Whether it's buying up U.S. land or poisoning its citizens with deadly fentanyl, the threat China poses to America is becoming hard to ignore. That's why U.S. Rep Jerry Carl (R-Mobile) recently signed onto a bill that aims to push back against foreign influence.
Carl joined Sean Sullivan on FM Talk 106.5's "Midday Mobile" radio show Wednesday to discuss the problem. There he said the issue isn't foreign countries, in general, buying American land — the largest foreign land owner in Alabama is a timber company based in Holland — but it's China's buying of farmland near military bases and natural resources across the country that poses a real, potential threat.
"We've got to be very careful on how we structure this [bill], but we're trying to prevent China from being able to come over here and buy our natural resources," Carl said "[C]hina's got a lot of things, but what they don't have is food. So if they can grow it, produce it here and ship it over there, I don't want to hurt them for that reason, but I'm very nervous of a communist country that actually comes in and buys property … We cannot allow our food chain to be bought up by foreign countries."
While the land issue poses a long-term problem, an even more immediate threat is the staggering amount of fentanyl being shipped over from China, Carl said.
"I was one of the first ones to start screaming about fentanyl," he said. "Common sense tells you when you have open borders, you can bring who and what you want to across those borders."
Carl said he would support taking military action against the cartels in Mexico that smuggled the drug into the U.S.
"The problem right now is the open border, period. Let's finish the border. Let's start with that," he said. "That's some of the things you're going to see us [do] when we win in November … you're going to see us really pound the pavement trying to get some of this stuff accomplished."
To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email daniel.taylor@1819news.com.
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