The Mariel Boatlift (Take Two)

 

 

"And who said that history does not repeat itself?"

Ah - I remember it well. Just like it was yesterday. Our current President's mentor, Jimmy Carter, had his own immigration nightmare. As with Barrack Obama, this immigration experiment went horribly wrong. In 1980, an economic downturn led many Cubans to believe they should exit their island paradise. In an act of extraordinary "kindness", word got out to the United States that Fidel was going to let anyone emigrate from Cuba who desired to do so. From April to October of 1980, up to 125,000 Cubans made the treacherous journey from Cuba to Florida, in everything from old boats to floating rafts.

Wow! That almost sounds like the Israeli exodus that Leon Uris talked about in his famous book. Not quite. We soon find out that good old Fidel played Jimmy Carter like a sweet Georgia fiddle. This was an excellent opportunity for Castro to get rid of an expensive problem that was dragging down his economy. He emptied out his prisons and mental institutions. These immigrants, who once they reached out soil, became almost instant citizens. They were now our problem.

Flash forward to today. Our current version of Jimmy Carter has (allegedly) put the word out to people in Central America that our "Dream Act" will allow children to get an instant free pass into the land of free stuff. And because we cannot have these kids living without their parents, phase two will be to get their folks here seeking the same instant free pass.

The good deal obviously was too good of a deal. It is estimated that 250 young folks are coming across the border now in everything from crowded trains to cargo transported by a drug mule. It has turned into a world class humanitarian mess. Our southern border has turned into a gargantuan day care for thousands of children from many different countries south of here. Our Administration who appears to be "shocked" at the further decay of our "broken immigration system", is very dirty in this entire issue. However, it appears that Dr. Frankenstein has created an immigration monster.

Because of the 35 or so other things that come our way every day now, this huge catastrophe is not getting the press it should be. It will take months, maybe years to get this all sorted out. And the expense will not be trivial. Disease, poverty and gangs are part of the uninvited guests that are also present with this exodus from the south.

So here we are. A deja vu back to 1980. Only the Mariel Boatlift will look like child's play when this mess is finally said and done.