President Biden and his allies in Congress are chomping
at the bit to grease the wheels for a partisan $3.5 trillion spending spree
before they leave for the August break.
At a time when our national debt is set to exceed levels
not seen since World War II, this is not only irresponsible, but dangerous.
Hardworking Americans are already paying the price for excess spending in the
form of inflation, with prices rising throughout the economy.
Poll after poll shows Americans are becoming increasingly
concerned about inflation. Instead of adding to these concerns in the pursuit
of liberal wish list priorities, Congress should focus on addressing the real
priorities of the American people.
For instance, we should be taking action to address the
crisis at our southern border.
In June, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
encountered 188,829 people. That’s up 471 percent from the same time last year.
As a result of the Biden administration’s irresponsible
immigration policies, CBP has encountered over 1.1 million illegal immigrants
at the southern border during this fiscal year. That’s five times larger than
the population of Des Moines, Iowa.
The crisis is undeniable. But Senate Democrats are trying
hard to deny it. Instead of taking action to secure our border and deter
illegal immigration, Senate Democrats are attempting to use their reckless tax
and spending bill to offer amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants living in
the United States.
It’s deeply irresponsible. It’ll only encourage more
illegal immigration, and it’ll only make the border crisis worse.
Illegal immigration isn’t the only crime cascading over
the border. Mexican cartels are pouring record high amounts of hard drugs – methamphetamine,
cocaine, heroin and fentanyl – across with impunity.
Fentanyl has become their choice drug because it’s highly
potent, and highly profitable. A tiny amount – even as small as a grain of salt
– can result in overdose, and death. Fentanyl is increasingly laced into other
drugs to heighten potency, often without the user knowing.
In 2020, over 93,000 Americans died from drug overdoses. That’s
almost the entire population of Davenport, Iowa. The primary driver of this
surge in overdose deaths is fentanyl coming in from Mexico.
Instead of working on curbing cartels at the border or
cutting off their extensive power in the United States, Senate Democrats choose
to bury their head in the sand and pretend fentanyl isn’t deadly. The border
crisis is a drug crisis.
And on top of that, police departments across the country
are still having a hard time getting enough officers. Violent crime is soaring and
homicide rates are through the roof.
Iowa families don’t
redecorate their houses when the plumbing is leaking. These issues are dinner
table issues, so Congress must focus on them instead of reckless and partisan
spending proposals by Senate Democrats.
