Just when you thought there was going to me a very modest start at border control, our masters in Congress did a little shuffle. The Washington Post tells the tale, but the bottom line tells you all you need to know..."Congress also hedged on when a fence would be completed. The law mandating it said Homeland Security officials should gain "operational control" of the border in 18 months. But the law funding it envisions five years. Chertoff has set a goal of two to three years, but only after completion of an immigration overhaul.""No sooner did Congress authorize construction of a 700-mile fence on the U.S.-Mexico border last week than lawmakers rushed to approve separate legislation that ensures it will never be built, at least not as advertised, according to Republican lawmakers and immigration experts.
You see what they did is:
GOP leaders have singled out the fence as one of the primary accomplishments of the recently completed session. Many lawmakers plan to highlight their $1.2 billion down payment on its construction as they campaign in the weeks before the midterm elections.
But shortly before recessing late 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 funds may also be spent on roads, technology and "tactical infrastructure" to support the Department of Homeland Security's preferred option of a "virtual fence."...
Makes you wonder what the meaning of is is.
Means I will not vote for Mr Kyl.
ReplyDeleteMay not vote for Mr Pederson, but Mr Kyl couldn't get the job done, he no longer gets my vote.
Maybe Mr Bush will have to veto something.
You beat me Deuce:
ReplyDeleteCorrupt, Filthy Scum in Congress and the Whitehouse
A Pox on them all.
'Rat:
How could Kyle do it by himself?
(I know Bush will as he is POTUS and his corruption is well-proven.)
Very tired of his LIES:
ReplyDelete"It's what the people want."
My Ass.
doug,
ReplyDeleteI believe in delegated authority. Mr Kyl has been my delegate, he has failed to represent my position, adequately.
He should be replaced by someone that can. If not this round, then next. But then again I always replace service providers that fall short. Not hope for improvement, on the next go.
Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.
The Republicans have fallen short.
Failure should not be rewarded.
You could say they have a Death wish both politically and for the Nation, but simple dishonesty and corruption are the drivers, no matter how you slice it.
ReplyDeleteTruly Disgusting.
Mr Pederson's newest ad, Iraqi War vets discuss inept Managememt of the War.
ReplyDeleteMr Pederson comes on and says he supports
"Defeating the real terrorists, not creating more of them."
That may be what Mr. P wants,
ReplyDeletecertainly not Nancy P et al.
The Republicans have fallen short. Failure should not be rewarded.
ReplyDeleteFor some it's the broken budget, when the 'Pubs thought they could buy their re-election, for others it's the broken border, when the 'Pubs thought they could gain more new Hispanic voters than they would lose nativists. For still others it's the broken trust with the parents of pages. If they keep this Shi'ite up, not only will the Dems gain control of both houses, but they will have such a clear majority that Bush is looking at two years of actual...congressional oversight.
She's not on the ballot, doug.
ReplyDeleteThat vote is for Shadegg, who wins, hands down. Mr Kyl bears the brunt of my dissatisfaction for Southern Conservatism being dominant in the Republican Party.
Smaller Government, Lower Taxes & Regulations, Victory in War.
The Republicans have failed in each effort, within the electoral cycles.
Forty Senators can shut down the Senate, the Dems do it all the time. The Repubs could lose and still be as effective in opposition as the Dems have been.
Disgusting & despicable. The Republicans continue to pile on the disillisionment. Further evidence of the adage, power corrupts....
ReplyDeleteSomeone linked to a list of GOP Congress accomplishments in the last 60 days recently. "Building" the fence topped the list. Wonder how many others have been similarly gutted in implementation.
What is so frustrating is that the alternative is 10x worse. You begin to get a sense of what "taxation without representation" must have felt like.
Compare the theses of Ben Stein and John Podhoretz to see why the Republicans need new leadership and new spokesmen.
ReplyDeleteTo Mr. Podhoretz, “You can’t con an honest man.” And, “If you don’t want to get caught with your pants down, keep them up.”
To Mr. Stein, “Shabbat Shalom.”
Podhoretz
Stein
And as everyone here has attested, the Dems dominate the Agenda.
ReplyDeleteThey have been blamed for most everything, from failure in Iraq to the Foley follies.
Must be true.
Mr. Bush’s practitioners of the RoP may not be so easily won over for the simple reason that they don’t want to be.
ReplyDeleteIslamic extremists
“Islamic extremists planned to kidnap dozens of Jews in Prague and hold them hostage before murdering them…”
“[T]he captives would have been held in a Prague synagogue while the captors made broad demands that they knew could not be fulfilled.”
“When those demands… were not met, the extremists would blow up the building, killing all who were inside…”
Why that sounds just like premeditated murder, doesn’t it. Someone contact the White House, immediately – the RoP model isn’t working.
The Democrats are forcing Mr Bush to "Stay the Course", allen.
ReplyDeleteIt is Nancy Pelosi's fault that Mr Bush maintains the RoP mantra.
Let's keep it real.
Support Bush
ReplyDeleteVote Foley
Stand with Republican Values
Vote Foley
Foley, the generic Republican
Mr Podhoretz was right, for politcal entertainment, you gotta love it.
Pienso no, mi amigo rufus.
ReplyDeleteCansado de los Republicans y las mientas, muy cansado.
Dr. Krauthammer provides his usual eviscerating wit to TWAT. He uncovers a certain premeditated reluctance to parley honestly on the part of Muslims.
ReplyDeleteLink
“The jihadists wasted no time in finding new justifications for fury and reviving old ones. The supply is endless: Danish cartoons, papal pronouncements, the liberation of women, the existence of Israel, the licentiousness of Western culture, the war in Afghanistan. And, of course, Iraq -- again.”
[...]
“Does the war in Iraq make us more or less safe today? And what about tomorrow? The fact is that no definitive answer is possible. Except for the following truism: During all wars we are by definition less safe -- and the surest way back to safety is victory.”
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteWhen it costs an average of $20 million USD per enemy combatant KIA in the War on Terror, $1.2 billion for Border Security is peanut dough.
ReplyDeleteNo refuge there.
It is only $500 million USD in "add ons".
ReplyDeleteNow is not the time to start the "Economizing", not on the start of effective Homeland Security.
This is Westhawk's answer to Mohammed @ Iraq the Model's call for a wider war.
ReplyDeleteJack Straw opens the debate
ReplyDeleteAny predictions on how long the debate will be allowed to play out? What utterance is forbidden and will make it "racist?"
Hey, teach, that's the same link from last night--
ReplyDeleteWhat about that "List" that David Corn has mentioned.
ReplyDeleteThe Lavender Bund or as some call 'em, the Velvet Mafia, come to be "exposed".
Who will be the most damaged if the sun starts shinin' in?
instapundit posted a rebut to ItM, from a believer in the war effort "as is":
ReplyDeleteBoth ideas, that only US can get it done, is a fallacy.
ReplyDeleteWesthawk has the answer. The indigs have to carry the water.
If they do not, get new ones, until we find some that can.
There is more than one Army that can fight a war, for US.
Asymetric War can flow in both directions. It should.
ReplyDeleteFor those in danger of seduction by the siren song of peace, consider this:
ReplyDeleteThe crime? Being white.
buddy larsen; 11:41:05 AM
ReplyDeletere: instapundit
As DR has repeatedly opined, it's gold that wins wars and the US is burning its resources at an alarming, unsustainable per capita kill rate.
Louis XIV tried much the same and failed. Wars cannot be interminable.
Rick Moran is reporting a potentially earth shaking change in Republican leadership.
ReplyDelete“POLL LEAK TO FOX MAY SIGNAL LEADERSHIP STRUGGLE”
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.rightwingnuthouse.com/
ReplyDeleteWhile the report from RCP is not really encouraging for Republican partisans.
ReplyDeleteAs of now
Mr Santorum, Mr Chafee & Mr Burns would all lose, today.
That's a pick up of three for the Dems.
Mr Talent is runnng even, Mr DeWine a bit behind. Mr Menendez is moving ahead. Mr Allen seems kinda secure, today.
So for the Incumbent Senators looks like the Repubs would be down at least 4 or 5, today.
The Open seats, Mr Ford and Mr Corker, RCP has Ford up by 2. The only open seat in real contention.
Could be number 6.
Where does Mr Lieberman caucus, next session?
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ReplyDeleteWell, I've calling been for that Strategy to be employed for years now, rufus.
ReplyDeleteHere's to hope it's not to late.
SNAFU TO FUBAR TO BOHICA come November.
ReplyDeleteThe fence thing. The funding sleight of hand, reminds me of Congress voting itself a raise on Christmas Eve around midnight..
The Socialist stench on the other side remains in my nostrils from the days of the Kerry-Harkin-Jim Wright "Dear Commandante Letter" to Daniel Ortega or the Democrats pulling the funding from our allies , the South Vietnamese.
Does anyone else get the feeling that if the Democrats take control the world will change in ways that will truly endanger us?
Allen @ 12:37--granted, no fault with your premise, but you should quantify the specific numbers to the specific case: USA has added two trillion in GDP since 911. A gain equivalent to the entire GDP of the PRC. The GWoT is costing around 1% of GDP. In examining your premise, the first question has to be, what will likely be the cost of fighting it differently, or not at all?
ReplyDeleteDr. Rice and all can breathe a shy of relief; there will be peace in the ME!
ReplyDelete"Abbas Tells US PA Will Recognize Israel, Says Opposite on PA TV"
Link
“Abbas convinced U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that he is sincere in his commitment to force the PA government to formally acknowledge the Jewish State’s right to exist…”
(Dr. Rice does so like being convinced.)
“Rice said she was impressed with the PA leader’s political acumen after their meeting this week. “We have great admiration for you and your leadership…”
(What might that say about the Bush administration?)
CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- A Navy corpsman pleaded guilty Friday to kidnapping and conspiracy under a plea deal in which he agreed to testify about the death of an Iraqi civilian.
ReplyDeleteSeven Marines are accused of murdering the Iraqi on April 26 in the town of Hamdania, where they were searching for an insurgent.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Melson J. Bacos, 21, entered the plea at his court martial and agreed to testify about the Marines' role and give his account of the death of 52-year-old Hashim Ibrahim Awad.
In return for that testimony, other counts against Bacos of murder, kidnapping and conspiracy were to be dropped, his civilian lawyer said before Friday's proceedings.
The Medic cracked, aye
Wait til the old folks find out that the Republicans are going to cut Social Security, not allow them into Wal Mart or Target and make them live on Vienna Sausage and zuchinni bread sandwiches.
ReplyDeleteThen when their in a completely weaken state the Republicans will sell them to the Chinese for medical experiments.
The Democrats are promising increased bingo support with larger pots and free medicine or a reasonable placebo. Seniors will get free gas and their own lane on highways. They can be line jumpers at grocery and other shopping outlets, enforced by the Homeland Security Senior Protection Division.
Big Rock Candy Mountain
Habu,
ReplyDeleteSemper fi, mail sent.
DR.
ReplyDeleteBest Mr. Bacos move to another country or get in the witness protection program.
2164,
ReplyDeletereceived.
But it was not the Dems, habu, the finagled the last Big Rock Candy give away.
ReplyDeleteSo my mom gets her subsidized perscriptions, that has Republican fingerprints all over it.
Jr was pretty upset at that medic, cussed him good. Ethnic slurs and more.
ReplyDeleteSeizures of Radioactive Materials Fuel "Dirty Bomb" Fears - Lewis Smith
ReplyDeleteSeizures of smuggled radioactive material capable of making a terrorist "dirty bomb" have doubled in the past four years. Smugglers have been caught trying to traffic dangerous radioactive material more than 300 times since 2002, statistics from the International Atomic Energy Agency show. Most of the incidents occurred in Europe. The disclosures come as al-Qaeda is known to be intensifying its efforts to obtain a radioactive device. Last year, Western security services thwarted 16 attempts to smuggle plutonium or uranium. On two occasions small quantities of highly enriched uranium were reported missing. All were feared to have been destined for terror groups. (Times-UK)
buddy larsen,
ReplyDeletere: TWAT
There is no question as to fighting. The question goes to the inefficiency of the current method of fighting and its longterm sustainability. Do recall, the military is asking for hundreds of billions (?) for replenishment of inventories. Moreover, if and when the military is enlarged, hundreds of billions in additional costs will result.
Unless the US can get a great deal more bang for the buck, the administration might be better off simply purchasing Iraq.
Judicial Watch Uncovers New Documents Detailing Mexican Government Incursions
ReplyDeleteIncursions
DR,
ReplyDeleteThis administration is the definition of "The Big Rock Candy Mountain"
Bush has made LBJ look like a piker.
DR,
ReplyDeleteIf those Marines are convicted it's gonna make the squids wish they were never born.
Finally found my true inner meaning picture which also solves TWAT
ReplyDeletehabu, there's nothing wrong with buying big rock candy mountain, if you can afford the mortgage. USA's numbers are good, debt-to-equity, personal income growth, employment, growth, profits, everything. House looks grim for the sliver with ARMs they can no longer afford, but even a rose has thorns. The big picture is good.
ReplyDeleteRufus is right, safe-haven is a good investment. That's the core of the Noam Chomsky argument--the marxist "flip"--that USA stimulates global strife just so's safe-haven money flows here. And if all Americans were as big an asshole as chomsky, I'd believe it.
buddy larsen,
ReplyDeletere: financing the TWAT
Without resort to snarkiness (whatever that really is), consider John Law. Further addressing the ill-conceived financial schemes of governments, one of the best readings is “Extraordinary Popular Delusions & the Madness of Crowds”.
Link
Link
While the growth of GDP is inarguable, so is the doubling of the national debt over the last five years. Not only must the debt be serviced, it must be retired eventually. As to service, I recall 1981 and the sweet security of 15.5% one year CDs. I also recall how my scheme to become a millionaire overnight at those rates was subsequently shattered by reality.
Everybody likes to use Rome as a metaphor for an over-extended empire, but few look at the battle of teutoberg forest, where a roman army was ambushed, wiped out, and caused rome to demarc the Rhine as a no-go. In time, it was those guys behind the Rhine who knocked over the city and finished the empire.
ReplyDeleteAllen, not to be snarky, but debt-financing is key to growth. The metric you need to look at is the spread--the return on debt. USA is borrowing at under 5%, and creating a marketplace where business is making twice that--and paying taxes on it, and rolling the debt along. Look at other ways of running an economy. look at paying cash for your big ticket itewms. most people would be elderly before they could buy a house or even a car.
ReplyDeleteThere's a streak of Luddite in all of us, I'll admit. destroy them cotton gins--
ReplyDeleteJust heard that car-final-assembly now takes 15 hours, down from 40 in the 90s.
what hurts is waste--because waste is waste.
ReplyDeletebut tricky folks define 'waste' however the politics demands.
Dems love waste when it is masked in a gov't jobs program, and they hate anything/everything that interferes with same.
that's why the GWoT is being cast as 'waste".
But what will we call $200 oil when OPEC is run by AQ?
ah, the Jolly Green Ear of Corn sleeps with with one eye open--
ReplyDeletedebt
ReplyDeleteFed. Gov. Sector $ 8.2T
State Gov. 1.9T
S.S. Un-funded 7.0T
Medicare Un-funded 37.0T
Household 11.5T
Business 8.3T
Financial Sector 12.5T
Other 1.3T
Foreign holders 9.3T
re: Federal debt
ReplyDeleteInterest expense (2006) $406B
Link
DoD budget (2006) $419B
Link
Buddy,
ReplyDeleteYour point about Rome being used as a metaphor has been over done.
I'm going to start using either New Guinea or Burkina Faso.
You know..New Guinea fell because the great jungle plight of 1706 decimated the peoples ability to....
Cassava Rescues World Energy Crisis
ReplyDeleteCassava has one of the highest rates of CO2 fixation and sucrose synthesis for any C3 plant. With this in mind, researchers from Ohio State University develop transgenic cassava with starch yields up 2.6 times higher than normal plants by increasing the sink strength for carbohydrate in the crop. This means cassava makes for a 'super crop' when it comes to both CO2 fixation and carbohydrate production, i.e. sugars, the feedstock for ethanol - Plant Biotechnology Journal - Volume 4/Issue 4 - July 2006
Cassava
habu,
ReplyDeletere: casava
Like, Dude, that is so wrong. Mother Gaia takes care of us, but it just takes time, you know, man?
If that Bush dude would just butt out of stem-cell research, like, I could get that grant and an eco-friendly mo-ped, like, way cool.
Peace and death to deadly Repuglican, Fascist, GMOs. Power to Chavez and viva Che.
Yes, Whit, Rufus is in deep cognitive disconnect, Larsen moderately deep about what POTUS says vs what he does.
ReplyDeleteHonest George wouldn't lie to us would he. (Just cause he has over and over on this very issue.)
Honest George wouldn't neglect his oath of office, would he?
Like Hell he wouldn't,
HE IS!
Disgusting betrayal of this once great country.
doug, your rhetoric is unbalanced. Granted your beefs have merit, but when they trigger your maximum disdain, what do you have left to use against your real enemies. you gotta scale it a bit. GWB ain't the devil.
ReplyDelete