Last Tuesday, the local Republican Central Committee invited Republican candidates for City Council to come and seek endorsement. Six candidates showed, all eagerly seeking the blessing of the party.

I got to be the timekeeper for the speeches. It reminded me of a line from the Disney movie “Aladdin”: “Phenomenal cosmic power in a little-bitty living space.” That’s what I had. I got to tell Frank Ferry, Marsha McLean, TimBen Boydston and the rest to shut up and sit down.

“Phenomenal cosmic power ... ”

Of course, I had to be polite and courteous. These people could raise my taxes in a heartbeat and I couldn’t say spit about it. I had no power except over the last 30 seconds of their speeches.

“ ... In a little-bitty living space.”

Of course, in a room full of Republicans where Roger Gitlin was sitting in the back, the subject of illegal immigration and our latest travails had to come up.

For those of you living on Pluto, City Councilman Bob Kellar made a statement about loving America that included some colorful hyperbole that was taken completely out of context. Go look at what Kellar actually said on YouTube. Then look at what happened at the City Council meeting.

Kellar said what most Americans believe — that we have one flag and one language. It doesn’t matter what color, religion or social status you are, we are one nation and one people. Many in our country today seem to forget that.  

Also, those who come to our country illegally are stealing a little something from each of us. We are all immigrants here, and most came here legally. Many legal immigrants patiently wait their turn in line for a chance at being an American.

However, there are those that attempt to usurp that line and cut in ahead of all those seeking to do it correctly. This must be stopped, if for nothing else to honor those who seek to be honorable.

That was Kellar’s message. For that, he was unfairly chided, rebuked, castigated and insulted. Kellar is a guy with guts and backbone. I’m glad he represents me and this community.

But through all of the political-speak one individual, David Gauny, said something very interesting. The more I thought about it, the more it sounded like common sense.

David asked why the City Council couldn’t write a letter to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and ask it to help enforce immigration laws. This could take many forms, of course. Sheriff’s deputies could merely check the immigration status of all detainees.  

Gamely picking up the gauntlet, Marsha McLean eloquently said that such an action would expose the city to increased risk of lawsuits from miscellaneous civil rights groups, potentially costing the city massive amounts of money. There is a reason that the state is broke and we are not — our leaders make good decisions.

Laurene Weste added that it’s been tried in the past, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement refused to cooperate with us.

Fair enough. That is reasonable.  

However, doesn’t the fight need to start somewhere? Suppose we did start enforcing immigration laws at the local level, and we publicly hauled the illegal immigrants down to the Federal Building in Los Angeles (cameras and reporters in tow) and turned them over.

How could we get in trouble enforcing federal law and turning the suspects over to federal authorities?

Maybe other communities would rally to our cause. They could send us a check for the legal defense. Or maybe Burbank, Glendale, Oxnard, Simi Valley and Lancaster would start doing the same thing. If all these communities started enforcement, the ACLU could not sue all of us.

Maybe we’d help spark a national drive to restore law and order to our broken and disgraceful immigration process. Kellar’s words and our actions could be the rebirth of our national pride.

“Phenomenal cosmic power ...” in a small City Council action. 

"In a few moments, I'm going to talk to you about a new product that will change your life."

"After a short commercial break, we'll tell you about the toxic material in your home."

"Next hour, you'll hear about our sure-fire picks for the stock market in 2010."

"Republican Scott Brown wins Ted Kennedy's old senate seat in Massachusetts."

What do all those statements have in common? They are all statements of foreshadowing. They tell of the future and things to come. They are also "hooks" to get you to listen or watch the next segment.

The "new product" and "toxic material" statements use consumerism and fear to capture an audience. This also guarantees the sponsor's message will be heard for maximum impact.

The stock market prediction falls into the same category but uses greed as the incentive. Most of the time, greed is good and is the engine for economic success and development.

However, the loss of the Kennedy seat in a heavily Democratic state is tantamount to a tsunami. The future repercussions are astounding.

First, the super-majority of 60/40 the Democrats enjoyed in the Senate has been destroyed. I had to look this one up.

Called cloture, a three-fifths majority is required to end debate on a topic, according to Senate Rule XXII.

I'm sure this is a typographical error. Jefferson or Madison or whoever must have meant to write closure but screwed it up.

The loss of the super majority means the Republicans can filibuster with no way to be interrupted. This has dire consequences for the badly flawed national health care legislation many believe will bankrupt our nation.

We're going to need some good reading material for the Senate floor. I have already sent my old copy of "War and Peace" to Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. He might like "Lord of the Rings," too. All three books. I hope he can pronounce all those elvish names in "Return of the King."

Second, and more importantly, this shows an astounding shift in our nation toward common sense. Let's face it, the Democrats have done nothing but make a big mess even bigger since they took control of Washington.

The deficit expanded under President George W. Bush, averaging around 35 to 40 percent of Gross Domestic Product, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

Under President Barack Obama, the deficit as a percentage of GDP will rise from 59.9 percent in 2009 to an astounding estimated 70.1 percent in 2011. Some believe this number may reach or exceed 100 percent in the following years.

Folks, our nation cannot support this level of spending. With interest factored in, the actual national debt will grow faster than our ability to pay, bankrupting our nation and plunging us into far deeper financial chaos than we saw last year.

The truly remarkable thing is that the Democrats still don't get it. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Penn., said: "We need a jobs bill. We need short-term, focused strategies to create jobs, real fast."

Hey, Casey, we don't need more government spending to create more temporary, short-term jobs. The government must cut spending and reduce taxes. This will cause businesses to expand and invest, creating new jobs that will be far more durable than Democratic make-work initiatives.

Good old Nancy Pelosi remarked about the result from Massachusetts: "We will move forward with their considerations in mind, but we will move forward."

Loosely translated: Pelosi said the will of the people is fine, but, "we'll do whatever we want and the voters can pound sand."

This arrogance is startling. The Democrats and their paternalistic "I know what is best for you" attitude is now completely on display.

And the American people aren't digging it.

It is very possible the November elections may cause a monumental shift back to conservative principles and ideals.

The experiment with "Hope and Change" may be very close to an end. Sensing their political fortunes changing, some Democratic legislators, speaking under condition of anonymity to the Associated Press, said they feel that the White House is more concerned with re-election in 2012 than helping the rest of the party this year.

If true, the schism forming in the Democratic Party could compound the mounting frustration and anger growing in our nation. All of which spells an end to misguided liberal politics in the near future.

I love foreshadowing!

Published in The Signal SCV on 2/12/2010

When Republicans Bob McDonnell and Chris Christie last November captured the governorships of Virginia and New Jersey, respectively, I surmised a slight chill rushed down the spines of liberals nationwide.

But, when Scott Brown seized Martha Coakley’s liberal inheritance known as “Kennedy’s seat” and claimed it as “the people’s seat,” it was indeed a cold day in hell for the presumptive left.

Couple those signs of the times with the president’s stunning descent in the polls and the Democratic Congress’ basement-level approval ratings, and 2010 has the early makings of a sweeping center-right rebuke of the left.   

The nation’s early verdict on the left’s one-party dominion of Washington and subsequent failures has not been lost on California, either.

Most notably, the would-be Democratic nominee for governor — Attorney General Jerry Brown — is trailed by only five points by Republican Meg Whitman.  

Fact of the matter: If there ever was an opportunity for a nationwide resurgence of center-right ideas such as fiscal restraint, individual empowerment, jealous devotion to national security and the common sense and realism that defy liberal ideological loyalty, 2010 is it.  

Yet knowing ideological duty often overshadows facts, I believe it necessary to continue in pursuit of the restoration our country needs. Here are certain facts that ought to cause that sweeping center-right rebuke in November.  

Before the liberal Congress voted to fatten the debt ceiling by $1.9 trillion in January, our budget deficit was already at an unprecedented and hazardous level. 

One danger of such indebtedness is that, joined to our massive federal spending, it weakens the dollar. That weakened dollar will, for example, buy less and less oil in the global market. Consequently — given that imported crude accounts for more than 50 percent of U.S.  oil consumption — we will pay more at the pump.  

Also, a weakened dollar translates into greater import costs as a devalued dollar buys less of everything. Heightened import costs burden us at retail stores as we pay higher prices for imported goods like tennis shoes and jeans.  

Furthermore, as liberal spending devalues our currency it devalues individual liberty, too. 

Unhinged spending inevitably demands higher taxes, which fence us off from the liberty of utilizing our earned resources as we deem fit. Those diminished resources, for example, equal less money for college tuition and less savings for retirement.  

In California, that decreased liberty has compelled countless movie and television productions, our prestigious aerospace industry and droves of California families into looking east. That exodus is a loss of the intellectual capital, entrepreneurial spirit and grit that is California. 

And most damaging of all, that exodus creates a massive absence of jobs.  

California is proof that the more you tax something, the less you get of it.    

Nationally, we are still awaiting the president’s “hard pivot” toward jobs. Didn’t David Axelrod last January say something about unemployment not going above 8 percent?  

With respect to national security, Democrats have stiffened their spines in the face of national disapproval by continuing to propose trying the 9/11 terrorists in New York amid the horrific memories of their acts. Likewise, the giving of Miranda rights to terrorists — thus treating them as mere criminals — has also shown to be White House thinking.  

Recall in the ’90s that Democrats chose to treat the World Trade Center bombing as a mere criminal act. What was the end product of that?

Statewide, our liberal-led Assembly and Senate continue to go silent regarding border security. No need to rehash the effects of that silence.  

As some read this column, they will discard it as aged, rote, right-wing talking points that feast upon fear. My response: If you do not like what I have to say, then simply disprove my arguments. Idea vis-à-vis idea.  

To my fellow Republicans — and those Democrats and independents seeking a better future — 2010 is the opportunity for restoration. With the evidence surrounding us, if we do not change the majorities in the state Assembly and Senate and in Washington, we will have missed the golden opportunity to impress our mandate on our elected officials. 

Hurrah to the Santa Clarita City Council for unanimously voting to provide a public study session on the effect of illegal immigration on its citizens. 

Yes, indeed, participatory democracy in this great republic begins and ends with city councils and school boards. 

The magnitude of the 800-pound gorilla called illegal immigration pervades every fiber of our nation’s economic woes, and yet our elected officials don’t have the wherewithal to institute the changes necessary to fix it.

I am reminded of a well-known analogy in the private business sector called the “Burning Platform.” Briefly, a raging fire awakens a man working on an oil platform. Even though he knows it is more than a 100-foot drop from the platform to the 40-degree sea, he jumps. Fortunately, a nearby boat rescues him. 

When asked why he jumped, the man said, “Better probable death than certain death.” 

Illegal immigration is our burning platform. Unlike federal and state leaders, our City Council has actually initiated forums that may set the stage for real change.

Let’s hope the study session doesn’t get bogged down with discussion about people standing on street corners seeking work. 

The ramifications of an estimated 12 million-20 million illegal immigrants in our country is a more far-reaching, substantive problem. 

It has been allowed to fester for years, creating immense adverse effects and unknown devastating costs to our nation, states and cities.

Local and state governments are stymied because they will not or cannot enforce national laws, and federal officials practice selective enforcement. 

The U.S. Congress has complicated matters by enacting “touchy-feely” legislation that negates the ability of police officers to make arrests and/or deport the law-breaking illegal immigrants. 

Our federal government is sending mixed messages. It threatens those who sneak into our country with arrest, yet the government provides instant citizenship to any child born within the borders of our country. 

Since they cannot be asked to show documentation, most illegal immigrants and their children — citizens or not — are given a free public education, and free social services including food stamps and health care.

County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich’s office provides a monthly news release that stated that illegal immigrants’ children collected about $570 million in social services in 2009.

“When you add this to $350 million for public safety and nearly $500 million for health care, the total cost for illegal immigrants to county taxpayers far exceeds $1 billion a year — not including the millions of dollars for education,” the release stated.

The 2010 U.S. census will not only determine how federal dollars are allocated, but also readjust the entire configuration of the House of Representatives for the next 10 years. 

To that end, it bears recalling a recent article by Jonathan Randles in The Signal, about the upcoming census-taking in Santa Clarita. 

He reported that Sandra Alvarado, spokeswoman for the L.A. Regional Census Center, stressed the need to protect the privacy of individuals. Census employees can be sentenced to five years in prison and fined $250,000 if they do not do so. 

They cannot request Social Security numbers and cannot ask people if they are legal citizens.

Laws prevent the Census Bureau from giving information to the IRS or immigration agencies. 

With these “don’t ask, don’t tell” restrictions, whose rights are really being protected?  

Many of our states are losing population because American citizens are not reproducing in large enough numbers to sustain government programs. States are openly recruiting illegal immigrants by providing driver’s licenses in order to take advantage of federal and state programs yielding dollars based on head counts. 

This serves to blur their immigration status, and opens the door to potential “motor-voter” fraud, which is another federal crime hard to prove and hard to enforce.

Why doesn’t our City Council ask California legislators to follow Indiana’s lead and require voters to show personal identification when voting at the polls? 

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld that in April 2007 with a 6-3 vote. 

State officials should also be asked about their recent budget-saving decision to release prisoners to the streets of California. 

Why not identify the estimated 25-30 percent of prisoners here illegally, and deport them instead? 

Knowing the facts about immigration in the United States, if you are trapped in abject poverty in an overpopulated Third World country, would you risk arrest and possible deportation to come to the United States? You betcha. That’s a no-brainer.

The Signal quoted city spokeswoman Gail Ortiz as saying: “We want to make sure we reach out to everyone who is impacted: the state, county, the school districts, to make sure we’re all-encompassing.” 

Let’s bring it on!

 “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses,” 

      —Emma Lazarus in her poem inscribed in bronze at the base of the Statue of Liberty.

The AFL-CIO says the same, by advocating amnesty for 12 million illegal immigrants already in the United States. In a recent study, called “Gaming the System,” the AFL-CIO argues against the legal immigration path enabled by the H-1B visa program, claiming that it “steals jobs” from Americans.

I say, “Give me your best and brightest” instead of those who come here illegally to dishonestly obtain welfare and services, paid for by our honest taxpaying citizens and legal immigrants.

Let me reveal my biases and insight. I am the son of immigrant parents who came to the U.S. lawfully, respecting all the rules. I am a taxpaying and naturalized voting citizen, as are my parents. I am an engineer, as is my father.

We need legal immigrants who enter the U.S. from many countries on H-1B visa status. They have one thing in common: They are almost all scientists, technology specialists, engineers and mathematicians, known to the labor sector as STEMs. 

With innovation grounded in technical excellence, the U.S. successfully competes with other countries. To compete, the U.S. needs the best engineers and scientists, who can be homegrown or  imported. 

Because not enough are homegrown, the U.S. must import talent. According to Newsmax, the annual need for engineers is 114,000, while our universities produce about 70,000 — creating a shortage of 34,000.

This deficit is filled by legal immigrants, many who come to the U.S. on a student visa and obtain first employment with an H-1B visa. About 6 percent of U.S. undergraduates are engineering majors, compared with 12 percent in Europe and 40 percent in China. 

The U.S. is simply not producing enough engineers and scientists.

The AFL-CIO argues that the H-1B visa program is politicized, and I agree with them. The AFL-CIO report also disputes the numbers, in terms of annual graduates versus open positions, but fails to mention the poor quality of many U.S. graduates.

As a former engineering manager tasked with hiring engineers, I can personally attest to the frustration of looking through 500 resumes to find the two or three excellent engineers. Mediocrity, however, is in abundant supply.

In engineering and science, fakers and posers need not apply. As consumers, we often experience malfunctioning systems, equipment and devices. Rightfully we blame the designers, because they did not do their job correctly.

Engineers and scientists also design many mission-critical items which absolutely, positively must work faultlessly. Bridges and skyscrapers must remain standing after an earthquake or hurricane. Wings must remain attached to an airplane during turbulence. The steering mechanism on a car must still function after a pothole is hit.

When your own life is on the line, the matter is more than merely rhetorical or theoretical. As a consumer, I want the best in the business to do the design. I also don’t want any dishonest person working on these things. As with brain or heart surgery, I want only the best doing the job — people with integrity who will do the right thing even under difficult circumstances.

Understandably, companies that design bridges and airplanes have a minimum standard for their best technical people, who must master the underlying theories, do calculations and communicate effectively in English. The need is absolute, not relative.

If these companies cannot find enough qualified domestically educated people to fill the open positions, legal and properly skilled immigrant workers on H-1B visa status should fill the gap.

The honest, hardworking immigrants are successful because they know how to learn, communicate, take a measured risk and make it work. They had to correctly perform many steps in English to immigrate legally to the U.S. They did not shy away from the daunting path.

The AFL-CIO claims that the H-1B program is fraught with worker abuse and fraud, and I have no doubt this is true. 

We should clean up the program, but fraud and abuse should not be the justification to shut down any measure that is so vital to the future of the U.S.