Posted on 08/21/2004 9:04:20 PM PDT by ETERNAL WARMING
(08-21) 15:55 PDT MEXICO CITY (AP) --
President Bush's nephew, campaigning for overseas votes in Mexico on Saturday, called the federal policy of arming U.S. Border Patrol agents with plastic pellet guns "reprehensible."
Speaking in a mix of English and sometimes-halting Spanish, George P. Bush said his uncle was not to blame for the gun policy, which has angered Mexicans. He instead blamed it on "some local INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service) guy who's trying to be tough, act macho."
"If there has been American approval for this policy, that is reprehensible," Bush said of the guns, essentially paintball projectiles filled with chile powder. "It's kind of barbarous."
The pellet guns, which were approved at the federal level, have been used on a trial basis since 2001 in California and Arizona. The U.S. Border Patrol fired the pepper-balls in 81 instances in 2002-03 and reported no deaths or severe injuries.
President Bush's Hispanic nephew -- he's the grandson of migrant worker Jose Maria Garnica -- is in Mexico on a week-long visit to drum up support for his uncle among the estimated 1 million Americans living there.
The younger Bush, whose father is Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and mother, Columba, is originally from Mexico, acknowledged at a news conference that the war in Iraq is not popular in Mexico but defended the military action, saying "we're almost done with it."
He also acknowledged that "there are some people in our (Republican) party who don't see the benefits of immigration," but promised that President Bush was a proponent of immigration reform.
He called Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez "a dictator" and cast doubt on his victory last week in a recall referendum, saying Chavez had "a long history of fraud." Outside observers, including former President Jimmy Carter, have endorsed the Venezuelan vote counts.
Christopher Fussner, global chairman of Republicans Abroad, which funded Bush's trip, called Mexico "the most important country" for getting overseas votes.
Fussner said Republicans are advertising in overseas English-language newspapers around the world in hopes of capturing expatriate votes.
Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry's campaign also has enlisted family members to woo voters in Mexico. His sister, Diana Kerry, chairwoman of Americans Overseas for Kerry, visited Mexico City in July.
Kerry supporters also held a voter-registration and ballot-request drive in Guadalajara on Thursday.
Unlike you though, GWB actually cares about winning and being in a position to advance conservative causes. He's not ready to just hand the country over to the Democratic Party as you appear to want to do.
Time to make this and the second amendment an issue. We don't have much time.
Yeah? So? If they want NOT to live here in the USA, then they should NOT vote.
What do they know? what do they care? They have no more ties to this country. They could not care less what happens here - to me, they are no longer real American citizens.
Wow, you sure have me pegged!
He's not ready to just hand the country over to the Democratic Party as you appear to want to do.
No, he prefers to hand it over to Mexicans.
Make that taxpayer subsidized Welfare Mexicans.
LOL, I love these late-night flamewars.
Just like that Communist Ronald Reagan.
Really? You could have fooled me.
Two decades of booming immigration from Mexico and our economy has done nothing but go straight up, across the board.
I love people who think we're all doomed because some guy selling fruit next to the highway doesn't speak English. LOL, indeed.
Strip him of his U.S. citizenship and make him live in Mexico!
Yawn.
Whom are you voting for?
Looks like it's going to be for the guy who's going to loose.
Yawn
There are many. many USA citizens living in retirement in Mexico. They have limited funds and their money goes much further there. They are still entitled to vote, probably absentee.
Having said that, someone needs to remind Bush about the story on another FR thread about the illegal in Utah who raped and almost killed the 2 y/o daughter of his girlfriend- who is also illegal. Maybe plastic bullets sometime in the past would have kept them both south of the border. Now the guy will be on the taxpayer dole for most of the rest of his life in prison. The victim will also be an openend cost. Stopping them before they get here is the only answer , IMO. There has to be a limit to compassions. Compassionate is starting to be another name for "stupid American taxpayer". Flame away if you must. I have seen enough of the open borders and what they bring.
Loose? You're voting for Kerry? That's too bad.
Think so?
Let's face it, Reagan was dead wrong on this issue. He merely succeeded in multiplying the number of illegals in the hopes they could get an amnesty too. But for us, they'd have it. But for our efforts, those borders would be wide open. Our politicians prefer business interests to our interests. That's why they won't be getting my vote this time around. I intend to hold them accountable. I'm tired of the pandering to the cheap labor crowd. I'm tired of my taxes going thru the roof and wages plummeting. I'm tired of the fact I can't shop on Nellis Blvd anymore for fear of bodily harm.
Maybe I am sensitive to this because I was born overseas. I have an insight to what life outside these borders is really like and what the word LOYALTY to your chosen country really means.
Maybe that is is? I CHOSE to live in the USA, so I care.
Also, 12 years in the USMC teaches one a lot about loyalty and patriotism.
Do I think it's too bad that you're voting for Kerry? Sure... why not? I think it's too bad that anyone would vote for him. But ultimately, it doesn't bother me that much because he doesn't have a prayer.
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