I highly recommend his interview with Mark Levin. It's 15 minutes and covers a range of things including a lot on immigration.
Before I get to what I've learned about Perry, I would hope you give the same litmus testing to all candidates. On immigration, you'll likely find them wanting. Numbers USA rates Bachmann B-, Cain C- and the others, Palin included, D or below.
You say Perry's opposed the fence in his own words and yet that's not accurate. You'll hear that in the Levin interview. He's consistently and repeatedly advocated for "strategic fencing," such as at metropolitan areas where it has been useful.
He prefers National Guard on the border until 4,000 more border patrol can be added--3,000 in TX, 1,000 more from El Paso west to San Diego. He supports use of aerial assets including helicopters and drones. Why? Because a "surge strategy" using the Texas Ranger has worked in Texas against cartels.
He knows even where there's a double fence today, like San Diego where I'm located, illegals still climb over. He also knows cartels build sophisticated tunnels underneath. Here's an example in Nogales a couple weeks ago. Fencing is on part.
In the interview, he rightly points out fencing everywhere is expensive. In 2007, Congressional Research Service placed the cost of only 700 miles worth at $50 billion excluding both labor and land acquisitions. CRS 2007 numbers)
That'd make a terrific union "make-work" program and an EPA nightmare. San Diego's double-fence had a gap across "Smuggler's Gulch" for years because of environmental wrangling. I'm sure the regulatory issues could be lessoned under any of the candidates running as EPA critics but it'll take an act of Congress to make it happen just as it did with "Smuggler's Gulch."
The Rio Grande is critical for Texas agriculture and forms the entire border between that state and Mexico. What's the impact of fencing it all off from Texans, effectively ceding the waterway to Mexico? Perry knows this and he's trying to be practical: boots on the ground, eyes in the sky, fencing where it makes sense, no amnesty (including no federal Dream Act) and no citizenship as part of any guest worker program.
Perry's cracked down on human trafficking (HB 1372, 4008 & SB 11 of '07), he's increased border security (Rangers on the border; HB1 of '07), enacted tougher employer sanctions (HB 1196 of '07), gone after document fraud (HB 126 of '07) and signed Voter ID.
Unlike candidates with just rhetoric on the issue, we don't have to wonder what kinds of things Perry might do on border security as president. We can see what he's done and where he's always stood.
I noted the most "pure" candidates according to Numbers USA are those with the least record. I find that troubling.
I saw in the NH town hall, Romney's now trying to run to the right of Perry on immigration (full fence, no in-state tuition). Is that believable? Not to me but we'll see if it works for his campaign.
After you've investigated Perry you may still find him unacceptable on immigration grounds. I'm sure you won't be alone.
That's fine as long as it's on his actual record and positions rather than alarmist spin or what the AP and others misreport.
I don't find him to be Obama, McCain or even W.
Greetings newzjunkey:
Thank you for your thoughtful post concerning Governor Perry’s border position(s). It always seemed there had to be a plausible explanation for the Governor Perry border fence flip-flops. Now, in the context of a Rio Grande “fence gap” necessity to maintain our share of waterway sovereignty, Perry’s statements do make sense.
If only the Gardasil issue was answered with such clarity.
Cheers,
OLA
Yours is a fantastic post that covers the subject completely. Thank you for putting in the effort!
Re: "Perry's cracked down on human trafficking (HB 1372, 4008 & SB 11 of '07), he's increased border security (Rangers on the border; HB1 of '07), enacted tougher employer sanctions (HB 1196 of '07), gone after document fraud (HB 126 of '07) and signed Voter ID."
Were those Rick Perry's bills or did he just sign them?