Yet Another Modest Proposal: Fine the Illegal Immigrant Welfare Enablers

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"Employers of illegal aliens should be fined." Who hasn't heard that one? By contrast, have you ever heard even the staunchest conservative say this one? "States and municipalities who provide non-emergency services for illegal immigrants should be fined." I never have.

I heard a radio ad recently where Mr. Conservative once more did the whole "fine the employers" spiel. Why can we not get a leader to say "if you house Aunt Zeituni, your municipality will pay dearly. If you enroll illegal alien children in public schools, your local school board will be held accountable. If you provide food stamps to illegal immigrants, your state will pay the price. And you, Mr. or Ms. Administrator, will also pay the price." It never happens.

I for one am more sympathetic to illegals who push brooms and swing hammers than I am to say, President Obama's Aunt Zeituni who soaks the taxpayer for free housing. I am more sympathetic to the Nigerians and Chinese and Mexicans who live thirty people to an apartment than I am to those individuals savvy enough to shoulder a permanent place at the public trough.

So why are not the welfare enablers stigmatized if not punished? The answer strikes at the heart of a larger issue. People who gravitate to politics, even professed minimalists, view government action as mostly well-intentioned. Ineptitude exists but we represent the party of lesser ineptitude. Those greedy contractors on the other hand...

Traditionally, government officials have displayed much more loyalty to government officials in other domains than to their own constituents. An encouraging development is the action of several states' attorneys general defending their own people against the Federal government's mandate that they purchase health care plans. This is a significant departure from the norm. States' AG's have been unwilling to get involved in defending their citzens against OSHA, EPA, FCC and other members of the Legion of Acronyms, much less defend them against legislation.

Lawsuits against public servants are capped in most states, usually at low values. Thus, there are more lawsuits against doctors than there are against teachers, police officers and bureaucrats. This mentality has to change. The government employees who knowingly enable the Aunt Zeitunis to commit fraud against the taxpayer and the government agencies who pay their salaries need to be held to the same standard (if not higher) as private employers.

My modest proposal: Fine the illegal immigrant welfare enablers!

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