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Home Front: Politix
Funding for 700-mile Southern border fence falls short
2007-02-07
WASHINGTON – President Bush's budget includes enough money to build only half the U.S.-Mexico border fence Congress demanded last fall, leaving supporters of a 700-mile barrier seething Monday and immigration advocates shrugging that it was just an election-year ploy.

With 75 miles of fencing already in place, the $1 billion in extra money proposed for border infrastructure would be used to build 150 miles of fence by the end of this year and 370 miles by the time Mr. Bush leaves office in early 2009, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said. That's far less than the 700 miles Congress approved last fall and Mr. Bush signed into law. "We are committed to the right fencing at the right place at the right time," Mr. Chertoff said during a briefing about his department's $46.4 billion budget proposal.

Mr. Bush has called for a "virtual fence" that would include barriers, cameras, unmanned surveillance aircraft and sensors, but critics say his reluctance to build the full physical fence demanded by Congress shows he's not serious about cracking down on illegal immigration.
Posted by:Steve White

#13  The Minutemen were collecting money for the fence last year, gorb, and even got a small portion built. But then a politician volunteered to handle it for them, 'cause he had the staff just sitting about or something, and it all got queer.
Posted by: trailing wife   2007-02-07 19:27  

#12  Give me a rifle, ammo, the right rules of engagement, a tent and camp-stove, and I'll guard a portion of the border just to piss off the leftoids. I gotta have the right to shoot ACLU types as well as illegals, though, or it won't be worthwhile. Also that idiot in Arizona that wants to criminalize the Minutemen - she's gotta be declared a target, or it's all for nothing. I'm sure I could round up a few hundred (thousand?) other volunteers, as well...
Posted by: Old Patriot   2007-02-07 19:16  

#11  Why not use volunteers? Any money used to build the fence would then mostly be used for equipment, materials, meals, lodging, and professionals to guide the work. No labor.

If you made it into a summer experience and call it the "Fence Corps" I would think there ought to be plenty of people who would send their kids down to work on it during the summer, too! :-)
Posted by: gorb   2007-02-07 16:17  

#10  I'll bet if you sold the advertising rights to the fence, it would pay for itself.
We are already a nation of whores, so what's another buck or two????
Posted by: USN, Ret.   2007-02-07 14:59  

#9  Besoeker: Haven't ridden MARTA lately have you? Definitely not many Albanians on there. More Africans (thus, originally, MARTA=Moving Africans Rapidly Through Atlanta) and Hispanics than anything else.
Posted by: BA   2007-02-07 11:06  

#8  I could build a fence for a lot less than that!
You're not allowed to, Jim. You don't have a union and pension benefits and healthcare benefits. Why the only fools stupid enough to work for you would be Mexicans.
[/snrk]
Posted by: wxjames   2007-02-07 11:02  

#7  Tamper proof Social Security cards along with hefty fines and/or jail for employers who hire illegals would help. After all, most of them are here for the jobs so if they can't work they might go home on their own. The fact that these measures have not already been taken goes to show how crooked our politicians are. I don't have much faith this problem will ever be solved so I'm always nice to Mexicans because I figure they're taking over. As for the drugs, I think if the government was serious about it, the problem would have been solved long ago. There again, the real problem is corruption on both sides of the border. It's really disturbing to think the people in our government are that bad but it is the obvious conclusion when they consistently fail to address the problem in any meaningful or effective way.
Posted by: treo   2007-02-07 10:29  

#6  I could build a fence for a lot less than that!
Posted by: Jim   2007-02-07 08:55  

#5  Meanwhile he funds Seattle's light-rail project

Ask yourself who... rides light-rail? Same with Atlanta, and MARTA (Moving Albanians Rapidly Through Atlanta)
Posted by: Besoeker   2007-02-07 08:25  

#4  Bush has sold us out. Right now in Minnesota the majority of Meth is being smuggled in by Mexicans here illegally. Which begs the question, what is wrong with this idiot? There are little to no raids on companies that hire illegals which just goes to show his intentions.

Aside from landmines which would be a great idea, the Minute Men are our only defense. Because it's only a matter of time before the Muzzies smuggle a nuke over our southern boarder.

Shit.
Posted by: Icerigger   2007-02-07 08:20  

#3  Meanwhile he funds Seattle's light-rail project (and even throws in a few extra million) which few people will ride.

I guess you just have to have your priorities....
Posted by: CrazyFool   2007-02-07 06:39  

#2  Build what you can.
Posted by: gorb   2007-02-07 02:48  

#1  
A few machine gun nests go a long way.
Posted by: Master of Obvious   2007-02-07 00:53  

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