Our elected leadership’s insistence on being a safe haven state for illegal immigrants is destroying Maryland’s infrastructure and economy.  The federal governments failure to enforce our immigration laws is forcing the hand of states all across America.  Most of the states are looking to Arizona’s SB1070, I would propose legislation that is a combination of Prince William county, VA and Arizona.

I have heard 2 complaints about Arizona’s SB1070. There is a fear that it will violate the 4^th amendment and encourages racial profiling.  Mirroring Prince William county, my bill will specify that any person lawfully stopped by police, regardless of race or ethnicity, must have there residency status verified, before being released.  This prevents both of these fears.  There will be no profiling as everyone will have their status verified and will clearly state that the individual must be lawfully detained.  Within 6 months of Prince William County enacting this legislation, their population dropped by 5,000.  With the majority of this being illegal immigrants who relocated to Montgomery County, MD.  I will also encourage the Maryland State Police and local law enforcement agencies to participate in Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s (ICE) 287(g) program.

• The 287(g) program, one of ICE’s top partnership initiatives, allows a state and local law enforcement entity to enter into a partnership with ICE, under a joint Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), in order to receive delegated authority for immigration enforcement within their jurisdictions. The 287(g) program has emerged as one of the agency’s most successful and popular partnership initiatives as more state and local leaders have come to understand how a shared approach to immigration enforcement can benefit their communities.

This program will allow our law enforcement agencies to have members of their department trained as ICE agents.  Allowing them to easily check an individual’s status and even refer them for deportation.

This legislation will also require all business’ use the E-Verify program to ensure their employees are eligible for employment in the United States.  No business shall employ or use a contractor who employs illegal immigrants.  I will not for one-minute listen to another person say that illegal immigrants are doing the jobs that American’s don’t want.  I challenge anyone who believes this line of thinking to go to the unemployment office and say this to the Americans standing in line.

In this era of over taxation there is a natural concern of how we will fund this program.  Illegal immigration costs the state of Maryland $1.4 billion annually; $30 million on the illegal immigrants that are already in our penal system.  Enforcing this piece of legislation will not only pay for itself, but will help balance our budget.  Allowing us to focus our tax dollars on the important things like education, public safety and small business’.

Sincerely,

John M. Paff Jr.

Republican candidate

State Delegate 34A

http://www.votepaff.com

A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.—U.S. Constitution

This amendment is the most heavily debated amendment in the Constitution. However, to me it is the most clear. When I bring up Concealed Carry Permits, the oppositions first response is always “There are to many people being killed already”, “we need to ban handguns!” Let me let you in on a few secrets.
1. The guns being used to commit crimes are already illegal. They have been stolen or purchased through a “straw purchase.” No need for any further regulation just enforcement of the current statutes.
2. The opposition would like to make handguns illegal. Well, murder is already illegal and that does not stop the criminals from killing, so why would a law against guns make a difference to the criminals?
3. England has a ban on handguns. Their gun ban has resulted in the same number of murders, but the weapon of choice is now a knife. Do you blame your pencil for spelling errors? The saying might sound silly, but is 100% true, “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people”

The second argument I normally hear is, “There’s no need for a militia, no one is attacking us.” “being necessary to the security of a free state” every day we hear about gang related killings, drug related murders. The normal response I hear to this is “Its just thugs killing thugs.” Tell that to Mr. Derald Guess’ wife and 9 children when he was murdered in his cab in Edgewood as part of a gang initiation. Why do I not have the right to feel safe taking my family to the Inner Harbor after dark? Unfortunately, for some citizens owning a gun is “necessary to the security of a free state” due to the urban terrorism we face every day! I am not condoning vigilante justice, but if confronted I do have a constitutional right to defend my “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

Laws only affect law-abiding citizens. Someone who is about to commit a crime does not worry about the current handgun laws before committing the crime. However, handgun bans do prevent law-abiding citizens from protecting their families. Do you think a mugger would think twice before committing his crime if he thought that person might be armed? How many lives would have been saved at Virginia Tech and Columbine if there were armed staff members?

Now are there some restrictions that I would support? Absolutely, if you use a firearm to commit a crime or have been convicted of a “violent’ crime and now are in possession of a firearm, you should receive a mandatory 5 year federal prison term. You should receive the same sentence if you carry a concealed firearm without a permit or the firearm is unlicensed/stolen. If you are an illegal alien and are caught in possession of a firearm you should face immediate deportation. (If you are an illegal alien and are arrested for any reason you should immediately be deported. See my notes on Senate Bill 227).

Here is some data from www.kc3.com
1. Since adopting CCW (1987), Florida’s homicide rate has fallen 21% while the U.S. rate has risen 12%. From start-up 10/1/87 – 2/28/94 (over 6 years) Florida issued 204,108 permits; only 17 (0.008%) were revoked because permittees later committed crimes (not necessarily violent) in which guns were present (not necessarily used).
2. Of incarcerated felons surveyed by the Department of Justice, 34% have been driven away, wounded, or captured by armed citizens; 40% have decided against committing crimes for fear their would-be victims were armed.
3. “Violent crime rates are highest overall in states with laws severely limiting or prohibiting the carrying of concealed firearms for self-defense”. (FBI Uniform Crime Reports, 1992)

I believe Maryland should be a “Shall Issue” state. In Annapolis I will fight endlessly for the citizens of Maryland to ensure this constitutional right! Yes an applicant should have to pass a background investigation, a psychological exam, and a state certified training program to be licensed. This right “shall not be infringed”

“Laws that forbid the carrying of arms. . . disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes. . . Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man.”
-Thomas Jefferson

I, John M. Paff Jr., am announcing my candidacy for the Maryland House of Delegates in District 34A.  I am not running for Delegate merely to oppose any man or woman, but to propose new policies.  I am running because I am convinced that this state is on a dangerous course. Since I have such strong feelings about what must be done, I feel compelled to do all that I can!

I run because it is now unmistakably clear that we can change these disastrous, divisive policies only by changing the representatives who are now making them.  I cannot stand by and watch our liberties continue to be taken away, all the while, government spending and taxes are on the rise.  In these economic times the spending needs to be cut and the taxes lowered, so that the working class can survive.  No man, no matter his origin, race, religion, or education should ever be forced to choose between feeding his family and paying his heating bill!  As a member of the General Assembly I will insist my colleagues approach our state finances the way small business owners are being forced to look at theirs.  If something is not absolutely necessary then it needs to be cut! If a business owner raised their prices every time they wanted something new, they’d go out of business.  It’s time we run our state the same way! Enough spending!

For some reason our General Assembly believes the best policy is to take our money, increase their spending then create programs to tell us how to better our lives.  I believe all of our lives would be better if the General Assembly would cut their spending and lower our taxes; allowing us to keep our hard earned money and use it how we deem necessary.  Government has intruded into our personal lives and decision-making, and continues to overstep its realm of authority; this infringement must stop.

I owe it to the families of Maryland, I owe it to my wife, and I owe it to my twin daughters to make Maryland a place where they can continue to be guaranteed a free, quality, public education, in a safe environment, that allows them to prosper and one day raise their families in this wonderful state!

My decision reflects no personal animosity or disrespect toward any of the candidates, including Mr. Riley and Ms. James; they have served our district with the utmost respect. However, I cannot stand aside from the contest that will decide our state’s future and our children’s future. Annapolis needs to have Maryland’s families at the forefront of every decision.  I need your help and support to make Annapolis think “Family First”

God Bless,

John M. Paff  Jr.

Republican Candidate for

House of Delegates District 34A

Http://www.votepaff.com