The NPG Journal: Vol. 6, No. 8
- NPG
- August 23, 2013
- NPG Journal
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The NPG Journal: Vol. 6, No. 8 – 8/23/13
A Monthly Commentary on Population and Immigration Issues
Presented by Negative Population Growth, Inc.
COMMENTARY by NPG President Donald Mann
After 41 years of leading Negative Population Growth and dealing with scores of elected officials, I have become convinced that many politicians are impervious to understanding numbers.
While they are perfectionists at counting votes and understanding the precise number they need to win an election, once in office some of our leaders conveniently lose the ability to recognize how certain numbers can add up to disaster for our nation and its citizens.
I raise this issue because, as the debate over immigration reform swirls in Congress, real numbers are at the center – and they are being ignored. Instead of principles and reason, political agendas are driving this debate. That must stop!
All of the numbers related to this legislation have sent us a warning, and very few of our elected officials appear to be listening. First and foremost, our nation is not equipped to accommodate the estimated 55 million additional people that will result from a major amnesty – all of them arriving within just a few decades.
Next, it is both unjust and economically foolish to grant permanent residency status to 11 million illegal immigrants when as many as 20-25 million American citizens still can’t find work. According toNumbersUSA, a recent analysis by the Center for Immigration Studies found that the “Schumer-Obama amnesty bill would grant more than 33 million new work permits in the first decade….”
Also, our soaring national debt will be greatly increased by the passage of any bill similar to S. 744 (which has already been endorsed by the U.S. Senate). The highly-respected Heritage Foundation recently reported: “Over a lifetime, the former unlawful immigrants together would receive $9.4 trillion in government benefits and services and pay $3.1 trillion in taxes. They would generate a lifetime fiscal deficit (total benefits minus total taxes) of $6.3 trillion.” It seems that Congress is ignoring that we are discussing trillions, not billions, of dollars. And that this is an estimate based on 2010 dollars – it does not consider future growth in welfare and medical expenses.
Giving a green light to such a costly piece of legislation simply doesn’t make sense. Yet too many of our leaders and fellow citizens seem willing to score political victories through “feel good” measures, rather than do what is difficult – but quite necessary – to protect our nation over the long term.
As the immigration debate progresses, the question must be asked: why is the truth – the real numbers –being so willfully ignored?
If any issue will test the merit of our leaders as to whether or not they are willing to do what’s right for America’s future, immigration reform is it.
“ALL-IN” FOR FRACKING AROUND THE WORLD?
It seems that the rush to extract natural gas from deep beneath the earth by using hydraulic fracturing (commonly known as “fracking”) is not limited to just the U.S.
Last week, British Prime Minister David Cameron went “all-in” by committing his country to a major push for extracting their estimated 1,300 trillion cubic feet of available shale gas.
According to a report by Ben Wolfgang in The Washington Times, Cameron is urging “his countrymen to embrace fracking and the economic benefits, jobs and energy security that come with it.”
While the environmental lobby in Britain is as vehemently against fracking as those in the U.S., Cameron has simply dismissed arguments that it could cause contamination of water supplies and other environmental damage to the British countryside. He referred to those concerns as “myths,” and affirmed his faith in the regulatory process that it will be done safely.
In another Times article in January of this year, Wolfgang highlighted how countries around the globe are moving quickly to embrace fracking. Heading the list are Poland, Argentina, Brazil, and China. Even Saudi Arabia is examining the issue. France and Bulgaria have banned the practice. Wolfgang notes: “The European Union is in the midst of a broad study on the safety of fracking, with results expected sometime next year.”
The January Times article also highlights how the “green pushback” in Europe has had more success than U.S. environmentalists in trying to stop fracking, as they have been able to “gain more political traction.”
In 2012, the international group Food and Water Watch issued a report on fracking which stated: “Instead of exposing their citizens to the damages of modern drilling and fracking, countries around the world should enact national bans on the practice and invest aggressively in the development of energy efficiency and renewable-energy technologies.”
NPG stands with environmentalists and shares their concerns. The rush to cash-in with a massive push for fracking may seriously imperil groundwater for future generations. For more information on fracking, we invite you to read our NPG Forum paper – Is Fracking an Answer? To What?
D.A.C.A. PROGRAM NOW ONE YEAR OLD
It was just over a year ago that President Obama launched – via Executive Directive – a program similar to the failed DREAM Act, which removed the threat of deportation for illegal immigrants brought to the U.S. as children. A recent article in the The Washington Times has highlighted its progress.
The Times article states: “Through June 30, the program, administered by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, had approved 400,562 applications, or 98.7 percent of those who received final decisions.”
The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) was controversial from the beginning, as President Obama was severely criticized for doing an “end run” around Congress. It remains controversial today, as many suspect that the extremely high rate of approvals proves that the government policy is to “rubber stamp” applications – and dismiss potential fraud.
The Times article also noted: “Kenneth Palinkas, chief of the USCIS Council, the union that represents the employees reviewing and approving the applications, said approving nearly 99 percent of the applications is ‘an astronomical rate.’” Palinkas wondered: “If 99 percent are being granted, it’s almost like, ‘Why are they even being adjudicated?’”
In addition to not being deported, those who qualify are granted work permits and are generally able to obtain a driver’s license. Tens of thousands of applicants are still awaiting the government’s decision, and more submissions are arriving every month.
NPG was very vocal in its opposition to DACA, and we still see cause for concern today. If Congress fails to deliver all the White House demands within any final immigration reform legislation, what is to stop President Obama from issuing a new Executive Directive to grant amnesty? And if this program is a sign of the government’s standard rate for approvals, the resulting population growth to our nation could be staggering.
RECYCLING EARNS SUBWAY TRIPS IN CHINA
In a world inundated with too many people, with each nation suffering its own consequences of overpopulation, any effort to foster recycling programs and reduce the carbon footprint is welcome.
This month, Ecowatch carried a story about a city which tied recycling to public transit – with great potential to catch on around the world.
The story, originally appearing in The Guardian, relates how a number of busy subway stations in Beijing recently “saw the installation of recycling machines which accept plastic bottles as payment. Passengers receive credit ranging from 5 to 15 cents per bottle, which are then applied toward rechargeable subway cards.” Hoping the greener option will catch on with travelers, “more than 100 machines will be put in place in the coming years.”
The project is hailed by Ecowatch as a means to limit federal spending on resources recovery by collecting plastic bottles directly from citizens.
While NPG contends that a reduction in population size is the ultimate solution, we applaud this effort to lessen the environmental damage caused by existing overpopulation.
AS IMMIGRATION REFORM LOOMS, ILLEGAL ENTRY INCREASES
Fox News reported recently on a sudden increase of illegal immigrants from Mexico arriving at border stations. The would-be entrants cited a “credible fear” of drug cartels in order to gain safe haven within our country.
The trend started at the Otay Mesa port of entry in California, and quickly spread to the nearby center in San Ysidro. Hundreds of individuals showed up seeking asylum and overwhelmed processing centers, forcing the Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials to obtain hotel rooms for the new arrivals.
According to Fox: “The number of asylum claims is on the rise, almost tripling in the last four years. Most come from Chinese, Egyptian and Ethiopian immigrants. Fewer than 200 a year come from Mexico, let alone 200 in a day. However, by claiming they have a ‘credible fear of persecution’ if returned to Mexico, the immigrant is entitled to a series of interviews, hearings, proceedings and appeals that can drag on for years.”
Fox reported that: “Asylum claims from Mexico are highly unusual and critics say this is an orchestrated sham – it’s not about getting asylum, they say, but about overwhelming the system and getting a free pass into the U.S. and a court date for which no one will show up.”
With the potential passage of immigration reform similar to S. 744, which legalizes the status of illegal immigrants, NPG fears this increase in arrivals is just the start of what promises to be a massive spike in U.S. population growth.
NINE AMERICAN CITIES RUNNING OUT OF WATER
The economic-centered website 24/7 Wall St. ran a piece on August 2nd which, “based on data provided by the U.S. Drought Monitor,” identified a number of large American urban areas “that have been under persistent, serious drought for months.” Counting down from number 9, the list includes:
9. Santa Fe, New Mexico
8. Albuquerque, New Mexico
7. Corpus Christi, Texas
6. Brownsville, Texas
5. Harlingen, Texas
4. Colorado Springs, Colorado
3. McAllen, Texas
2. Pueblo, Colorado
1. Lubbock, Texas
The 24/7 article quotes Brian Fuchs, assistant climatologist/geologist at the National Drought Mitigation Center, as saying it is “unlikely” that recent rainstorms in parts of Colorado provided much long-term relief for residents. Fuchs also noted: “these rains will possibly provide only short-term relief for agriculture and will add some moisture to the soil.” He added: “Unless you have several rain events to percolate into any kind of ground water, one significant rain event… won’t even touch the water table.”
For more information on population growth and the growing American water crisis, we invite you to read our recent NPG Forum paper – The Southwest: Ground-Zero for Global Warming.
HOMELAND SECURITY AUDIT: ONE MILLION VISA OVERSTAYS
A recent revelation of just how far the Department of Homeland Security is already failing in its duties has increased concerns that the government agency would be overwhelmed trying to single-handedly oversee any massive immigration reform.
The Daily Caller reported that a Government Accountability Office audit “shows that the Department of Homeland Security has lost track of one million immigrants who definitely came to the U.S. but whose present location is now undetermined.”
In reviewing the DHS system to track immigrants, the GAO also looked at the number of visa overstays and found that “32 percent of visa overstays came via land ports of entry. The average visa overstay was 2.7 years.”
Reporter Elizabeth Dorton noted: “While the Congressional Budget Office examined the Senate bill [S. 744] and said that it will cut illegal immigration in half, the bill also shows that the system would heighten chances for immigrants to come to the U.S. and illegally overstay their visas under new guest-worker programs.” She added: “Though the executive branch is supposed to report the number of annual visa overstays to Congress, it has skirted this duty for the past 20 years under the guise that the information is not reliable enough.”
NPG has consistently stated that it is DHS – and its exceptional failure to enforce current immigration laws – which bears a huge responsibility for today’s current immigration crisis. We continue to fear that this seemingly unmanageable and unaccountable agency will again prove itself a total failure if it is charged with overseeing any massive immigration reform.
IMMIGRATION REFORM VETERAN ON FRONT LINES IN CONGRESS
In 2006, Hazelton, PA – with a population of approximately 25,000 – was confronted with the arrival of thousands of illegal immigrants who radically changed the experience of life within the city. The immigrants limited the ability of local citizens to find jobs, and as non-taxpayers they put a major financial burden on city services.
Under the leadership of Mayor Lou Barletta, the city passed its own Illegal Immigration Relief Act – and Hazelton’s bold action, aimed to protect both the city’s budget and its lawful citizens, made national news. The ACLU acted quickly to launch a series of costly lawsuits.
Mayor Barletta ran for Congress in 2010 and won. With his victory, Congress gained a strong and experienced advocate for responsible immigration reform.
In a well-written op-ed that appeared in The Washington Timeson July 29th, Barletta laid out his positions on the current Congressional debate on immigration reform – including his support for strong border security. He also outlined the provisions of The Visa Overstay Enforcement Act of 2013 (H.R. 2631), which he has sponsored.
Barletta’s bill pushes for “get-tough” policies, charging those who “do not make a good-faith effort” to leave the U.S. by the expiration date of their visa with a felony punishable by a fine of $10,000, one year in jail, and prohibiting their re-entry to the U.S. for five years. A second offense would be met with even higher fines and more severe punishment.
In the Times op-ed, Congressman Barletta states:
“Illegal immigration is a clear and demonstrable threat to our national security – of that there can be no question. In addition, granting amnesty to untold millions of illegal immigrants will flood our job markets and reduce wages and employment for those hard-working immigrants and lower-income workers who have followed our laws. And finally, the costs to social programs over the lifetimes of those to be granted amnesty represents a drain on our taxpayers of about $6.3 trillion, according to the Heritage Foundation. Any one of these reasons alone should be enough to kill the Senate bill.”
NPG commends Congressman Barletta on his responsible and reasonable policies for new immigration legislation.
THE MASSIVE PUSH FOR A HOUSE VOTE ON IMMIGRATION REFORM
There are plenty of stories in the news these days about how members of the U.S. House of Representatives are not too keen on holding town meetings during the August Congressional recess. They’re afraid they’ll be pushed by their constituents to give a blanket promise as to how they will vote on the highly contentious issue of immigration reform in the coming months.
Without question, the pressure is on – big time.
And many national polls are showing that the American public is not ready to embrace full amnesty/citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants, nor are we ready to substantially rewrite our nation’s immigration laws to cater to the demands of the open-border lobby. NPG is proud to be among the organizations making the united opposition of our members known to Representatives in Congress.
But it’s the groups with the “big bucks” and bottomless pockets that are ramping up their push for the House to endorse a costly and extensive immigration reform bill.
A recent analysis by Sean Higgins in The Washington Examinerhighlighted how powerful groups (such as the National Council of LaRaza, the Service Employees International Union, and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees) have “vowed to press wavering Republicans during… August through grassroots activism.” They are especially targeting uncommitted Members of Congress who represent districts with large Latino populations.
Higgins’ article also focused on how Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), a strong advocate for sweeping immigration reform, is eager “to get something – pretty much anything – to the House floor so the Republicans who have signaled a willingness to support reform can join with his Democratic colleagues and pass a bill.” The goal is to get the debate out of the public eye and into a Senate-House conference where a final piece of legislation can be hammered out behind closed doors.
If you have yet to personally contact your Representative to make it clear how you stand on this critical issue, please do so soon. The only way we are going to prevail in this battle is with true grassroots activism – in every community across America.
We can’t let our legislators be steamrolled into writing new immigration laws that will be so destructive to our nation. We must not waiver in our efforts to reverse America’s population growth and ensure a sustainable future for our children and grandchildren!
NPG NOTES
A SPECIAL LETTER IN THE MAIL…
Recently, we received a letter from another dedicated member notifying us that she had left NPG a generous bequest in her will. We are truly grateful to these special “NPG Heroes,” who go above-and-beyond in the fight to create a livable future for America.
Bequests are especially valuable to us at NPG, as we receive no government funds. For more than 40 years, our mission has relied substantially on the generous contributions of our members. Whether large or small, bequest gifts from friends like you help to strengthen our valuable programs, which are designed to leave a sustainable – not overpopulated – America to our children and grandchildren.
Just recently we updated our bequest guide, Leave a Lasting Legacy: Things to Consider as You Draft Your Will. This informative guide provides simple instructions on what to discuss with your Estate Attorney, enabling you to easily amend your will or revocable trust to reflect your strong commitment to the NPG mission.
To receive a free copy of this helpful document, please call us directly at 703-370-9510, or email Tracy Canada at tcanada@npg.org. Thank you.
QUOTES
“The spinmeisters for the oil and gas industry sure earned their money this week. A natural-gas drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico has a catastrophic blowout, erupts into uncontrolled flames for days, and most of the media buys the industry’s line that we should simply be glad that this disaster wasn’t as serious as that other accident in the Gulf a couple of years ago. That would be the Deepwater Horizon blowout and spill, which killed 11 workers and dumped millions of barrels of crude oil into the Gulf.
“Seriously, is this the new bar the fossil-fuel industry has set for itself – not to surpass the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history?
“The scary thing is that the Deepwater Horizon disaster probably will be surpassed, because coal, oil, and gas producers have no problem embracing risk. After all, they’re not the ones who stand to lose when things inevitably go south.”
Mark Ruffalo
Actor, Environmental Activist
“The government must get its act together soon [on tracking immigrants here on visas]…. At least six of the 19 terrorists of Sept. 11 did their evil work on expired visas. Rep. Candice S. Miller, Michigan Republican, told a House Homeland Security subcommittee last year that since 2001, 36 convicted terrorists ‘came right through our front door on visas and then used the tools of our freedom to murder our fellow Americans.’”
The Washington Times editorial
August 6, 2013
WHY THE NPG JOURNAL?
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The NPG Journal (offered free to all recipients) exists to give more widespread distribution to timely news stories and articles related to population, immigration, environmental, and political issues that currently affect our daily life – or have the potential to seriously impact our future.
We realize not all news stories covering population issues will reflect NPG policies and goals. One of our main purposes in creating theNPG Journal is to expose these items to a wider audience, and to draw attention to the fact that many articles speak to immigration and population issues yet fail to address the central cause of many problems: Too Many People.
Ultimately, NPG would like to see writers at all levels make the obvious (to us, at least) connection between environmental and resource problems and the growing number of people in both the United States and the world. Unfortunately, most do not. To that end, we comment as necessary to help our readers see those links, in hopes they will continue to speak out on what we deem to be the most pressing issue of our time – population size and growth.
NPG President Donald Mann offers his personal insight and commentary on individual stories, especially those that challenge, confirm and/or complement our NPG Forum papers and research. The goal of the NPG Journal is to greatly expand NPG’s educational mission. NPG’s activities continue to emphasize the need for Americans to speak up on population issues and keep our nation – especially our elected leaders on the national, state, and local levels – focused on taking action to help resolve today’s immigration crisis and work to slow, halt, and eventually reverse America’s population growth.
We welcome your feedback to articles posted on the NPG Journal, and urge you to forward to us the e-mail addresses of friends you think would like to receive a complimentary copy of the NPG Journal on a monthly basis. Contact us at .
ABOUT NPG
Negative Population Growth, Inc. (NPG) is a national nonprofit membership organization with over 30,000 members. It was founded in 1972 to educate the American public and political leaders regarding the devastating effects of overpopulation on our environment, resources, and standard of living. We believe that our nation is already vastly overpopulated in terms of the long-range carrying capacity of its resources and environment.
