Posted on 10/18/2011 12:04:10 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
Minnesota Congresswomen and presidential candidate Michele Bachmann has become the latest politician to call for an impenetrable fence along the entire length of the border with Mexico. "President Obama has failed the American people by failing to secure the southern border," said Bachmann. "I will secure that border and that will be Job One."
Statements like that may get some attention, but they are not practical. Don't take our word for it; take Rick Perry's.
The Texas governor has been called a lot of things, but he's hardly a mushy liberal. Yet even this tough Texan sneers at calls for a Berlin Wall-style border fence spanning hundreds of miles from Brownsville to El Paso.
Two reasons: We can't afford it, and we don't need it.
The cost of a barrier like that would be staggering, certainly in the billions. Bachmann and others are silent about how they would pay for it.
Moreover, it is unnecessary. The Texas-Mexico border includes many miles of desert that are either lightly populated or devoid of any human presence. Illegal immigrants don't cross there. They make their moves along urban corridors.
Perry knows this because he is the governor of Texas. He knows the issue is more nuanced - like his support for in-state tuition for children of illegal immigrants.
Secure the border? Absolutely - but in an intelligent way that puts our resources where they will have the most impact.
Voters should be wary of sound bites from candidates that fire up special-interest groups but lack logic. The next president will need real ideas, not gimmicks, to solve the challenges facing this nation.
So the HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS saved by not paying “entitlements” (welfare, medical, food stamps, K-PhD education, etc.) to illegals wouldn’t pay for a fence many times over?
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absolutely correct.
and, Israel has shown it CAN be done, and it works very well. the # of attacks there has dropped 99% since they built it.
and if the PRO-ILLEGAL people here on FR, argue that Israel is too small an example, how about this?
...can India do something that WE AMERICANS cannot do, to secure our OWN border from invaders?:
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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2775711/posts
It Turns Out Some Borders *Are* Visible from Space
Universe today ^
In 2003, the Indian government sanctioned a proposal to fence and illuminate the border to prevent smuggling and arms trafficking. In total, the Indians plan to cover 2009 km of the 2900 km India-Pakistan border with floodlights. Officials have so far erected floodlights along 460 km of border in Punjab. The extensive floodlighting continues for 1,022 km across Rajasthan, 176 km across Jammu, and 202 km through Gujarat. So far 1,861 km of the border have been floodlit. Plans are in place to erect a total 2,043 km of fencing along the border. The Indian government hopes to complete the floodlight operation by March 2012. A similar fenced border zone operates along India’s eastern border with Bangladesh. http://www.dawn.com/2011/09/06/an-orange-line-of-fear-in-south-asia-seen-from-space.html
Stupid graphics don't count.
That's a lot of time up in the air and visible to the BP. They tend to just jump and take their chances. And several have broken their ankles and/or legs in the process.
OK, you may have heard of rope, but clearly these folks haven't. ;)
Now lets amp it up a bit by putting concertina wire in the drop zone. Maybe they will bleed out before the BP shows up and hauls them to the nearest taxpayer underwritten emergency room to repair the broken bones and disability payments until they are healed enough to continue their travels.
So how do we wall off the Rio Grande without destroying the flourishing agricultural community?
Our State has spent our own money, time and lives doing the job that is reserved to the Feds by the Constitution. Our Governor has led where the Feds have refused.
Governor Perry has been active in border security and controlling illegal immigration since early in his first term as Governor.
During his first Session of the Texas Legislature, he vetoed a bill that would have allowed illegal aliens to obtain drivers’ licenses. (We got a law that prohibits them, this year. It takes a while when our Legislature only meets for 4 months every 2 years.)
Immediately after September 11, 2001 attacks on Washington, DC and New York’s World Trade Center, the Governor helped coordinate the deployment of 530 National Guardsmen at airports all over the State. In November 2001, he added 133 more to the number of National Guards posted at 27 airports in Texas. http://governor.state.tx.us/news/press-release/4233/
In October 1, 2001, Governor Perry announced the creation of the Governor’s Task Force on Homeland Security. http://governor.state.tx.us/news/executive-order/4440/
In June, 2002, the Governor announced that Texas would receive Federal grants for building border security facilities at the border crossings. These facilities would inspect trucks and other vehicles that cross from Mexico into Texas. (there were none before 2002). http://governor.state.tx.us/news/speech/10787/
In May, 2002, the Governor used funds from his own office to institute Counter Terrorism training at the Port of Houston and another separate program to train state and local law enforcement. http://governor.state.tx.us/news/press-release/4322/
When the Texas Legislature refused to fund his program to implement a "virtual border" using camera surveillance to augment "boots on the ground," so he used money from the Governor’s discretionary fund. In some cases, local sheriffs and cities refused to cooperate and their opposition impeded full implementation of the program.
And then, here's more:
Unfortunately, the Federal government which has the Constitutional duty to protect our borders has refused to fund the necessary manpower and equipment and has also been negligent in identifying, arresting, and deporting illegal aliens. Governor Perry has focused on border security to control illegal invasion in the first place, both in Texas and the greater United States. He advocates what he calls “boots on the ground:" patrolling the border, with agents, planes, drones, and helicopters.
Governor Perry supports strategically placed fencing in urban areas and not the rural fence that doesn’t work well when placed 1/4 mile from the Rio Grand. More here from National Public Radio. This article from the LA Times, gives an example of the unintended consequences of unwise placement of the fence, resulting in Texans whose homes have been fenced off from the rest of the US.
While there are National Guard troops on the 2000 mile border with Mexico, only 250 of the 1200 are deployed along the 1200 miles of Texas' border. Perry has repeatedly asked for more. Read this news report from a year ago. He also pushed the Federal government to allow the military practice to their skills with unmanned Predator aircraft along our border ("They’ve gotta practice somewhere.”)
As a direct result of the Governor alerting Texas Republican Congressmen about President Obama’s plan to remove the National Guard after less than 6 months, we'll have them longer. News report, here, from June, 2011 about the extension. Texas (along with our costs from eleven ICE detention center detainees being dumped in the State by Homeland security, our support of Katrina refugees, and our natural disasters like Ike, wildfires, and tornadoes) is expected to pay for our own Guard if we want them here after September.
Watch and listen to Governor Perry talking with Fox News Greta van Susteren about the border, that "boots on the ground" phrase, and the problems with the fence. (You can see and hear the Texas Ranger helicopters in the background.)
He created the Ranger Recon force, sending 150 Texas Rangers (Motto:"One riot, one Ranger") to the border along with helicopters and Texas Guardsmen, paid for with Texas state funds. "Operation Linebacker" and "Border Star" were efforts from 2006 and 2007: Gov. Perry Implements and Leads Operation Border Star From 2009: Gov. Perry Expanding Operation Border Star – Sends Rangers, Guard to the Border.
Texas spends over $200 million a year on the cost of jailing illegal aliens that the feds bring here. In addition, we’ve spent $79 million of our own Texas tax funds on troops, helicopters.
When the Texas Legislature refused to fund his program to implement a "virtual border" using camera surveillance to augment "boots on the ground," so he used money from the Governor’s discretionary fund. In some cases, local sheriffs and cities refused to cooperate and their opposition impeded full implementation of the program.
The following are from the Governor's News room:
Tuesday, June 07, 2011: Gov. Perry Adds Sanctuary Cities to Special Session Call He also added bills to approve "Secure Communities" and a ban on Texas driver license for illegal aliens.
"Gov. Rick Perry announced the addition of legislation relating to the abolishment of sanctuary cities, the use of the federal Secure Communities program by law enforcement agencies, and the issuance of driver’s licenses and personal identification certificates to the special session call.
“Texas owes it to the brave law enforcement officials, who put their lives on the line every day to protect our families and communities, to give them the discretion they need to adequately do their jobs,” Gov. Perry said.
“Abolishing sanctuary cities in Texas, using the federal Secure Communities program and ensuring that only individuals who are here legally can obtain a valid Texas driver’s license sends a clear message that Texas will not turn a blind eye to those breaking our laws.”
Tuesday, May 10, 2011 Gov. Rick Perry on House Passage of House Bill 12.
Friday, May 27, 2011: Gov. Perry Takes a Major Step in Securing the Integrity of the Electoral Process; Signs legislation requiring voters to present photo ID at polling places
Tuesday, June 28, 2011: Statement by Gov. Rick Perry Regarding Sanctuary City Legislation
2005: Gov. Perry works with the 16-member Texas Border Sheriff’s Association to deter illegal immigration and prevent border-related crime - Creates ‘Operation Linebacker” - Awards $6 Million to Border Counties for Border Security
2007: Gov. Perry Praises Progress of Statewide Radio Communications Capabilities
2010: Governor Perry’s Letter to Barack Obama (2010)
2010: Gov. Perry: Federal Government Must Take Action To Prevent Spillover Violence from Mexico Requests Predator Drones and National Guard Troops along Border (2010)
2010: Governor’s Perry’s Homeland Security Strategic Plan for Texas, 2010 - 2015 (in pdf)
2010: Gov. Perry Releases Texas Homeland Security Strategic Plan 2010-2015 \
There is nothing anyone can say or point out to you that would change your mind.
You don’t care about any of the facts that have been laid out in front of you.
Perry has had to deal with an international border that was suppose to be secured by the Federal Government on behalf of all the United States.
Perry has had to deal with Obama Administration that does nothing - except send troops to other countries.
Perry has had to deal with a United States Government that is corrupt and has committed treasonous crimes by running guns into Mexico to criminal drug cartels.
Perry has had to deal with a Supreme Court order that we educate illegals.
Perry has had to deal with a Homeland Security and ICE that will not punish violators, will not deport violators but instead puts them right back on the streets.
So, go vote for someone else.
Vote for someone who has dealt with illegal immigration and who have dealt with a border that has not been secured by the Federal Government.
Vote for someone who has fought tooth and nail with Obama for 3 years.
Vote for one of the stupid idiots that say things like they are going to build a 1200 mile fence that they know NOTHING about.
Vote for one of the stupid idiots that say they are going to build something that would take 10-15 years to build, cost billions and electrify it so that it kills people.
Vote for one of the stupid idiots that say giving 12 to 16K kids a break of few hundred dollars (yea, I know what Romney said and that dog don’t hunt because the majority of those kids are going to community colleges) that NO ONE not even Texas Taxpayers pay a dime for! It is a fact that the in-state tuition law does not cost Texans one dime. It certainly does not cost US Taxpayers anything. In fact, if the law was reversed today, Texas Universities would lose over 10 million dollars according to the original article on this thread.
Don’t vote for someone who could not have changed that law due to a majority vote by a legislature. It is something that Texas decide - not anyone else - it is a STATE ISSUE.
Perry, Texans and Texas did not INVITE the illegals into our state. They cost us lots and lots of money and we know it but our hands are tied by the Federal Government who refuse to do their job, who run guns to the drug cartels, who make laws mandating that we pay for the illegals education that they refuse to keep out of our state and that they refuse to deport.
Perry has pushed laws in the legislature but our legislature are afraid they will step on their hispanic votes and will not pass them.
Perry tried to get the sanctuary city law passed, he specified that it was an emergency bill and when our legislature did not pass it, he called a special session and put it right back on the table for them to consider.
They still did not pass it (they will soon be up for election).
Our legislature only convenes every two years.
Go vote for someone who say what they think you want to hear even though they have no experience or knowledge of what they say regarding the border.
As Texans: we have no income tax. We have a Governor we like and that is why we keep electing him. His policies have created an environment that results in a better standard of life with as little regulations as he can maintain for us, low taxes, less scum attorneys that were driving costs up. We deal with the illegal immigrant problem as best we can considering we are fighting at both ends: The Federal Government on our backs and the drug war on the border. With our own money and our own manpower.
We take shit from the Feds every single day of every single week of every single month of every single year.
Yet we still are still the #1 economy in the United States.
Go vote for a candidate for President that has been a part of something even close to that.
Under the Constitution, the federal government is in responsible for securing our borders, preventing an external invasion, and protecting our national soverignity.
Yes, the feds should stop suing states because they are enforcing our immigration laws. Accrding to a Feb 2011 Pew report, Texas has an illegal alien population of 1.7 million or 6.7% of the state's population. There are 1.1 million illegals in the workforce, which amounts to 9% of those employed in the state.
To put this in perspective, in 1990 the number of illegals in Texas was 450,000. In 2000, it was 1.1 million; and in 2005 it was 1.4 million. Texas is not doing a very good job in stopping the flow of illegals into the state. It is costing the state taxpayers an estimated $4.7 billion annually just for education, healthcare, and incarceration costs.
He spoke before a national conference that was held in the state of TX, where he is Governor. This group holds their conferences in different states each year.
The NCLR helps to "empower and open doors for Latinos." In other words, successful people helping others. Latinos being anyone of Hispanic descent. This is NOT LaRaza Unida.
Now, if you have a problem with accomplished people of Spanish-speaking decent, I don't know what to tell you.
However, people have accused Perry of speaking before a terrorist group. Honestly, I don't know if they are misinformed, or prefer to spread lies. Someone here compared the NCLR to the KKK in a post to me.
Speaking before a group (of many business leaders), as Governor of the State, is reasonable. Depicting the NCLR as LaRaza Unida is not.
Make no mistake, when the general election gets underway, this tough talk will miraculously dissipate - whoever our candidate is.
All of these republican candidates, Perry included, arrive at about the same conclusion on this topic. Its a back-burner issue and creates dissension in the hearts of American voters. Voters we NEED to advance our economic agenda.
I think the joke is on us. Some of us have cast Perry aside over this issue, when he's probably the most acute and able to advance a jobs plan that will stimulate our economy. We remain annoyed over immigration and tuition.
Heck yes, its an important issue. But it will become less important as these campaigns move along to the general election. Why are we shoving the best jobs creator to the sidelines because his legislature passed a veto-proof bill on tuition?
I think his "heart" comment was more directed at the candidates attacking him than the audience. He apologized for it. In the context of that debate, he was being smeared and attacked by Romney and Bachmann. That word came out, listeners took it personal.
There is nothing else in his history to indicate he's weak on immigration. He's the ONLY candidate with real knowledge and understanding of the issue. With hands-on experience.
It is a problem that has a technical solution.
Technically it would not work.
Bump!
“Under the Constitution, the federal government is in responsible for securing our borders, preventing an external invasion, and protecting our national sovereignty.
To put this in perspective, in 1990 the number of illegals in Texas was 450,000. In 2000, it was 1.1 million; and in 2005 it was 1.4 million. Texas is not doing a very good job in stopping the flow of illegals into the state. It is costing the state taxpayers an estimated $4.7 billion annually just for education, healthcare, and incarceration costs.”
I’ll buy part of this but I would think you would agree that the Feds are “not doing a very good job “ of working in concert with Texas. Turn them over to ICE...ICE let’s them go or Border Patrol drives them to the border. No matter what the cost to Texas in taxpayer dollars, it is a cost that cannot be sustained by any state. It can’t be sustained by the nation. Look at the migration of illegals from Arizona into Colorado and other parts of the country when enforcement was threatened. They don’t go home. They scatter and go to other states. We visited Georgia last year and found an entire motel filled with them. Eight to ten in a room...with
the Mexican flag hanging on the door. There was work in that particular town. As thorough as you are, I’m sure you have the stats on how many Obama family illegals and others are draining our funds also. I don’t know if any of them moved to Texas, do you? Complete with social security cards? The costs in California must be astronomical. There may be a million illegals or more, not of Mexican heritage, in New York. I read about the fake marriage schemes allowing Muslim males to enter. I don’t know how to identify an illegal. They don’t wear t-shirts. In El Paso, volunteer organizations handle it. I don’t know who is handling the recent influx of them escaping slaughter from the cartels. I just don’t know who will sort it out. I do know that no one sneaks across the border to wait three years to pay in state tuition to our colleges. Houston, the nation has a problem.
Texas State legislators almost unanimously voted for the “Texas educational residency bill” and gave it to Governor Perry to sign off on.
Michele Bachmann, as one of her state’s legislators herself, exhibited some reservations but then actually voted YES to the exact same thing... TWO TIMES IN FACT.
________________
Title:
In-state tuition for undocumented students part of Bachmann’s past, too
Excerpt:
It turns out that Bachmann voted for a similar measure in 2005 while serving in the Minnesota Senate. The language, which was included in a larger higher education funding bill, would have allowed students who had attended a Minnesota high school for three years or more, had graduated and had enrolled in public Minnesota college to pay in-state tuition.
During debate of the bill, Bachmann spoke in support of an amendment that would have required such students to be legal residents as well.
“Is citizenship a privilege, or is it a right?” she asked on May 5, 2005, the day the chamber debated the bill. “It seems like the understanding we’ve always had in this nation is that citizenship is a privilege for those who are not born in this nation... This [bill] is affirmatively having our state make a new decision about citizenship. And really by doing this, we are answering that citizenship is now a right as opposed to a privilege.”
She voted for the amendment, which failed.
But when it came time to vote on final school funding bill, Bachmann was one of 63 senators who voted in favor of the legislation; three lawmakers, including two Republicans, opposed the bill.
Later that day, the Senate replaced the House’s bill - which did not include the tuition language - with its version of the legislation; again Bachmann voted in favor of the bill.
End of excerpt
TexMom, you’re brilliant! You lifted my spirits.
Folks, this is a sentiment more usually expressed by Texans toward new residents from out of state, but it fits:
We don’t care how you do it back home.
When you reward something, you get more of it. When states like CA, Texas, MD, and other states that offer sanctuary and benefits to illegals, they will come to those states where the welcome banner is hanging out. AZ and AL have passed tough enforcement laws and it is having a measurable effect. The illegals are leaving. If more states pass tough laws, we will have attrition thru enforcement with the illegals self-deporting.
all you need to know about jobs and opportunity in USA...basically the better off government is...the worse off we all are..
The story of American jobs and labor is deeply intertwined with predatory Federal, state and local taxation and regulation....
South Koreans sleep soundly on their border with NORKS because of American Taxpayer dollars and the American GI.
Why can’t Texans, New Mexicans, Arizonans and Californians?....BECAUSE
Illegal immigration is THE KEY to the perpetuation of the status quo in DC......
Predatory tax and regulatory policies-actions that basically serve to perpetuate and grow governments-leave what business is left in the country seeking disposable labor.
Illegal Labor is the Feds out for preserving the status quo regarding Taxes and Regulation. Interestingly, that is WHY the Feds encourage in-state tuition etc for illegals under-the-table -their presence providing disposable labor allows Federal, State and local regulatory and tax excess in the status quo to continue
Immigration is the ultimate litmus test as to the candidates in question commitment to meaningful regulatory and tax reform. If they are wishy-washy on the subject...they have no real intent to disturb the DC status quo...no matter how big their cowboy hat and six-gun.
Real”leadership” is that which will place Flyover Country’s interest ahead of the Feds....haven’t yet seen anything meaningful anywhere from anybody to indicate that might happen. We have just one more election cycle to make that happen via rule of law. Otherwise its the end of the run for America.
Guess you haven’t studies Perry’s border security initiatives and where he has received all his vision for those policies and initiatives, have you?
Perry BASES his border security measures on Israel, has visited them several times in the last decade or so to get info and insight from them, and has routinely over his years as governor implemented Israeli-proven security measures.
Furthermore, Perry’s idea of more elaborate strategic fencing in high risk crossing areas makes a lot of sense budget wise in addition to being a common sense measure. Perry is not against closing the borders. He just knows of a more comprehensive and proven way of doing so.
However, posting your little graphic above is nothing compared to the strong bond Perry has built throughout the years with Israel, not just through his support of Israel as a nation because of his Christian beliefs but also because of the time he has spent with them, talking, watching, learning, and sharing with the Israelis on what is working for them.
That was an A+++++++++ comment.
Bump!!!
Bump!
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