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Anchor Baby on the Way!

Recently, politicians and pundits have been butting heads over the nature of the U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment and its ramifications concerning immigration.

Ratified July 9, 1868, the Citizenship or Naturalization Clause states this in its first section: "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens in the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."

This amendment was Congress's reversal of the Dred Scott v. Sanford decision of March 6, 1857, which stated that Africans brought to America as slaves--and their descendants, whether slaves or not--were not constitutionally protected and could never be citizens. The 14th Amendment was a major policy change during the Reconstruction era after the Civil War. It has a controversial and complicated history, what with numerous decisions that shaped how judges have ruled on it in subsequent cases. But it has become a point of increasing debate over the years because technically, under this clause, babies born to illegal immigrants are American citizens the second they breathe air in an American hospital.

Now, partly because of this amendment, illegal immigrants are playing a significant role in the budget crises in the states in which they have their children and settle. The children's families milk the welfare state, including education and healthcare, for all it's worth while paying little to no taxes. This is a big reason why California, for instance, is literally on the brink of economic collapse.

In Texas, an estimated 60,000 babies are born to illegal aliens every year and are then considered American citizens, costing the welfare state billions of dollars. Long-time liberal adversary Representative Leo Berman (R-Tyler) has vowed to file a bill in the State Legislature that would prohibit the state from filing birth certificates to these children.

In 1868, there had been no Great Society. Therefore, exploitation of the welfare state was not at the forefront of the writers' minds. But now, it's a significant problem and one that some lawmakers are questioning.

Liberals say it's about politics and votes in the upcoming mid-terms, not about fixing the immigration problem (not that liberals would say there is a problem). They're also trying to paint conservatives as anti-child. Where will these poor, innocent children go, they bellow smugly.

But those of us with common sense know that the federal government and individual states cannot afford to pay for infinite extractions from the welfare state's funds. American citizens are already tired of having the government's grubby paws in their pockets, especially with Obama's misguided policies for "revivifying" the economy. Liberals squawk about the innocent children who deserve to be Americans just because they were born here on our dime. They may be innocent, but their parents are not entitled to free healthcare. They should be deported back to their home country along with their children. However, changes to constitutional amendments are complicated and rather uncommon. Therefore, this is not the last we will hear on the issue. Liberals, take note: If we try to take care of everyone, we'll soon be taking care of no one.

Article Source: http://www.rockanomics.com/public/385.cfm