Texas Border (Gov. Abbott's Office) Op-Ed By REP. BURGESS OWENS In today’s political landscape, a strategy reminiscent of déjà vu is unfolding und
In today’s political landscape, a strategy reminiscent of déjà vu is unfolding under the Biden administration, signaling a return to a contentious decades-old playbook that threatens to strain the very fabric of American communities.
This approach, echoing the divisive tactics of the past, employs the use of misery as a political weapon, a move that aligns alarmingly with the maneuvers of today’s Democratic Party. It’s a calculated effort to stretch community resources to the breaking point, as millions of unvetted, illegal immigrants demand housing, food and employment, all while essential services like education, healthcare, law enforcement and social services teeter on the edge of collapse.
The Biden administration’s initial actions — signing 64 Executive Orders to reverse previously successful border policies — marked the beginning of a wave of millions of unvetted immigrants flooding into the United States.
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This influx, predominantly composed of non-English speaking, non-assimilating, single military-aged men, poses significant challenges to national security and community cohesion. Among them are “got aways,” potential terrorists, and nationals from adversarial countries.
Purposely evading Border Patrol Agents, they exacerbate the threat to our national security and public safety.
The implications of this strategy extend far beyond immigration policy, touching the very core of American society. Over 100,000 Americans have succumbed to drug overdoses, largely due to fentanyl trafficked by Mexican cartels and sourced from China — a grim testament to the administration’s failure to address the nexus of drug trafficking and human misery. Even more disturbing is the resurgence of a form of modern slavery, with human trafficking flourishing under the nose of an administration that seems all too willing to turn a blind eye to the exploitation occurring at our borders.
At the heart of this chaos lies a strategy eerily reminiscent of the Cloward-Piven plan, a theory devised by two left-wing professors from Columbia University in 1966. Their goal was ambitious and audacious: to provoke a crisis within the welfare system by creating a rush of demand that would overwhelm the bureaucracy, a mechanism designed to create a crisis of such a magnitude that it would compel policymakers to adopt more expansive socialist measures.
With its collapse, the government would be forced to systematically transforming the structure of our society. This would represent the reimagined socialist reconstruction of our American society.
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We’ve witnessed a modern iteration of this strategy, as policies aimed at defunding the police, eliminating cash bail and locking down the economy under the guise of pandemic response have sown discord and misery across the nation, contributing to a sense of crisis and provoking systematic change.
The Biden administration’s approach mirrors the Cloward-Piven strategy not just in its tactics but in its ultimate goal: to overwhelm the system to the point of collapse. From the deliberate dismantling of border security to the encouragement of mass migration, from the exacerbation of the drug crisis to the systematic weakening of national security and community services, every action seems designed to push American society to its breaking point.
The educational system, too, has not been spared from this chaos. Lockdowns and remote learning have resulted in unprecedented learning losses, with the most vulnerable in our society —children in urban and underserved communities — bearing the brunt of these policies. The result is a generation at risk, their futures jeopardized by the very policies purported to protect them.
Yet, despite the dire picture painted by the current administration’s policies, there is a silver lining. The very extremity of these actions has awakened a spirit of unity among Americans.
Across racial, cultural, and political lines, citizens are beginning to question the direction in which they are being led. The realization that the “misery virus” knows no bounds of class or community is prompting a reevaluation of loyalty and a newfound questioning of the status quo.
As we stand at this crossroads, it’s essential to remember the lessons of history. The Cloward-Piven strategy, though audacious, ultimately failed to realize its socialist utopia.
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Instead, it led to an expansion of the welfare state that, rather than liberating the poor, entrenched them deeper in government dependency. Today, as we witness the unfolding of a similar strategy on a national scale, we must ask ourselves whether we are willing to follow this path to its logical conclusion.
In the end, the question remains: will we allow our society to be overwhelmed by the deliberate actions of chaos by those in power, or will we stand together to reclaim the promise of America?
The answer lies not in the halls of power but in the hearts of the American people. As we navigate these turbulent times, let us remember that unity, resilience and a shared commitment to our nation’s founding principles can overcome even the most divisive strategies.
Burgess Owens is a former professional football player serving as the U.S. representative for Utah’s 4th Congressional District.
The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Tampa Free Press or Daily Caller News Foundation.
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