According to the White House's Office of National Drug Policy, Haiti is one of the major illegal drug transit nations in the world despite efforts by the government to enhance the country's police capabilities to combat narcotics trafficking, as well as passage of a law last year that formally criminalized corruption committed by government officials.
Just by threatening an illegal strike, the transit workers' union managed to inflict some pretty hefty economic damage.
It has led to the overburdening of public services, like primary and secondary schools, and uncompensated emergency-room visits by in-transit illegal immigrants have financially distressed many hospitals, compromising the quality and availability of services for everyone.
It included locking illegal immigrants up in transit camps before expelling them, removing France from the euro, and giving native-born French preference in jobs, housing and health benefits.
Gov. George E. Pataki should immediately take the same action regarding the illegal strike by the transit workers as President Ronald Reagan did with the air traffic controllers: Fire them.
At a recent debate, one of several in the local campaign, cultural issues over which the Council has no control, like abortion, were discussed nearly as much as local concerns, like poor transit service, illegal conversions of homes, and the appearance of those who appear to be homeless.
Since 2010, for example, Congress has spent over $263 million on a program called the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative ("CBSI") to stem the flow of illegal drugs through Caribbean transit points.
"There are some people who have just never ridden before, who need help, but no problems". State Sen. Quentin L. Kopp (I-San Francisco) said Tuesday that he would push for legislation making strikes by public transit unions illegal, and he called for the Bay Area's transit districts to cooperate more closely with each other.
That's not to say the mayor hasn't made new pronouncements: He's proposed policies to help immigrants and community college students, improve mass transit, reduce illegal guns, create high-wage jobs, improve ballot access and further restrict campaign contributions.
