Bush 2008 State of the Union continues immigration charades

Posted Mon, Jan 28, 2008 at 5:02 pm

One paragraph of tonight's State of the Union address concerned immigration:

America needs to secure our borders - and with your help, my Administration is taking steps to do so. We are increasing worksite enforcement, we are deploying fences and advanced technologies to stop illegal crossings, we have effectively ended the policy of "catch and release" at the border, and by the end of this year, we will have doubled the number of border patrol agents. Yet we also need to acknowledge that we will never fully secure our border until we create a lawful way for foreign workers to come here and support our economy. This will take pressure off the border and allow law enforcement to concentrate on those who mean us harm. We must also find a sensible and humane way to deal with people here illegally. Illegal immigration is complicated, but it can be resolved. And it must be resolved in a way that upholds both our laws and our highest ideals.

First, as with the Clinton's, it's necessary to define terms. "Securing" the borders, to me, doesn't mean completely preventing all illegal crossing since some people will always be able to get through. I believe that that's the way that Bush means that to mean, although I could be surprised.

The question then becomes: why Bush hasn't secured to borders until now? He's had seven plus years, so why are they still "taking steps"?

And, I'll bet Bush could secure the border in a few weeks if he really needed and wanted to. In that light, the third sentence above holds the U.S. hostage to some sort of "guest" worker program, otherwise Bush won't do his job. The economy would hardly collapse if we secured the borders, but some small group of people would lose some money.

And, while the great majority of illegal aliens don't "mean us harm", they do form a political power base for racial demagogues and the Mexican and other governments, and that does harm the U.S.

And, it's hardly "humane" to allow 14% of another country's workforce to move to your country and prop up the corrupt government of that country.

As for the rest, they've certainly increased worksite enforcement a bit, but I'd imagine there are even Clinton years with higher rates.

The DHS is certainly building fences, but whether they're pushing as hard as they could is definitely an open question.

Checking how many "other than Mexicans" have been released back in to the U.S. rather than being deported immediately and whether the DHS is in line to double the numbers of agents is left as an exercise.

Comments

Mary (not verified)

Tue, 01/29/2008 - 00:34

Don't know if you caught his reference to the summit in New Orleans between Mexico,the US and Canada...Business as usual for KING GEORGE who belives indemocracy for other countries but a monarchy fr this one.....Time to start shoving back!!!

amanda (not verified)

Tue, 01/29/2008 - 08:53

Ah, memories. One last taste of Bush's guest worker non sequitur. The first time you hear it you do a double take, but now it's been repeated so often it's almost like a song--Love And Marriage This I tell you [OMIT brother] sucker, You can't have one without the other...

Fred Dawes (not verified)

Tue, 01/29/2008 - 13:19

Bush wants mexico city to rule our nation, and the state of the union BS Was just like Herbert Hoover BS Of 1932. buy guns you will need one soon the system is coming apart and real evil is at the door of freedom. john see you in area 27, see information about the system boss's.

Tanstaafl (not verified)

Tue, 01/29/2008 - 17:59

Have guns. Need directions to area 27.

Fred Dawes (not verified)

Tue, 01/29/2008 - 18:12

tanstaafI its a coffee shop in o'side, we have to get one million people with guns and willing to fight but that will never happen inside a new kind of police state way to many people have been Obama and will never stand up to this system of evil doers with hate of our freedoms. so buy land way out and live in freedom away from the rats.

Emily Carlson (not verified)

Wed, 01/30/2008 - 20:26

Final State of the Union - Emily Carlson It was a modest speech filled with modest proposals. Last night, President Bush gave his final State of the Union address, an address much different than his past seven. Gone were the references to Iran as the "axis of evil" and our social security system as "headed towards bancruptcy." Instead of strong words, Bush put forward modest proposals. The already approved $150 billion economic stimulus plan, $300 million in education funding for poor students, and continued support of the war in Iraq topped Bush's agenda. Modest clapping and standing ovations scattered his 53 minute speech, but alas... Bush was not the center of attention at his own State of the Union speech. With only a year left in his presidency, the nation has already turned to a new generation of politicans who are running for his seat. CNN seemed to be more interested in which senator was snubbing another senator than talking about President Bush's speech. A picture of Senator Barak Obama turning his back on Senator Hillary Clinton shaking Senator Ted Kennedy's hand was blown up and shown again and again. 'Was he doing this on purpose? Is he mad at Hillary?' seemed to be more important than anything the President was saying. Senator McCain wasn't even in attendance last night, instead choosing to squeeze in some last minute campaigning before Florida's primary today. With Americans already swept up in the excitement of Super Tuesday and the race to see who the Democrat and Republican front runner will be, President Bush is pushed in the background. His State of the Union was more of a snapshot of his past seven years as President while he struggles to shape what his legacy will be. Meanwhile, the rest of the politicans in the House chambers, and well as the rest of the nation wonders... who the next leader of the free world will be. More on the state of the union: www.emily-carlson.com www.emilycarlson.org www.emilycarlson.info http://www.zimbio.com/Emily+Carlson+Journalist http://emilyacarlson.wordpress.com/ http://www.zimbio.com/Emily+Carlson's+All+Things+Political