Musing of a Native Arkansan Still Wondering How Smackover, Arkansas Got Its Name

It seems to us that in all the dithering about illegal immigration, congress has never considered one of the most effective solutions. That solution is the establishment of the strongest possible DISINCENTIVES.

So we offer below a couple of these, accompanied by a proper incentive:

First, citizenship should be denied to all illegal immigrants and their children, including those born in the US. This is consistent with the 14th Amendment and various interpretations of the words "subject to the jurisdiction thereof" contained in the 14th Amendment. It is also consistent with the Child Citizenship Act of 2000 which states that no matter where in the world a child is born if at least one of its parents is a legal US citizen the child is a legal US citizen. Conversely, it seems obvious that no matter where in the world a child is born, including the US, if at least one of its parents is not a legal US citizen than neither is the child. (Apparently, congress can confer citizenship on anyone when it chooses to do so; it seems evident they can choose not to confer citizenship.)

Second, all forms of public assistance, except for emergency medical care, should be denied to anyone who is in this country illegally.

Third, if there is not one already, there should be a guest worker program which permits people to come to this country to work, but which, so as each individual is concerned, is limited both in duration and in the number of persons the worker can bring. This should be a tightly controlled, easily policed program.

This is probably not a very popular approach with alot of people.

Musing of One Who Wonders Whatever Happened to Hetty Green's Fortune

We have not read the new Arizona law which is the subject of so much controversy. However, we have listened to innumerable interviews with people ranging from the governor through legislators, sherrifs and interviewees on news shows. After all that, we can only conclude that all the protestations about constitutionality and racial profiling must be based on either political considerations or on a perception that the law in inimical to self-interest. Based on the interviews we heard with those who authored the law and those who will be administering it, we say "Hooray for Arizona!" and for any of the other states who follow Arizona's lead. It seems to us, Arizona is not usurping the federal authority, but is merely helping the feds do the job they're supposed to do.

See the comments under:
Musings of One Who Has Just Been Asked the Question "Why is a Biscuit?"

Musing of One Wondering What Happened to the First Mrs. Julia Ceasar After the Divorce (Debt)

In a previous posting I suggested that congress should lead the way in debt reduction by taking a hit to itself. This would be only an indicator of a firm intention to reduce the debt.

For many years efforts to cut back have been primarily band-aid type measures, which only try to reduce the costs of a function without any further action. That does not work very well. Instead what is needed is to change or eliminate the function itself.

An example of this can be found in the Medicare/Medicaid functions. Cost apparently keep rising, band-aids keep being applied until there is no more room and effective results are not obtained. What is needed is to eliminate these functions and replace them with more controllable functions as a part of a simplified health plan, which should replace whatever the thing is that they call a health plan now. Incidentally, I myself am on Medicare.

There are conscientious and dedicated people in congress, but I doubt that congress as a body has the political will to take such draconian actions as described above. That's too bad.