Disabled Illegals and Immigration

I thought over the entire package of Trump policies and recent practices and managed to simplify the picture for myself. "AMERICA FIRST" is the unifying theme, just as stated. This administration seeks to return to a time when the USA dominated world trade and military position but part of the strategy is to unify it's base of support (white working class) with rhetoric that blames all current problems on illegal immigrants, liberalism (read compassion for any underdog not of the white working class), NAFTA, and the free press. Trump calls the independent press enemies of the nation.

TJ, to add more context to your comment, yes the US deported illegal (overwhelmingly Mexicans) in the 30s and 40s as a response to the Depression. In the 50s The Government set up a "Guest Worker" program to again import many thousands of laborers to work in the fields in the West Coast states.  Invite them when you need them, kick them out when you don't.  

Today's situation is quite different for several reasons but I do not want to debate them as I see them as distraction.  Mostly we have this anti-immigrant emphasis for the purpose of distracting the population from some key elements of Administration policy that are dangerous to the nation and some that are unconstitutional.  The quantity of illegals in this country is no threat.  They do jobs white working class voters refuse  and they work very hard.

The US is not endangered by Mexican immigration.  Immigration from that country has fallen way off because norther Mexico has become more prosperous.  If they tax Mexican imports that situation will reverse and many more Mexicans would try to sneak in.  Immigration from Central America continues due to the lawlessness there. Whatever solutions there may be will come from within those countries but will be a long time coming.  Immigration from Mid-Eastern countries is a thorny issue not easily settled.  But Trump all talks about and is pushing is a "wall" and tight entry controls at airports.  That is an expensive talking point but symbolically very effective.  Trump wants to tax Mexican imports  as another symbolic talking point but one effect will be a chaotic situation for the US aerospace automotive and industries whose supply chains are now extremely complex and international.  It has taken many years to nurture them and get them functional so that US based manufacturing is efficient and predictable, which means competitiveness and lowest cost.  For example, Boeing's supply chain for a single airliner has more than 50,000 suppliers world-wide of individual parts.  The cannot be changed easily and any disruption through taxation will price the airliners out of very effective competition from Airbus.  For years airplane sale have accounted for the biggest chunk of manufactured export from the US.  This represents a big chunk of high-paying jobs, both technical and working-class. The Trump administration does not care as long as they push their 'America First" agenda.  Consequences  do not matter much to them.  It's a 'feel good' abstraction like the concept of "master race".

This last week's news has leaned heavily on Trump's accusation that 'liberal' media is an enemy of America.  The Constitution set up 3 bureaucracies to balance one another and prevent any of them from gaining dictatorial power.  The Judicial branch tends to be balanced at this point but can most certainly be manipulated by consistently appointing judges willing to support the agenda of the Administration.  The Legislative branch is presently dominated by Administration loyalists who are so disorganized they cannot present proposals of their own.  The Executive is Trump and his people, of course.  

The framers of the constitution carefully protected a free press as a means of getting information to citizens which is not controlled by the government.. Trump is working effectively, for now, to eviscerate the free press by limiting access to briefings to only media loyal to him, and by his broad accusations that non-loyal media is nothing but 'fake news'. They are enemies of the people- "so sad".  He is following practice honed by the Nazi Party, the Chinese Communist party, Russia under Putin and Turkey's Erdorgan.  If one proclaims a lie loud enough and often enough not only will most people believe it, but that lie will effectively distract the population, voters, from noticing the things done which the vast majority would not support.  I refer to the destruction of American influence in the world of Nations, US military superiority, and  Affordable Care insurance.  

More people support some form of Affordable care than do not, so the Administration's strategy is to let Congress doodle over it without resolution as insurance companies pull out of the market due to its unpredictability (and high cost, of course). The lie is to loudly proclaim there will be insurance for everyone, while in truth they let the idea and present system die.  This is an ancient political strategy I call "Look over there!"  Or listen to what I say, not what I do.  

In sum, I see the immigration debate as distraction, along with Administration statements about health insurance.  We will see in this forum the effects of Admin policy killing a great many Medicaid services.  People like us will die while Trump proclaims "health care for everyone", though he may change his tune to one expressed above- "health care is not a "right".  Which is correct- it is, or was, a kindness.

"America First" will prove a slogan under which US power on the world stage declines faster yet and our military preparedness may also take a nose-dive.  "America First" will not produce more manufacturing jobs, though Trump will loudly claim any new jobs created are his doing and add to greater numbers. That will be a lie.  Numbers will decline as competitiveness decreases,  trade and currency wars will increase.  Claims of success but bad results. The free press which ought to monitor things and inform the public will be controlled or marginalized.  That's my take.