Video: Bush signs the Secure Fence Act
posted at 10:33 am on October 26, 2006 by Allahpundit
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He signed it. In public. Granted, it’s a fence to nowhere. And granted, they’re already inching away from it. But he signed the damned thing. In public.
It’s our nutroots moment — a “moral victory.”
The highlight is when he recites his talking point about jobs Americans won’t do, which he can get away with thanks to our 0% unemployment rate.
Note C-money in frame, right over his shoulder. This photo op’s for you, base members!
Update: Scott Ott welcomes “the concept fence.”
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c-money? Please. Cheney’s Hip-Hop handle is “Chen-Dog” on the mean streets.
EFG on October 26, 2006 at 10:38 AM
Bush Approves 700-Mile ‘Concept Fence’ at Border
bdfaith on October 26, 2006 at 10:44 AM
I just love Cheney! He completes me.
Bush signed it, stupid fence fit throwers. How now, brown Kaus?
I say this with much love, well, as much my cold, Cheney loving, Rethuglican heart can hold.
Stormy70 on October 26, 2006 at 10:44 AM
Why does this bill remind me of drilling holes in a sinking boat, in order to let the water OUT?……lol
Left_Behind on October 26, 2006 at 10:46 AM
Smoke and mirrors – lots of pomp and circumstance for a project doomed for failure.
GregH on October 26, 2006 at 11:01 AM
Stuff likes this makes me hope the Democrats do impeach him if they take control of Congress.
You want to know why so many people hate Bush? Because he deserves it.
Enrique on October 26, 2006 at 11:21 AM
I wouldn’t pooh-pooh this as nothing more than a symbolic gesture just yet. It may have that camel’s-nose-in-the-tent quality instead.
Anyone remember when Clinton signed Welfare Reform in 1996? He immediatly started backing away from it, and liberals everywhere vowed to overturn it. Yet they’ve had absolutely no success whatsoever in that regard, because once that ground was surrendered there was no way they were going to get it back.
Same with this situation. If enough people keep the pressure on, they will not be able to weasel out of funding the fence and we will be able to push for even more enforcement.
Don’t think for a minute that just becuase he didn’t swallow the elephant whole that he hasn’t been forced to take a bite.
thirteen28 on October 26, 2006 at 11:25 AM
This fence is like that old joke about “What do you call 2 dead trial lawyers at the bottom of the ocean? Answer: A good start.”
Yep, better part of a fence or even a concept fence than no fence at all!
Consult with the Israelis about how to build it.
In fact, let’s have a race with Israel to see who can finish theirs first.
Enrique, I have no idea what your problem is, but I love Bush because he deserves it and if the Dhimmicrats try to impeach him, they’ll have to get through me first!
But they won’t, because they ain’t gonna win on Nov. 7.
Jen the Neocon on October 26, 2006 at 11:29 AM
Smoke and mirrors – lots of pomp and circumstance for a project doomed for failure.
GregH on October 26, 2006 at 11:01 AM
Why does this secular-progressive asshole keep posting here??? Why doesn’t he go play in a leftist sandbox???
Andy in Agoura Hills on October 26, 2006 at 11:30 AM
A real live Neocon.. Can we keep her?
Theworldisnotenough on October 26, 2006 at 11:32 AM
SP mantra……’I believe therefore All believe’
Limerick on October 26, 2006 at 11:34 AM
GregH, You and I finally agree on something.
This thing is aone of the biggest waste of taxpayer dollars I have ever seen. The CBO says the cost will be $2.2 billion. I’ll bet anyone here before this thing is completed, it’ll be 5 times that cost. This doesn’t even include the annual maintenance expense or the cost of energy to run the damn thing.
It won’t secure the border, just push the illegals more to the east over the remaining 1,400 miles of open fields.
If I were the Libs, I’d use that frame of Bush and Cheney together along with some smartass tag line like “$2.2 billion to fence in part of our yard? Another wasteful expenditure that will take food from the mouths of hungry school children.”
Jeez, If they’d just enforce the laws we already have this kind of crap wouldn’t even be necessary.
BacaDog on October 26, 2006 at 11:34 AM
Okay conservatives what is the Nov 8 Vent subject? Border fence and “The North American Union.” No reason to not hit those topics hard after Nov 7th. Hopefully bleeding heart conservatives will once again have the guts to criticise Republicans again.
Theworldisnotenough on October 26, 2006 at 11:39 AM
The Nov. 8th is going to be on the recently-won election; and the nutroot whining and moaning about how Karl Rove stole it.
dalewalt on October 26, 2006 at 11:48 AM
If anything the fence is useful because it is a gigantic “F-YOU” to Mexico and others who have questioned our authority as a sovereign nation to build such a fence. The fence may not do much good, but we’re going to build it just because you said we couldn’t.
DaveS on October 26, 2006 at 11:51 AM
Over at Michelle Malkin, she put up the story about the two border guards just convicted of 10 years in prison for enforcing our border. This is insane. Here we have President Bush signing a bill for a fence (a good start) but at the same time our government is arresting good men who are defending our border.
What really got my blood boiling, though, was Tony Snow’s obnoxious response to a very good question by a WorldNetDaily reporter, basically calling the question about the border agents being arrested “stupid.” (I never hear him criticizing asinine questions by the Left). The reporter followed up by asking if the President will pardon these border agents who were doing their job, and Snow says the question is “nonsense.”
We have Hezbollah agents most likely crossing our border on a daily basis, and Snow characterizes a question about pardoning arrested border agents doing their job and America’s as “nonsense.”
Another thing that struck me: Our border patrol force is unionized?! We may as well give up right now, given how liberals control every labor union.
At this moment, I’ve lost a lot of enthusiasm about the midterm elections.
januarius on October 26, 2006 at 11:55 AM
Well, if Congress had done it’s job and listened to the people, the bill would also have strong enforcement provisions. But it is a beginning, at least. No amnesty provisions.
Baby step, or failure of leadership, or both. You make the call.
CliffHanger on October 26, 2006 at 11:58 AM
Both
Theworldisnotenough on October 26, 2006 at 12:03 PM
Now that the act has been signed and the cash is coming, I suggest the following…
If we use illegal, low wage workers to build the fence, we could save billions on the cost of labor. Also, if we make the bulk of the barrier a series of ditches and boulders backed up by razor wire we can reduce the price of materials significantly (shovels and razor wire are cheap… the boulders are free).
This would stretch the funding that is available enough to do the whole border. Best yet, by using illegal to build the fence, considering that there are 12,000,000 in this country yet only 7,500,00 feet of border, it could be done in a few days, and nobody even has to break a sweat (it works out to about 8 inches per digger, boulder mover).
After serving their time at the shovel handle, the illegal that help build the fence get to cross back into Mexico, but are then allowed to stand at the front of the line for applications to come here legally.
Or, we can build the thing at a cost of $10,000 per yard and be broke before we make a dent in the problem.
RalphyBoy on October 26, 2006 at 12:23 PM
*sigh*….I guess only time will tell if this is a baby step or failure of leadership. I just can’t stomache another protest by illegials demanding rights for U.S. citizens.
ekuspa40 on October 26, 2006 at 12:24 PM
Living in Southern California, we have been sreaming for anything to be done for the last twenty years. We finally got a fence, a good one, between San Diego and Tijuana, but it is incomplete. Every step of the way, be it the enviornmetalists, the Mexicans, the current Administration at the time, the activists, the Congressional delegations, lack of funding, you name it, the powers that be would not secure the border. The fence is still not complete, even after legislation before this bill has been passed and funds approved, there is a gaping hole right in the middle of it. We have been, and are currently being invaded on a daily basis and the whole social fabric of the southwest has changed. Has anyone ever heard of Reconquista? Five years after 9/11, why has it taken so long to secure our borders?
PinkyBigglesworth on October 26, 2006 at 12:25 PM
RalphyBoy that’s a great idea! ha.
ekuspa40 on October 26, 2006 at 12:26 PM
Who gets to choose the color?….
Fargus on October 26, 2006 at 12:29 PM
Ekuspa40, You’ve given me a brainstorm……
Let’s spend a couple of million of the $2.2 billion in national TV ads proclaiming a “demand your rights” day for illegals. Get Rosie and Barbara to host the thing. Lots of ads with US and Mexican flags waving in the background.
Once they are all gathered there, build the damn fence around them! Illegals, Barbara and Rosie all contained in one fell swoop!! And, save a ton of money for more Border Partol agents.
Why didn’t I think of this before…………
BacaDog on October 26, 2006 at 12:32 PM
It’s a baby step, but at least it’s a baby step forward.
Recall where we were a few months ago – the Senate was in the midst of passing a bill that had no enforcement, had amnesty provisions that were a slap in the face of every law-abiding citizen in the country, and a huge guest worker program, and no fence. Bush was insisting that any immigration bill he signed had to be comprehensive.
Thanks to political pressure from those of us that want a secure border, they got none of their ridiculous open border provisions, and the only immigration bill that did get to the president’s desk (and ultimately signed) was one focused on enforcement. In other words, political pressure from those of us in the enforcement first crowd worked.
Is it perfect? Hardly. Is it everything we want? Not even close. But it’s one helluva lot closer to what we want than what Bush and the open borders advocates want. They got nothing. We at least moved the ball a little bit in the direction we want to go.
So instead of whining and banging on the high chair about symbolic gestures and moral victories and lamenting that the problem wasn’t completely solved in one fell swoop, you should take stock in the fact that our pressure had the effect of advancing our cause while preventing the open borders lobby from advancing theirs. With that in mind, it’s time to get back to work by keeping the pressure on.
Political victories take time, and sometimes the progress is slow and uneven. But if you get discouraged the way so many appear to be on this thread, such political victories won’t come at all.
thirteen28 on October 26, 2006 at 12:36 PM
Building a fence around Rosie will take twice as much material as building one along the entire border.
Megan on October 26, 2006 at 12:38 PM
I agree it is a step forward, but you have to take the step. The signing was a ceremony, but where are the bulldozers? Wait and watch how painfully slowly the fence will take to build. Wait and watch while another 10 million illegals break into this country and start demanding social services. Wait and watch the politicians as they come up with excuse after excuse why the fence isn’t being built yet. Another week will go by, another month, another year, and all the time, thousands invade by the day. Hold the politicians accountable. Every day we should be asking, “OK, where’s the fence?”
PinkyBigglesworth on October 26, 2006 at 12:43 PM
Bush didn’t sign the bill because it was what he wanted. He signed it because We Demanded It, and We Won! It is indeed a good start as it is the reminder to those who support an open border policy that their constituency won’t stand for that. Think of it as a shot across their bow.
For those who feel like not voting because the bill doesn’t do enough, I suggest that you go read the lousy Senate version of the lousy Immigration Reform Bill as that will be exactly what we get if we allow liberals to run the House. Bush has already supported that, and our keeping the House will be another reminder to the POTUS that he will not get his way in this matter.
DannoJyd on October 26, 2006 at 12:45 PM
Those who have read the bill said that there are so many loopholes in the bill, they don’t ever have to actually start building the fence.
Signing the bill does show that he is serious about controlling illegal immigration and securing the boarders.
The joke is, it will be built by illegal day laborers, anyway…
Mazztek on October 26, 2006 at 12:48 PM
Oh, well that makes it all OK, I feel safer already!
infidel4life on October 26, 2006 at 1:00 PM
well at least one good thing came out of this & has been pointed out already , is that the open border groups lost & i’m sure that they will go to the 9th Circuit Court of appeals in San Francisco & say that the fence is violating the rights of illegal immingrants to come to this country and of course the 9th Circuit Court will agree with them.
Starblazer on October 26, 2006 at 1:05 PM
The public signing, the lame bill itself, or both?
Valiant on October 26, 2006 at 1:10 PM
We don’t need a fence. We simply need to do the following:
Enforce the laws we have.
Increase penalties for companies that hire illegal aliens.
It’s all about the money and nothing more. Stop the money and they would have no reason to come here. [sarcasm] Because they all love Mexico so much and they’re all so proud to be Mexican that they would never consider leaving such a paradise. [/sarcasm]
x95b10 on October 26, 2006 at 1:17 PM
I think they should just make a video game, put it on the xbox where you get to capture illegals for fun and profit. Players online control the real traps, fences, etc along the border. The more illegals you can catch the more money you make.
lorien1973 on October 26, 2006 at 1:24 PM
The quoted portion by far was the most important part of your post. As Danny put it in his post:
(emphasis added).
Our pressure worked to get us this far. Let’s keep it up, because if it is clearly a winning issue for us.
thirteen28 on October 26, 2006 at 1:30 PM
Unlike most of GregH’s blather, I’m afraid that he’s probably dead on here.
Somebody should have gotten out a calculator instead of relying on their fingers and toes when figuring out how long to make the fence. They came up about 1300 miles too short.
MOMinuteman on October 26, 2006 at 1:30 PM
If this fence becomes a failure we will only have ourselves to blame. I personally have more faith than that in the electorate.
DannoJyd on October 26, 2006 at 1:48 PM
Please elaborate.
GregH on October 26, 2006 at 1:52 PM
Fair enough, GregH.
By sending massive e-mails, and placing calls to our representatives, we were able to stop the cursed Senate Immigration reform bill that would have given blanket amnesty not just to ILLEGAL Immigrants, but also to the companies that Illegally hire them. By continuing our efforts we will get the border secured.
Never forget that our politicians are in place to represent us, but they will do as they think wise if we don’t continuously let them know of our demands. It isn’t the job of the broken MSM to educate our leaders. That job falls upon us all equally.
DannoJyd on October 26, 2006 at 2:09 PM
Anyone at the White House interested in buying some of my product? I’ve got some 20 foot ladders with 3 rungs. I’ve got a nice supply of paper buckets with no handles. I’ve got a truckload of decks of cards, 42 cards to a deck. And a few nice sets of china, minus the plates and cups of course. And in my bargain of the month department I have for sale 1/2 of a bridge! I think all these will go nicely with the fence that only goes 1/3 of the way around the yard? Will somebody please start a Third Party!!!!!!!!!
soulsirkus on October 26, 2006 at 2:10 PM
OT, Rush Limbaugh just said that Steele is tied with Cardin in Maryland, as though the info was just coming in. Anyone know where he was getting that?
DaveS on October 26, 2006 at 2:10 PM
Well, it’s a start. I mean, really – if a guy on an elephant can come across the Rio Grande with a mariachi band, something needs to be done.
pullingmyhairout on October 26, 2006 at 2:11 PM
(my emphasis).
Danno, you have totally brought your A-game to this discussion. Good job.
thirteen28 on October 26, 2006 at 2:22 PM
you see,it’s not amnesty according to Bush & the liberal terrorist appeaser Democrats – it a “Guest Worker” program
Starblazer on October 26, 2006 at 2:30 PM
Just listened to 3 hours of The Great One (Rush Limbaugh) and there was not a peep about this bill signing. For someone incredibly loyal to Bush (and securing the border), the bill must be really pungent for him not to tout it.
Valiant on October 26, 2006 at 2:59 PM
It like a gun with 6 chambers and only one bullet.
But, still better than none.
As long as we don’t get silly and use it for political Russian roulette, claiming that because it isn’t the best, it’s therefore the worst.
Remember, the Democratic counter-answer is: shuttle busses.
profitsbeard on October 26, 2006 at 3:29 PM
Machine guns nests and mine fields come to mind…
E L Frederick on October 26, 2006 at 3:37 PM
Whoop de doo.
Labamigo on October 26, 2006 at 4:23 PM
Signing the border fence bill was both a baby step forward and the result of a failure in leadership in DC. We could’ve gotten so much more had the Senate and GWB stood together with the House and the people who demanded a solution which would include strong enforcement provisions.
The signing of this bill did, in fact, advance the ball. But I hope we don’t look back on Nov 8th only to realize it was Fourth-and-Nine and we only gained a yard and now the ball is in someone elses possession.
From a political perspective, no doubt an opportunity was missed that I argue would’ve given conservatives a stronger hand going into this election against their opponents.
CliffHanger on October 26, 2006 at 4:26 PM
watch this.
quax1 on October 26, 2006 at 5:00 PM
BTW, stron language in clip…be warned.
quax1 on October 26, 2006 at 5:01 PM
err…strong…I’m retarded today.
quax1 on October 26, 2006 at 5:01 PM
Weak or empty gesture or not…HE SIGNED IT. And it’s better that he signed, than ignoring his based completely as we expected. So, stop whining about it being a waste!! It’s called incrimentalism, Folks, and if you’ve been watching the libs at all in the last few decades, it works – with some frickin patience!
tickleddragon on October 26, 2006 at 5:09 PM
Considering the effort and booming voice of the people that our electives have heard and finaly have done a little bit in the right direction; it’s going to take consistant heavey pressure from all Americans to regain the sovereignty we deserve and are guaranteed.
One thing as Republicans we can demand, is the funding of enforcement candidates like Randy Graf. Who has is a great candidate and who has been completely abandoned by the RNC in favor of the Demo, a ‘comprehensive’ supporter.
Speakup on October 26, 2006 at 6:03 PM
California sensitivity 101
I know, the Pres. signed something on the border…bla, bla, bla…
In line with the topic of legal and illegal immigration…in California’s 47th district Tan Nguyen (R), a Vietnamese immigrant, is running against Loretta Sanchez (D), who changed her married name of (Bixley or similar) to Sanchez, to sound more Latino for her first run for Congress.
Recently his office (investigation on-going) sent a letter to 14,000 people with Latino last names, telling them that if they are immigrants, especially not naturalized yet, they can’t vote. The translation to the words ‘immigrante’ vs. another similar word are also in dispute.
In any event, our illustrious Secretary of State, Bruce McPherson, to correct the offense, instead of sending out a letter, in English, to all the naturalized Latino citizens, sent out a letter with logos from NCLR (National Council of La Raza) and MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund), on the same letter with the glorious Calif. seal on the top of the page.
The letter was sent out in English and in Spanish. Why? If someone can vote, they definitely have been here for a while and should and do know english.
No where did he mention that illegal aliens can not vote, which was the primary gist of the Nguyen letter. Why did the secretary not make that plain and clear?
Because, we’re past the phase in Calif. where you’re called a racist if you’re for legal immigration and borders.
Now, you’re a racist if you’re for legal immigrant being the only ones who can vote, that’s why.
We’re evolving toward La Raza, rapidly, beginning with Sacramento, officially, with seals and logos, et all
Entelechy on October 26, 2006 at 6:42 PM
hey quax1, i just flagged that video for hate speech
Starblazer on October 26, 2006 at 7:07 PM
Here in Georgia we have a saying:
“That guy needs a good old fashioned ass whoopin”
I think it applies in this case.
quax1 on October 26, 2006 at 7:21 PM
Thank you, thirteen28.
This issue I have watched closely as I personally experience the results of building contractors hiring ILLEGALs. Democrats can push an increased minimum wage all they want, but as long as ILLEGALs are willing to work for slave wages many hard working American citizens lose their chance to make a living wage. These criminals don’t show any desire to become Americans. I have met very few with any basic understanding of our language, and I am damn sure that is because they believe we are below them socially.
I voted for, and try to support President Bush, but in this case he is dead wrong. We need to secure the borders as that is tantamount to winning the WOT, remove the jobs that ILLEGALS crave by punishing their employers, allow the ILLEGALs to go home, then kick out the few left here. I understand why a few republicans see those criminals as being the salvation of Social Security, but what we have is politicians looking for the quick fix to the disaster created when their predecessors put SS into the budget. We need to tell them that 2 wrongs will not add up to a right, and we need to do so often.
Only because republicans in the House refused to cave in do we have this border wall bill, and that could have easily been the cursed Immigration Reform [AMNESTY] Bill that got signed into law. We owe a debt of gratitude to those congress people for doing what is right under strenuous circumstances, and I am putting out my best effort to get my guy re-elected by being a volunteer. IMHO, you too should make an effort by getting out to vote, and perhaps bring a few of your friends along for the ride.
DannoJyd on October 26, 2006 at 10:06 PM
I’m confused about one thing…
A while back I remember concern about a “Pocket Veto”.
I thought the time remaining to sign the bill before the “Pocket Veto” occurred had already passed.
Is this the same bill, or a different one?
ITookTheRedPill on October 27, 2006 at 2:11 AM
Finally, I can sleep at night.
iNeXuS on October 27, 2006 at 3:09 AM
Why didn’t the Mexican President attend? This affects him, too!
Black Adam on October 27, 2006 at 7:48 AM
I guess I am in the minority here. Signing the border fence act is better than not signing it. I mean, it is a start. It’s not the cure-all, that’s for sure, but it’s a start.
BillyKess on October 27, 2006 at 8:16 AM
For those of you that say the fence does not work, may I suggest we take down the fence around the White House and our Military bases since they do not work.
After all the white house has a Berlin Wall around it.
/S
ScottyDog on October 27, 2006 at 10:08 AM
This argument has been completely mis-characterized.
Re-classify the wall as an art project, get Christo to design the damn thing and see how quickly the left gets on board. If it happens to also keep illegals from crossing into the US, and it will, fine.
We might have to get used to it being hot pink, but does that matter?
DuffBeer on October 27, 2006 at 11:25 AM
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