Sen. Allen Squishy on Immigration Reform
Human Events
by Amanda B. Carpenter
Posted Dec 15, 2005
Potential 2008 Republican presidential candidate Sen. George Allen (Va.) declined Wednesday to support the idea of a fence separating the United States and Mexico, but said he would back a guest-worker plan as envisioned by President Bush.
In an exclusive interview with Human Events, Allen passed on the opportunity to take a firm stance on immigration reform -- likely to be one of the key issues among Republicans in the 2008 presidential sweepstakes.
When asked directly on whether the United States has the capability to build a fence along our border and if it was his top priority, Allen said building a physical barrier was only “worthy of consideration.” He cited economic concerns with installing such a security measure and said he supported comprehensive policies that included a guest-worker program.
Below is the exchange I had with Allen yesterday.
Q. Does American have the engineering capability to build a fence along the border that would keep people out?
SEN. GEORGE ALLEN: Do we have the engineering capability?
Mmmhmm.
ALLEN: I suspect so.
Q. So, this is the follow up, why don’t we?
ALLEN: Because it would be -- I don’t [think] it’s worthy of consideration. The reason is, while something might be able to be done at an enormous cost to the taxpayers if there are more effective ways of doing it other than a fence, whether it’s with surveillance and more personnel, and surveillance--
Q. Are you in the camp of those supporting the “virtual fence” idea?
ALLEN: I think a virtual fence would be much less costly to the taxpayers. I think the key thing, regardless of virtual or actual fence, which would take a long time. Let’s assume we wanted to build the Great Wall of America, which can be done, it would take years and years. I’m watching the Woodrow Wilson Bridge being built here, which is a much more difficult task than building a wall. It’s not over a river. The key point is to make sure we have a workable, legal, guest-worker system in this country not rewarding illegal behavior. Not this don’t ask, don’t tell--
Q. Do you support closing the border first before we do guest worker or do you think they go hand-in-hand?
ALLEN: I think you need to do all of them. You need to do all of them.
more.... http://www.humaneventsonline.com/article.php?print=yes&id=10880
It pays to keep track of what politicians say and do, doesn't it?
I think that politicians, as others, can change as they learn more about a topic. Allen obviously is willing to listen to opinions other than his own. He is still for a multifaceted solution, but strongly in favor of border security first. It sounds like a winner to me.