Posted on 06/08/2007 7:49:06 AM PDT by KC Burke
WASHINGTON George W. Bush isn't the first Republican president to face a full-blown immigration crisis on the US-Mexican border.
Fifty-three years ago, when newly elected Dwight Eisenhower moved into the White House, America's southern frontier was as porous as a spaghetti sieve. As many as 3 million illegal migrants had walked and waded northward over a period of several years for jobs in California, Arizona, Texas, and points beyond.
President Eisenhower cut off this illegal traffic. He did it quickly and decisively with only 1,075 United States Border Patrol agents - less than one-tenth of today's force. The operation is still highly praised among veterans of the Border Patrol.
[see link for balance of article]
(Excerpt) Read more at csmonitor.com ...
What’s wrong with family unity in the home country of the child’s parents?
Here's the key to my hotel room, Vincente.
I know, I know. I have a whirly wheel on my mouse. I do the spell check, I select the correct spelling, and then I don’t click off the field.
Like a MORON, I spin the wheel and hit POST!!
AAARRRRGGGHHHH I have done this SO MANY TIMES I am going to switch back to an antique mouse.
The answer is political will across the board.
We need something that is a sensible reform and bold.
I am not saying that your concept doesn't hold merit but think about the impossibility of getting those small changes enacted into law with the present Congress. I won't happen.
That is why W needs to take a step like I have suggested to remedy the mess that he has participated in.
Thanks
You seem to have a sensible understnding of the guy — what do you think of the article and my proposal?
All aspects are realistic and practical. There is only one real obstacle. George Bush. He *wants* the Mexican influx.
What motivates him and his reasoning processes is unknown to me, and in some ways I don’t care. But I don’t believe it is “compassion”. And in a way it doesn’t matter.
As you have outlined, we know how to keep them out. What we don’t know is how to get Bush and our government to actually do it.
“That is why W needs to take a step like I have suggested to remedy the mess that he has participated in.”
One problem: W doesn’t think he’s caused a mess!
I like your solution though. And if local cops were able to arrest illegals on the spot and send them to ICE, which would then deport them, it would only be a matter of time till they were all gone.
Imagine, Pancho leaves his 15 member “family” to go buy cigarettes at the local store, and gets caught up for a broken tail light.
Don’t pass Go, don’t collect $200, Pancho goes straight to a regional holding pen where he is processed and deported.
If he gets in touch with his “family” or not is just too bad.
They would leave en-mass.
I think you have the bones of a good idea. However, knowing lawyers as I do, I fear they would make no end of trouble for the “compassionate” part of the plan. I think what made Eisenhower’s plan work was strict enforcement of the law. He saw how corrosive not doing so would be to our society as a whole, not just on this single issue.
I think most Americans would like the idea of individual cases being looked at on their merits, but they’ve allowed the problem to become so massive, that presents serious logistical problems.
We have two opposing paradigms that clash here. One is that of individual liberty, essentially to be as free as possible from government interference in our lives and an absolute right to our property. (How far we have moved from that, I leave for another day.) The other is the paradigm of “human rights,” that people have certain entitlements and it is the role of government to see to it that they get them. Much of this was seen in many of the most egregious provisions of this bill, such as the Dream Act. How dare we deprive illegals of their “dreams”, their “human right” to have hope (and a college education) when all that is required is that the government be compassionate with taxpayer money.
I think we can’t take sensible steps to fix this problem until we give up the mindset that we have done something wrong to these folks and that we owe them something. There may be things we are willing to do because we are a decent people, but ignoring the law will simply corrupt our society futher. And it’s bad enough as it is.
He put an airborne general in charge and put employers back in their place--and put illegals way back in their place.
Bush has no intention of enforcing the border. Never has; never will.
Tancredo asking, "Why do they fear enforcement?"
Because they're all on the take from businessmen who slash their labor costs by hiring illegals--it's that simple.
I too know that the problem doesn't just lie with our governemtn functionaries, but involves the public mindset as well. However, I see the current situation as volitile and likely to produce an outcome I can't stomach.
I can't wait for the public mindset to change how you and I might desire it and I can't miss the reality that we have doged a bullet from the Senate.
I am afraid that a bold, but imperfect, move will short circuit the actions that I fear would be more distructive from occuring.
Thaks for your insight.
AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!
THANKS FOR SANITY in this mess.
I would rather have the mercy I would tolerate than the sort of system we will be handed by our present congress if we take no action to short circuit the process of bill after bill after bill.
I am not going to get perfect and I can't ignore that reality.
Thanks. Tell George the next time you’re having lunch with him to read Free Republic, will you?
I like the boat delivery system Ike used. Sail into a harbor and dock. Announce that food service ends 3 hours prior to docking. Swimming skills improve with the knowledge that your next meal is ashore.
. . .
Would love to hit a lot of D.C. idiots over the head with some good long threads.
There is no fault in not attaining a perfect solution. There is a great deal of fault in abandoning the pursuit of one.
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