Proposition 187: Dont Mess With Texas :: essays research papers

Proposition 187 Dont Mess With Texas     In November of 1994, calciumns passed the most controversial piece of affirm legislating this decade. Proposition 187 was designed to stem the flow of culpable aliens into California by withholding all non-emergency medical benefitsfrom non-naturalized citizens. Latinos turned out in record come to voicetheir disapproval, and for good reason too. The health c ar resolutions ofProposition 187 were products of poor reason and unsound economic judgment. Theresolutions did not get the state any finisher to a balanced budget, and onlyserved to worsen the health care outlook for the future of California. It isclear that Proposition 187 was a mistake, and should not be encouraged to berepeated in Texas.     The most popular reason for passage, that supporters of Proposition 187used, was the theory that a cut in illegal health services would save state revenue enhancementpayers several million dollars a year. This argument only applies to statesthat see a personal income tax, often used to help fund health care for thestate, and when the illegal immigrants avoid paying this tax. Texas does nothave such a tax, so health care is funded by the taxes that everyone in thestate pays. That means that illegal aliens are paying just as much as "realAmericans" are in sales taxes, gas taxes, liquor taxes, and cigarette taxes. Forexample, illegal aliens in San Diego, California accounted for 26.6 milliondollars in health care costs in 1994 (Serb 63). Not a single person would denythat this is a lot of money, and therefore would look to be an excellent reasonto cut funding right this minute. However, the logical person has to realizehow important those same aliens are to filling the states excise tax cofferseach year. Excise taxes paid by illegals were accounting for up 60.5 millionin state tax alone (63). In retrospect, it hardly seems right to assert thatillegal immigrants are not paying their fair tax share for their health needs.It also isnt fair that "U.S. businesses need Mexican workers for low-payingjobs, but dont want them to have access to heath care while they are here"(Hudson 37).     Another economically based reason, that proponents of 187-likelegislation have made, is that Texans will save money by denying non-emergencycare to illegal aliens. Without close scrutiny, this seems to be a claim to makethe pocket book happy. After all, we would still allow the aliens the rightto life speech treatments, but we would also save a bundle by cutting the littlevisits to the doctor for fevers, colds, and sprained ankles.