Posted on 05/27/2006 12:59:23 PM PDT by calcowgirl
THE bickering has begun among California's politicians over President George W. Bush's proposal to use the National Guard to secure the Mexican border.
Last week, state Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland, threw a fit over deployment: "As a matter of moral principle and constitutional precedent, we will not be party to budgeting one dime to enable any role for the California National Guard in border monitoring until the Senate immediately and thoroughly reviews the implications of this use of state funds and personnel," he wrote to the budget committee chairman.
In other words, stonewall — a game the Democrat-dominated California Legislature plays very well.
But even Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, with his superhero bipartisanship attempt, is balking at the plan.
And as the argument over Bush's Guard proposal plays out, one can imagine that the stonewalling will encourage a flood of crossers who think it's now or never.
When volunteers of the Minutemen Civil Defense Corps of California head south to patrol the border north of Tecate, they stay at a sprawling, remote, wooded campground accessible by bumpy two-lane roads.
Pretty bad luck for a group of illegal immigrants to pop through the brush and stumble on this camp during their stealthy trek north.
But that's exactly what happened during the Minutemen's April watch, when 13 crossers passed by the morning campfire. "They literally interrupted a Minuteman meeting in progress," said leader Tim Donnelly. The Minutemen called the Border Patrol, who reportedly caught three of the bunch.
And that was par for the course, Donnelly told me, for the monthlong watch that began days after the massive pro-immigrant protests were rolled out in the United States.
One Minuteman volunteer was driving a reporter near the front lines in Boulevard when a group of eight illegal immigrants mistook her vehicle for their pick-up contact.
On one Sunday evening, three Minutemen out hiking ran first into a group of 11 crossers, then a quarter-mile down the road encountered 15 more. As the Minutemen went up to a lookout point, the illegal immigrants began hurling rocks, making obscene gestures and laughing, claims Donnelly.
Donnelly said that with 350 volunteers in the month of October — when I dropped in on the operation — they counted 22 crossers. Throughout April, with 400 to 500 volunteers, they counted 482.
Border Patrol apprehensions generally peak in the spring months. But is the current political landscape encouraging more to cross?
"Could be due to that," a San Diego area Border Patrol agent told me. A spokeswoman at the El Centro Border Patrol station — covering Imperial and Riverside counties — said their apprehensions are up 23 percent, fiscal year to date as compared with the same period last year, with 43,639 illegal immigrants caught as of Thursday since Oct. 1.
Anecdotal evidence from a civilian border watch group with limited numbers and reach doesn't firmly answer the question, but suggests the illegal crossings may be bolder — or bigger — than ever.
Who's going to come across — and how many — as a last-ditch attempt before the Guard beefs up the border? Stonewalling legislators are doing their best to buy these illegal immigrants more time.
These people will make the National Guard deployment a Joke.
I cannot believe the administration was not aware of this probability.
Here's something to make you feel a little better.
The NG chief says he intends to allow the troops to fire their weapons if necessary.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=50401
/Send the NC guard to Cali.
Who actually thought the guy was another Ronald Reagan? C'mon.
Arnoooolds actions are the very reason our framers said no foreign born naturalized citizens should ever be commander in chief.
Actually, I think this comment would be right on target if we were being flooded with illegal immigrants from Austria. I catch your drift, though.
Arnoooold is pandering to the illegal aliens.
More accurately, Arnold is pandering to the Hispanics. Arnold has been beaten up by that group for daring to suggest that *he* came here as a legal immigrant. Europeans don't count, I reckon (and neither do the immigration laws).
Thanks for the post.
Charles Martel:
Where do I know you from?
OOOH! I know history seventh grade Mrs. Emerson.
Great name!
What else would anyone expect from Perata?
This article is MISREPORTING Arnold's position, actually they are lying about it,. just to make Arnold seem equivalent to the Dems, when in fact there are huge and major differences between Arnold's position on key issues, and that of the Dems.
This article says: "But even Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, with his superhero bipartisanship attempt, is balking at the plan. "
In fact, the DEMS don't want the troops deployed, but Arnold is willing to go along with President Bush's plan.
Schwarzenegger Willing to Send Guard to Patrol the Border
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-me-border25may25,0,7451658.story?coll=la-headlines-politics
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Wednesday he was prepared to deploy National Guard troops to the Mexican border — but only temporarily — as part of a national effort to curb illegal immigration.
"I am prepared to commit California National Guard troops in support of border patrol operations," he said at a news conference. "But it has to be on a temporary basis."
Please see my post 9 on this thread -- this article is LYING about Arnold's position. IN fact Arnold stated and I am quoting him in my post 9, with link, that he IS WILLING TO DEPLOY THE NATIONAL GUARD.
MSM and the Dems are born liars.
I'm so confused.
The article is "misreporting" and "lying" but the LA Times is your new source of "Truth"?
The LAT QUOTED ARNOLD, didn't "interpret" his words.
"I am prepared to commit California National Guard troops in support of border patrol operations," he (Arnold) said at a news conference. "But it has to be on a temporary basis."
"Let's work together to build the economies of both California and Mexico, and let's be good partners," Angelides said he would tell Fox, adding National Guard troops should be available for state emergencies, not to fulfill federal responsibilities.
Angelides: Play nice with Mexico
Aother big difference between Arnold and Angelidea.
The Federal Government Must Provide More Details
Governor Schwarzenegger Has Called On The Federal Government To Provide More Details Of A Plan To Deploy National Guard Troops To The U.S.-Mexico Border. Questions raised by Governor Schwarzenegger and governors from other border states about the length of the mission, its cost, and the exact duties to be carried out by guardsmen and women have not been answered.
- Without Clear Answers To These Questions, Not All Governors Are Prepared To Commit Troops.
- The Governor Is Concerned That California National Guard Troops May Be Spread Too Thin. In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, Governor Schwarzenegger expressed concern that border security will detract from the Guard's responsibilities to our state and our country, and that troops recently returned from overseas missions should be able to return to their families and careers.
The Governor Has Asked Secretary Chertoff For Specifics On The National Guard's Proposed Deployment To The Border. Governor Schwarzenegger and others have raised several concerns, including:
- Will The Guard Be Under Command Of Governors Or The Department Of Homeland Security And How Will Command Be Transferred?
- The Federal Government Has Committed To Covering 100 Percent Of The Mission's Cost, But Will It Also Pay For Detention Costs And Other Related Costs To Local Law Enforcement Agencies?
- Will Troops Be Deployed From All States Or Only Border States?
- How Will The Mission Affect California National Guard Training For Combat Readiness?
- What Are The Contingency Plans Should Border Patrol Training Or Funding Fall Short?
For the umpteenth time--I will not, EVER, vote for Angelides or Westly.
There is no need to keep spamming me with their leftist garbage.
Well, as we all know, the choice is Arnold vs. Angelides/Westly.
Conservatives who are bashing Arnold, even resorting to distorting his real positions, trying to make him seem like the Dems, are indeed helping Angelides/Westly.
Conservatives who stay home or vote third party, are also helping Angelides/Westly become governor of CA.
These are very simple and obvious facts.
There is one way for Arnold to win my vote--Earn It!
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