Fence bill has huge, Bush- and Mexico-friendly holes

Posted Fri, Oct 6, 2006 at 2:07 am
The recently-passed fence bill has loopholes that give the Bush administration discretion over how to spend the money and whether to spend it constructing a real fence, a "virtual" fence, or on something else entirely:
...shortly before recessing late last Friday, the House and Senate gave the Bush administration leeway to distribute the money to a combination of projects, not just the physical barrier along the southern border. The money may also be spent on roads, technology and "tactical infrastructure" to support the Homeland Security Department's preferred option of a "virtual fence."

What's more, in a late-night concession to win over wavering Republicans, GOP congressional leaders pledged in writing that Native American tribes, members of Congress, governors and local leaders would get a say in "the exact placement" of any structure and that Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff would have the flexibility to use alternatives "when fencing is ineffective or impractical."

The loopholes leave the Bush administration with authority to decide where, when and how long a fence will be built, except for small stretches east of San Diego and in western Arizona. Homeland Security officials have proposed a fence half as long, lawmakers said...

...In this case, it also reflects the GOP's political calculations that voters do not mind the details, and that key players - including the administration, local leaders and the Mexican government - oppose a fence-only approach, analysts said...
Related: Cornyn: border fence won't happen, just a "symbolic gesture"

UPDATE: Speaking on KFI, Rep. Dana Rohrbacher thinks the nuanced fence bill was a necessary compromise. However, both Rep. Gary Miller and Rep. Ed Royce think the bill is air tight and the article is basically the WaPo trying to stir up trouble.

Tags: 
michael chertoff
mexican government

Comments

Fred Dawes (not verified)

Sun, 10/08/2006 - 21:56

hey that is the plan you can't stop the drug dealers and our political people,from doing evil acts and selling us all out to the third world ruler's and red china, or can we?

by the way perroazul del norte the third world war has started and don't get mad the fence has always been a joke and the fence will mean nothing after the war starts here.

perroazul del norte (not verified)

Fri, 10/06/2006 - 18:35

"NOBODY did anything. Can you post some information on how I can shoot those Negroes and take all of their pot?"-little johnny
You don't need any more pot, sonny, go into rehab.

perroazul del norte (not verified)

Fri, 10/06/2006 - 18:24

What's more, in a late-night concession to win over wavering Republicans, GOP congressional leaders pledged in writing that Native American tribes, members of Congress, governors and local leaders would get a say in "the exact placement" of any structure and that Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff would have the flexibility to use alternatives "when fencing is ineffective or impractical."
(...)

The traitors in Congress have revived the once-discredited concept of States' Rights in order to promote the Reconquista of their Brown Racist allies. The Deep South segregationists of the Fifties must be cackling in their graves.

The US government has proven itself terminally corrupt and in need of forcible overthrow. The genuine American patriots in the national government are so laughably few that they simply provide a mildly diverting clown show for our masters. The loony Communist hysterics who went apeshit at Columbia University the other night are too stupid to realize that Bush, the Congress and the US Chamber of Commerce are doing the real dirty work for them.

Little Johnny (not verified)

Fri, 10/06/2006 - 17:09

Oh, golly!

In my neighborhood there were some Negroes building a fence with no gate in it. They were building the fence around an abandoned lot where they were growing big marijuana plants and they told everybody that if the cops found out about it, they would shoot ALL the cops and ALL the whiteys and leave.

Well, it's still there and the Negroes have more money than God. It's true.

NOBODY did anything. Can you post some information on how I can shoot those Negroes and take all of their pot?

This is such a great site for finding out good information and the like.

Pat (not verified)

Fri, 10/06/2006 - 07:09

Virtual fence=broken cameras every mile or so.

In another symbolic gesture, "America's Sheriff" Mike Carona accepts a diluted version of his phony pre-election plan to enforce immigration laws. The plan was rejected by the Feds (afater Carona won) in a political deal that Carona opponents predicted.

http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/homepage/abox/article_1299610.php