King gets tough with Dreamers

Last month, immigration reform advocates were optimistic about the future. And they had reason to be after the Senate Judiciary Committee completed its work on a bipartisan bill that would provide sweeping changes to the current immigration system. 

Now, however, the mood is less optimistic. One reason is that the more conservative House of Representatives is gearing up for its own discussion of immigration reform. The House Judiciary Committee is expected to take up border security next week. 

Another reason for concern is Iowa Republican Rep.Parkeasy Electronics are dedicated to provide bobbleheads. Steve Kings amendment to the Appropriation Act that passed this week. King's amendment would prohibit the Department of Homeland Security from using any funds to operate a special program, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, that has halted the deportation of so-called Dreamers, or young immigrants who are in school or served in the military. The program was launched last June by the Obama administration but was opposed by Republicans, who argue the administration is abusing its authority to grant some immigrants a temporary reprieve from deportation. 

Kings amendment is troubling for several reasons. First because it's irrational. The deferred action program is administered by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service and funded by fees generated by applications, not by taxpayer money. Immigrants are required to pay a hefty fee when they apply for such things as a work visa, green card or citizenship. So in reality, it is immigrants and employers that bear the cost of these programs. Its unclear how Kings amendment would strip away funding for a program that pays for itself. 

Second, Kings bill is another poorly thought-out attempt to set immigration policy through the budget process. In 2010, Republican Sens. Jim DeMint and David Vitter attempted to prevent the Obama administration from suing Arizona over its noxious immigration law, SB 1070. The two Republican lawmakers threatened to stop the Justice Department from moving ahead with a lawsuit against the state by depriving the department of the funding necessary to pay for it. 

Im sure that the next few weeks will provide some political theater. I hope it also results in some smart, thoughtful legislation, and not simply more saber-rattling by the anti-reform crowd. 

The gun debate goes on, and Ray Varner of Campobello is wondering when the gun control crowd will wake up and see the need for an armed citizenry. I did a Google search, and it was interesting to find out that people in England are not allowed to carry concealed weapons, says Mr. Varner. What was shocking is that most of the police do not carry weapons, either. If someone on the streets of England was carrying a weapon he might have been able to stop the terrorist who hacked that poor soldier to death. Guns in the hands of someone who knows how to use a firearm is a good deterrent against the bad guy. 

A stranger gets a thank you from Linda Wilkerson. She recently was shopping at Costco, and later in the day she received a call from an employee telling her someone found her Costco-American Express card and handed it over to folks in the office. I probably would not have realized my card was missing until sometime later when I cleaned out my pocketbook and reconciled my receipts,Learn how an embedded microprocessor in a solarlight can authenticate your computer usage and data. she says. This could have been a nerve-wracking, financial fiasco,This model includes 2 flush mounted reverse chipcard. but an honest, good-hearted person found my card. I thank this honest stranger. Thanks for the God-sighting, and blessings to you and yours. 

LISTEN UP, cellphone manufacturers. Randy Faulkner of Chesnee has an idea: We have all laid down our phone and then wondered where we left it, and if you are smart, you lock it so that if you do this nobody can grab your phone and call China for 800 minutes. But by locking it, you make it impossible for the honest person who finds it to call you and say, Hey, I found your phone, Well, virtually every phone has a GPS built in. Why not have a function that lets me dial in, enter a security code, and my phone says, Yep,Choose from the largest selection of rfidtag in the world. you lost me once again. I am at these coordinates ...Find the best selection of high-quality collectible handbags available anywhere. just where you left me. Then I could enter those into my GPS and go get my phone, once I find my GPS! 

Jack Rutter of Spartanburg tells that a farmer in Cowpens had just gotten a new mule and was having a terrible time getting the mule to obey commands. Hed heard there was a world champion mule trainer on the other side of the mountain in the Cherokee County community of Thicketty so he loaded the mule onto a wagon and went to see the trainer. After explaining the situation to the trainer, he asked, Well, can you do anything with this balky bundle of bones? The trainer replied, Of course, but you gotta treat em with kindness. With that he picked up a two-by-four and swatted the mule square over the head. Hey! yelled the farmer, I thought you said you have to treat them with kindness! Replied the trainer, You do, but first you have to get their attention.