Real Solution for Border:Kerry Amendment to Add 1,000 Border Patrol Agents

[kerrygoddess]

A Real Solution for Border Security: Kerry Amendment Would Add 1,000 New Border Patrol Agents
May 15th, 2006 @ 4:53 pm

Bush will be addressing the nation soon and calling for the deployment of up to 6,000 National Guard to guard to the U.S./Mexican border. This is all part of a “$1.9 billion drive to tighten security and win conservative backing in Congress for a broad election-year overhaul of the nation’s tattered immigration laws.”

In response to Bush’s address and call for deployment of the National Guard, tomorrow John Kerry will offer an amendment to the Immigration Reform Bill to add 1,000 additional Border Patrol agents — bringing the total up to 3,000 new agents this year – plus add an additional 100 helicopters and 250 power boats to secure America’s borders.

“We know we need a comprehensive answer to immigration that includes tightening border security, but putting another burden on the backs of men and women who are serving their second tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan isn’t the right answer,” said John Kerry. “The right answer is to listen to the 9/11 Commission and put the border patrol agents we need right there on the border.”

MORE - http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=2994

[wisteria]

1. This is good, I just wonder why he isn't proposing more

then 1,000 agents. With Bush proposing 6,000 troops Senator Kerry's number seem too little. Is Bush over doing it with the numbers necessary to secure the boarders?

[ginnyinWI]

2. I'd say a well trained border patrol agent

is worth at least two or three National Guard troops. They are trained especially for the work. These National Guards are going to be people who are doing their yearly two weeks--not exactly what you would call specially trained for this. And meanwhile, as Durbin pointed out, they aren't doing their regular training.

Another thing is the question of money. If it's true that * has cut funding the border patrol by 90% (!) then more money would definitely help things.

My daughter's boyfriend is in the Guard, due to have his training at the end of July. I wonder if he will be involved in this instead.

[ProSense]

3. It's really hard

to trust anything Bush says. He says training and technology will take too long, and he doesn't mention the air and water patrols.


David Sirota article
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=1199224&mesg_id=1199224

Text of Bush's speech
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=1197305&mesg_id=1197305

[kerrygoddess]

4. JK's after speech Bush speech statement

John Kerry on President Bush’s Plan to Put National Guard Troops on the Border
May 15th, 2006 @ 7:58 pm

In his address to the nation tonight on immigration, Nush called for “Congress to provide funding for dramatic improvements in manpower and technology at the border.”

By the end of 2008, we will increase the number of Border Patrol officers by an additional 6,000. When these new agents are deployed, we will have more than doubled the size of the Border Patrol during my presidency.

However, in the transitionary period leading up to this, Bush has called for the use of the National Guard, “in coordination with governors,” and wants to deploy “up to 6,000 Guard members” on our southern border. Bush also said that, “The Border Patrol will remain in the lead,” and the U.S. is “not going to militarize the southern border.”

Not so fast Mr. President… Our National Guard is already stretched to the max from deployment to Afghanistan and Iraq. Below is a statement from John Kerry on Bush’s plan to deploy National Guard troops to the border:

“This is a moment when the far right is horribly wrong and leadership is required to set a course for common sense. We need a comprehensive answer to immigration that includes tightening border security, but putting another burden on the backs of the National Guard troops who are serving their second tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan isn’t the right answer. The National Guard which has borne the burden of a broken policy in Iraq shouldn’t have to bear the burden of an incomplete immigration policy. The right answer is to listen to the 9/11 Commission and put the border patrol agents we need right there on the border. It won’t satisfy the right wing, but it’s the right policy."

MORE - http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=2997

[beachmom]

5. The Right will NEVER be satisfied short of deporting 11 million people

I won't provide a link, but here is a rant from Michele Malkin (God, is she self loathing or what?):

Some Bush supporters are admonishing immigration enforcement activists to "tone it down" because the criticism will hurt Bush.

Maybe he should of thought of that all the years when he could have been raiding worksites and strengthening border protection for their own sake. Instead, he has chosen to offer a too little, too late, and all-too-expedient gesture of immigration enforcement as a phony bargaining chip to bribe his base into supporting a historically doomed, dangerous, and utterly unmanageable amnesty proposal.

Tone it down? No, crank it up.

What does he take us for?

Ha -- one has to giggle reading that. She sounds like a typical whiny lefty freeper. That and that quote from WorldNetNews where * is referred to as "Jorge", and one has to realize how nutty these people are.

[wisteria]

6. One thing I have learned is that both left and right freepers are

illogical,extreme,mean and have no common sense.

[globalvillage]

7. I think this is important.

"...plus add an additional 100 helicopters and 250 power boats to secure America’s borders."

Has anyone read through the Specter bill? I can't find anything in it that gives whoever is to patrol the borders the right tools to do the job. I don't know if 1000 agents is enough, but without the tools, it could be 10 times as many and it wouldn't do the job.

You can tell Arlen never built anything.

Good amendment.

[kerrygoddess]

8. Kerry Amendment Passes Senate, Will Add Border Patrol Agents

Kerry Amendment Passes Senate, Will Add Border Patrol Agents
May 16th, 2006 @ 4:37 pm

The Senate has taken up votes today on immigration reform, following Bush’s primetime address last night that seemingly did not win over the conservative base, as hoped by the Bush administration. Conservative critics still continue to decry the plans as “amnesty.”

Earlier in the day, the Senate knocked down by a 55 to 40 vote, a proposal by Senator Johnny Isakson, Republican of GA, that would have required lawmakers to “demand that border-security measures be in place before beginning a guest-worker program of the kind envisioned by President Bush.”

The Senate passed the amendment to the Immigration Reform Bill from Senator John Kerry today, which adds 1,000 additional Border Patrol agents – bringing the total up to 3,000 new agents this year – plus add an additional 100 helicopters and 250 power boats to secure America’s borders.

“We need a comprehensive answer to immigration that includes tightening border security, but putting another burden on the backs of the National Guard troops who are serving their second tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan isn’t the right answer. The National Guard which has borne the burden of a broken policy in Iraq shouldn’t have to bear the burden of an incomplete immigration policy,” said Kerry. “We need to listen to the 9/11 Commission and put the border patrol agents we need right there on the border. It won’t satisfy the right wing, but it’s the right policy.”

MORE & LINKS - http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=3006