[Mind-numbed Robot]

How would YOU seal the borders?

[primeval patriot]

Good stuff Doughty.

[bayourod]

"Why should non-citizens get free health care while we have to pay through the ying-yang to get it?"

Federal law only requires that emergency rooms that participate in Medicare have to "stabilize" anyone brought in regardless of ability to pay. After that, it is state laws, city/county laws, hospital district rules, hospital policies, etc... that mandate further treatment.

It's not Bush's fault.

This is just one example of many problems that people blame on Bush instead of their local politicians who should have solved it.

[k2blader]

Excellent post.

I missed the "immigration" part of the speech, which is a good thing because had I heard it, I could not have stomached the rest.

President Bush is very determined on this issue and will not give it up, nor will he stop insulting our intelligence. Conservatives will have to keep the pressure on Congress to fight it.

I honestly don't believe the GOP as a whole would be stupid enough to support his proposal. But if they do, they'll lose in more ways than one.

[bayourod]

It's impossible to seal the borders. Look at the failure of the 66 mile Tijuana sector with double fences, flood lights, patrol roads, UAVs, helicopters, dogs, ATVs, etc...

The beauty of the guest worker program is that it's self-enforcing.

Illegal immigrants will want to become legal guest workers and employers will want their employees to become legal guest workers.

If guest worker status is available, there is no incentive for anyone to be an illegal border jumper or any employer to hire an illegal.

Everyone wins (except the racists and Bush-haters)

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

Very thought-provoking. Would that there were a simple answer to this. Jesus said "The Poor You Will Always Have With You" and ain't that the truth....

Exporting Capitalism and Freedom south and not just to the Mideast seems like a good idea....

[Penner]

Where the President and I part ways, is when he implies that our economy can't meet it's needs without poor, uneducated, unable to be financialy responsible for themselves, men and women from foreign countries.

Agree 100%.

[FITZ]

A country like Mexico which can produce as many billionaires as Great Britain should be required to pay for the free education and health care it's citizens are taking here. American taxpayers should not be paid --- and it's incredibly irresponsible that our leaders are allowing this situation to go on ---- why isn't Mexico being sent a bill?

[Razz Barry]

My I fax this to Tom Tancredo and ask that he give this to the president? I'd send it to The White House but it would go into the round file. I'd like to make copies for friends to mail to him also. We would note on it that we are not the author, but it mirrors our view.

[1_Inch_Group]

BTTT

[bayourod]

"Do you allow them to swamp your communities, health care and education resources? Do you allow them to soak up tens of billions of dollars of funding that citizens have every right to expect to be spent on their local community and state needs?"

Productive employees don't soak up funds, they are the engine that drives the businesses that pay the taxes that provide the schools, roads, museums, stadiums, etc...

The vast majority of taxes are paid by the very wealthy and businesses. The average working family doesn't pay anywhere near the amount in taxes as benefits they receive. How much do the schools in California spend per child? How many families with two or three children in school pay that amount in school taxes?

We have no choice but to import laborers. Our aging population is almost at zero population growth now. As long as the economy is doing great why do you begrudge immigrant laborers? Why risk a major recession by closing businesses or forcing them to relocate over seas.

There are plenty of jobs for anyone who wants one to get one. And wages for white collar jobs or skilled licensed jobs are not brought down by wages of garbage collectors or gardners.

[gubamyster]

ping

[k2blader]

Free Republic Opinion Poll: What is your opinion regarding immigration:

Composite Opinion
Illegal immigration is the problem.	33.8%		1,011
Seal and militarize borders.	33.0%		988
Borders should be closed.	15.7%		469
Immigration should be reduced.	10.1%		301
Borders should be open.	4.0%		121
Immigration is not a big issue.	3.4%		102
	100.0%		2,992
Member Opinion
Illegal immigration is the problem.	33.8%		997
Seal and militarize borders.	32.9%		972
Borders should be closed.	15.7%		463
Immigration should be reduced.	10.1%		298
Borders should be open.	4.0%		119
Immigration is not a big issue.	3.4%		101
	99.9%		2,950
Non-Member Opinion
Seal and militarize borders.	38.1%		16
Illegal immigration is the problem.	33.3%		14
Borders should be closed.	14.3%		6
Immigration should be reduced.	7.1%		3
Borders should be open.	4.8%		2
Immigration is not a big issue.	2.4%		1
	100.0%		42

[ETERNAL WARMING]

DENVER — Fed up with illegal immigration and eager to send a message to federal lawmakers, hundreds of volunteers from across the nation will spend the month of April patrolling the Arizona-Mexico border, helping to apprehend migrants coming into the U.S.

"This is a direct challenge to President Bush," said Chris Simcox, an organizer of what's being called the Minuteman Project. "You have continued to ignore this problem. Our state officials, senators and congressmen will do nothing. So this is a last-ditch effort to roll up our sleeves and do it ourselves."

Arizona is the nation's busiest gateway for illegal immigrants, with about 580,000 arrests last year — more than in California, Texas and New Mexico combined. Most of the activity occurs in the southeast part of the state near Tucson. Last year, Arizona received $10 million in federal aid and hundreds of additional border and customs agents. Many immigrants now choose to go through New Mexico, but traffic in Arizona remains high.

Simcox — the founder of Civil Homeland Defense, which runs its own border patrols — said 416 people from 41 states had volunteered to take up positions between the Arizona towns of Naco and Douglas and around Coronado National Forest. A rally is planned for April 1, when organizers expect 2,000 people to park their cars along the border, forming a gantlet to repel illegals.

"We have a no-contact policy. We are acting only as eyes and ears," said Simcox, who also runs the Tombstone Tumbleweed, a weekly newspaper in Tumbleweed, Ariz. "We work within the law. We spot and find illegal immigrants and report them to the Border Patrol."

The Minuteman Project was launched in October by James Gilchrist, a retired accountant from Aliso Viejo, Calif.

"We want to bring national awareness to the illegal alien crisis," he said. "For years, people have been cringing in the corner like mice, afraid to speak out because of political correctness. I think a lot of Americans feel they have been muzzled, and I have tapped into that."

Gilchrist said he'd been overwhelmed by the response to his project in Arizona but wanted to be sure those taking part were not troublemakers.

"We are worried about being framed down there, so we want to vet everyone who is coming," he said. "If anyone causes trouble, they will be asked to leave."

Federal agents and local officials also have expressed concern.

"We worry about any person or private group that takes the immigration laws into their own hands," said Andy Adame, a spokesman for the Border Patrol's Tucson sector. "This is a violent area. We deal with drug smugglers every day. We don't want to say we don't want the public's help; we just don't want it in this format."

Adame said it was fine for civilians to report illegal immigrants, but detaining them would raise legal problems.

"These people need to be aware that we will forward any violations of the law to local prosecutors," he said.

Douglas Mayor Ray Borane has called the citizens' border effort racist. "You are going to get every misfit, everyone with a warrant out for their arrest, everyone who needs new scenery or climate out here," he said. "If they come into this community, it could lead to an international incident."

Douglas, an 86% Latino town of about 14,000, sits across from the Mexican city of Agua Prieta. Mexicans routinely shop in Douglas, and the lives of the two communities often intersect. Americans have family on the Mexican side, and vice versa. Douglas officials deal with their Mexican counterparts on a variety of issues, including business, schools and law enforcement.

But Borane believes the illegal migration is out of control and that the presence of vigilante groups demonstrates how bad things have become.

"As long as the government doesn't address it, it will lend itself to these sorts of things," he said.

"The solution is political and diplomatic. I don't know what it is, but they can't just let it fester down here."

[calcowgirl]

Good post D1.

I share almost all of the thoughts you expressed.

[Indie]

This nation will just be torn apart one neighborhood at a time at an even faster rate than it has been, until someone finally turns out the lights.

When Bush was done with his hyperbole on immigration, I cringed and cried out LIAR right in front of my kids. Liar and hypocrite.

Great post. Now bring on the BOT incoming.

[lainde]

VERY eloquent...bravo!

[Apple Pan Dowdy]

BRAVO! And thank you for having the courage to say what many of us are thinking.

It is true that there is a fine line between supporting our President in this crucial time (a president who we all love and respect so much) and having the courage to stand up to him when he is obviously imperiling the nation with such an open border policy.

I am trying to understand the President’s reasoning. Is he possibly thinking that there is no way to stop them from coming so best to have them beholden to Republicans so when they become the majority of voters in several states (and they will eventually), then they will keep the Republican party in power?

I have read (even on this board) the sentiments that “what would be so wrong with the USA eventual becoming dominantly Hispanic, perhaps that is our destiny.” I guess the question then becomes whether we want to continue to celebrate the 4th of July or would we be content to celebrate Cinco de Maya, because from what I am seeing, most Hispanics are not very interested in assimilating into an “American” culture and language, but intend on retaining their own.

I guess I have to question a bit of your reasoning on the subject of Mexican immigrants building slums across the nation. That would be a temporary condition...... just like it was when the Scots/Irish immigrants came. First generation there were slums, future generations got an education and worked their way out. So perhaps Bush is reasoning, they will come... so let them work legally so they can rise above the slums one day. But then the same ole question arises...... are we ready to see America become predominantly Hispanic? Perhaps Bush has accepted the inevitable. Perhaps he sees a future when there is little distinction between borders of any country?

I’ll probably get flamed for saying this but my thoughts are that George W Bush sees what his father called “A New World Order”... when his father said in 1991,

“Now, we can see a new world coming into view. A world in which there is the very real prospect of a new world order. In the words of Winston Churchill, a "world order" in which "the principles of justice and fair play ... protect the weak against the strong ..." A world where the United Nations, freed from cold war stalemate, is poised to fulfill the historic vision of its founders.”

“ To me this is a scary thought!

[freeangel]

Applause!!! Well said. If only the President did get this one issue.(sigh)

[raybbr]

Very well said. Thanks for the effort. I hope that "Dubya"'s not going to sell us out south of border but it doesn't look good.