Conservative leader and writer Michael Johns, a former White House speechwriter and Heritage Foundation foreign policy analyst, said last night that the United States needs to act with great urgency to secure its southern border with Mexico if it hopes to protect the nation's security interests and begin reversing the many economic and other crises spurred by the nation's apparent unwillingness to enforce federal immigration laws by fully securing its southern border.

Replays of Johns' interview with the Grizzly Groundswell Network on Blog Talk Radio are available globally for replay from the 61.30 to 120 minute mark of the network's June 30, 2008 show, available at:

http://grizzlygroundswell.com/archives/2849

In the interview, Johns challenges the conventional wisdom that Mexico's illegal aliens in the U.S. are only filling jobs that Americans do not want, stating that nearly half of them--10.5 million of the 21.6 million illegal Mexicans in this nation--are illegally filling skilled jobs that almost certainly would be appealing to Americans at a time when unemployment is standing at 5.5 percent nationally. Johns stated further that the failure of the U.S. to seal its southern border from illegals represents one of the greatest ongoing security threats to the nation at a time when the U.S. continues to be embroiled in a global conflict against al-Qaeda and Islamic extremism.

Johns stated that the 21.6 million illegal Mexican aliens in the U.S. are ill-serving the U.S. economy, costing the nation approximately $397 billion annually in education, health care and other social services. Meanwhile, Johns says, Mexican illegals are returning large sums of their earnings--approximately $33 billion annually to Mexico and $283 billion annually to all of Latin America. He also said that the U.S. has spent approximately $1.5 billion since 2001 in costs associated with the incarceration of approximately 370,000 illegal aliens in the U.S.

As President of Phoenix's Coalition for a Conservative Majority (CCM), Johns and his organization are actively supporting two Arizona ballot initiatives that would strengthen the state's illegal immigration enforcement capabilities by empowering Arizona's law enforcement officials to enforce federal immigration laws and make the state's criminal trespass statutes applicable to illegal aliens in the state. The deadline for the submission of signatures for these two ballot initiatives is this Thursday, July 3, 2008.

Conservative political leader and writer Michael Johns, a former White House speechwriter and Heritage Foundation policy analyst, will appear on Sirius Satellite's "Blog Bunker" show today from 5pm to 6pm EDT to discuss the state of the 2008 United States Presidential election and the public policy issues of the respective campaigns. The Sirius show, hosted by Joe Salzone, is available globally on Sirius Satellite's Indie Talk Channel 110.

Also this week, Johns provided an extensive interview to the popular Sonoran Alliance blog and the recently-launched Grizzly Groundswell podcast. In both interviews, Johns argues that, despite significant and understandable voter angst, American conservatism is providing thoughtful policy solutions to the vast challenges confronting the nation, including the global war against Islamic extremism, American economic challenges, the mounting global petroleum shortage, and others.

Conservative writer, Republican strategist and industry executive Michael Johns, a former White House speechwriter and Heritage Foundation policy analyst, will discuss presumptive Republican nominee John McCain's recently announced national goals for the first term of his Presidency in an interview tomorrow, May 20, 2008, at 5:30pm EDT on Sirius Satellite's Indie Talk Station 110. Live audio of the interview will be available globally.

Given as part of a May 15, 2008 speech in Columbus, Ohio, McCain spelled out specific goals for the first term of his Presidency, including, in foreign affairs, substantial progress in the war against al-Qaeda and other terrorist elements in Afghanistan and Iraq and ending Sudan's bloody ethnic genocide in Darfur. At home, goals included expanding economic growth and access to quality health care, reforming America's complex and punitive tax system, eliminating Washington's wasteful earmark and other spending, significantly reducing American dependence on foreign petroleum, vastly improving the quality of American education and other important national objectives.

Johns will also address mounting speculation over selection of a Republican Vice Presidential running mate, which purportedly includes a short list of roughly 20 names. McCain has stated that he expects to announce his running mate selection before the Republican National Convention convenes on September 1, 2008 in Minneapolis.

Conservative writer, Republican strategist and industry executive Michael Johns, a former White House speechwriter and Heritage Foundation policy analyst, will discuss his support for John McCain's recently announced economic plan tomorrow morning, April 17, 2008, from 10am to 10:30am EDT on Ron Silver's radio show. The show is broadcast on Sirius Satellite's Indie Talk Channel 110 and can be heard globally.

Johns will discuss the nation's urgent need for pro-growth economic policies, including business, gasoline and personal tax relief, targeted assistance for holders of non-conventional mortgages, Medicare and Social Security reform, ending reckless Congressional earmark spending, expanding job retraining opportunities, and other policies that can help place the nation's economy back on a growth track.

In addition to hosting a daily morning radio show on Sirius Satellite's Indie Talk station, Ron Silver is an accomplished actor known for his television roles in West Wing, Law & Order, and Chicago Hope and his film roles in Ali, Reversal of Fortune, Blue Steel, Timecop, and others. A long-time Democrat, Silver left the party following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and has since been generally supportive of President George W. Bush's efforts in the global war on terror. Silver also authors a widely-read blog dedicated largely to public policy topics.

Republican strategist and conservative writer Michael Johns, a former White House speechwriter and Heritage Foundation policy analyst, said today that the 2008 Presidential election is beginning to line up as one of the most clear-cut ideological electoral choices of modern times, and that the proven and enduring success of conservative policies can again prevail this November, ushering in a new era of policy-driven momentum for 21st century conservatism.

Michael will discuss the 2008 Presidential primary and general elections, the current state of the global war against Islamic terrorism in Iraq and elsewhere, the challenges confronting American health care and solutions to them, and why expanded American economic growth through market-driven policies, not massive federal income redistribution schemes, is the key to strengthening America at home and abroad. He says that the outcome of the 2008 Presidential election will prove a defining moment for the nation.

A New Jersey-based health care executive, Michael has over 20 years of global public policy and national political experience, having served as a White House speechwriter to former President George H. W. Bush, a senior aide to a United States Senator and Governor, and a policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation. Michael has appeared on PBS, CNBC, C-SPAN, Fox News, and other networks and has written for The Wall Street Journal, The Christian Science Monitor, National Review, Policy Review, and other publications. He currently authors one of the most widely-read conservative public policy blogs on the World Wide Web, available at:

http://michaeljohnsonfreedomandprosperity.blogspot.com/

A supporter of Republican Presidential candidate John McCain, Michael's analysis can be heard globally from the New York City studios of Sirius Satellite this Tuesday February 26, from 5pm to 6pm EST (10pm to 11pm GMT), on Sirius's INDIE Talk Channel 110.

By Michael Johns

Predictions of the demise of the American economy are, regrettably, routine these days, but don't be fooled. They also are vastly overrated. For the past six months at least, we have been subjected to routine predictions of sluggish growth, diminished productivity among small and mid-size capitalized companies, and euphoric fascination with the growth prospects in the so-called BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China).

Not to take anything away from the fascinating promise of these four nations, but this week's development: the Dow Jones Industrial Average blowing right through 13,000 sends the message that American leadership is alive and well in the global economy. Analysts underestimated first quarter earnings for a vast number of leading American companies, perhaps convinced that the sub-prime mortgage squeeze and other pressures would curtail our economic growth. They too shorted the promise of this American economy.

What is behind Dow 13,000? Many things. The vibrant optimism of the American consumer, the prospects for a stabilization of the conflict in Iraq (there actually is progress), and a validation of some of the domestic and economic policies of this administration. President George W. Bush is suffering from predictably diminished approval ratings that have confronted nearly every U.S. President fortunate enough to earn a second term, but this economy under his watch deserves greater praise: nearly full employment, continued global leadership in many important industries, and now a record in the most closely watched stock index in the world. It's not a small accomplishment and is certainly a tribute to the continued promise of the American dream and at least partly to the generally free market, pro-growth policies of this grossly under-appreciated Bush administration, which certainly is not the only factor behind Dow 13,000 but, especially in its support for sensible tax relief on dividends (paid by most Dow stocks)--has played a hugely supportive role, attracting capital to Dow equities.

Michael Johns, a health care executive, served previously as a White House speechwriter to President George H. W. Bush and a policy analyst at The Heritage Foundation.  He can be reached at: michaeldjohns@gmail.com.