Interview with Jeff Latas, Democrat for Congress In Arizona's CD8
Published March 21, 2006
The immigrants generally are helping our society out and benefiting us greatly. I think much of the negative rhetoric is used to conceal that simple fact. A lot of it might be hate-based and prejudice... I'm not willing to say that someone like Randy Graf is a bigot, but there are definitely people who are bigots who are attracted to this issue.
M: What role do you think that the military should play in border defense and homeland security? Especially the US/Mexico border?
J: Up until about a month ago, I'd of said that's not the military's business. They're not trained to do that. The mission profiles are 100 years old. I don't see Mexico or Canada looking to invade us at this point. The military is not for keeping migrants out of the country.
There are things I want to investigate further now. Is the Mexican military so corrupt now that some of their units are actually escorting drug smugglers and coyotes [immigrant smugglers] and taking their cut? That's a worry of mine. It's happening in Texas, apparently. I don't think we need to put M1s [heavy battle tanks] on the border, but we need to address it to the Mexican government saying. "This needs to stop, or you WILL see fighters [military planes] patrolling our border. Because if we see a threat from your military, you'll leave us no option." That is a threat that we must deal with in a 'big stick' sort of way.
M: What sort of technological fixes for border security might be useful?
J: I think reaching out underdeveloped countries to the south is the long-term solution to the border issue. Funding enforcement for sanctioning employers also needs to be funded. The enforcement arm for employers funding has gone to basically nothing. We need to get at the white-collar criminal activity of our own people. That is going to put pressure on the legislature to change the immigration laws and make it more realistic when corporations begin to feel the pinch. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce thinks we need increase the number of people coming across the border. We need to have people crossing in a more orderly and efficient manner, so the illicit crossing will decrease significantly, making it much easier on our enforcement agencies on the ground to do their job to apprehend the criminal element that's crossing the border.
M: We need to increase the number of H2B [seasonal and temporary] work visas?
J: I'm not sure about the details of which visas. But, we have about 66,000 issued now. That probably needs to go up to about 500,000. And we need to readdress immigration law itself and allow easier access for immigrants to cross the border to help sustain our economy, as well as contributing to our society.
M: What would you consider funding as far as technological fixes (i.e. sensors, drones, walls. Etc.)
- Interview with Jeff Latas, Democrat for Congress In Arizona's CD8
- Published: March 21, 2006
- Type: Interview
- Section: Politics
- Writer: Michael D. Bryan
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- Michael D. Bryan's personal site
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1977-1980 we reduced our oil requirements from the Middle East by 87% at the same time the GDP went up 27%, so it's obviously healthy for this economy to get off of oil.
He must have forgotten the average 12% yearly inflation rate during that period which went along with that GDP growth, which effectively reduced it to a -21% rate of growth.
Dave
I neglected to include his homepage. Thanks for pointing out the oversight.
Michael, you could go back and edit that into the article at an appropriate place.
Dave
I too share similar opinions about the F-22 V Joint Strike Fighter and alot of other systems to numerous to mention.
I recall while in High School,1959 to 1963, I wore a Hughes Missile Pin of The Falcon on my shirt every day, and being called to the cafeteria with other Hughes Families because Hughes paid a direct subsidy to the school for my being in attendance.
The same is true of the many good aircraft and systems that did not get off the ground because of "Favorite Defense Contractors inside the Pentagon," as was Boeing, favored by Dwight Eisenhower, and it got the contracts over Lockeed and Martin and Convair and many others that had a superior aircraft but lost to Politics.
General Spots the first Air Force General and whom broke off from The Army ,then called Army-Air Force, was a good friend of my Family and was born in Boyertown,P.A. where I was Born. Since the Town is so small everyone knew everyone else,and in the First and Second World War with Spots in Command we had alot of options open to us.
Hughes alone has Government Contracts now over a TRILLION Dollars, Iam a member of Davis Monthan Air Force Lodge #105 and have spent alot of time in the Bone Yard now and back in the 1960's as I hauled out 250 B-26's to be refitted and sent to Madam Nue and her Air Force in Viet Nam under The Kennedy Administration.
For anyone who wants to see their Tax Dollars , visit the Bone Yard to see everything from B-1 Bombers back in time to your favorite aircraft,all coated with white sun guard.
The point that my Father always made as he was stationed at Langley to Hughes was that when a contract was complete the JIG was Destroyed so that no more production of PARTS or THE AIRCRAFT could continue, this forced special jobs to make more parts from new JIGS that most engineers had a hard time matching the tolerances down to the original and the parts did not fit or work in many systems SCRAPPING many thousands of parts that had to be made over and over again,then if a repair order was ahead of schedule the parts were scrapped on purpose to continue the contract.
With this in mind beware of Politicians whom are connected to the Pentagon or its Contractors because you will experience Haliburton all over again.
Most of the complaints you raise about incompetent and inefficient management of the aircraft parts by the military would be true regardless of who built the planes. You make the mistaken assumption that any one of those aircraft contractors was less corrupt than the others, and even more that Boeing was corrupt just because they were the one that got the contract. If Hughes or Douglas or Convair or whoever had gotten the contract you'd be complaining about them today.
Dave
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Great interview Michael! Is there a website where people can learn more about / contact / support Latas' campaign?