Posted on 08/15/2005 6:17:17 PM PDT by Graybeard58
PHOENIX - Gov. Janet Napolitano may declare border counties a disaster area, following the lead of her New Mexico counterpart.
Napolitano press aide Jeanine L'Ecuyer said Monday the governor's staff is exploring whether an emergency could be declared based not on a natural disaster but because of the problems of crime, human smuggling and property destruction caused by people crossing the international border.
L'Ecuyer said the basic question involves reviewing the legal grounds for making such a declaration. State law permits the governor to declare an emergency in various instances, including cases of "invasions, hostile attacks, riots or insurrections.''
On Friday, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson used similar authorization to declare a disaster in four border counties. That move freed up $750,000 from that state's emergency fund to help pay overtime for state police and sheriff's deputies, with Richardson also promising to provide another $1 million in discretionary dollars.
Cam Hunter, spokeswoman for the Arizona Department of Homeland Security, said this state has $4 million in the fund.
L'Ecuyer said there are a variety of differences between Arizona and New Mexico that might make a disaster declaration here inappropriate. She also said part of the question is whether such a declaration by Napolitano would free up any federal funds.
Pahl Shipley, press aide to Richardson, said his boss is hoping for some federal aid. But Tim Manning, that state's Mexico's homeland security chief, said that would require the state to meet some very specific requirements in federal law.
"It essentially comes down to all available resources at the local and state level have been used,'' he said. Manning said there also is a formula to determine the relative burden of an emergency on the state, computed on a per capita basis.
But Shipley said there also is a political component behind the governor's declaration.
"He is frustrating by the inaction on the federal level and felt like he needed to take action to protect New Mexicans and their property,'' Shipley said. He said Richardson wanted to "send a clear message the governor thought it was an urgent situation.''
The move has had at least some impact: U.S. Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., said Richardson's declaration is more evidence that Congress needs to act soon to enact a comprehensive temporary worker program along with increased sanctions against employers who hired undocumented workers.
"As Arizonans well know, the federal government's inability to control the border has been a crisis for some time,'' Flake said in a prepared statement. "We cannot afford to wait any longer.''
Flake is a co-sponsor of legislation being pushed by Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., to set up a new temporary worker program for jobs that require few or no skills. It also seeks unspecified increases in funding for border security.
Manning acknowledged there always has been crime along the border, it appears to have become more frequent - and more violent recently. He said some of that may be due to increased Border Patrol activity in Arizona which is moving some of the problem to the east.
"It's about criminal activity and it's about potential terrorism,'' Manning said. "Our concern right now is for the people down there.''
Hello again, Dane.
Put up - or shut up.
No more convenient cut and paste. LET'S HEAR WHAT DANE HAS TO SAY FOR HIMSELF. LET'S HEAR HOW YOU WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM.....
"Dubya's a fool for handing this issue to the Democrats."
No, we're the fools for thinking he'd actually do something about the borders.
Nor do the rats....
So we must throw open our borders, declare a shamnesty for anyone who wants to cross, and give them jobs that should be for Americans - and that will make everything all right. What fantasy world does flakey Flake live in anyway? They're not obey the laws now, they're not following current procedures, what makes Flake think they're suddenly going to follow the law after a shamnesty is in place? Heck, most of them can't even read and write in their own language how are they ever going to be able to understand or fill out the appropriate paperwork? Flake is good on so many other issues, but profoundly moronic on this one. That goes for McCain, Kolbe, Kennedy and Bush too.
Don't hold your breath waiting for that.
The Dems will win the 08 elections....this is the number one issue in America
When the GOP border governors (TX & CA) follow suit they will be labeled as racists.
"After all these years we have been screaming at the top of our lungs for the pubs to wise up and secure our borders, the RATS have just recovered a fumble and taking it all the way for a touchdown...GRRRRRRR! Damn idiots!"
You can't rely on them for many things, but you can always depend on a Clintonista Democrat to accurately interpret a public opinion poll.
"Does this mean the National Guard would be deployed?"
No, the Dems have got that planned for November 2007.
I have a sense that there may be already a deal between Hillary and Richardson. Now, in addition to her recent "endorsement" by Billy Graham, Hillary's ads can feature footage of her overseeing the NM National Guard on the Mexican border.
She is a fraud.
That's for sure. Just wait and see how much she morphs into a governor for homeland security before the 06 election. I just pray the Republicans have someone that can beat her.
Oh, chill out!
I don't see it that way. I see it as the democrats attempting to do that, but we're way ahead of the election and there are many opportunities for disaster with Hispanic voters, and many opportunities for Republicans to up the ante.
This is not even close to being a recovered fumble and a touchdown. More like a fumble, and the other side has it with the tips of the fingers of one hand. Now both sides are waiting for the reaction.
It would be simple as anything for Bush or the Republicans in congress to roll out a meaningful immigration reform bill, using the dems as blockers.
This is merely the beginning, and no one has the advantage, particularly considering the Dems appeasing of minorities. We're in a great situtation now, or at least soon will be, where we can play both parties off against each other to get meaningful work done in this area. And I see no evidence of the Dems wanting to continue down this path.
Your average issue voter doesn't know that. They will see Demonrats addressing the problem and vote the issue instead of the party.
ping
W's goal is to ultimately get his half Mexican nephew (George P. Bush) elected Governor of Texas. The Bush family will accordingly oppose anything that shuts down the flow across the border.
You point out how both parties are trying to spin this crisis into some political advantage. The truth is that they'd gain far more support DOING something about it than trying to pin the blame on the donkey (or the elephant, whatever). They're shared assumption that their constituency are morons is deeply insulting.
Arizona's governor has crapped in her "bed" by cozying up to the corrupt crowd making millions off the illegal sub-class and now asks the Federal government to clean it up. Both Napolitano and Richardson should have their requests denied while investigations into their campaign financiers opened. Drag them into the light and watch them ignite.
The Dems need only to peel off a small portion (some say as little as 3% or maybe even less) of the disenfranchised conservative voters to take back control most anywhere in Washington. At this point that wouldn't be all that hard to envision with Bush almost single handily taking down the Republican party with his stubbornness on immigration reform.
And those sentiments will likely be the Republicans undoing in '06 and quite likely in '08.
BTW, I share those same sentiments as I consider this issue to be the one single most important issue facing America today and in the future. Illegal immigration affects almost every segment of our way of life here in America. The Congress and the WH are the Republicans to lose and they are well on their way to that scenario. I can see the Dems already licking their chops on the prospects of seeing the Republicans imploding over this.
Yo Dane - how's it going?
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