Well, referring to the number of Border Patrol Agents, this is what we find:

YEAR                                      2013            2010            2005            2000

TOTAL # OF AGENTS             21,391.         20,558.        11,264.         9,212.

ON STAFF. (U.S.)

# ASSIGNED TO THE              18,611.         17,535.        9,891.           8,580.

SOUTHWEST BORDER

SECTOR. 

We see it is true that the Total # of Agents has increased, both Nationally and in the Southwestern Operations Area.

Here are the APPREHENSION NUMBERS FOR 2011- 2013, FOR THE U.S. BORDER PATROL, FOR INDIVIDUALS ILLEGALLY ENTERING U.S.           

YEAR                                    2013                      2012                    2011 

TOTAL # OF                        420,789.                 364,768.              340,252.

APPREHENSIONS.                                

U.S. (ALL SECTORS.)

# OF APPREHENSIONS      414,397.                 356,873.              327,577.

IN THE SOUTHWEST 

BORDER SECTOR.

We can see that in just 3 years, the TOTAL # OF APPREHENSIONS HAS INCREASED FROM 340,252 TO 420,789.  THE # FOR THE SOUTHWEST SECTOR HAS GONE UP FROM 327,577 TO  414,397.  

THE ABOVE NUMBERS INDICATE AN INCREASE IN TOTAL STAFF, AND IN THE NUMBER OF APPREHENSIONS.  THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE IN THE SOUTHWEST SECTOR.

(SOURCES-  THE U.S. BORDER PATROL, AND THE U.S. DEPT. OF HOMELAND SECURITY.)

LOOK FOR PART 4.

PRESIDENT OBAMAS IMMIGRATION SPEECH: COMPARE THIS TO DONALD TRUMPS "IMMIGRATION POLICY." PART 2.

POST #18.  THE PRESIDENTS IMMIGRATION SPEECH- WHAT DOES HE ACTUALLY SAY?  PT 2.

(First Published on 11/26/2014.)

(PLEASE REMEMBER THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS, AND THOSE SEEKING REFUGEE STATUS. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME, IT'S TWO DIFFERENT ISSUES.)

Let's continue with the analysis of the Presidents speech.

"...and undocumented immigrants who desperately want to embrace those responsibilities see little option but to remain in the shadows, or risk their families being torn apart."

This is a Moral Judgment on the choices given to Undocumented Immigrants. That if they reveal Themselves, it would result in their being forced out of the Country. This could mean Physical Separation from their Minor Children.  The President is implying that if there was an alternative solution, that keeps families together, it would be welcomed by those who want to stay in the U.S., and live up to all the responsibilities of residing in this Country.

Moving on:  "It's been this way for decades.  And for decades we haven't done much about it.  When I took office, I committed to fixing this broken immigration system, And I began by doing what I could to secure our borders."

The President has acknowledged the problem, but reminds us that he didn't create it.  He is also accusing former administrations of doing little to address the Issue.  However, he committed to solving the problem while in office, and reaffirms it.  

"Today we have more agents and technology deployed to secure our southern border than at any time in our history. And over the past six years illegal border crossings have been cut by more than half."

LOOK FOR PART 3.

PRESIDENT OBAMAS IMMIGRATION SPEECH: COMPARE THIS TO DONALD TRUMPS "IMMIGRATION POLICY." PART 1.

INTRODUCTION:  AS THE U.S. CONTINUES TO GRAPPLE WITH DONALD TRUMPS "POLICIES," I THOUGHT A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE WOULD SHOW US HOW THEN PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA ATTEMPTED TO ADDRESS THE IMMIGRATION PROBLEM. 

(First Published on 11/25/2014.)

Let's try a Novel Approach. Ignoring what the Political Pundits on Television and the Radio Have to say, and actually READ THE TRANSCRIPT FROM PRESIDENT OBAMAS IMMIGRATION SPEECH.

It is available online.  So, if you are interested, why not Download it, before passing Judgment.

The following Posts on this Topic, are my Thoughts and Opinions taken directly from the Transcript.

Let's get started.

He opens by praising the Two- Hundred Year+ History of the U.S. welcoming Immigrants from around the World, and the Advantages it has given the Country over other Nations.

However, he goes on to say:

"...Today, our immigration system is broken, and everybody knows it.  Families who enter our country the right way and play by the rules watch others flout the rules.  Business owners who offer their workers good wages and benefits see the competition exploit undocumented immigrants by paying them less."

From this passage we can take the following;

-  The President is acknowledging the State of the Immigration System, AND THE NEED FOR IT TO BE FIXED.

-  That the way the system is currently operated victimizes;  Legal Immigrants who follow the Law, and Honest Business Owners who offer good wages and benefits, who see competitors using undocumented workers to save money.

The President goes on to say;

"All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America."

-  In other words, the Advantages and Responsibilities go hand and hand.  With one comes the other.

LOOK FOR PART 2.