Business as usual
The United States government, ever unserious, is busy at work in the final hours before Christmas recess — in a reasonably bi-partisan effort, of course. Washington Times:
Congress last night passed a giant new spending bill that undermines current plans for a U.S.-Mexico border fence, allowing the Homeland Security Department to build a single-tier barrier rather than the two-tier version that has worked in California. The spending bill, written by Democrats and passed 253-154 with mostly their votes, surrenders to President Bush’s budget demands…The 2006 Secure Fence Act specifically called for “two layers of reinforced fencing” and listed five specific sections of border where it should be installed. The new spending bill removes the two-tier requirement and the list of locations…
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, the Texas Republican who has led the charge to change the 2006 law, said she wants to give Homeland Security more flexibility and wants local officials and landowners to be consulted…Rep. Peter T. King, who sponsored the Secure Fence Act, said if the goal was to give DHS flexibility, the senators have failed. “This is either a blatant oversight or a deliberate attempt to disregard the border security of our country,” the New York Republican said. “As it’s currently written, the omnibus language guts the Secure Fence Act almost entirely. Quite simply, it is unacceptable.”
In some important ways, the controversy last summer about the immigration bill was really about the unwillingness of the political elites to honor the mandate of the majority of citizens (of virtually every party and ethnic background) that the government execute some of its bedrock responsibilities with at least a minimum of competence and respect for the electorate — an electorate whose wishes were routinely mocked, belittled, and then ignored by the grandees. Apparently the people are still held in the same disdain by their betters in Congress.
Last March, when stumping for his comprehensive bill, President Bush said:
A lot of Americans are skeptical about immigration reform primarily because they don’t think the government can fix the problems. And my answer to the skeptics is, give us a chance to fix the problems in a comprehensive way that enforces our border…
“give us a chance to fix the problems.” A chance was given; from the looks of things, the government appears to have failed once more. (Congress did choose to fund attorneys for illegal immigrants, so Congress would appear to be making a definitive statement about its priorities.) Though we understand that this is a tiny provision in a large bill, a veto might be an interesting idea in the interests of the GOP in 2008 — but then again President Bush has never really seemed to be serious about border enforcement.
December 19th, 2007 at 4:08 pm
For the moment I’m unable to express my reaction coherently or civilly.
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It’s important to me that a Presidential candidate have an executive track record. The lack thereof has been my primary reservation about Thompson and one of my primary reservations about Obama.
However, when the government reminds me of a bordello, I’m not going to seek out the candidate with the most experience in brothels.
December 19th, 2007 at 4:26 pm
The elites of Washington have repeatedly shown their disdain for the American public. This is why record and integrity are so vital in selecteing a leader. The record shows how he has adhered to his word and the integrity reflects what his future promises are worth.
In this vein we can see why the Hildabeast is so dangerous and why the Rudybots, Ronulians, McScrewies, and Hucksters are to be shunned.
The politicians don’t get it. 2008 promises to see a number of incumbents seeking new employment, and this is just the beginning. When our leaders can’t agree that English is the official language of the USA (I’m for Hungarian myself) you can tell they just do not live on the same plane of existence that the common working man does.
It is time to close the door on them. Perhaps they’d all find Mexico more to their liking.
December 20th, 2007 at 8:29 am
I have had all I will take from Jim Walsh (D-lite, NY). If I wanted a real Democrat, I’d vote for one. Since there are no Republicans running, I’m withholding my vote.
Term limits, or throw them out. I will not be lied to by public servants.
December 22nd, 2007 at 1:56 am
Yet another reason why I wouldn’t spit on Kay Bailey if she were on fire.
Her imminent retirement would be welcome if not for the identity of her likely successor — Governor Rick Perry — who also seems to think there is no illegal immigration problem.