Boehner hints a back down on 'amnesty'

The Washington Times ^ | March 29, 2006 | Charles hurt

[Junior_G]

Here on Earth, the Republicans won't be replaced by anyone who's stronger on immigration

Lucky for us that they won't be replaced by anybody that is weaker on immigration either.

[CowboyJay]

"Even Meirs and the ports deal wasn't THIS bad."

Care to guess why? Give you three chances (the first two don't count).

[Southack]

"How many were legislated before they weren't funded by Bush, and then under pressure, 1,700 got funded as if throwing a small bone out to those of us that are beyond fed up? Hint: I know that answer too."

You haven't displayed any answer so far.

In your earlier post, you claimed that President Bush had only funded a pittance...a "few hundred" new border patrol agents.

In reality, the U.S. has gone from 2,000 BP agents to over 10,000 now under President Bush...with 1,700 new border agents deployed this year alone.

You weren't aware of these facts. This makes you appear uninformed on this immigration issue.

[samcgwire]

[BigSkyFreeper]

I understand Latin as much as I understand Spanish. My second language is fast becoming.

dah-dah
dah-dah-dah
di-dah-dit
di-dah-dit
di-dit
di-di-dit

dah-di-dah-dit
dah-dah-dah
dah-di-dit
dit

LOL! So you can misspell in two languages. Congratulations. I'll let Samuel F.B. Morse get the last laugh from beyond the grave.

[Reagan Man]

There are 11,000 Border Patrol agents. Roughly 9,900 are stationed on the southern border with Mexico. Why? Because that is where 99% of the illegal border crossing arrests take place. There needs to be a big increase in the PB force contingent. For starters, lets double the that 11,000 to 22,000 within 18 months. In the short term, get the military to assist in border security. Contrary to what some ardent civil libertarians may say, part of the duties of the US military is to stop invasions of the American homeland. Bush needs to stop worrying about what Vincente Fox thinks. Bush needs to secure our borders ASAP, before we get hit by a terrorist attack, which began as an illegal border crossing onto US soil.

[stands2reason]

You are one to talk. I don't think you've made one post on this thread that wasn't a personal attack.

[samcgwire]

http://www.hispanicvista.com/HVC/Opinion/Commentary/021405Bcomm.htm


By Michael Hedges
The Houston Chronicle
09 February 2005

President uses law's escape clause to drop funding for new homeland security force.

Washington -- The law signed by President Bush less than two months ago to add thousands of border patrol agents along the U.S.-Mexico border has crashed into the reality of Bush's austere federal budget proposal, officials said Tuesday.

Officially approved by Bush on Dec. 17 after extensive bickering in Congress, the National Intelligence Reform Act included the requirement to add 10,000 border patrol agents in the five years beginning with 2006. Roughly 80 percent of the agents were to patrol the southern U.S. border from Texas to California, along which thousands of people cross into the United States illegally every year.

But Bush's proposed 2006 budget, revealed Monday, funds only 210 new border agents.

The shrunken increase reflects the lack of money for an army of border guards and the capacity to train them, officials said.

Retired Adm. James Loy, acting head of the Department of Homeland Security until nominee Michael Chertoff takes over, said funding only 210 new agents was a "recognition that we need to balance those things as we go on down the road with other priorities."

The White House referred questions about the border agents to the Homeland Security Department.

The law signed by Bush had a caveat that went virtually unreported at the time. A summary, published by the Senate Government Affairs Committee, required the government to increase the number of border patrol agents by at least 2,000 per year, "subject to available appropriations."

Democrats were unhappy that the proposed budget used the escape clause so soon after the president approved the huge boost in border agents.

"We know we must do more to shore up security along our borders," said Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, top Democrat on the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee. "The president's budget does not even attempt to meet this challenge."

Some Republicans also were displeased.

"This is an area of homeland security that needs to be ramped up in order to increase surveillance and patrols of our nation's vast and often remote borders," said Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, chair of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

A Jan. 24 letter signed by leading Republican lawmakers implored the president to fully fund the new law "in order to secure our borders against infiltration by terrorists."

The lead signer was Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and a leader of GOP efforts to toughen immigration laws and anti-terrorism statutes.

[ohioWfan]

I sure hope you're right that the first two groups can be reasoned with, Southack.

I have always believed conservatives to be the most rational of all people. People who operated in the realm of ideas, who were educated and reasonable, and who could disagree with dignity and respect.

This anti-immigration mob has shattered any ideals I had about conservatives before I signed on to this forum (presuming that most of them actually are conservatives.....which sometimes seems a stretch).

I have never seen such lack of rational thought, nor such intolerance and emotional lack of control in my life.

Some of them make me want to dialogue with a liberal so I can deal with someone more rational. ;)

[Darkwolf377]

Here on Earth, the Republicans won't be replaced by anyone who's stronger on immigration Lucky for us that they won't be replaced by anybody that is weaker on immigration either.

Yeah, those democrats are no better than the Republicans on immigration. Yep, the dems are exactly the same, and in fact they'll be so much better on the issue when they gain control of the House and Senate.

Saying Bush had used race and gay rights to divide the electorate, Dean said, "In 2006, it's going to be immigration; that's who he's going to scapegoat next." He said Democrats must favor tougher enforcement of existing immigration laws and provide tighter border security, but said a balanced immigration policy would provide a way to give many of the 11 million illegal immigrants a path to legal status."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/03/AR2005120300821.html

You go right ahead and vote for a party whose chairman calls Bush's weak immigration stance "scapegoating" of immigrants. That's SO much better than the Republicans' stance.

[Prokopton]

"They pass the House version and they lose the moderate center."

Look at a poll-any poll. Every one reflects that the "moderate center" is for securing the borders and against any form of amnesty. The republican politicians are ignoring the vast majority of voters at their own risk.

[La Enchiladita]

Viva la GOP!! It can do no wrong!!

Right. It is oh so sensible to appease the unlawful aliens.

And to make 'Spanglish' the official language of the land.

[processing please hold]

See what the people actually protecting our borders has to say on this issue...The Minutemen.

http://minutemanhq.com/b2/index.php"

[processing please hold]

Wouldn't he though....I'll never pass my test at this rate.

[La Enchiladita]

Boehner is just another squishy Republican

How about a new slogan: "Squash the squishy."

[Junior_G]

You go right ahead and vote for a party whose chairman calls Bush's weak immigration stance "scapegoating" of immigrants.

I never said I would vote for Democrats.

[Southack]

"The law signed by Bush had a caveat that went virtually unreported at the time. A summary, published by the Senate Government Affairs Committee, required the government to increase the number of border patrol agents by at least 2,000 per year, "subject to available appropriations."

Yes, and reporters eager to drive a wedge between conservatives and President Bush quickly published the most pessimistic figure of "210" new border patrol agents for 2006.

1,700 new BP agents were actually added this year to our SouthWestern border region alone.

Which is to say, once again the spin differs from the reality.

Illegals Deported By The Planeload Now

"The president cited a 66 percent increase in border-security funding since he took office, along with a 42 percent increase in interior-enforcement spending and a total of 6 million illegal aliens caught and returned home." http://www.washingtontimes.com/functions/print.php?StoryID=20060326-123457-5749r

DHS Announces CBP Border Patrol Agent Deployment Schedule
Washington, D.C. – Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announced today the fiscal year 2006 U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Border Patrol agent deployment schedule. In a significant increase in personnel, an additional 1,700 CBP Border Patrol agents will be assigned to the southwest border.
http://www.customs.ustreas.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/press_releases/archives/2005_press_releases/0122005/12072005.xml

[American Quilter]

...the Republicans won't be replaced by anyone who's stronger on immigration...

Very true. Though it's emotionally satisfying to scream, "I'm never voting for those SOBs again!", the alternative is much worse.

I flounced out of the Republican Party in a huff after Bush41 broke his tax pledge, and voted for Perot in 1992 and Harry Browne in 1996. So I hold myself personally responsible for putting and keeping the Clintons in the White House. To my surprise, the Republican Party didn't call me to apologize and promise to mend their ways. So I came shamefacedly back in 1997 and remain. I may get cranky, but I'd rather have the Republicans in than the Democrats.

[Stellar Dendrite]

LMFAO!!!!!!!!

[nina0113]

I'm glad to hear that more has been done than has made the front pages, but I'm not at all happy with this amnesty-by-another-name plan.

I skipped around through this thread & it looks pretty ugly, so I'm not even going to try to read the whole thing. Of the posts I did read, yours is easily the most valuable. Thanks.