Taxpayers not responsible

In the opening line of his recent letter, writer Jules Ohrin-Greipp says, little “Timmy” was an infant when his “parents” slipped across the border with him.

I fail to see how that transfers responsibility for the child to the American taxpayers.

When I was a child growing up in the 1950s, when I got into trouble for something I remember, distinctly, my father telling me that my parents were responsible for me and what I did until I was 18 years old, so I had better straighten up or else.

You can understand my confusion when the letter writer said any nationality that enters America illegally with a child is not responsible for their children once they cross the border. So as he says let us all keep rewarding them for breaking the law so they get the message loud and clear. Slip across the border and you are home free.

What is stopping the parents from applying for citizenship and becoming an Americans?

The sad part is there are more and more people like the letter writer who believe it is the government's responsibility to take care of us. Have you forgotten that for the last 200 years it was “the people, by the people” that made this country great, not the government. He and the government have a problem remembering that.

But I am getting old enough and I hope that I won't see my country turn into another China or Russia.

Gary Reighard

Wellton