Posted on 07/12/2014 1:41:41 PM PDT by SoConPubbie
A trio of potential Republican presidential candidates in the Senate is rebuffing President Obama over the influx of children from Central America across the southern border.
But even as Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas, Rand Paul of Kentucky, and Marco Rubio of Florida blame Obama, there are differences among their critiques.
Cruz took perhaps the boldest swipes at the president and his request for $3.7 billion in emergency funding to address the issue. Cruz was also the only one of the group to speak on the floor this week.
Paul remained mostly quiet, having published an op-ed during the Independence Day holiday that criticized the country's immigration policy broadly but did not directly address the minors streaming across the border. He's also withholding comment on the president's funding request until there is written legislation, according to spokesman Sergio Gor.
Rubio, who finds himself in perhaps the most awkward position because he supported the Senate's immigration bill last year, defended his position while jabbing at Obama.
Here's a look at the where the senators stand on the issue:
Cruz: "Of the president's own making."
Cruz took the president on directly, blaming him for the influx of children, which he said could top 90,000 by the end of the year.
"This is a humanitarian disaster, but it is a disaster of the president's own making," Cruz said Wednesday. "It is a disaster that is a direct consequence of President Obama's lawlessness."
He dismissed the president's $3.7 billion request and said it would not solve the problem. He instead suggested that "boots on the ground" would stem the tide of children crossing the border.
"This is an HHS social-services bill," Cruz said of the president's supplemental request.
Cruz also compared the request to the $800 billion economic stimulus bill in 2009, saying it was sold to the public as a jobs bill but that the so-called shovel-ready jobs did not materialize as promised. In this case, the administration claims the funding request is for border security, yet much of the money goes to the Health and Human Services Department, Cruz argued.
Paul: "Beacon to all of Central America."
Echoing the language he used in an op-ed last week on Breitbart.com, Paul told reporters in Kentuckywithout getting specificthat he backs some forms of forgiveness but that he thinks the border should be secure first.
"Now that's become a beacon to all of Central America because we didn't secure the border," he said, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader. "So if you don't secure the border and you offer these things of reform and forgiveness, many of which I'm for, but if you don't secure the border, then you get this humanitarian crisis and the whole world thinks they can come and no one's stopping them."
Rubio: "Take care of them as ... humanely as possible but they do need to be returned."
Rubio defended his vote on the immigration bill by pointing out that neither the legislation nor current law allows the children to stay in the country. Like Cruz, he criticized the administration's funding request and pointed out that the lion's share of it goes toward HHS, with too little going to secure the border.
"We need to apply the law, we need to take care of them as
humanely as possible while they are here but they do need to be returned and reunited with their families in their home country, because that's the law of the country," Rubio said in an interview with Hot Air. "If you don't enforce the law you are creating an incentive for people trying to come here."
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Build the FENCE!
Build the FENCE!
Build the FENCE!
Rubio’s answer was pretty good, too. Rand Paul’s was somewhat baffling and confusing, but it sounded like he’d be doing something.
What did you tell Obama when you greeted him in Texas, Rickie?
Perry's all hat and no cattle....he will soon find out
what happens when one stupidly consorts with The Prince.
Paul’s position, as described here, was awful. Rubio’s was better, but insufficient
Ted Cruz 2016
Thank you Mr. Obama.
My suggestion...Close the border Permanently! No one goes in and no one goes out.
It is time to start shouting proudly about America’s need to teach our socialist brothers in Central America about how to practice “Truth, Justice and The American Way” in THEIR countries.
Need “prosperity? Adopt American Capitalism! Chile did. Chile is rich now. Argentina did not. Argentina is now one step away from “Law of the Jungle”.
Need “security”? Adopt American government as it was before “the Chicago Way” bullied its way into our WH.
Tired of drug dealers? I’d say use “Turkish” methods to “catch” but NOT “release”...
Yep as long as they are allowed in we have problems. What I’m not sure of is
how to tackle the entire issue.
Once they cross the midpoint of the Rio Grande whether wading, swimming, boat,
or bridge they are in the US, state of Texas. If you bring them on shore and into
a facility then you have to do something with them.
I guess if you had a strong and sufficient enough border barrier then the roads
or crossing points could be the focus. Then just refuse to let them enter but
we are years away from such a system if we ever get it.
Like the man or not, your description of Perry “consorting” with Obama in Texas is ludicrous in the extreme.
Also, you need to figure out your antagonists. Your second pic Is of Paul Ryan.
Actually I thought Perry got Obama pretty good. I rolled on the floor when Rick told him we could show him how to protect the border with the Guard. We know how he said. Loved that for that egotistical ###.
I thought the 2nd picture was Eric Cantor?
“Your second pic is of Paul Ryan”
Man, I thought I was seeing things so I am glad you posted. I thought it was Ryan or Cantor.
Actually, I think the Perry/Obama meeting was more “contentious” than “consorting”.
The second pic is ex-House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va)_---34 points ahead in the polls---dumped by the voters.
Thomas Paine, letter to the addressers on the late proclamation against seditious writings; in Moncure D. Conway, ed., The Writings of Thomas Paine (1895), vol. 3, p. 9495.
Yep. Perry has been doing a lot better on the immigration problem lately. He had Hannity down there for two days and is probably going to host CongressCritters soon.
I agree with you. Obama played him. He got his photo op. Only it was a different airport. Then the picture of everyone but Perry laughing was exactly what Obama wanted people to see.
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