Here's one anecdotal perspective on the dicey dilemma that we're facing in the southwest. My niece, a lovely girl of 28, is about to have her second baby. She lives in Phoenix with her 2 year old daughter and husband Fabian. They work hard and enjoy the fruit of their labor- a little apartment and a bright and shiny SUV. They are a happy little budding family in the American southwest. There are a couple of things wrong with this picture though. They live here illegally and to that you might say "so what?, they aren't hurting anyone." etc. And of course you're right. They are hard-working stay-out-of-trouble folks. The problem is that there are "agencies" that usher them into the welfare system as soon as they arrive here. These are government-grant funded agencies specifically designed to help (give free stuff to) people in need...regardless of background etc. That is a good thing of course, where it's needed but these agencies specifically target illegal immigrants. The Latino community here is a veritable network of where and how to get free stuff from Uncle Sam. The birth will be paid for by the rest of us. One political party in particular will seek credit for the help and subsequent votes from the "poor minorities" who will feel either beholden to or dependant on the government for this "help". Still, I (you) might not have a problem with that but here's the other side of the coin.
My friend manages an art store in town. He's a guy my age and loves art, is a fine watercolor painter. A family member of his was sick, in between jobs and had no insurance. A short three day hospital stay and the small fee of $25,000 was layed to his charge. He and his wife are hard-working people too. I'm almost positive they aren't yanking down six-figure incomes and now they will have to pay for this out of their hourly wage earnings. My point isn't that we need universal health care. No, there is no money for that...and I suppose (maybe wrongly?)it would be an endless money pit of gov't.-fouled bureaucracy if it were implemented.(Just try to get something accomplished at your local Social Security Administration's office...it will make your worst experience at the DMV seem like a walk in the park with bluebirds singing in your ear) It's just that this border-state dilemma is a dicey one. The above scenarios are played out here everyday by countless thousands of hapless victims of circumstance, and has been for many years. I say, make art available to the masses and get yourself a good dog like Max, pictured above. The first candidate that runs on that platform will get my vote.
What you're really wondering is who won the tennis match on the grass court last night in stormy Tucson. Right? I will say this, the Palo Verde beetle pictured on the victor's forehead was a fitting crown. And Scott's humbling loss quickly and happily faded into the pantheon of bitter sports-defeat memories aided by the fury friendship of one of several large, golden tarantulas that were amongst the myriad witnesses. The heavens flashed their approval and rain threatened as bugs of all sizes and sorts seemed to cheer us on, each punishing serve and thunderous ground stroke, miraculously synchronized with the lighting cracks, proved, once again, that one of us was outmatched. Friendship of venomous creatures notwithstanding, my opponent ceded the match to me 6-1, 6-2, 6-1 It was a good old-fashioned shellacking, as we call it in The Old Pueblo and not a thing was hurt in the making...except for one man's pride. (I shouldn't have lost those four games!)
