Dear Editor:

A happy result of the publication of the “Political Basics” series in your newspaper is that some issues are being raised that will be of great interest in the upcoming election.

A primary issue mentioned is “a borderless southern boundary encouraging illegal migrants.” (Letters, “Incredible won’t even start…” by El Sellers, Mar. 6, ’24) Polling shows that Americans support both tougher border security and a pathway to citizenship for longtime immigrants living in the country illegally. Indeed, America’s immigration policy is in dire need of reform and revision.

President Biden worked with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and his team of Republicans led by Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford for over ten weeks to craft a bipartisan bill that addressed most of the major immigration and border issues. This bill was written by staunch conservatives. The bill had sufficient support to pass in both houses of Congress. Then, Ex-President Trump made a few calls, and the bill was killed; he wanted the issue to remain unsolved for a campaign talking point, and did not want Biden getting credit for helping resolve the issue in any way.

So, yes, the border and immigration are a big problem, a problem Trump is happy to continue to impose on the American people in the coming months because he sees it as a political advantage. Biden did all he could do, as did Republicans McConnell and Lankford, only to have it collapse entirely due to Trump.

Another issue mentioned was “crippling over-regulation of business.” Corporate profits and executive compensation are at all-time highs, and the Stock Market is breaking all records. Job creation is also at all-time highs, and wages are UP. If there is “crippling over-regulation,” where should we go to see the “crippling” part? One would think a “crippling over-regulation” would cause a DOWNTURN in these and most other economic indicators. Something doesn’t add up.

Perhaps “over-regulation” is just a perennial complaint of businessmen (become a propaganda talking point), regardless of how well business is doing.

As other issues are brought up by respondents to the “Political Basics” series, we will attempt to address them.

Jeff Harrison
Buffalo, Texas