Smart Talk #8
With the administration’s announced intent to end Title 42 (originally intended COVID protection for Americans) and cease, it appears, any limitations at all on illegal immigrant entry via our southwest border, Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott is planning a novel and most appropriate partial solution to the impending and unprecedented border surge. In addition to Governor Abbott’s initiative to continue building the Texas portion of the preventative border wall at state expense, when funding for such was stopped by the current administration, the Governor has now announced his plan to take as many of the predicted illegal migrant surgees as possible, soon to be allowed to pour into his state, put them on buses, and ship them to the steps of the U.S. Capitol Building in D.C.! Said Governor Abbott: “We are sending them to the United States Capitol where the Biden administration will be able to more immediately address the needs of the people that they are allowing to come across our border.” He also intends to place razor wire in low-water crossings, plus directing the Texas National Guard to conduct mass migration rehearsals prior to the anticipated surge of illegals. Said the Texas Adjutant General: “If you’re a caravan organizer and you think you’re going to overwhelm or overrun a port of entry, we’ll be there waiting for you.” Great and very appropriate efforts to counter this obvious threat to his state, and to our country. At one time, Florida’s Governor DeSantis had talked openly about shipping illegals coming into his state up to Delaware to let them provide for migrant care!
Continuing with smart ideas and actions, Arizona’s Republican Governor Doug Ducey has recently signed a state legislature bill into law that appropriately tightens voting requirements for future presidential elections. “The bill requires voters (in those specific elections) to show proof of citizenship” and “also requires registered voters to show proof of address that they are an Arizona resident.” Said Governor Ducey: “Election integrity means counting every lawful vote and prohibiting any attempt to illegally cast a vote.” Smart actions for electoral integrity on the part of Arizona’s legislature and governor.
Meanwhile in Florida, Republican Governor DeSantis has signed a legislative bill into law that bans the discussion of gender and sexual orientation issues with very young students within classrooms. The new law states: “Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.” Also included is the right of parents to obtain and review any school health questionnaires before they are released to students. One might suspect such would potentially deal with trans and other gender identity information of which parents should be fully aware. Said the Governor in response to some LGBTQ push back: “I don’t care what corporate media outlets say. I don’t care what Hollywood says. I don’t care what big corporations say. Here I stand. I’m not backing down.”
The Governor also signed a Parent’s Bill of Rights bill into law. About this companion effort, Governor DeSantis said: “And what this is going to do is to require transparency with respect to the materials that are being taught in classrooms or in school libraries. And if that’s something that is going to be used, that is something a parent would have the right to understand and know that’s going on out there. It also provides an ability for parents to review and lodge objections if they find the material to either deviate from state standards or just be inappropriate.” Said the Governor in concluding his presentation on this new pro-parent law: “We want to make sure, again, that we’re doing education, not indoctrination.” Smart, tough, and much needed talk, following action!
And still more positive news from Florida. Governor DeSantis has signed into law a bill that makes a class in financial literacy a requirement for all high school students in the state. Said he: “This will provide a foundation for students to learn about the basics of money management, understanding debt, understanding how to balance a check book, understanding the fundamentals of investing. What it’s doing with financial literacy is providing a foundation for students that’s going to be applicable in their lives regardless of what path they take.”
Even more positive news to add to the Florida story: regarding ‘domestic migration.’ Spurred by COVID lockdowns, high state taxes, and perhaps even some irritation with Progressive politics in their respective states, two states in particular have truly and appropriately benefitted from families migrating to areas they find more acceptable to their preferred lifestyle. Number one: Florida which, thru 2020-2021, grew $37-billion in new income from residents leaving states like California, New York, and Illinois. The Number two voluntary southern family migration state is Texas with $10-billion in new resident income. Moving from blue states to red. Coincidence? Not likely. Congrats to Florida and Texas, and some other of our southern states welcoming newcomers.
Speaking of California (or perhaps Cali-foreigner), Democrat legislators there have proposed a bill that would allow non-citizens to become police officers! Conservative realist Leo Terrell was quick to respond: “California is trying to devalue citizenship. How can an illegal alien take an oath to uphold the law, when he (or she) broke the law? It’s ludicrous. This is an open-border state. They don’t want any distinction between citizenship and illegal aliens.” Hopefully this latest ultra-lib fantasy goes nowhere, and especially not to other blue states.
And some further good news for voter integrity. The highly-respected Rasmussen Reports conducted a survey recently, asking the question: “Is requiring a photo ID to vote a reasonable measure to protect the integrity of elections?” Nearly 75% of likely voters agreed, with that total including 90% of Republicans, 59% of Democrats, and 76% of Independents. A strong backing for more fully protecting the electoral process going forward.
Additional survey news from Rasmussen Reports: The latest survey “finds that 52% of Likely U.S. Voters believe Biden’s presidency has been bad for the long-term success of the United States.” And: “Only 28% believe it would be better for American if Biden is reelected to a second term in 2024.”
Concluding this edition of Smart Talk with the thoughts of writer/commentator Patricia McCarthy on the impact on America of the Progressive push for equity: “In just one year, the U.S. resembles the former Soviet Union more than the country of our Founders.” And “it won’t’ stop until we elect people who actually know things, can think critically, analyze, and come up with solutions to problems rather than create them to achieve some pie-in-the-sky dream of mass equality. There will never be equality of outcomes, no matter how much social justice warriors try to make it happen. Equality of opportunity is the best humanity can do.” Strong, and very true words. Equal opportunity is the key for all.
(Texas intentions for post-Title 42 migrant surge & quotes via foxnews.com, Louis Casiano, 4-6-22; Arizona voter integrity actions & quotes via foxnews.com, Emma Colton, 3-31-2002; Florida new law limiting gender/sexual orientation discussion in younger classes & quotes via nypost.com, Selim Algar, 3-28-22; Florida’s Parents Bill of Rights quotes via breitbart.com, Hannah Bleau, 3-25-22; Southern migration due to COVID and other political factors via powerlineblog.com, John Hinderaker, 4-2-22; California “non-citizen” bill & Terrell quote via foxnews.com, Staff, 4-7-22; Rasmussen Reports survey on voter ID’s via breitbart.com, Hannah Bleau, 3-8-22; Rasmussen Reports survey on Biden presidency via powerlineblog.com, John Hinderaker, 4-7-22; Equality of opportunity quote via tothepoint.com, Patricia McCarthy, 1-22-22).