We could start with a similarity between the two. Both have resulted from irrational human greed. No power outside the individual forced millions to spend far more than they could afford to purchase homes in recent years. Likewise, no driving force caused millions to flee their homeland to come to the USA illegally and ignore the potential personal disaster of being caught!

The mortgage situation with the forecast of literally hundreds of thousands facing foreclosure in months ahead makes Katrina look like a picnic gone belly up! Unlike most home based disasters which bring misery and suffering to families unprepared for the crisis, foreclosure on a home is an isolated spin of fate. Storms, earthquakes, raging fires - all tend to affect a concentrated area, thus the assistance factor is largely manageable (Katrina notwithstanding!). Foreclosures know no geography. Authorities have no more power to assist than neighbors who may be virtual strangers to the victims.

What can any authority do under these circumstances? Since there really is only one road to safety - and that is spelled m-o-n-e-y - the solution is more readily faced than the powers that be are willing to admit. Consider the numbers (and this is pure speculation): the inability to absorb the monthly payments by those who bought in at the peak of the market and paid too much for the privilege, are numbered in the millions. The mortgage holders, and, or the banks or other financial institutions that inherited these mortgages can be counted on a hand held calculator! IPSO FACTO, the ability to bring order out of chaos lies with the financial people. They have the opportunity to 'bite the bullet' as it were. They are in a better position to absorb losses. One only need to note the huge write offs already taking place on Wall Street, and in the sacred halls of bank giants like CitiCorp.

On the other front - immigration does fall into the same category of essential assistance. No way can this country ignore 12,000,000 people who came here illegally and have lived a false life despite their ability to earn sufficient income to stay off public assistance. Once again, the situation calls for common sense and understanding at the top. Forget all the obvious hoots and hollers that blame the illegals for their own desperation. We didn't invite them to cross borders under cover, or enter here in the trunk of a car. The fact is that decades of inadequate border control by our government allowed this to happen - and if we failed to turn these unfortunate people around at the outset there would be no huge problem today. But they are here, we are unable to corral them into World War II style camps for deportation, we would face monumental problems of all sorts from every sector of our society if we failed to recognize the human element and deal with it.

Time and again, civilized countrys have declared amnesty for one reason or another. We do it when it pleases us to recognize a failed jail sentence, an overcrowded prison, or other injustices. A general amnesty for illegal aliens would end the problem in one signing of an act of freedom. The substance of the act would be felt in countless ways beyond the relief of the illegal who no longer fears the knock on the door and the uniform waiting to come in. Legal citizens become tax payers, contribute to many areas of success in participating in economic advancement - making money, spending money, living openly as voters and deciders relative to our national way of life.

The nay-sayers who block any and all efforts to solve the problem because of their own failure to appreciate that the alternative is simply unacceptable, must be shown the door. The Congress has the power to act, to create a national day of Amnesty. to show the world America is still the country most desired by the millions who risk their lives to come here - and stay here, no matter what! If there are those who insist that an illegal act deserves punishment - not a reward, let them produce their plan to resolve the problem now. The immediate need, like the mortgage problems above, are here and now - and the Irresistable Force has the power to challenge that Immovable Object - putting to rest for posterity any credence in the saying. Then, we can tackle the Universal Solvent!!!

Richard Carlton

Issue No. 25

Novenber 15, 2007