The World According To Alan

If I Were President: Homeland Security

The very name "Homeland Security" brings up images of Orwell and Hitler in my mind. Unfortunately, it turns out those images aren't very far off base: we've moved farther into a police state with the un-Patriot-ic Act than I ever thought possible before 9/11. Unfortunately, it was pretty much exactly what I predicted would happen right after it.

The Patriot Act

The un-Patriot-ic Act in its own right does very little to actually improve security, while giving the police unprecedented powers. But what's worse is that now, as expected, anything the police can spin even slightly as a "terrorist" act, is being done so in order to abuse the law yet further. Even the mainstream media is is reporting it. If I were President, the first thing I would do would be to work to get as much of this repealed as possible. Then I would direct the Justice Department to look into Constitutional means to achieve *real* security without abandoning civil rights. If the terrorists (or even just the politicians) succeed in turning America into a police state, they've destoryed us as much as a bomb would.

Tighter Immigration Controls

This county is a nation of immigrants. We should be proud of that fact and welcome more. At the same time, we do have a responsibility to screen immigrants for those who would try to damage or destroy us, or to take advantage of our generosity. What I would propose is:

1. I am lightly opposed to giving amnesty to illegal immigrants: they clearly broke the law to get here, and that's not the sort of behavior we want to reward. On the other hand, I understand the desparation that may lead otherwise law-abiding people to do so, and could be talked into an amnesty for those who can demonstrate that they've become productive, law-abiding, citizens otherwise.
2. Strengthen border patrols. People living along the border should not have to worry about protecting their property, or even themselves, from illegal border crossers.
3. Order a review of immigration policy. The only reason a request to immigrate should be denied is either because of a disreputable past or to protect an area from being overburdened with more newcomers than it can handle.
4. Those claiming Political Asylum, upon favorable review, would get priority.
5. The ability to speak and understand written and verbal English would be a requirement for citizenship. If people want to come here and become Americans, they shouldn't expect us to change our ways to theirs. We're not the ones moving to their country.
6. Family members would have second priority, with "family" defined inclusively. In particular, same-sex couples would qualify if they're willing to commit to the same degree as opposite sex married couples. Ideally, they *would* be able to be married and the distinction would not be necessary, but that's a separate issue.
7. Visitors would have to provide contact info and keep it current. There's no excuse for losing track of visitors who've exceeded their stay. They should be tracked down immediately if they haven't left by the time they're supposed to. On the other hand, people's plans do change, and it should not be difficult to get reasonable extensions either.