Activist threatens 'siege' of Bush ranch

El Universal Online ^ | January 26, 2005 | Wire services

[KiloLima]

Mexicans who toiled on U.S. farms between 1942 and 1964 under the Bracero program are ready to "besiege" U.S. President George W. Bush's ranch in Texas to press their demands for money owed them in their retirement, an activist who fought with Nicaragua's Sandinista rebels said Tuesday.

José Puente León told EFE that the former braceros are determined to march on Bush's ranch just as they did last year on the ranch owned by President Vicente Fox in Guanajuato.

[Dog Gone]

I was pretty young during the bracero program, but I don't recall it having a US paid retirement program as an element. Could they be trying to make a scene here to put pressure on Fox?

I'd like to know what their beef is exactly.

Other than attracting a bunch of US media attention in Crawford, they're not going to be able to set one foot on the ranch property, nor will they be welcomed in town, so they might want to rethink this.

[Fiddlstix]

Mexicans who toiled on U.S. farms between 1942 and 1964 under the Bracero program are ready to "besiege" U.S. President George W. Bush's ranch in Texas to press their demands for money owed them in their retirement.......

I remember the "Bracero program" very, very well. We hired many "Braceros" at our ranch back then. It was a good program back in its day, imho.
However, we (The USA and/or the farmers/ranchers) Do NOT "owe" the "Braceros" one damn thing.

[Viking2002]

Oooooo, target practice.

[GW and Twins Pawpaw]

He doesn't have cows on his place?? I cannot imagine him not owning livestock.

[finnigan2]

"Mexicans who toiled on U.S. farms between 1942 and 1964..."

- Good lord. Most of these guys must be in their seventies. The Secret Service doesn't have much to worry about since most of the protesters will be equipped with walkers.

[GW and Twins Pawpaw]

Not in the Hill Country. Sorry!

[xzins]

To the extent it impeded or injured anything about my home, I'd get the authorities involved.

It's also a bad precedent regarding presidential security. One can picket in D.C. and security issues are well in hand because plans, barricades, etc. have been worked out for years and years. To permit unknown crowds or individuals at presidential residences, which aren't nearly as protectable, is probably a bad security decision, and there should be the ability to limit such things based on security concerns.

[farmfriend]

Rights, farms, environment ping.
Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from this list.
I don't get offended if you want to be removed.

[youngtory]

Let's see them pass by the security.

[Seadog Bytes]

Perhaps that would go something like this...

[JustAnotherSavage]

President Bush doesn't like protesters. He's said so, no I don't have a reference right now. This just might tick him off. How do we encourage these people???LOL!!

[A CA Guy]

Wrong focus, they need to go complain to where they sent all their money... MEXICO.

[A CA Guy]

This will bring further attention to the general public and more people will want to send them all home.

[sweetliberty]

OH PLEASE! By all means, do it! Maybe that would get his attention on the seriousness of our PROBLEM with illegals!

[Cinnamon]

Let them try... this would be considered an attack on U.S. soil... just what we need to send all the illegals back to Mexico

[sweetliberty]

"But everyone else must bend over backwards for them in interpreting the law."

Not really. They simply want us to bend over.

[Chemist_Geek]

Hey, Puente! Guess what my "heirs" get from my retirement-SSA- when I die...$255 to bury me! That's it....

So, your savings accounts and 401(k) mysteriously disappear? Your heirs don't get those?

[Auntie Dem]

How are they owed money when any US citizen who commits identity theft goes to jail? And how about messing up the innocent American's taxes and retirement benefits?

Your comment just shows how you, and all other reactionary Americans like you, just don't understand and appreciate how much these illegal undocumented workers have added to the U.S. economy over the years. /sarcasm

Just think how much less the legal documented U.S. worker's retirement would be if they hadn't been hired to re-do the work originally done by the illegals braceros.

[JustAnotherSavage]

The article is about what our government owes them and their "heirs". Did you read it?

Send me your financial statement and I'll send you mine.

[1_Inch_Group]

Thanks for the laugh