What is Proof of Residence?

This question has been the biggest one in my following of Arizona's immigration law.


F. EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN FEDERAL LAW, OFFICIALS OR AGENCIES OF THIS
 STATE AND COUNTIES, CITIES, TOWNS AND OTHER POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS OF THIS
 STATE MAY NOT BE PROHIBITED OR IN ANY WAY BE RESTRICTED FROM SENDING,
 RECEIVING OR MAINTAINING INFORMATION RELATING TO THE IMMIGRATION STATUS OF ANY INDIVIDUAL OR EXCHANGING THAT INFORMATION WITH ANY OTHER FEDERAL, STATE OR LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY FOR THE FOLLOWING OFFICIAL PURPOSES

 1. DETERMINING ELIGIBILITY FOR ANY PUBLIC BENEFIT, SERVICE OR LICENSE
 PROVIDED BY ANY FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL OR OTHER POLITICAL SUBDIVISION OF THIS STATE.
 2. VERIFYING ANY CLAIM OF RESIDENCE OR DOMICILE IF DETERMINATION OF
 RESIDENCE OR DOMICILE IS REQUIRED UNDER THE LAWS OF THIS STATE OR A JUDICIAL ORDER ISSUED PURSUANT TO A CIVIL OR CRIMINAL PROCEEDING IN THIS STATE.
 3. CONFIRMING THE IDENTITY OF ANY PERSON WHO IS DETAINED.
 4. IF THE PERSON IS AN ALIEN, DETERMINING WHETHER THE PERSON IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE FEDERAL REGISTRATION LAWS PRESCRIBED BY TITLE II, CHAPTER 7 OF THE FEDERAL IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT.

So that is what the bill says about it. NO federal officer or state officer is to be hindered in any way from obtaining proof of residence. So now I just do not seem to be able to figure out if that means a drivers license or a green card. Or if it means a birth certificate, in which case does that mean that everyone should carry theirs with them? And if you are a domicile or somebody here on a work visa or student visa do you have to carry your passport and supporting documents with you?

I believe that this bill is a good step, something needs to be done to keep illegals out. If for no other reason than to applaud those who are willing to go through the system and become legal residents. But there are hundreds of security reasons as well, we have a border that is like a sieve, anyone who wants to can come and go, both between us and Mexico and Canada and us. How is that for security? Achmed could walk right into the US and no one would be the wiser. But I also think that Arizona has placed a little too much trust in their police officers. It seems to me that the bill kind of gave law enforcement a open season on picking up Mexican immigrants. We do not need to put another race under again, come on people does no one remember history? they used this same kind of strategy to discriminate against blacks. I can just see at the voting booths people of color being turned away because they forgot to bring their papers with them. Meanwhile I walk by unquestioned simply because I am white. That is where this could and will lead to if it is not put in check. But every change has to be drastic to catch the publics attention, so maybe this will catch everyones attention and then together the people can find a bill that: supports our immigration laws, and gives everyone that is a legal resident the same rights.

One Step Closer

So now that the Obama admin has finished socializing health care (I am holding out on bashing it just yet, I will explain why in my next blog) it seems that they now feel that it is their part to step in and take over housing loans from private investors. The reason behind this is to offer home owners who are struggling, a loan which is protected from default, has lower payments and lower interest rates. Now this is great and all except for a couple things, first I am of the opinion that our Govt. can not take care of their own loans. We are currently at 12 trillion and climbing at a rate of 4.03 billion a day. Now if I remember correctly there is a debt limit that was voted into place at I believe, 9.6 trillion dollars. So instead of finding a way to stay below that limit our govt. voted to just raise it. Now I work at a bank and one of the policies that we have is, when someone is having a tough time paying their lines of credit we lower those lines of credit, then they slowly pay back what they owe till it is below their limit then they can begin borrowing again. Now that is just where I work but it sure seems like that is the right idea. So our govt. is acting as the blind leading the blind, while they are swamped in debt and not really looking for a way out, they offer others, who are drowning in debt too, a hand... That is not how it works.
My other problem with the govt. taking over loans on housing, is that is coming way to close to home (no pun intended). It is not the govt. job to own private sectors, in this bill that they are passing they are looking to help three to four million home owners. That is a whole lot of people who are essentially at the govt's. whim. Should the govt. suddenly decide that they want to house soldiers in civilians homes, I wonder who's door they would go knocking on first? These are just far fetched theories but they have happened under similar circumstances before. Say a president knows that he is going to lose the coming election, a simple brochure or television or radio ad implying that should he leave office those mortgages go down too. I have a feeling that a lot of people's votes would suddenly change in order to keep the security of housing above them. Sure the president does not have the power to do that, does he really need it? All it takes is the idea to put fear of having to find a home for one's family. This coupled with the control that is now on the health factor is too much power even for a democracy to have. Power corrupts most everyone.