Posted on 07/11/2005 4:06:20 PM PDT by freedrudge
CAPE TOWN, South Africa - After a safari weekend, Laura Bush stepped out of a dusty SUV with her twin daughters on Monday to serve as a goodwill ambassador in Africa for President Bush.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
How about a seven day trip to our southern border Laura. There are citizens down there, as opposed to Africa.
Laura, why aren't you and the girls going to Terri Schiavo's grave instead?
Perhaps it gauls me that our fearless (on our dime) leaders will be spending a significant portion of the recently promised $50 "B"illion dollars that are donated to Africa every year in upcoming years.
At home we don't have money for lots of things. Immigration is something the Bush administration is skimping on to keep the budget in line.
Bush was authorized to hire 2,000 new border agents. He hired 200, which will barely cover retirees and such.
If we've got tens of billions of dollars to burn, burn them on our border problem.
If he wants to donate flowers to Terry's grave site, I could live with it.
Whether it even happens and what the US share of that would be were never set out, so it's one of the lofty announcements coming out of the G8 that gets headlines but means nothing unless the details get worked out.
I don't know why Bush's budget called for less new border guard positions than had been authorized. But it's not his call. Congress controls the pursestrings, not him.
And even under his budget proposal, that would be 200 additional agents, not replacements for normal attrition.
Well, I wish that were true, but I listened carefully to the comments coming out of that summit. At least part of the time it was announced that it would be $50 Billion per year. I realize what you're getting at, $50 Billion paid out over ten years, and that may be true, but I'm only telling you what some of the reporting was.
Whether it even happens and what the US share of that would be were never set out, so it's one of the lofty announcements coming out of the G8 that gets headlines but means nothing unless the details get worked out.
Gee, I wonder why the U.S. wouldn't commit in public. I'll bet you could figure out why if you chose to.
I don't know why Bush's budget called for less new border guard positions than had been authorized. But it's not his call. Congress controls the pursestrings, not him.
This is non-factual. Congress has given the president the authority to hire upwards of 2000 new border patrol agent each year for the next five years. Bush opted for 200.
And even under his budget proposal, that would be 200 additional agents, not replacements for normal attrition.
Please provide the document that nails down the attrition factor. Thanks. I'd also like to see a method of proof that the implementation will wind up that way. While you're at it, please provide a means for us to verify that. None of this is verifiable. The promises are such that we feel good, but nothing really happens.
Don't circumvent FR's excerpting rules by reposting as reply. Thanks.
The act authorized additional agents. If you care to get up to speed on the issue, feel free to do your own research. Alternatively, you can make an attempt to support your own assertion, but you will fail.
You can also type "$50 billion Africa" into any news search engine. None of the results returned will say that it was $50 billion per year.
Bush couldn't commit to what the US share of that lofty-sounding number would be, because he can't authorize it. It's up to Congress to authorize it if it chooses.
Now, let's invite Willie Green so that we can hijack this thread into a protectionist trade thread.
You sure wasted a lot of wind on that one. Congratulations.
Up to speed? LOL
I wonder if Laura and the girls are planning on getting in a little hunting while in Africa. A friend of mine bagged a huge lion within the last year over there.
You're not up to speed on the additional agents, laugh all you want.
1. You say the border patrol has 10,000 agents. A lot more than 200 per year leave or retire. This proves to you that the 200 couldn't possibly be absorbed into the replacement for that group.
2. The act authorized 2000 new agents per year. If we aren't going to do what's authorized, what convinces you that these will be new agents. Fool you once, fool you again...
3. You can type it in. I made a comment and even admitted it may not be accurate, but I did hear it stated on more than one occasion that the $50 billion will be a yearly figure. I told you I can't account for that and you might be right. That evidently wasn't good enough for you.
4. Presidents commit to fugures all the time. Congress doesn't always go along. Bush antied up $15 billion without going to Congress beforehand.
5. As for Willie Green, be my guest. Let's hope you can address anything he has to say better than you've done here.
You've given me plenty to laugh about. BTW, I forgot to thank you. That logic trail was something else.
I could see Jenna shooting dove at a water hole at the ranch. But that's about it.
Somehow in the DoughtyOne world, the authorization for up to 2000 new agents means the authority to hire replacement agents. I can't argue with that insanity.
The one my friend got was lots bigger than the above. I like deer hunting pretty well, but there I get to eat the animals I kill. I'm sure hunting a big cat would be a great thrill, but, honestly, I'm not sure how I feel about shooting one just for that reason.
I notice the guy is wearing mossy oak, which strikes me slightly funny.
Boy, you don't often see a lion that close to a human. Lions are a lot bigger than they look in the Disney cartoons, huh?
I don't think he bagged a lion, although I'm not sure. Things have changed in the last 60 years or so, and I don't think I'd feel good about taking a lion today. Any of the gazillion antelope species, sure.
The authorization to hire 2000 new agents, didn't result in 2000 new agents being hired did it? Ahhhhhhh < play final jeopardy music here > ..... Well, ah, er ah, NO!
Now, why in the Sam Hell are you convinced that the other aspect of it "NEW AGENTS" will come to fruition? Ahhhhhhh < play final jeopardy music here > ..... Well, ah, er ah, YOU CAN'T BE!
It's not insanity, but you're simply not facing reality. I asked a valid question and you've reached a conclusion that simple isn't supportable or verifiable.
You've been maintaining that he didn't ask for any because of attrition. I'll deal with the facts as they are. You deal with news reports you claim you heard.
I'm already sorry I allowed you to hijack the thread because it only encourages more of that in the future.
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