Even blue states now want Biden to pay for cost of his open border policies

Pennsylvania has struggled to spur population and economic growth, but recent efforts from political leaders of all stripes show the issues are getting more serious attention.

“Pittsburgh is losing people, jobs, and investment. The city still hasn't recovered pre-pandemic employment and has a problem of retaining young talent,” Charles Mitchell, president and CEO of the Commonwealth Foundation, wrote for the Pittsburgh Post-gazette. “While Pittsburgh attracts students to its well-respected universities, around half of the graduates go to other cities to work. People aren't just leaving Pittsburgh. They're abandoning Pennsylvania.”

Mitchell noted that 250,000 Pennsylvanians have moved to other states in the last decade and almost half of voters have considered moving or know someone who has. Wealth from Pennsylvania has flowed to Texas, North Carolina and especially Florida.

“Pennsylvania must move quickly to embrace reforms that will stop this dangerous exodus, advancing policies that welcome businesses and residents (new and old) to the state, not forcing them to leave,” Mitchell wrote.

While the speed of reforms may not be quick, some bright spots have appeared.

In the latest budget deal, as The Center Square previously reported, the corporate net income tax will be gradually reduced over the next decade, from its current 9.99% rate to 4.99%. Sales taxes remain below-average nationally and lower than most of Pennsylvania's neighboring states.

State Republicans have also discussed lowering and simplifying the state's tax system to attract businesses and make it easier for smaller businesses to grow.

Beyond taxes, housing affordability has become a growing concern in the General Assembly. In July, Gov. Tom Wolf signed into law a bill that allows municipalities to offer tax credits and other incentives to build more housing, as The Center Square previously reported. While places like Pittsburgh have remained affordable, rent prices have increased dramatically in central Pennsylvania and around Philadelphia.

Building more housing and lowering the price of rent could help Pennsylvanians stay instate and attract new residents. Low-tax, lowrent states out West, for example, have attracted more people; Pennsylvania's attempts to encourage more housing could have a similar effect.

Looking at the Pennsylvania governor's race also shows a concern over the state's economic stagnation. Democratic candidate Josh Shapiro talks about the need to “reignite our economy” and argues on hiscampaign website that “Pennsylvania's lack of an innovation strategy is a major reason we continue to fall behind other states.”

Likewise, Republican candidate Doug Mastriano has promised to set a goal of cutting 55,000 state regulations in his first year in office to grow the economy.

Whether the new and promised policies will spur economic growth and keep Pennsylvanians from leaving remains to be seen. But the action and rhetoric shows a commonwealth that takes its issues seriously.

Progress continues on a memorial to honor area U.S. military personnel who died while in wartime service to the nation.

The Connellsville Area Veterans Memorial Honor Roll is being developed at the existing War Memorial site at the intersection of U.S. Route 119 and North Pittsburgh Street.

Thanks to research by retired educator Judy Keller, the honor roll will feature the names of those who died during all United States wars.

Keller leads the committee that has been planning and raising money to pay for the project, which it hopes will be complete in time for Connellsville's Memorial Day observance.

Like many projects, the honor roll effort has been hindered by supply chain problems and rapidly rising cost at a time inflation has risen to the highest level in four decades.

In recent weeks, Jay Masonry of Connellsville began excavation at the site and has poured foundation concrete.

Keller said owner George Jay has donated labor for his company's work on the project.

Electricians Ron Rulli and John Keedy are donating labor to install underground conduit and handle all electrical work.

“We appreciate all the work they are generously donating for this project,” said Keller, adding it will help to hold down project costs.

Keller said she discussed a project change Friday with Davis Monuments of Scottdale, which will engrave

"What crosses the border is dangerous; the Southwest is our 'exposed flank.' There is a nagging fear that we've gone to sleep with the back door unlocked." – Author and journalist Ted Conover

The right to seek asylum was incorporated into international law following the atrocities of World War II. Congress included most provisions of the Geneva Refugee Convention in the U.S. Refugee Act of 1980. Any person seeking asylum in the U.S. must meet the strict criteria under the provisions of the Refugee Act and must prove unequivocally that they are ‘'individually eligible'' for U.S. asylum.

U.S. laws for those seeking asylum are clearly defined in section 1101(a)(42)(a) of the U.S. Refugee Act and affirmed by the Department of Homeland Security. Asylum seekers must demonstrate that they are unable to return to their country because of political persecution or a proven fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, government abuse or political party affiliation.

Just months before Joe Biden was elected, two of his top advisors, Susan Rice and Jake Sullivan, told the Spanish wire service EFE that all people considering making the arduous journey north to the U.S. border should wait until after the election. "Be patient a few months, help is on the way."

While campaigning, Joe Biden said he would do away with Donald Trump's restrictive immigration policies, but he would implement “guardrails” to avoid a massive flood of migrants running to the U.S. Biden vowed to increase border security and allow entry only to those seeking legitimate asylum.

"I will strictly enforce all U.S. immigration laws with added security for U.S. citizens." – Joe Biden

The day after his inauguration, Biden issued five executive orders to rip down most of Donald Trump's immigration “guardrails.” Biden's idea of a more humane immigration plan was to permit parentless minors to enter the U.S. without proof of age or origin and with dubious asylum claims.

The BBC reports that over 250,000, of these children entered the U.S. during Biden's first year in office.

Over the next several months, night flights of illegal minors were reported in states such as Florida, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee. State and local officials received no notice they were coming, no offer of federal aid and no option to refuse allowing them entry.

Even a blind man can see that most illegal migrants are being sent to swing or red states.

Florida Gov. Ron Desantis accused Biden of secretly flying illegal migrants from the Mexico border to his state in the dark of night without notice. Documents obtained by CNN show most of these flights were scheduled by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services without notice.

"This not only violates our immigration laws, it violates our 10th Amendment rights." – Ron Desantis

For decades illegal immigrants caught crossing the Us-mexico border were detained by Border Patrol agents and released. They were told to show up for immigration court. Once released, they worked at labor jobs in cities friendly to them. According to former Vice President Mike Pence, fewer than half returned for their court dates. With Biden's open door policy, there are more than 2.6 million backlog cases with court dates now into 2030.

U.S. Rep.vicente Gonzalez, D-TX, told Congress, "When you create a system that incentivizes people to cross our border, and release them immediately it sends a message to Central America that if you come across you can stay.

The only way to protect our cities is change policy at our doorstep.”

In response to local mayors complaining about running out of money to support illegal migrants, Republican Govs. Greg Abbott of Texas and Doug Ducey of Arizona initiated an operation this year to stick it to Biden. Both states make illegal aliens sign waivers that they want to be shipped to Washington DC. They are then bused across the country, where they are delivered to the White House and Joe Biden.

More than 150 buses traveling from Arizona and Texas have transported over 6,000 illegal immigrants to the nation's capital. According to the New York Post, this operation has cost Texas and Arizona millions in taxpayer dollars. But both governors claim the cost is a necessary expense for self preservation.

Since Biden encourages more "sanctuary cities," illegal immigrants have been flocking to them because these cities refuse to cooperate with the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). It is not only harder to track and cut down illegal immigration, but worse, taxpayers are footing the bill for them.

“America is not, nor ever has been, the world's full-service homeless shelter.” – Michelle Malkin