Posted on 11/07/2002 10:38:31 PM PST by kattracks
Soon-to-be Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., shook up the homeland security debate Thursday afternoon by saying his supported deploying the U.S. military to guard America's borders.
Lott dropped the border bombshell during an interview with Fox News Channel host Bill O'Reilly on O'Reilly's nationally syndicated "Radio Factor" program.
O'REILLY: Why not back up the Border Patrol with military, whether it's National Guard or straight troops - why not do it?
LOTT: Well, I think we should do it. And I would be for....
O'REILLY: Do you really?
LOTT: Oh, absolutely.
O'REILLY: You're the first politician I've heard....
LOTT: Well, look. Most politicians run around worried about civil libertarians and being sued by the ACLU. This is not only a porous border in terms of illegal aliens. It's also a porous border in terms of crime and drugs. (End of Excerpt)
O'Reilly noted later on his TV broadcast that 79 percent of Americans told a recent Fox News survey that they supported military deployment along U.S. borders, though leaders on both sides of the political fence - including President Bush - oppose the idea.
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The US military is not intended to be guarrisoned in our towns, and cities, but it IS intended to defend our shores! Read YOUR constitution. Mine states their specific mission! and has no provision for an IRS!!!!!
I don't completely disagree with you (especially with regard to the IRS).
I just think border patrol agents should be just that.
The military should be used to help our friends in the middle east to celebrate Rahmadan.
Well, jezzz, this after our so-called leaders have already allowed upwards of 15 MILLION illegal aliens to crash our borders and run through our streets?
Is this a joke?
Doink! What?
Our borders are being invaded by millions that are crashing our borders and running through our streets. This is an invasion of our sovereignty and our national security! What the hell is our military for anyway?
Yes.
Remember your hero's words...
"Give us your tired/poor/huddled masses yearning to be free..."
Reagan's plan wasn't that bad but it got changed by others. Reagan only meant to legalize a couple hundred thousand, not over 3 million most who weren't here working. Reagan's plan was that the illegal had to prove they had been here working for 5 years but all that was changed so they didn't have to prove anything. If just the few who have worked hard and never accesses a single government service and always paid their own way for everything were to be given amnesty this time it wouldn't be so bad but it wouldn't work that way.
Knowing the results of the first amnesty, Reagan would not press for another one and you know it.
The only thing that came out of it was Mexico now has more influence in our political process than even England had at the time of the Revolution. If we give another amnesty, might as well just say goodbye to the Southwest and be done with it.
The only thing I can disagree with you on is the "is". It should be "are and have been" focusing on soft targets and "are and have been" infiltrating from Mexico. Does anyone think they have just been sitting back waiting for the last few years?
This is just the perfect place for them to enter - they look much like the Mexicans coming over and we have had politicians (including the PResident) putting out the "Welcome" mat. There is no way they passed that up.
You and I are on the same wavelength quite often - but not on this.
What is so scary about troops on the border? It is an international border - not an internal border. Also, it is not without precedent. It has been done before when this country was in danger and I just don't see a problem with it now. The national guard has been used to guard the airports and the SF bridge, many other things I am sure. Why not the borders? I don't see this as an erosion of our freedoms - but an erosion of the freedoms of foreign nationals and terrorists getting into this country. As I said, it has been done before.
I am curious about your statement - what exactly is a proper use of the military?
The military has been used on the border before - in my lifetime so it has happened before and the republic did not fall.
I believe a well-defined and protected border is the first line of defense of a nation and with that in mind, patrolling the border would be the first obligation of the military.
Now you may be in agreement with the open border policy - assuming you are not, however, what would you propose doing?
Yes, eliminate the freebies and all the other benefits to the employers - but you and I know that would take years of wrangling before anything was done - if ever. IN the meantime, we are lost.
Now we are sending our military around the world to attack a country that is a threat to us - but we are not closing our own borders so that same country can send any number of people and things in to attack us - just makes no sense to me.
Ping!
It is not a police force. It is not a border patrol.]
Well, that sounds good - but -- Remember our military has been used as a police force and a border patrol around the world for the last few decades. Why can't they defend and patrol our borders. I do not think it will 'dilute' the military.
The military, in my opinion, is to protect America and its interests. Closing our borders and protecting it from illegal immigrants who are destroying our country and from terrorists who intend to do us harm is exactly what the military is for.
Well, tell that to the military doing 'border patrol' around the world.
It has been done before - this is nothing new. It has precedent - in my lifetime.
Wonderful idea and it can't happen too soon.
But you see this IS a national emergency.
And they are being used on a routine basis in the airports, guarding the SF bridges and who knows where.
Do it and do it now.
You are so right!! And it is coming to the rest of the country soon.
My husband had school lunch with granchildren in EAst TExas this past week and he said 60% of the kindergarten children were Mexicans. This is an area that had probably no more than 3 Americans of Mexican decent 30 years ago. Much of the invasion of the families, however, has taken place in the last 10 years.
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