Let’s say you’re driving on an unfamiliar road or highway and you begin to see signs warning of sharp curves, a lengthy decline in elevation, a blinking yellow light indicating a traffic control devise ahead or the infamous highway speed signs, what do you do? Do you obey the signs or barrel on ahead at full speed ignoring the obvious potential consequences?
World leaders deal with President Trump in exactly the same way. They hear his warnings and they know that he is a leader who says what he means and means what he says. Their choice is to heed the warnings or continue on ahead at full speed and ignore the stated consequences.
Congressional Democrats would do themselves good to follow the principles held by world leaders who heed President Trump’s warnings. Instead what we have seen coming from congressional democrats and a few republicans have been the complete opposite. NY (D) Alexandria Ocasio Cortez voices perfectly the sentiment of congressional democrats by saying, “Trump is a joke. We don’t have to listen to him.” The recent antics of the progressive far left lead us to believe that they would rather be in show business or the entertainment industry. Those insanely stupid TikTok videos appeal to nobody, but make a serious case of why not everyone qualified to become a member of congress should ever go that far.
The U.S. Constitution states clearly the separation of powers between the Legislative, Executive and Judicial branches of government. And just a clearly the office of the Executive branch is relegated to the President of the United States.
When Legislators feel they can unconditionally use the Judicial branch to dictate what the President can or cannot do with the Executive branch they are either misinformed, uninformed or fooling themselves.
There is a saying that “Those who can – do; those who can’t – can’t”.
Like a backseat driver the only one that matters when it comes to driving the ship of state is the President of the United States.
The presidential cabinet serves at the pleasure of the President.
When it comes to the safety and welfare of the citizens of the United States it is the responsibility of EVERY ELECTED OFFICIAL – City, State and Federal!
When it comes to determining who will represent the citizens and states it is the responsibility of EVERY REGISTERED VOTER – to elect based on merit at City, State and Federal levels of government.
It is time for every American citizen to insure they have become a registered voter in the city, county and state for which they currently reside and cast their vote for the political candidate that demonstrates the same core values as their constituents.
As a chain is as strong as its weakest link, America is only as strong as the weakest voter.
Peace through strength ensures FREEDOM CONTINUES in our United States. – RTM
Like the Israelites wandering aimlessly in the wilderness the Democratic Party is wandering in uncharted territory with no political message or suitable political messenger.
Not since the rise of John F. Kennedy to the presidency and the words echoing across history all that remains are from his 1961 inaugural address, “Ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Much has happened since the days of JFK America has fought and failed to win wars from Vietnam to Afghanistan, not because our military was unwilling to fight, but because the American people were misinformed and unwilling to stay the course.
In the first 7 months of the Joe Biden administration America abandoned friends and allies and American citizens in the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. Followed by the era of Biden’s open border policy, anti-America economics agenda and what can be termed as the beginnings of the wandering of American politics.
The final year of the Biden presidency saw the irreversible mental decline of the president and the failure of both the Executive and Legislative Branches of government to enact the 25th Amendment designed exclusively for a scenario such as this.
The return of Donald J. Trump to the presidency signaled the return of common sense to America with these words to echo throughout history, “And we will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars, launching American astronauts to plant the Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars.”
Beginning on January 20th, 2025 Donald Trump began draining the deep state, dismantling and slimming down the entrenched “WeBe” federal workforce, seeking out and stopping fraud, waste and abuse and creating a leaner, more efficient federal government under the direction of the newly created “Department of Government Efficiency” and in conjunction with members of congress.
This began a chain-reaction among congressional Democrats that ranged from TDS to EMDS causing a gigantic political meltdown that continues to this day.
Again I asked what have the Democrats become? Having no visionary leadership, no defined message or adequate messenger the Democrats are headed the way of the dinosaur – extinction! Democrats have lost touch with the constituents who elected them, and seem to obsess on Trump Derangement Syndrome which they are powerless to overcome since common sense left the party with the assassination of JFK in 1963. – RTM
Am I the only one who notices that in almost EVERY instance where radicalistic disruptive anti-social tactics are used by the Disruptive Democrats who use them? Don’t believe me – just look around at what’s in the continuous main stream news cycle – Pro-Hamas anti-Israel demonstrators, and Never-Trumpers or Anti-DOGE disrupters and the list goes on and on. Who is organizing, funding and executing these instances of civil-disobedience – democrats “The DDP”.
The DDP rulebook has been played out so often that it’s like reading a bad movie script or a very bad book (if you can stay focused).
The DDP identifies their target – President Trump and by extension Elon Musk and DOGE.
The DDP isolates their target.
The DDP relentlessly attacks their target.
The DDP focuses on others who side with the target.
The DDP assumes that you never fight back. Your biggest weapon is pointing out their hypocrisy.
Counter The DDP rules with these counter rules.
Give the DDP power way beyond what they have – then paint them for what they are un-American, against the working class caring only for the workers unions.
Turn their expertise against them by pointing out hypocrisies and contradictions within their own political party belief system.
Use absurdity to defeat their absurdity. Push them into moral arguments and away from policy arguments. Always bash their political beliefs as violations of the Constitution.
Make them live by the same rules you do.
Ridicule them back by pointing out the one-sidedness of their ridicule and the free pass they give their own side.
Let their tactics blow up in their faces by staying a step ahead and funneling them to a place of hanging themselves with their own rope.
The DDP will never obey rule #4. Use it against them.
Use passive-aggressiveness. Paint the DDP as bullies and thugs, when they recoil take their heads off and say it was self-defense. Let it go to surreal absurdity because people lose interest quick in a catfight.
Let the threat build up to beyond critical mass till it’s too late to back out, then destroy it loudly, publicly, and repeatedly with a pre-planned argument. Don’t be afraid to sow seeds with misinformation that they can turn into readymade fallacies you can destroy.
Fight the DDP to a stalemate. When you have an aggressor that must win, fighting to a stalemate can be a victory. It’s especially effective if their ‘negative’ means denying one of their own ‘social justice’ issues – green energy, illegal migration hurts the poor.
The DDP always forget this rule, and their ‘solutions’ are doomed by their ideology out of the box and never bet beyond the stock, repetitive dogma. Use that congenital defect against them.
Question the DDPs credibility and especially the motivation of their attack and the attacker. Point out any hypocrisies, contradictions, or selective enforcement. Trip them up, and then brand them as illegitimate, intellectually bankrupt, divisive, and hateful.
I watched President Trump’s 3-4-2025 speech to a Joint Session of Congress and the democratic reaction on the floor was so predictable it was pathetic. Instead of representing their constituents by celebrating Trump’s accomplishments over the past 6 weeks, they showed the entire world that they did not have the courage or backbone to stand on their own principles and chose instead to bow to the party “rulers” by sitting silently in their seats, some held pathetic signs and one sacrificial lamb was Representative Al Green of Texas who after interrupting the president was escorted out of the floor of the House and a bit later other democrats walked out wearing protest t-shirts, which was so unprofessional and unpatriotic.
I remember when Representative Joe Wilson of South Carolina called out President Obama with a single word “YOU LIE” and was lambasted, and fined by Speaker Pelosi and forced twice to apologize to Obama.
Believe it or not, the DDP playbook is that of Saul Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals. One rule that the DDP has forgotten is not to drag on too long or people will become bored and lose interest – Russia, Russia, Russia. I think 8+ years is way too long. – RTM
There is way too much attention being spent on anti-aging products that give people a feel good illusion immortality. Young people seem to be obsessed on living forever while older people say no way, not with my body being in the shape it is in. I don’t know where the dividing line is that brings us into our golden years (we’ve got the years and the doctors get our gold).
Recently I received word of the death of a very good friend at a local rehabilitation facility. My wife and I rushed over to provide comfort to those of his family who were grieving his sudden passing.
After the paramedics had departed the staff worked to get his body presentable for family viewing in his room. I was the last person into the room and what I saw was the shell of the man I knew. Without a beating heart pumping blood throughout the body or his lungs filled with air and he breathing the skin was a pale gray. I recall back when I suffered a full on heart attack my skin too was a pale gray and I appeared to be quite older than my then 47 years (I am now 75).
My heart was broken as different loved ones mourned over his passing, grieving for him to come back.
He appeared to be sleeping.
He suffered in life with all the aches and pains of his 80 years. All that is gone now and he’s in a far better place.
So no I personally don’t want to live forever in this temporal body. I know that upon my passing my soul will continue to live forever in the presence of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the many that have preceded me in death I will see once more and for eternity.
Death is not the end, but a doorway of life that begins at conception followed by birth and continues on eternally. – RTM
If there is anything I know about President Donald Trump it is that he is a perfectionist when it comes to business dealings. Everything is planned out to the last detail and those seeking his attention must themselves devote their full and undivided attention.
Critics saw firsthand what it’s like to negotiate with President Trump when on February 28, 2025 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy came to the White House in what was to be a plain and simple signing of the “Rare Earth Minerals Deal” to secure support from the US against the Ukrainian-Russian War. It has been reported that Zelensky was ill-advised by a former Obama administration officials (Obama’s team including Anthony Blinken, Victoria Nuland, Susan Rice, and Alexander Vindman advised Zelenskyy to reject Trump’s deal in violation of the Logan Act.) and US Senators Amy Klobuchar, Chris Murphy & Lindsey Graham not to take the deal offered by Trump.
I’m not surprised that the deal fell through, after all Zelenskyy seemed to be going by the American Democratic Party playbook, as he had done over 4 years with then President Joe Biden. It wasn’t so much that Zelenskyy arrived at the White House 30 minutes late or that he dressed as if coming from a gym or off a golf course. The problem was Zelenskyy’s attitude of entitlement, expecting Trump to give some sort of security commitment for Ukraine.
In the days prior to this supposedly historic meeting reporters asked President Trump whose side was he on Russia or Ukraine. Without hesitating Trump said he was on the side of the USA.
Prior to this February 28th meeting Trump’s envoy went to Ukraine to meet and faced Zelenskyy’s same attitude issue, yet reported that the deal was ready to be signed. At the White House the deal fell through and Zelenskyy was told to come back when he changed his attitude.
Even now the media is reporting that Trump was too tough on Zelenskyy and that the entire world is on the side of Ukraine. In that case the entire world should step in and stop the Russia-Ukraine War. Trump has repeatedly said there has been enough killing and it should stop now.
America has given a huge amount of cash $$ and military aide for the self-defense of Ukraine, but when pushed for a ceasefire Zelenskyy said he didn’t want one, citing that Putin has repeatedly violated a number of ceasefire agreements. Trump said he hoped to get a ceasefire agreement with Putin because Putin has not violated an agreement with him.
As you can see airing the negotiation in front of the media clearly shows that when “behind the curtain” negotiations are not always fun and games, yet this sends a clear message to foreign leaders who meet with President Trump to come prepared, on time and to be respectful.
The same holds true with the democrat’s holding public prosecutions of Trump over allegations and fake charges. Real investigations, prosecutions or negotiations are best held out of the public square until the final verdict is announced.
Those democratic naysayers would do well to learn valuable lessons from this public encounter. – RTM
Contrary to what you have been told these “mostly peaceful” protests “marches” come from the far left. Not out of their pocketbooks but in all likelihood from taxpayer funds funneled through NGOs.
Don’t believe me, then tell me how and where did all the “protesters” come from in order to get to Minneapolis for the Floyd riots in the name of BLM?
How and where have all the “protesters” marchers come from to get to D.C. for Trump’s 2017 inauguration?
How and where did all the “protesters” come from to get to D.C. for storming the Capital Building on J6, 2021?
Where have all these “protesters” marchers come from to D.C. to actively hinder Trump’s 2025 agenda?
How and where are all the “protesters” marchers coming from to disrupt GOP town halls in protest of D.O.G.E. cutting federal jobs and federal spending cuts?
I say follow the money.
The congressional democratic party along with their left leaning media have been attempting to paint a picture of everyday Americans who support President Trump as angry and radically violent anti-Americans who should be silent and not heard, and even locked up for their 1st Amendment rights.
If you look at every Trump rally since 2015, there has never been one where MAGA has been violent, caused disruption, riots or bodily harm or death. NOT ONE. Every rally has been flooded with patriotic Americans of all ages, races and backgrounds who take time off from their normal lives and pay their own way to attend these outrageously inspirational rallies just to listen to Donald Trump speak.
On the other hand, Democratic Party rallies (if you can even call them that) are filled with people who have mainly been on the receiving end of welfare state handouts, or to see entertainers who cost a pretty penny of taxpayer $$ just to listen to them espouse political candidates who put themselves to sleep with their own words, or are paid just to attend.
Where will all the “protesters” marchers come from who will boycott establishments who backed away from those broke woke D.E.I. policies?
Friday (2-28-2025) is a Democratic Party day of protest where American’s are told to refrain from purchasing anything from any business no longer supporting the failed D.E.I. policies of Joe Biden?
Well since quite a number of folks are on the receiving end of welfare, food stamps and/or Medicaid or Medicare it is a day for burning their government funded EBT cards and any and all federal checks since the Trump administration has removed D.E.I. from the US government. Maybe a protest march is in order all the way to city halls, state houses and federal government offices, or at local USPS offices as a means of getting this vital point across.
For the rest of us there should be no huge line at those self-service registers at local grocery stores across the country. Say thank you to those democrats who made that possible. – RTM
The most basic right afforded here on earth is the right to life. Without life entire species disappear. When is the last time you saw a dinosaur roam the face of the earth? (Movies and animatronics don’t count.)
In the book of Genesis we are told that God made every living thing and then he made man (Adam) and out of man God made woman (Eve) male and female.
We call it “the law of nature” where survival is of the fittest. Some call it the rule of the jungle or the rule of the wild, but in actuality it is God’s plan for all living things to sustain themselves through procreation (male and female) and plants through germination.
In the wild nothing gets in the way of a mother protecting her offspring, not even the male of the species. The fury of a momma bear is not to be reckoned with.
Why do men and women feel the need to self-terminate? Do they hate who they are or what they’ve become and think retaliation toward God is justified or that it is okay to willingly sacrifice innocent babies and children on the Altar of Greed and call it a woman’s right to choose.
We tell ourselves that our lives can be complete without children or God. Children are a gift from God, given to those whom he chooses. It then becomes our responsibility to raise our children up in the love and admonition of God. There are many regions on the earth where families with many children are desired, yet without God life has no meaning or purpose.
It is time for the self-examination of man to search for God’s purpose for our lives and to do what we can to further that purpose.
Life without God will lead to an eternity without God. – RTM
In 2014 Barack Obama launched the United States Digital Service (USDS) following the rocky rollout of the Healthcare.gov website. Some argue that Obama created the first DOGE and Trump simply renamed it. Maybe what Obama lacked was vision or an actually thought out purpose for USDS, which obviously didn’t work out very well.
It’s obvious that when Donald Trump created the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) it had was focused on modernizing technology and software across the federal government. The “DOGERS” as they are called very smart Silicon Valley software engineers with high powered algorithms focused on uncovering theft, fraud, waste and abuse during a phased “whole of government approach” audit.
A byproduct of this audit is the belt tightening and slimming down of entrenched government bureaucrats who act as if job security is their primary concern. Some have expressed themselves as “WeBes” (we were here before and we’ll be here after those elected/appointed officials are long gone).
During the Biden administration many government workers were encouraged to work remotely from home. After the China Virus a number of entrenched bureaucrats didn’t get the “ALL CLEAR, RETURN TO THE OFFICE” memo and chose to remain “working remotely” and nobody checked or ordered them back to the office. Several of these federal workers have posted on social media that they were lounging around at home; on the golf course; or doing as they pleased, by choice, without ever being told by management to return to the office. So how do you root out these inefficient workers?
Trump gave a federal workforce ultimatum, return to the office, retire or be fired.
The next step implemented was to make the offer government-wide to return to the office, resign and they would receive pay for 8 months as their severance package. This was in order to weed out inefficient/substandard federal workers and in the course of these buyouts, a great many good federal workers took advantage of the buyouts leaving many agencies/departments without an adequate workforce.
Trump then issued a directive to every government agency to compile a list of all recently hired, temporary and probationary government employees. From those lists many who didn’t take advantage of the severance package were soon terminated.
As the DOGE team began combing through USAID, DOE, SSA, IRS, DOD, HHS and soon every government agency it became obvious that Congressional overspending to foreign governments, non-American interests and worse amounted to $Bs of wasted, misused or lost federal taxpayer funds costing American taxpayer funds.
Trump ordered a hiring freeze across the federal workforce and instructed agencies to only hire 1 new employee for every 4 federal workers lost.
Trump ordered a freeze on government spending and ordered DOGE teams to assist agency/department heads (cabinet secretaries) delving into the spending habits of each agency/department.
It became clear that resistance being mounted along political party lines in Congress resulted in a mass of Lawfare as lawsuits began rearing their ugly heads.
Instead of buckling down in the interests of American taxpayers, lawmakers actually rallied against finding theft, fraud, waste, or abuse in government. Falsely claiming the auditors of DOGE were after taxpayers identity so they could steal the money.
What is interesting is that I have seen the names of congressional lawmakers who have literally made a fortune on less than $200,000 per year salary (before perks) as public servants?
In the history of our nation there has never been a government wide audit of congressional spending although many presidents and congresses have tried unsuccessfully.
Now why is that?
After Trump encouraged Elon Musk to be more forceful with DOGE it caused a ripple effect throughout the federal workforce. Musk has issued (through OMB) federal workforce-wide emails requiring each federal worker to reply and providing 5 bullet points outlining what they have done last week (and copying their manager). Failing to respond could lead to immediate termination. The reactions have been mind boggling as federal workers panicked, claiming they are being threatened by a simple email that is at best a means of determining whether they are alive or an actual federal worker. Some have claimed they are unable to function, yet they manage to go on CNN to voice their fears. Others have responded with inappropriate texts demonstrating clearly they are not suited for federal employment.
Due to the wide range of fearmongering of the media, many Americans do not understand that the only way to slim a bloated government workforce is to downsize through attrition, retirements, buyouts or workers either quitting or being terminated.
The same holds true to a bloated government that requires thinking outside the box by combining or consolidating agencies/functions/processes or workforce in order to make government more efficient.
I have a question about congressional oversight, why is it that of every dollar spent has no one ever “followed the money”?
Maybe congress should employ DOGE to take a look at the way congressional oversight is being done?
DOGE is on a short and defined schedule which will end by July 2026 and I am interested in seeing where all that taxpayer money has gone and is going. I am also interested in seeing those responsible being held accountable with federal prosecutions and imprisonments.
So if you are a federal worker worried about how DOGE will affect you in the short term, I suggest you work up a “Plan B”. Do what you can. Don’t do what you can’t. – RTM
All of this political infighting is ignoring the obvious. In our country we have a tidal wave of ideas and positions on just about everything and it is up to us to bring to the table those common sense solutions that benefit the nation as a whole.
It doesn’t matter whether you are political active or swing to the left or to the right. What does matter is that you hear all sides to every argument and consider what is best. If you get your information from social media be aware of the social media influencers. If it’s main stream media that has your attention consider that not all sources are credible. And if it’s talk radio it’s anybody’s guess?
Politicians tend to demonize their political opponents in order to sway voters, yet it is up to individual voters to educate themselves on the issues of the day as well as on the stand held by politicians. Pay particular attention to the promises made during campaigns and measure them against the promises kept after being elected. Politicians must hold themselves accountable to their constituents and never forget that they represent the entire citizenry of their city, state or country Irregardless of political affiliation. Let me say here that “those who can – do” and “those who can’t – use insults and name calling” in particular when they bring nothing to the Table of Common Sense.
Our nation has been on life support for the past fourteen years, if not longer. It’s normal for politicians to battle it out on the floors of congress and in the oval office, and then go hangout together over wine, women and song. So what has changed?
The invention of the internet, social media and main stream media taking sides politically the line between truth and fiction has been blurred by insinuations and outright lies, so much so that it is hard for the average person to know when lines have been crossed.
One of President Trump’s very first campaign promises in 2015 “I will drain the swamp in D.C.” is now happening right before our very eyes. A bloated government, full of massive waste and abuse, coupled with congressional outlandish and seemingly unlimited spending is placing our nation on the verge of bankruptcy. We’ve always known it was there and every president since John F. Kennedy has tried unsuccessfully to bring it under control because they were not successful businessmen with a vision for American greatness.
When President Trump announced the creation of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) everyone laughed and mocked him. But now that the DOGE team under the leadership of Elon Musk, (creator of PayPal, SpaceX, and Tesla) is being vehemently protested and opposed as fraud, waste, abuse and even theft are being uncovered in almost every government sector still everyone is not on board with DOGE which is basically a presidentially commissioned audit of the Executive Branch. DOGE working under the direction of the president, and with congressional oversight very rock and stone is uncovered, looking into the deep crevices behind these government institutions which to date has never been done.
Trump’s goal is to shrink the size of government, turn each agency into a more efficient one and stop this unnecessary and often un-American wasteful spending meant to disrupt other nations at US taxpayer expense.
Members of congress have to make individual and collective choices to join the effort to reform government spending or to resist. The implications of resisting DOGE indicate possible complicit by knowingly allowing or active involvement in systematically robbing the US treasury.
To avoid even the implications of wrongdoing why are elected members of congress not joining in this effort to root it out? Stepping up to the Table of Common Sense and barnstorming alongside other members of congress and the presidential audit team (DOGE) is a better way to insure that the interests of American citizens are best served.
Americans must understand that the findings of DOGE when presented to President Trump must be codified by congress and then signed into law by the president. Entire agencies can and must be closed up and shuttered when their functions duplicate other agencies functions or have become obsolete.
Legislators who rail against DOGE and/or President Trump without having given their best effort in the interests of the citizens they represent do those citizens a disservice. They claim to have a better way, but fail to present their case meaningfully.
In example, “President Trump is trying to shut down government by using DOGE” and “We will not sign Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill, which will then shut down government”, as expressed by the spokesperson for congressional democrats in congress, makes absolutely no sense, does it?
What makes sense is for Americans to see the transparency of the results of DOGE’s actions, $B of wasteful spending on un-American programs or ideas that do not represent American ideas to help other people should be encouraged by every taxpaying American citizen, whether in the public or private sector, instead of being met with nonsense protest rallies.
You may be the problem if you are not the solution and you cannot be the solution unless you step up to the Table of Common Sense. – RTM
What we are seeing is the organized transportation and movement of people many ranging from unaccompanied women and children to military age males all freshly groomed and wearing new clothes and carrying smart phones. Unaccompanied children as young as 2 years old carry no documentation other than a cell phone, and a note with a name, address and phone number of “family” where they are going to be “reunited”?
Over the past 4 years there has been a never ending procession of migrants through CBP entry points as well as crossing around Trump’s partially completed border wall or across the desert and mountainous unmanned border. Many show up with a Biden era CBP APP on their smartphones that allow them free entry and place them ahead of the line to see an immigration judge, where all too often they fail to show and there is no followup by INS interior agents.
Since World War II American presidents and congress have quibbled over reforming immigration law and have many times allocated and approved the construction of a southern border wall (fence), yet nothing has been done substantially until Trump began building a wall under his first term.
How did we get into this political mess of mass migration of undocumented migrants and those we are told are simply refugees fleeing death, torture and/or political oppression? Not to mention the Central and South American gang members, drugs and human smugglers of those being trafficked for sex. But that doesn’t answer the question how did we get into this mess?
In 2013 the Obama administration engaged in talks leading up to a “Declaration of the 2013 High-Level Dialogue on International Migration and Development”. This was followed up in 2016 by the UN General Assembly discussing for the first time migration and refugees in what was termed The New York Declaration set in motion a process of intergovernmental consultations and negotiations towards the development of a Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. This process concluded on 10 December 2018 with the adoption of the Global Compact by the majority of UN Member States at an Intergovernmental Conference in Marrakesh, Morocco, followed closely by formal endorsement by the UN General Assembly on 19 December 2018.
This Global Compact is the first inter-governmentally negotiated agreement, prepared under the auspices of the United Nations, covering all dimensions of international migration in a holistic and comprehensive manner. It is a non-binding document that respects states’ sovereign right to determine who enters and stays in their territory and demonstrates commitment to international cooperation on migration. It presents a significant opportunity to improve the governance of migration, to address the challenges associated with today’s migration, and to strengthen the contribution of migrants and migration to sustainable development. The Global Compact is framed in a way consistent with target 10.7 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in which Member States committed to cooperate internationally to facilitate safe, orderly and regular migration. The Global Compact is designed to:
Support international cooperation on the governance of international migration;
Provide a comprehensive menu of options for States from which they can select policy options to address some of the most pressing issues around international migration; and
Give states the space and flexibility to pursue implementation based on their own migration realities and capacities.
For the first time on 19 September 2016 Heads of State and Government came together to discuss, at the global level within the UN General Assembly, issues related to migration and refugees. This sent an important political message that migration and refugee matters have become major issues in the international agenda. In adopting the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants, the 193 UN Member States recognized the need for a comprehensive approach to human mobility and enhanced cooperation at the global level and committed to:
Protect the safety, dignity and human rights and fundamental freedoms of all migrants, regardless of their migratory status, and at all times;
Support countries rescuing, receiving and hosting large numbers of refugees and migrants;
Integrate migrants – addressing their needs and capacities as well as those of receiving communities – in humanitarian and development assistance frameworks and planning;
Combat xenophobia, racism and discrimination towards all migrants;
Develop, through a state-led process, non-binding principles and voluntary guidelines on the treatment of migrants in vulnerable situations; and
Strengthen global governance of migration, including by bringing IOM into the UN family and through the development of a Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration
Annex II of the New York Declaration set in motion a process of intergovernmental consultations and negotiations culminating in the planned adoption of the Global Compact for Migration at an intergovernmental conference on international migration in 2018.
The Global Compact is framed consistent with target 10.7 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in which Member States committed to cooperate internationally to facilitate safe, orderly and regular migration and its scope is defined in Annex II of the New York Declaration. It is intended to:
Address all aspects of international migration, including the humanitarian, developmental, human rights-related and other aspects;
Make an important contribution to global governance and enhance coordination on international migration;
Present a framework for comprehensive international cooperation on migrants and human mobility;
Set out a range of actionable commitments, means of implementation and a framework for follow-up and review among Member States regarding international migration in all its dimensions;
Be guided by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda; and
Be informed by the Declaration of the 2013 High-Level Dialogue on International Migration and Development.
The Modalities Resolution for the intergovernmental negotiations of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration outlined the key elements and timeline of the process. The Global Compact was developed through an open, transparent and inclusive process of consultations and negotiations and the effective participation of all relevant stakeholders, including civil society, the private sector, academic institutions, parliaments, diaspora communities, and migrant organizations in both the intergovernmental conference and its preparatory process.
I then began looking at how these migrants are being funneled through Mexico and Canada to our nation’s borders and force-fed into our interior without consequence.
Mexico’s migration policy is sovereign, seeks to protect migrants’ rights
Under the administration of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Mexico was the first country to adopt the U.N. Global Compact for Migration in order to ensure a safe, orderly and regular flow of migrants. In keeping with the principles of the global compact and in contrast to the policy of previous administrations, Mexico has stopped deporting hundreds of thousands of Central American migrants.
The Mexican government has instituted a new migration policy based on two main pillars: defending migrants’ rights and taking a humanitarian approach to economic development in order to address the structural causes of migration.
Accordingly, Mexico has granted legal status to more than thirteen thousand foreign nationals who have entered the country at our southern border in order to document their entry and help some of them enter the job market. The new policy rights the fundamental wrong committed previously of condemning migrants to illegality and, therefore, to marginalization and vulnerability.
In like manner, the Mexican government is spearheading the Comprehensive Development Plan. With input from the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, the plan includes various projects to boost the economic development of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, thereby mitigating the structural causes that trigger migration.
The Ministries of Foreign Affairs and the Interior reiterate that Mexico’s implementation of its new migration policy is a sovereign and independent decision to put human rights and the expansion of egalitarian economic development in the region at its core.
The Government of Mexico reiterates that there is no binding agreement with the United States Government to respond to the increased flow of people, mainly families from Central America, who aspire to travel to Mexico and the United States in search of opportunity and protection.
In response to the unilateral decision of the U.S. government to implement Article 235(b)(2)(C) of its Immigration and Nationality Act, Mexico has opted to assist the migrants. For humanitarian reasons, and as a temporary measure, the Mexican government has authorized the entry of some asylum seekers from the United States while they wait for their hearing with the appropriate authorities. The alternative, deporting them from our country, would mean denying the right of asylum that the Mexican government upholds and protects.
Mexico’s migration authorities are in ongoing communication with their U.S. counterparts in order to ensure that people cross our shared border in a safe and orderly way. In addition, the Mexican government has established specific criteria for the return of certain individuals who entered the United States to request asylum. For example, it will not admit unaccompanied minors into our territory or allow families to be separated.
Mexico respects the sovereign right of the United States to carry out its immigration programs, but we have acted and will continue to act independently and in our sovereign right when determining our own migration policy.
It became obvious (at least to me) that although Mexico has the authority and power to allow migrants into Mexico from Central & South America and other countries. However they do not have the expectation that the United States will simply allow migrants into our country. Those seeking asylum or refugee status should do so at the first country they encounter after leaving their homeland.
Americans were sold a “bill of goods” not worth the paper it was written on by a fully non-transparent government under the Biden administration and Americans have been paying the price.
The Trump administration has closed the Southern border and Mexico is guarding their Northern border with the U.S. The process of returning unlawful migrants to their home countries has begun. We are a nation of immigrants and welcome those who come here to work, for school and to lawfully migrate in order to become citizens. Those unlawful migrants who self-deport are eligible to apply in the future for lawful migrant status and will not incur a negative migration status with a court hearing or incur a ban on returning to the US. – RTM