According to a Washington Post-ABC News poll before the president spoke, 74 percent of Americans support using National Guard troops to patrol the Mexican border. Clearly, this is the place Bush wants and needs to be politically on this issue. But there is so much distance between the immigration bill the House passed and what the Senate started trying to pass today — and the president’s leverage on Republicans in either place is so feeble — that his attempt to set a deadline for Congress to act last night didn’t carry much weight. And I don’t see him out barnstorming the nation today to try to sell this. Was it too little and too late, in a country now too stirred up to be satisfied by a commonsense reform?
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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21 Comments
This G-d fool
http://english.aljazeera.net/HomePage
Well, let’s see; it’ll take at least 50,000 troops to reasonably seal the border, and considering all the National Guardsmen currently in Iraq, the administration is going to have some tough choices to make. Even if they commit that many troops, or more, anyone who really wants to cross will find a way. Some years ago, I met a guy whose mother led him through the mine-fields at night to escape from Latvia, and that was a truly sealed border.The pressure of people on our borders is increasing. We have two choices here; either commit more and more resources to hold it back, or create a valve to ease the pressure. I have spoken to several people who came here legally from Mexico. They ended up paying thousands of dollars in fees, and then had to wait ten to fifteen years to get the proper documents to emigrate. It’s a bureaucratic nightmare! No wonder we have a flood of illegal migrants! If we were to dramatically reduce the cost in time and money for a family to come here, we might not have fewer immigrants, but they would be documented, identified, and therefore less subject to the exploitation that costs others their jobs.Also, by doing everything we can to build the economy of Mexico, and other Central American countries, and making sure that most of the jobs go to the lower economic classes, we will provide less incentive for these people to go elsewhere to make a living. Such an approach seems a much more profitable use of resources than committing an ever-growing contingent of troops to patrol our borders.—–
Jed - “Also, by doing everything we can to build the economy of Mexico, and other Central American countries, and making sure that most of the jobs go to the lower economic classes, we will provide less incentive for these people to go elsewhere to make a living.”
AMEN!
I’m right behind you, Jed. I’ve heard horror stories of those who have tried to legally become citizens. Thousands of dollars paid, only to be told that the official “lost the paperwork and has no record of payment” and to try again. After several tries, a pocketful of change to someone else got the person a fake SS# and a ride into the country.
Excellent post, Jed.
How about we take care of building the economy here at home. We shouldn’t pay or be responsible for building up the economies of corrupt leftist nations.
I would a lot rather support a shift of all American manufacturing to Mexico than to send it all to China. China has an enormous trade surplus and Mexico starves. We need to eliminate enormous profits made by CEOs who offload American jobs. Then reduce the amout of American revenue draining in to China. I would rather see a good economy in our hemisphere than trusting China to return the favor. Why not elect politicians that want to put America FIRST? Vote all incumbents OUT!
Joe - how about corrupt rightist countries? How about the billions being wasted in Iraq? The billions for Israel?
I am a confused old man.Sometimes I think the economic damage the Illegals do for us is horrible. They do lower the wages for many of the hard jobs – highway work, nannies, crop picking, etc. If the employers had to pay more for American workers my grandchildren could get a decent HARD job. This would give them incentive to get serious about their education. I say catch the illegals and ship them all home!Other days, when I am on my meds, I figure they probably earn a lot more than they are paid and I feel sorry for them. Hang the damn cheap employers! Give the poor illegals amnesty.Maybe Bush has the right middle-of-the-road position on this one.
In regard to this illegal immigration situation, it reminds me of the feeling you would get arriving on the deck of the Titanic as its going down and saying, “Gentlemen, what do we do now?”
Or Lone Ranger surrounded by angry Indians, saying to Tonto “What do we do now Tonto”? To which Tonto replied, “Who WE Keno Sabe”?
Sending National Guard and Reserves consisting of business people, government employees, teachers, police officers, firemen in their civilian lives would short these occupations. This would necessitate replacement with, you guessed it, second generation illegal immigrants in their home communities!
I agree with Old Joe above. We need a “middle of the road,” comprehensive program immediately,to include:
** Sealing the border somehow for safety of immigrants as well as U.S. side border residents.
** Registration program including health screening and shots right here in Sedgwick County. Fund selected county governments across America to carry out this important program. Establish minimum requirements to stay.
** Review all U.S., state, county,municipal and school regulations for applicability in light of this new immigrant reality.
** Determine how private businesses which hire immigrants many times to the benefit of all, should handle this situation.
I find myself largely in agreement with Old Joe, JWink - and Bush - on this issue. Somewhere there is a middle ground - allow those WORKERS who want to contribute to our society to earn their way to citizenship. Expect them to learn English and civics on the way.
My sympathies tend to lay more with my fellow citizens who would like to work reasonable hours for a fair wage. Accomodating these invaders in any way subverts that.Bush “solution” is no solution at all. The public will buy it because the only thing they will hear is “troops on the border” and will figure problem solved!
By the way? THe Mexican government has already said that if National Guard units detain Mexicans, Mexico will sue in United States courts!
The techological and logistical details of the bush plan cannot be implemented fully or effectively until the end of his administration. Then it will be someone elses problem.
In the end this half ass solution will accomplsh nothing and we will throw up our hands and cry amnesty.The best way for these people to help themselves is to set their own corrupt government right. For that they need to be in their country.
Total deportation NOW!
JR,Do you really think those illegals would rather work for low or no wages? The only reason employers can get away with exploiting them is the threat of turning them over to INS. If they were allowed to come here legally, employers wold have to pay competitive wages.As far as “total deportation now,” by the time we’ve spent the billions it would take to deport 12 million of them, 11 million would be back in the country!
Jed
Oh believe me I have considered the benefits of legalizing these folks and getting them AND their exploiters into the light.
But the fact is these folks come from a different reality. Even if they were legal, they would still work for wages and in conditions below the standards Americans are accustomed to without due compensation.
I’d not be in favor of lowering further in ANY WAY the expectations of Americans to be paid and treated fairly. The effect of the illegals has ALREADY cost us too much ground.
No jed. They have to go.
JR,”But the fact is these folks come from a different reality. Even if they were legal, they would still work for wages and in conditions below the standards Americans are accustomed to without due compensation.”JR,Yeah, they might at first, but as soon as they discovered they had the same rights as everybody else here, don’t you think they’ll get the picture and want a try at the American dream? Certainly they come from a different reality; why do you think they left? They wanted this one!
I might point out that if you’re worried about hispanics taking over, we already have a model of the hated minority that invaded our shores and threatened to corrupt our society- the Irish!
No dice Jed
The problem is that even IF these illegals were made legal and somehow changed their life experience that they are to be no more than slaves working for whatever pittance offerredthe very fact of making THEM legal would encourage OTHERS.
A society can only support so many. If we make these current invaders legal and they DO demand as Americans do fair pay for fair work, another wave will come from the south to replace THEM. And that will continue wave after wave until the US is no better than the countries from which the illegals flee.
No. They have to go. They have to go for all the reasons I have given and also so that no more will come.
Yeah, well every I bring up population problems, some joker replies that the whole world’s population could fit comfortably in the state of Texas. Well, maybe it’s time to put that to the test!As far as a society being able to support only so many, might I point out that our standard of living has increased in step with our increasing population.
Sometimes natural forces trump human-made laws.
If the Gringos slam the border closed how will I ship the free all the free drugs to treat my poor mama and papa bach home. Besides with a vision card supplied by the us government we can live well all night and siesta all dat time. Viva presidente Arbusto. Did you know what arbusto means in spanish?
Labomba
Well damn, why couldnt we have slammed the border shut BEFORE Alberto Gonzolas’ grandparents swam the rio grande?
From CNN:
BLITZER: Give us your — tell our viewers who aren’t familiar your personal story, how you got to where you are, your grandparents, your parents. They struggled, they came here. I don’t know if they came here legally or illegally, but give us the story.
GONZALES: Well, three of my grandparents were born in Mexico. They came to Texas. My parents — both of my parents were born in Texas, extremely poor. My mother…
BLITZER: But when they came to Texas, were they legally documented, were they unlegally documented?
GONZALES: You know, it’s unclear. It’s unclear. And I’ve looked at this issue, I’ve talked to my parents about it, and it’s just not clear.”
Do you suppose the “unclear” nature of his grandparent’s citizenship (making his parents ANCHOR BABIES) could be why the DOJ is so slow to crack down on illegals?
You just cant make this stuff up!!
Legal? - I’d sure like to see the documentation where the Mayflower and other immigrants got legal permission from the Native American Nations. Saying “I’m legal because my buddy who came over last week said it was OK” doesn’t fly.