GOP Hearing in Laredo Alleges Border Terror Risks; Dems: Event Political

[DeepModem Mom]

WP: GOP Hearing Alleges Risks Of Terrorism Along Border
Democrats Say Event Is Bid To Score Political Points
By Sylvia Moreno
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, July 8, 2006; Page A03


Jaime Martinez, president of the Texas chapter of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, leads a protest outside the House International Relations subcommittee field hearing in Laredo, Tex. (By Eddie Seal -- Bloomberg News)

LAREDO, Tex., July 7 -- House Republicans brought their get-tough immigration proposal on Friday to the city dubbed the nation's "Gateway to Mexico" to make their case for tightening the border as a way to prevent terrorist incursions.

"It's elementary that to defend ourselves against our determined and resourceful enemies, our border must be secure," said Rep. Ed Royce (R-Calif.), chairman of the House International Relations subcommittee on terrorism. "Border vulnerabilities are opportunities for terrorists."

Some House Democrats denounced the hearing as political grandstanding that would accomplish little, and some local officials said that closing the border would be detrimental to the legal flow of commerce and individuals.

"We face some very serious problems," but lawmakers should "not start scaring people just to get headlines," said Laredo Mayor Raul Salinas, a former FBI agent and U.S. Capitol Police officer.

"We must make our border safe, but not close it to trade and community," said Salinas, whose city is a transit point for hundreds of thousands of northbound trucks hauling imported goods. "We need to build bridges, bridges of friendship and not walls. This nation can be safe without closing or slowing down our borders."...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/07/AR2006070701247.html

[Xipe Totec]

1. our determined and resourceful enemies...

So Mexico is now our enemy?

[winston61]

2. If there is one thing that Congressman can do it is

make doing nothing seem like doing something. That's all this is. These hearings mean nothing, just a a way to avoid action before the mid terms. If the repukes lose one house then the shit is on the doorstep of the Dems. The Pukes can beat their little drums and proclaim that they tried to make a difference. Another possibility is that Bush will cave. He hasn't spent much capital on this and really does not have a problem with the flood of illegals. He's a lame duck and all the White House (read Cheney) really cares about is Korea and Iran. Much more effective at scaring the shit out of the masses. What scares me is what Cheney might do in Iran after the mid terms. We got some scary motherfuckers with a finger on the nuke button and they think it is a rational solution. That ought to make you sleep sound tonight.

[DeepModem Mom]

3. That's good --

"If there is one thing that Congressmen can do it is make doing nothing seem like doing something."