Why Illegal Immigrants Are Not the Problem

These days we hear a whole lot of vitriol directed at those who enter and take up residence in our country illegally. Our position is as follows:

Illegal Immigration is a huge problem; illegal immigrants are not.

Why not blame illegal immigrants? Because that is like blaming the symptom for the disease. These are folks who, for the most part, are seeking a better life for their families than they could ever provide in their own country. Let's be honest; if you lived in a third world country that was utterly corrupt, was ruled by drug cartels or dictators, a country which offered no opportunity for security or prosperity... you would seek greener pastures too. That is the honest truth. You know it and I know it.

The real problem are the folks in our own country who would exploit these unfortunate people for the purposes of personal gain and political power.

We hear about how illegal immigrants do the work Americans won't do. That is simply a lie. Nobody knows exactly how many illegal immigrants are in this country. Estimates run from ten million all the way up to fifty million people. These people either find employment, go onto public assistance rolls, or both. Regardless of how many are here, there are many who want to keep them here. Here is why:

Employers want them here because they are cheap labor. Hiring illegal immigrants keeps the costs of labor and benefits low. Frankly, some companies want illegal immigrant employees for the same reason other companies move their manufacturing facilities to third world countries. The answer is cheap labor. For most any product produced, the vast majority of the costs associated with producing that product is the cost of labor. Employers get away with hiring these workers because the Federal Government makes it very easy to get away with doing so. Illegal Immigrants are hired not because Americans won't do the work, but because Americans won't do the work for the wages offered to do the work. Rather than improving the manufacturing process or the product to keep costs low, companies hire cheap labor and increase their bottom line. Any time you hear of a company extolling the virtues of illegal immigrants and supporting the work of illegal immigrant rights groups, it isn't because there is something special about these people. It's because they can make more money hiring them from a cheap pool of labor.

Government wants them here because they are voters and potential voters. They are the grease on the wheels of social programs that need victims to justify their existence.

Why do I say they are voters? Because many are. I worked with a man for several years. He got into the United States with a tourist visa. He didn't come here as a tourist though. He came here to lay down roots, find a job, and raise his family. He and I had many long conversations. We were good friends. The problem was that he had no interest in becoming an American Citizen. His plans were to return to his home country when he retired. In our conversations, over a period of four years, it became obvious where his loyalties were. He was always praising the country he had to leave to make a living. He was always talking about how much better it was there. He did not like the United States at all. The State we were in issued him a driver's license. He was able to buy a home. His children went to our public schools. He was able to register to vote. Yes, that's right, he was a registered voter, and voted in every election. Illegal Immigrants are a powerful voting block in this country. Make no mistake about it. Nobody checks your citizenship status when you register. In fact, my friend signed up to register when he got his driver's license.

When you hear politicians talk about how we must have compassion and give these folks a quick path to citizenship through amnesty; what they are really saying is that they need those votes for re-election.

The Federal Government refuses to enforce existing immigration laws.

The Federal Government enables people here illegally to enroll in public assistance programs.

The Federal Government imposes no meaningful sanctions upon employers of illegal immigrants.

The solution?

Make it a Federal Crime to hire anyone for any purpose who cannot show documentation that they were either born in the United States (Certified Birth Certificate), a Naturalized Citizen, or have a valid Work Visa. Make this crime punishable by twenty years in prison per count. Each count shall run consecutively. Those subject to these penalties? Every company official from CEO to Human Resources Manager.

Make it a Federal Crime to not check for a Birth Certificate or Naturalisation Papers before accepting a voter registration card.

Make it a Federal Crime to not check for a Birth Certificate or Naturalisation Papers before allowing a person into a voting booth.

The Federal Government MUST move to secure our borders as it is Constitutionally required to do so. If we institute these laws we won't have to round up millions of people for deportation... they will just leave.

Why the 17th Amendment is Bad News

The founding fathers were wise men when they decided that Senators would be appointed by the various State legislatures. This was no accident. It was, in fact, designed to protect the Republic from sliding towards becoming a mob rule democracy.

Article 1 Section 3 of the Constitution is as follows:

"The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote."

That is how Senators used to be chosen.

The idea of having divisions of power in what constitutes the Federal Government was to divide the power of the majority. You had the House of Representatives which was elected directly by the people. Then you had the Senate, of which each member was essentially an ambassador of the "sovereign" State government. Finally, there is the Chief Executive (President) chosen by a temporary College of Electors (not by popular vote as some assume).

So there you have three separate and distinct divisions of power within the Federal Government. The idea was to provide each department with a will of its own and as little influence as possible in the election of the others.

Many have the idea in their heads that the United States is a majority rule democracy. The fact is that we are not. We are a representative Republic. While this a a form of democracy, we were deliberately formed as a representative Republic to protect the minority against the possible tyranny of a majority faction. When you hear a citizen of our country say that we are a democracy founded on the principle of "majority rule", you are listening to the babbling of a fool who has no understanding of the form of government he lives under. When you hear someone spout that Presidents of this country are elected by popular vote, you are listening to the ramblings of the uneducated.

The brilliance of our Constitution is the division of power. It gives each branch of government its own set of constituencies. What this is supposed to do is make it more difficult for a majority, whether that majority be numbers of persons or numbers of dollars, to impose its will on the minority.

So what the 17th Amendment does, essentially, is take the power of the sovereign states away from the debate in Washington. It destroys the role of the Senate as a representative body of State governments, and creates what is actually now a second House of Representatives. This means that the same people or interests that elect a congressman, elect a senator. It concentrates the power of the majority. Why is this bad?

Many times the populous is influenced by personality, political fad, emotional argument, or just plain self interest. Politicians spewing forth feel good popular slogans and making promises to redistribute the wealth of others into the pockets of potential voters, or promising to mandate that states do certain things for various groups through Federal law, get elected. Many times State governments oppose these programs the Federal Government mandates that they accomplish with no Federal funding. State governments, who know the folly of Washington, are held hostage to the interest groups of popularly elected Senators, who were elected by the same groups that elected Representatives to the House. The checks and balances upon the power of the Federal Government are removed from the States.

Not only are these Senators now not subject to their State Legislatures, they are now beholden to money influences from outside their own States. They are also strongly influenced to vote for Federal programs that confiscate the wealth of individuals to redistribute into the hands of those people and groups that popularly elected them. Rather than representing the best interests of their home State and influencing Federal policy to protect the interests of their State, they are representing their own interests to get reelected by their popular constituency.

As you can see, the 17th Amendment concentrated Federal power over the individual Sovereign States. Essentially, it forces States to become agencies of the Federal Government. This was not originally intended. The 17th Amendment was a victory for the Progressive Movement in the early 20th century. It is something that must be repealed. Failure to win its repeal dooms us to incrementally more Federal power over us as individuals and over the States. This brings Federal Tyranny upon us all.

What is the American Sovereignty Party?

The American Sovereignty Party (ASP) was founded on June 26, 2010 by Charles A. Diaz in reaction to the current corrupt political parties running the United States today. This is a fledgling political party open to all like minded American citizens whether native born or naturalised.

Our basic platform is as follows:

1. We interpret the Constitution of The United States of America in the original context and intent. The Constitution was written in such a way that regular folks could readily understand it. Any legal gymnastics used to give it meanings the framers did not explicitly express are attempts to destroy the original meaning and intent.
2. We believe in States Rights. The States created the Federal Government; the States are superior to, and not inferior to, the Federal Government.
3. The 17th Amendment to the Constitution must be repealed. This Amendment was a giving up of power by the States to the Federal Government. It also is a death hammer to the Republic. I will say more about this later.
4. We believe in the abolition of all Federal entitlement programs. The General Welfare clause has nothing to do with the welfare of individuals. It has everything to do with the welfare of the individual States and pertains only to the subsequent enumerated powers of the Federal Government as given by the States. Individual States should decide how to help or not help their impoverished citizens.
5. Taxation must be equally applied to all persons regardless of income. When people do not pay taxes they have no stake in the system and have no qualms about voting themselves into the pockets of other people. Political parties use this to, effectively, buy votes.
6. Abolish the Federal Income Tax. Taxes should only be collected on money spent and should be collected at the point of sale. This tax shall never exceed 10%.
7. The Federal Government shall be limited by the Constitution to only spend revenue after it is collected. Spending shall not be done based on dubious projections.
8. The Federal Government shall only be permitted to spend revenue it has collected and not a penny more.
9. No Congressman or Senator shall have any public project, including roads, buildings, airports, parks, recreation facilities, libraries, etc., named after himself or any family member.
10. No President, Congressman, or Senator shall have his name attached to any Bill or Law.
11. No President, Congressman, or Senator shall be exempt from any law. If a law is good enough for "The People" then it applies to all people. Politicians serve their constituencies. They are not to rule over them.
12. The Federal Government has a Constitutional responsibility to secure our borders from invasion. Invasion includes not only foreign armies, but also foreign civilians who invade our country and attempt to bypass our system of legal immigration. Twenty million illegal immigrants equals invasion.
13. The Federal Department of Education shall be abolished. It has no Constitutional basis and has utterly failed in its mission. Individual States shall bear full responsibility for educating its people.
14. The Federal Government shall surrender all Federal lands outside the District of Columbia back to the States in which such lands are located in. This includes lands used for military purposes except that a State may lease such land to the Federal Government. The American Sovereignty Party would suggest that States should grant $1 base leases along the international borders of the United States.
15. The Federal Government shall get out of the loan business. Again, there is no Constitutional basis for such agencies or programs.
16. The Congress and Senate shall be limited by the Constitution to meeting not more than 90 days per calendar year except when called into special session by the President for the purposes of responding to foreign threats of war or natural disasters. The less time they are in session, the less time they have to scheme against the people of the United States.
17. All U. S. bases on foreign soil shall be closed. Countries shall be responsible for their own defense. Any country that wishes to have U. S. troops based within its borders shall build bases to U. S. Defense Dept. specifications and bear all costs associated with such deployments in advance.
18. The United States of America shall Immediately withdraw from membership in the United Nations and all U. N. related institutions and entities.
19. The United States of America shall immediately stop any funding of any and all U. N. projects, agencies, and entities.
20. The United States of America shall immediately cease all trade with any country whose government enslaves its people or peoples of other nations.
21. The United States of America shall imprison any person who employs any worker for any reason who is not legally eligible to work in the United States for a term of not less than twenty years for each violation. This law will apply to every company official from the level of Human Resources to CEO. Pay legally eligible people a fair wage and they will do the work.
22. The United States of America will not recognise or consider the laws, rulings, or judgements of any International or World Court. We are a Sovereign Nation and accountable only to the American Individual.

Like I said, this is a fledgling party. Our platform will expand and evolve. I'm just a regular guy looking for like minded people to join the cause. I've worked for a living my whole life. There are too many lawyers in Washington. We need regular folks who know what it is like to work for a living to run this country. We need folks who know we cannot spend money we don't have, or keep people under the thumb of government through entitlements. Entitlement programs do nothing but enslave the recipients. Freedom is the answer, not government.