GEORGETOWN, S.C. — My Fox News baseball hat and sunglasses no longer work as a disguise here in the Carolina Lowcountry. As I stepped out of the Kudzu Bakery this morning, a fellow early-morning shopper accosted me with an accusation and an inquisition: "You're from Washington. What the devil are those people up there thinking?"
Unwilling to accept responsibility for what passes for governance in the federal city and unsure what had raised the ire of my acquaintance, I conceded that we live in Virginia and that I am indeed "based" at Fox News' Washington bureau. Nonetheless, I demurred at being held accountable for the misdeeds or malfeasance of the potentates on the Potomac.
As it turned out, my interlocutor was a U.S. Air Force Academy graduate, now a commercial airline pilot from Tennessee. He's here because his family's Florida vacation plans were wrecked by the as-yet unresolved Gulf oil spill. But that wasn't the singular source of his frustration. "It's bad enough that these clowns can't figure out how to stop oil from flooding over a beach in Florida, but suing Arizona because they tried to stop illegal aliens from flooding into their state is just plain crazy." And just to make sure I got the point, he added: "Yesterday we took our kids to Charleston. We went to The Citadel and out to the point where they fired on Fort Sumter in 1861. I'm a 'damned Yankee.' I believe slavery was evil. But the way our government is acting today, I think I understand why the South seceded."
That's strong stuff from an educated man who took an oath to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic," and who served our country in uniform. The April 12-13, 1861, bombardment of Fort Sumter he referred to began the bloodiest confrontation in American history. Academics still debate whether President James Buchanan and his successor, Abraham Lincoln, could have prevented the cataclysm over states' rights. Sadly, the Obama administration, by ineptness or design, seems intent on enflaming similar disputes through repeated assertions of federal "authority."
Last year, when the government took control of two-thirds of U.S. automobile manufacturing, dozens of banks and some major insurance companies, only union "investments" were "protected." Millions of privately held shareholder claims — commonplace in free enterprise — were dismissed with impunity.
Since the passage of its widely unpopular national health care legislation, the Obama administration has launched more than a half-dozen legal challenges to states seeking to opt out of the federal mandate requiring citizens to purchase government-approved health insurance.
The O-Team pledges "vigorous enforcement" and "compliance" measures.
For more than 80 days, the O-Team has over-promised and under-delivered on the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The administration repeatedly has rejected, delayed or deferred scores of mitigation proposals made by state and local officials in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Despite objections from Gulf-state governors, Obama has ordered his Department of Justice to fight a U.S. court decision reversing his arbitrary moratorium on offshore oil and natural gas exploration.
The federal lawsuit filed this week against Arizona's Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act — the mainstream media call it "SB 1070" — is the latest affront to the 10th Amendment. The Obama DOJ claims that the law, passed by the Arizona Legislature and signed by Gov. Jan Brewer, is unconstitutional because it "pre-empts" federal responsibility in enforcing immigration laws.
In its 25-page legal brief — nine pages longer than SB 1070 — the administration asserts that the Arizona law "exceeds a state's role with respect to aliens, interferes with the federal government's balanced administration of the immigration laws, and critically undermines U.S. foreign policy objectives." Attorney General Eric Holder, in a surreal statement defending the lawsuit, said, "Arizonans are understandably frustrated with illegal immigration and the federal government has a responsibility to comprehensively address those concerns."
That, of course, is the issue. The federal government isn't fulfilling its responsibilities to the people of Arizona or the rest of us.
Violent crime against American citizens by illegal aliens continues to climb. Drug cartels are shipping millions of pounds of illegal drugs across our southern border. Reports of terror organizations' using illicit traffickers' crossing points and methods are on the rise.
The 1,200 National Guard troops promised by Obama to help secure our southern border — a fraction of the 6,000 requested — have yet to arrive. Although the president repeatedly calls for new "stimulus spending" on "shovel-ready projects," work on the "border fence" has all but halted. And despite the Obama administration's willingness to use federal courts to impose its will, the DOJ has taken no action to enforce laws already on the books against any of the 31 U.S. municipalities that are self-declared "sanctuary cities" for illegal immigrants.
A federal judge in Phoenix will resolve much more than the outcome of an Arizona law. She also will determine whether our sovereign borders still matter. Let's hope she also will decide that surrender is not an option.
Oliver North is the host of "War Stories" on Fox News Channel, the founder and honorary chairman of Freedom Alliance, and the author of "American Heroes." To find out more about Oliver North and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.
COPYRIGHT 2010 CREATORS.COM
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Obama is not doing anything about the oil spill! He should take charge! He should use those the vast federal government to run the show! The very same agencies that were long ago turned over to corporate control by the GOP? The glories of corporate ownership of government seem to have been exposed. Obama has made a reasonable move in halting the deep offshore drilling for a few months until we understand what went went wrong with the BP well. Mr. North and his ilk want it both ways. Obama must be effective in stopping the disaster. When he does the one thing that really is within the government's limited range of options, he is lambasted as "arbitrary", but you can bet that if he had not tried to put a temporary halt to such drilling and there had been a second disaster, Mr. North would be the first to claim that it is all Obama's fault. It is the same old GOP playbook; government is fine, unless it does anything that might reduce corporate profits.
Illegal immigration is a significant problem that must be addressed on many levels. The AZ law is probably not the answer. The crime rate in Arizona is going down, not up. The crime rates in large border cities such Phoenix and San Diego are very low, compared to other big cities. (What is Mr. North's definition of a "secure border"? A 1,300 mile wall with mine fields and guard towers every hundred yards? If we stopped his favorite wars we might be able to begin to pay for that. This is never defined because it is the GOP approach is to demand SECURE borders before anything else is considered about Illegal aliens. Obama has devoted more resources to the border than Bush ever did, but you would not know that from reading Mr. North's writings. But whatever is done, it will never be SECURE enough for the GOP to be willing to broaden the discussion.) Notice that the chief of police in Phoenix thinks that this is a BAD LAW. He know that this will destroy the sort of communication between the Hispanic community and law enforcement that is necessary to prevent crime and terrorism. He is also clear that it will pull resources away from actual crime fighting. It's a easy to demagogue over this law. Making the police work effectively with it will be another matter, but hey, that' not Mr. North's problem.
Comment: #1
Posted by: Mark
Fri Jul 9, 2010 6:02 PM
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Stop the horse shit I believe a strike at Arizona is a strike at all Americans, My parents did not pass on to me a country with it's tail between it's legs. The south and the South West can cope with out Washington, I may over 65 but I'm ready for battle, and tell that Arizona Police shief to do his job or get the hell out of the way.
Comment: #2
Posted by: Joe
Fri Jul 9, 2010 6:57 PM
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Mark - By your remarks I would say that you do not live in the Southwest. I have been here, on the border since 1979 and the crime on the border is the worst I have ever seen it. A good friend of mine has a ranch that is right on the border and he replaces gates, cattle tanks, water lines and valves at least once a month. He says he has at least 400 illegals crossing his property daily. They broke the siding off his barn until he chainlinked the entire 5 acres where his ranch buildings are.
I have the property just to the north of his and I've had 3 truck stolen, a tractor's tires sliced and the 500 gallon fuel tank drained when they cut the nozzle off. They have broken down my fences, killed two of my dogs and knocked the windows out of two of my out buildings (workshops). They've stolen my tools, chainsaws, hand power tools and anything else that is not bolted down.
It's no different with all my neighbors. I should quit and move but the military made me too, damned stubborn to give it up. I was in Vietnam, 1960 thru 1963 and some nights, out here, I have been more scared than I ever was in 'Nam. At least I could shoot there...can't here without worrying about loosing my ranch.
I really don't understand how people that don't have to fight the fight want to give away my property & freedom.
Comment: #3
Posted by: Colin
Fri Jul 9, 2010 8:50 PM
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The Immigration Debate: 04/23/2002 DOJ Memo Directly Contradicts Basis of Obama Lawsuit Against Arizona.
On April 23, 2002, the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Legal Counsel (OCL) issued a memorandum concerning the issue of Federal Preemption of concurrent State enforcement of criminal and civil viloations under the Immigration Laws of the United States. That memo states, "we determine that our 1996 advice was mistaken and that we should have concluded that federal statutory law posed no obstacle to the authority of state (and local) police to arrest aliens on the basis of civil deportability". The memo offered the following conclusions: 1). States have inherent power to make arrests for violation of Federal Law including Civil and Criminal violations of Federal Immigration Laws. 2). It would be unreasonable to assume Congress acted in a manner that would deprive the Federal Government of whatever assistance the States could provide in the identification, apprehension and detention of those in violation of Federal Immigration Laws. 3). That prior opinions of the DOJ were erroneous, that Federal Law did not preempt the States from making arrests for both civil and criminal violations of Federal Immigration law.
http://mcauleysworld.wordpress.com/2010/07/09/the-immigration-debate-04232002-doj-memo-directly-contradicts-basis-of-obama-lawsuit-against-arizona/
Comment: #4
Posted by: mcauleysworld
Sat Jul 10, 2010 9:37 AM
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Re: ColinMain articles: Racial and ethnic demographics of the United States and Hyphenated American
The U.S. population's distribution by race and ethnicity in 2008 was as follows:[36][37]
Total population: 304.1 million
Race and Hispanic or Latino origin Percentage Number
White alone
(Not including the 29.2 million
White Hispanic and Latino Americans: 65.4% or 198.9 million) 75.0% 228.2 million
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, of any race 15.4% 46.9 million
Black or African American alone 12.4% 37.6 million
Some other race alone 4.9% 15.0 million
Asian alone 4.4% 13.4 million
Two or more races 2.3% 7.0 million
American Indian or Alaska Native alone 0.8% 2.4 million
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander alone 0.14% 0.43 million
Fact 75%!
Comment: #5
Posted by: trublu
Sat Jul 10, 2010 9:51 AM
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Re: Mark #1 You are an idiot and a fool to believe that all is going to be fine in time. That is the problem with misinformed jackoffs like you( read between the lines)are borders were suppose to have the security that was promised about 1 year after9/11 but amongst the people you beleive to be youre heros they all have been full of crap. more illegal aliens have crossed the borders and taken our jobs than before that incident and we just continue to let it happen because of our sissy govt policies that say everyone has the right to be a citizen in america, but go down there and how are we treated other than beeing a tourist. I challenge you to try to go there and make a living and see what happens./ WE AS AMERICANS WANT OUR JOBS BACK!!!!
Comment: #6
Posted by: Randy Tinkey
Sat Jul 10, 2010 2:04 PM
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Re: Joe
yes a ditch will do long enough to fill with water and throw crocks in their... seal our borders . we will not sustain all of mexico in the usa.. we are broked..
Comment: #7
Posted by: frank d
Sat Jul 10, 2010 9:15 PM
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US VS State Of Arizona seems to be relevant by legal point of view . Since New York and South Florida based
criminal organizations generated overbuilding related consequences , loss in demand of workforce in Arizona,Texas,West,Mid West,South West States,at least 46 States of the Union might file law suit against New city,County and State,private institutions , private institutions,private banking institutions, No Government organizations , Miami Dade County,Miami Beach and more Counties for failing duties , protect Civil, Constitutional,Human,Federal and International Rights , repeated , continued , fraudulent,deceitful, unlòawfuil failures to enforce Federal Criminal Code,Laws and Rules in compliance to Mandatory Fedral Law Statute by Federal Laws established . Blueross .
Comment: #8
Posted by: Blueross
Sun Jul 11, 2010 10:01 AM
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Colin, FBI crime stats do not support the idea that a wave of crime has washed over Arizona, in spite of what your Senator and Governor would have us believe. (Nearby states must love their attempt to drive the tourism industry from your state.) Crime rates are flat or even slightly decreased in AZ in general over the last ten years. That does not, however, prove that there aren't significant local issues. It also doesn't prove that the crime on the south side of the border will not move north. Yes, we do need to do something, a lot of somethings even, on the issue of illegal immigration, but the new law is a sledge hammer where a more nuanced approach is needed. I would hate to be a cop trying to work in a community with a lot of Hispanics and trying to deal with a law that will either get me constantly accused of racial profiling or being sued by others for failing to push hard enough, not to mention that many of my local sources of info would stop talking to me.
frank d., I thought you folks were a bit short of water down there. 1,300 miles of crock filled canal might be a challenge to keep filled in a desert. One question is how high should our taxes should go to pay for increased border security. Since the big theme these days is that any new program must be paid for NOW, I'm sure that folks who demand expensive solutions will be the first to say "and raise our income taxes to pay for it, because this problem is that important!"
Comment: #9
Posted by: Mark
Tue Jul 13, 2010 1:08 PM
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