The budget bill is the top of the news feed this week, when we should be celebrating that nostalgic kick of a quintessential American summer, the 4th of July. So much ink is being spilled over the cuts to Medicaid (devastating), the wild spike in the debt it will cause (astronomical), and the fact that it forces poor people to give their money to rich people (not surprising, but awful).
Not enough is being said, though, about the reported $175 billion going to border control and enforcement. In other words, ICE & Co. This is more than a little boost to their bottom line. It is an entire remaking of a militarized force aimed at people within our own borders. For context, we will be spending more on this than Russia spent last year on its MILITARY. You know, the one that is currently fighting a war with Ukraine?
This raises 175 billion questions. What are they planning on spending this money on? What do they hope to do with it? Etc. But I think a more clarifying question — or line of questioning — would be: What problem are they addressing, and what goals are they trying to achieve?
The answers to these questions should send chills down your spine, because immigration isn’t a $175-billion-problem. And actually deporting millions of immigrants isn’t a solution or even a realistic goal. These people are smart enough to know that draining our workforce of a significant portion of workers will deflate the economy (to put it mildly), and rend our society, essentially, broken.
So what are the real goals? And what is the real problem?
Andra Watkins sat down for our weekly update with Lisa Senecal to answer these essential questions. You have to watch to get the full effect. After their conversation, Lisa said she almost had tears in her eyes because it. Just. Feels. So. Heavy.
And it is heavy. But hope is not lost. You’re not allowed to give up. We won’t. As long as we’re all still standing, we must fight back. The only other choice is to give up — but that’s not who we are.
We want to hear from you. What are you doing this 4th of July? We could all use a little boost to morale. We’d love to hear about the frolicking, BBQ-ing-socializing-community-building-protesting-kinda stuff you’re planning. And if you take some inspiring pics or videos over the weekend, be sure to share in the Lincoln Square chat. You’re as much a part of this as we are.
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