Senate Denies Funds for New Border Fence("Kerriosis" spreads through Senate)

The Washington Times ^ | July 14, 2006 | Charles Hurt

[kellynla]

Less than two months after voting overwhelmingly to build 370 miles of new fencing along the border with Mexico, the Senate yesterday voted against providing funds to build it.

"We do a lot of talking. We do a lot of legislating," said Sen. Jeff Sessions, the Alabama Republican whose amendment to fund the fence was killed on a 71-29 vote. "The things we do often sound very good, but we never quite get there."

Mr. Sessions offered his amendment to authorize $1.8 billion to pay for the fencing that the Senate voted 83-16 to build along high-traffic areas of the border with Mexico. In the same vote on May 17, the Senate also directed 500 miles of vehicle barriers to be built along the border.

But the May vote simply authorized the fencing and vehicle barriers, which on Capitol Hill is a different matter from approving the federal expenditures needed to build it.

"If we never appropriate the money needed to construct these miles of fencing and vehicle barriers, those miles of fencing and vehicle barriers will never actually be constructed," Mr. Sessions told his colleagues yesterday before the vote.

Virtually all Democrats were joined by the chamber's lone independent and 28 Republicans in opposing Mr. Session's amendment to the Homeland Security Appropriations Act. Only two Democrats -- Sens. Ben Nelson of Nebraska and Thomas R. Carper of Delaware -- supported funding the fence.

All told, 34 senators -- including most of the Republican leadership -- voted in May to build the fence but yesterday opposed funding it.

The overall bill, which appropriates more than $32 billion to the Homeland Security Department, including $2.2 billion for border security and control, passed on a 100-0 vote last night.

[steveyp]

I don't care what the rest of the world thinks about the U.S. I think very little about the rest of the world. It is full of the darkness of socialism and communism or just plain klepotcrapism.

Who cares. Defend the border, build a wall and keep the islamokazis out.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

$1.8 Billion for fencing? What the heck is this fence made of? Platinum?

This fence isn't your typical home backyard fence, you know.

Plus lots of the Mexican border is rugged.

And you have to pay surveyors, landowners, environmenal impact studies, compensate the states, etc.

[RodgerD]

It is not just a tool, but also a symbol. It would be a sign of American isolationism and a closing off to the world.

Silly.

Effective border fencing would be a sign that America cares to continue existing and that it will not go silently into the night of involuntary merger with the third world.

[NewRomeTacitus]

The Senate, as a whole, just illustrated why they are no longer worthy of leadership, let alone respect. I've asked a few good Representatives why they don't seek Senate office when their winning them is practically assured. The responses vary from "You're kidding, right?", "I still have to look at myself in the mirror while shaving", "I'm a deacon at my church", and "Why would I want to leave a position where I can do some good?".

Taking their overall respect for the Other Body into consideration, I say that Sessions just acknowledged what a joke all their deliberations truly are. Egotistical scalawags full of sound and fury...signifying nothing.

Our question to them should be "Why isn't a truly effective barrier under construction when it is your duty to erect it?" Failure to answer that question adequately requires new representation to replace the compromised. Period.

[Smokin' Joe]

Senators have been held in contempt for some time...

Brabantio: "What profane wretch art thou?"

Iago: "I am one sir, who comes to tell you that your daughter and the Moor are making the beast with two backs."

Brabantio: "Thou art a villian!"

Iago: "Thou art...a Senator!"

(from Othello)

'nuff said!

[rodeocowboy]

I agree!

[Libloather]

Less than two months after voting overwhelmingly to build 370 miles of new fencing along the border with Mexico, the Senate yesterday voted against providing funds to build it.

Seen this one? Mike Pence appeared on the Rush Limbaugh radio show today. His federal plan, along with plenty of flowers and sunshine, will assure illegals (yep, all 12 MILLION) leave the country and reenter.

Meanwhile, the Minutemen build a (privately funded) fence that blocks both drug running and illegal immigration.

The border fence could probably be paid for with the loot that goes towards daily DC happy hours...

[investigateworld]

Effective border fencing would be a sign that America cares to continue existing and that it will not go silently into the night of involuntary merger with the third world

Bottom line bump!

The Senate's refusal to provide funding is typical. That why I oppose any amnesty, whoever proposes it and all guest worker programs.

There simply isn't to will in Washington to close the borders and enforce the laws.

[NewRomeTacitus]

LOL! Always good to meet a well read person. Amazing how the Bard correctly assessed the motivations of human nature in a way that transcends the ages.

[Smokin' Joe]

Amazing how the Bard correctly assessed the motivations of human nature in a way that transcends the ages.

That is what makes the classics classic, imo. Human nature does not change, and is immune to class distinctions as well. (I saw a glimpse of that doing archaeology work also).

[LowOiL]

"There was the security of our borders to think about, and the questions of our economy's ability to absorb an endless flow of refugees: If Communism prevailed in Latin America, it would end any hope of achieving the social and economic progress needed to bring prosperity to the region; and this would accellerate the flow of illegal immigrants who, propelled by poverty, were already overwhelming welfare agencies and schools in some parts of our nation." An American Life p. 473. ------Ronald Reagan

"[H]e was not the accused standing in a dock and I was not a prosecutor, and that I had no right to bring up domestic matters of the Soviet Union. In fact, he said, a proposal then current in Washington D.C. to buld a fence along the Mexican border was as bad as anything the Soviets had ever done.
I replied that the fence was meant to stop illegal immigration by people who wanted to join our society because it offered democratic and economic opportunities--that was hardly the same thing as building the Berlin Wall, which imprisoned people in a social system they didn't want to be part of." An American Life ------Ronald Reagan

[sweetliberty]

"No wonder these clowns stay in Congress, outside of lobbying, they couldn't get a job anywhere else!"

You've heard the expression, "Those who can, do and those who can't, teach." I would add to that, "Those who can do neither become politicians."

[sweetliberty]

"Doing the math that fence would cost about $174.74 per foot."

And even less if we "volunteer" illegals to do the work...as restitution. Think of it as community service for illegals. Then deport them.

[NewRomeTacitus]

So the farce must end with a bill that contains most of the enforcement provisions of HR 4437 while retaining almost nothing of the Senate's amnesty shenanigans. I like the part about the aliens going back home.

In all seriousness, forcing most of them to self-deport is an attainable goal that would not disrupt anything but the excessive profits of those who are using them immorally for their own self-enrichment while the check is picked up by we citizens in the form of taxes. Letting these people stay while funneling dollars back to their home countries not only promotes corruption here - it retards the long-needed upheaval of the criminal systems that drove them here.

Enforcing the laws and building a human-reppeling barrier is the most humanitarian action we can do. So why aren't we doing it?

[ncountylee]

Any promise of future enforcement is not worth the paper it is written on. The Senate couldn't even toss the taxpayer the tiniest bone. Despicable bunch of worthless, two faced egos voted no.

[Plutarch]

This is Exhibit A as to why we need PROVEN enforcement first.

Bravo Sessions. Pence and the other back door amnesty "trust us" advocates can put this in their pipes and smoke it.

Neither the Senate nor the Bush Administration is serious about protecting our borders, and thus any promises they may provide are merely to bamboozle the gullible.

America to Senate/Bush: Prove you can protect our borders and enforce our laws and then we'll talk.

[JohnD9207]

It is not just a tool, but also a symbol. It would be a sign of American isolationism and a closing off to the world.

---

With respect, the wall is a symbol that we are a country not a shopping center to be wandered into.

[NewRomeTacitus]

Prove you can protect our borders and enforce our laws and then we'll talk.

In the proverbial nutshell. Of course, that requires having standard issue nads that most who gravitate to political careers seem to lack.

Leaders and statesman have an opportunity to step up now if they just would. Don't make me come down there.

[NewRomeTacitus]

I better rescind that: My habit of insuring that all expenses are paid for and nothing I do impinges on others, combined with the belief that everything I earn should be from my own labor without help, that I can't overlook laws for friendship (I have few friends) and that my tolerance for compromise is severely low - I'm unelectable in the current system. I shouldn't even be bothering this website that I percieve as being rife with evil disruptors seeking to damage the country I still love.

Is this site still about Conservatism and love of our country or is it a mouthpiece for the current "Big Tent" Republican Party? I thought it was ultimately about doing what is right.

[investigateworld]

So why aren't we doing it?

For me, being in the construction industry (I own a cabinet shop) the answer comes from Pure Greed. As I've previously posted, I went to a function where there were a number of big time operators. Obviously, I keep my political opinions to myself (unless axed LOL) but to hear the bragging about how cheap the illegals will work is sickening. One guy bragged how he don't allow the little guys to take breaks and thinks he's great paying them $60 to $70 a day..."but hey, they'll never make that kind of money in Mexico".

As Ex-Texan has predicted for the last couple of years, construction is dying here in Oregon, so we'll see wages go below our $7.40 state minimum wage. I can only say I'm truly sorry we have greedy people, willing slip our politicians a few bucks to ensure our laws are not followed. I'm hardly a socialist, but poor people vote Democrat. Reduce the continuing supply of cheap labor and wages will rise, and/or innovation improving production will take place.