New law reflects inept government

Two weeks from now on Jan. 1 a state law goes into effect punishing businesses that knowingly hire "illegal" immigrants. Both the Republican majority in the state Legislature and Gov. Janet Napolitano backed the legislation in an effort to strengthen the weak federal efforts to confront "illegal" immigration.

However, in this late hour discussion prevails as to how the law should be applied and what constitutes punishment. Typical of any government effort to solve any situation, confusion reigns, all at the mercy of innocent individuals who become criminals unbeknownst to them.

If the law is not defined soon, come Jan. 1 many individuals will be in a quandary as to what to do and when to do it. In addition, to comply with the law, businesses are to use a federal database to verify employment eligibility of new workers, which will increase costs to businesses, making their products or services more expensive to consumers. Once again, government forces private individuals to enforce laws that government officials legislate.

Having government solve the "illegal" immigration situation is like having a criminal solve a crime he perpetrated. Practically every situation Americans face today has been instigated by government interference in the marketplace and the lives of individuals.

Government officials must be steadfast and operate government within its constitutional bounds, leaving immigration and most every other situation to be solved by the individuals involved. In a free society, there is no room for government to account for and tag individuals like cattle.

There is no room for government to make individuals "illegal" unless the individual committed an act of aggression against another. Individuals and individual businesses can decide for themselves who the best people are to hire for the work they need to have done through the profit and loss system of the free and unfettered market.

Unfortunately, a free market does not exist in the United States. The penalty for a business hiring "illegal" immigrants is a suspension of its business license, lasting up to 10 days. Second-time violators will have their business license permanently revoked.

In other words, government controls who gets to do business and who does not. This is not free enterprise; rather it is a government controlled society. As a result there will be more individuals filing bankruptcy and more unemployed, putting an even greater financial strain on the taxpayers who are left to pay the increased government welfare expenditures.

Government is not and never has been a good problem solver.

All of the government laws interfering with the daily lives of individuals have not reduced crime and have not rid society of terrorists (criminals). As a matter of fact, with the new sanctions law effective Jan. 1, there will no doubt be more criminals created.

If one is concerned about all of the welfare benefits that "illegal" immigrants take from American citizens, Americans must understand that the United States Constitution does not authorize government to pay for any welfare benefits, including those currently being received by American citizens.

Government does not and cannot provide anything to anyone unless it first takes it from individuals. Government can only take from one part of society and give it to another. In today's America, Americans rob from each other through government taxation and think it is great that government provides for so many.

Profits made by all individuals and individual companies are what provide the tax revenue so that government at all levels can insure all government benefits. If government continues to spend, fewer profits will ensue, causing all government programs to disintegrate, including the legitimate ones authorized by the Constitution.

Government officials need to remain within the bounds of the Constitution so that individuals can be free to negotiate with whomever they choose for whatever job they so desire.

Government must be controlled, so it uses its force only when one individual commits a real crime against another, such as murder, fraud, theft and the like.

Government must get out of the business of controlling people so that in the end there will be fewer criminals and more prosperity for more individuals.

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Howard J. Blitz is a local libertarian and

president of The Freedom Library Inc.,

2435 S. 8th Ave. His e-mail address is

info@freedomlibrary.org