JMHO Loc: Utah

As the only member of Congress to serve in both Vietnam and Iraq, Rep. Kerry Bentivolio, R-Mich., knows what a dysfunctional country looks like.

He has seen his share of suffering an squalor during 27 years of service in the U.S. Army and National Guard, and after evacuating from the surge in Iraq in 2007 with a neck wound.

On Monday, Bentivolio had just returned from a three-day fact-finding trip to Central America to see the source of the immigration crisis for himself.

The congressman told WND that conditions in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador are certainly not great and there is much hardship, but they are not war zones.

As for the recent avalanche of immigrants?

“I really wouldn’t call them refugees,” said Bentivolio, while also expressing great sympathy for their plight.

He noted, “Our kids are facing similar problems. We have to put our own house in order first.”

The congressman said the children he saw in Central America do indeed have dangerous schools in dangerous cities and have few job prospects. But so do many children in the United States.

The immigration problem really boils down to this, said Bentivolio: “Democrats want the votes, and the Republicans want the cheap labor.”

The Michigander has a unique perspective on both parties, as evidenced by a wall of his office. One side is a tribute to President Ronald Reagan. The other side salutes President John F. Kennedy.

He admires both men for their commitment to the American dream and believes JFK would be a Republican if he were alive today.

The congressman laments, “Democrats today no longer, ‘ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.’ Democrats today are all ‘me, me, me, and gimmee, gimmee, gimmee.’”

Bentivolio believes the U.S. must fix its own economic woes before it can help Central Americans.

“The American dream should be for all the children in the Americas, but we need to lead by example,” he said, mentioning that America’s own children need hope, themselves.

“They say the immigrants are leaving because of few job opportunities. Well, look what is happening here,” he said, referring to the record number of Americans, 92,120,000 in June, who did not participate in the labor force.

“We have kids here with the same problems, kids not getting an education and with few job prospects.”

The congressman believes America needs lower taxes and fewer regulations to create those jobs and kick-start the economy.

He said he wouldn’t even want to try to start a business now that the EPA has 70 pages of regulations, because he would need to hire someone full time just to read and comply with all the federal red tape.

Bentivolio has a three-point plan to solve the immigration crisis and restore hope in America.

Secure the border and enforce the laws already on the books.

Provide a secure environment for America’s own children, so each child can be safe and become educated.

Create job opportunities by lowering taxes and reducing regulations.

The congressman showed strong empathy for the Central Americans and found the trip an eye-opening experience.

He said El Salvador was too dangerous to go out at night, and Honduras “was pretty much the same thing. Guatemala was in better shape; we had less security with us.”

“The kids were great, like all kids hungry to learn and get an education. They want to do the right thing. But we have the same issues they are facing right here in America, and we have to take care of Americans first. We’re the ones who pay the taxes, we’re the ones who need to take care of Americans.”

As for America’s neighbors to the South, he emphasized, “We need to be humane, understanding and patient.”

“But we need to close our border and fix the problem we have now. They need to go home to their country of origin.”

Bentivolio said the key to solving the crisis is not complex.

“If we had secure borders, we wouldn’t have this problem. We need to send a strong message that, if you want to come to America, do it legally, and get in line. That’s it, it’s very simple. Get in line.”

That would also, he remarked, spare the immigrants from putting their lives on the line to make the perilous journeys made in the attempt to enter the U.S. illegally.

He seemed particularly moved by what he saw in El Salvador, the poorest of the three countries he visited. The sight of children living in shacks made of corrugated steel reminded him of what he’d seen years ago in Vietnam.

Bentivolio said fellow congressman, Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., a dentist of 25 years, found the children healthy, well fed and without cavities.

The congressional delegation met with the U.S. ambassador and security personnel who said the gangs control the schools and decide who goes where. Most children leave school before the sixth grade. The congressman said it was not unlike Chicago, in some key respects.
congressional delegation

Congressional delegation in Central America

And it was not hard to understand at all why they want to seek a better life up north.

But Bentivolio felt the sudden surge seemed of immigrants was instigated by President Obama’s decision to stop deporting minors in the country illegally.

“All talk of the DREAM Act fuels the coyotes. It encourages people to take the risk.”

He said the coyotes charge $3,000-to-$7,000 per person, guaranteeing three attempts and offering no refunds, but what they are really selling is hope, fraught with danger.

“They quickly learn how dangerous it is, with many injured and killed during the journey. Some abused physically and sexually.”

So, the congressman observed, rather then spending what money they have at home, on education, food, clothing or starting a business, they are sending relatives North to an uncertain fate.

Garth Kant

Inyourface Loc: East Coast

Putting stock in anything one of these clowns say is a waste of time. These racists know they pander to low IQ racist, whites and folk of color will not vote GOP. Instead if dealing with their bigotry they whine that the Dems are making them look bad. Pretty pathetic.

freedomfirst

could not have said it better i just hope are congress can read,this is what we the people want ;congress,what country do you worh for

cant beleve Loc: Planet Kolob

The democrats can't seem to figure out they are the reason things are bad. Both party's are to blame. Republicans want cheap labor.

JMHO Loc: Utah

And, you grace us with your normal pathetically ignorant and racist comments. No real facts or truth, just liberal racist B.S.

LAPhil Loc: Los Angeles, CA

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LAPhil Loc: Los Angeles, CA

Finally, someone who's telling the truth! Why have we never heard of this guy until now?

the waker Loc: 11th freest nation

Better check who's voting for Democrats these days, as they to pander to rich greedy low IQ individuals, or does your racism blind your " facts". Needless to say, I didn't see too many rocket scientist casting a vote for this Obamanation of our once great country.

LAPhil Loc: Los Angeles, CA

Oh, he had his share, including Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and other self-made millionaire geniuses who unfortunately don't seem to have a clue as to what Obama's doing to this country.

rawwar

So can someone answer me this. When the forefathers sat and wrote the constitution and bill of rights and so on, what party did they call themselves at the time. Was Washington a Republican and Franklin a Democrat or what.?

LAPhil Loc: Los Angeles, CA

There were only two parties, the original one being the Federalist party, to which Washington and Adams belonged. Then Jefferson was elected as a Democratic Republican. Those were the two major parties for a while until the Democratic Republican party evolved into just the Democratic Party, and the Federalist Party disappeared. There were a couple of other parties which then came along but didn't last, like the National Republican (of which John Quincy Adams was the only President), and then the Whig Party, which eventually was replaced by what is now the Republican Party.

dennisimoto Loc: Washington State (West)

No, they're actually the most basic of all of the Liberal lies but by all means keep spewing them if it makes you happy. Meanwhile us GOP Tea Partiers will keep holding our fingers in the dike until the rest of our crew gets the thing properly repaired. Think 2014 and 2016.

JMHO Loc: Utah

More untruths from the racist. Many Asians are turning to the GOP, as many Mexicans are since Obama opened the borders. About 10% (the smart ones) of the blacks are in the GOP camp, the rest are too welfare/food stamp greedy, and too ignorant to figure out Obama has done more harm to the black community than any other president. As Obama's popularity slips, and the border remains porous, more and more Democrats are becoming dissatisfied with Obama and the Democrat leadership, and will vote for the GOP come this November...put that in your cap, moron.

oldroy Loc: Western Kansas (No longer in hiding)

One of these clowns? You mean that any Republican who says anything about these minors not being shipped home is a clown? You know damned well who the clowns in this argument are and they are your people. Now I am not talking about you racist people but about the Democrats who want these kids and their disease germs spread around the US. Have you not been able to think about this in your racist thinking?

LAPhil Loc: Los Angeles, CA

I sure hope you're right about that.