Chertoff: Some people think anything less than capital punishment is amnesty; Update: Chertoff does it again
posted at 7:18 pm on May 21, 2007 by Allahpundit
Share on Facebook | printer-friendly
I missed this on Thursday in the aftermath of the deal being announced, but NRO didn’t. Here’s Bush’s own secretary of homeland security displaying raw contempt for the wishes of his party’s base by floating a derisive laugh line that would have fallen flat even on dKos.
Go read Barnett, especially numbers 7 and 9. “The Republican base at this moment has absolutely no faith in its leaders.”
Update: Unreal. From a Friday interview with Newsweek, again via NRO:
I understand that some people think it’s not tough enough. Maybe they want people thrown in jail for 10 years or they want people executed.
You must be logged in to post a comment.

















Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Comment pages: 1 2 Next »
Jeez, I could never have voted for Kerry, but between the incompetence seen in Iraq policy, and the immigration issue (are there any two bigger issues facing the US now???) …
I regret voting for Dubya. There was no alternative, but I don’t feel better about it.
doufree on May 21, 2007 at 12:23 PM
I would say Barnett’s # 11 is pretty apt, too.
Attila (Pillage Idiot) on May 21, 2007 at 12:28 PM
And this **FOOL** is the head of Homeland Security?
We are farking doomed.
CrazyFool on May 21, 2007 at 12:31 PM
I never thought I’d be battling against a party I voted for …
darwin on May 21, 2007 at 12:32 PM
I am with you darwin, it’s bad enough having to fight the leftists and their agenda, but to fight the people who are supposed to be on our side geeeez. Whats up with Chertoff, can anybody in this administration be that blind to reality?
deadbackpacker on May 21, 2007 at 12:35 PM
Thanks for insulting us, Chertoff!! Way to win support for the bill, you moron.
thirteen28 on May 21, 2007 at 12:35 PM
Chertoff decides to add insult to injury.
Maxx on May 21, 2007 at 12:37 PM
I’ll give Democrats credit for at least being aware of the blogsphere (almost to a fault). Elected Republicans apparently are computer illiterate.
Surround yourself with a bunch “yes-men” and let the echo chamber rip!!!
natesnake on May 21, 2007 at 12:37 PM
Why should we. They’ve been ignoring us since the 04 election.
I guess the “protest vote” and the “stay-home” vote last year didn’t register. Not much happened, after all. The Dems just took both houses of Congress back. You didn’t listen then, and you’re not listening now.
Question of the week from Barnett: “Does anyone not pulling a paycheck from Capitol Hill like this bill”?
Overwhelming No.
BacaDog on May 21, 2007 at 12:38 PM
I have been a hardcore supporter of GW through all these years. The last thing I want to do is bag the ‘Boss’ but it looks more and more like this administration has one thing and one thing only on it’s mind….retirement. Nothing is being done to bolster the GOP candidates. Nothing is being done about fighting back against the opposition. It looks more and more to me that the choosing of souvenirs for the mantle is the primary focus of the ‘final days’.
Call me ‘disenchanted’.
Limerick on May 21, 2007 at 12:39 PM
Ok, I admit it, Chertoff was referring to me.
:D
JayHaw Phrenzie on May 21, 2007 at 12:45 PM
Bush is just cruising along now, with nothing to gain from his base’s support. He can’t run for a higher office. He’s going to retire, speak at some colleges, write a book, and whither away by the fire.
Therein lies the issue with Washington. He’s not the Boss, though he thinks he is. Congress isn’t the Boss, although they think they are. Our government was set up, so the people were together, the Boss.
amerpundit on May 21, 2007 at 12:46 PM
What an insulting IDIOT!
I’m thinking very seriously about changing my Voter Registration to Independent, just to get away from these a$$holes.
tickleddragon on May 21, 2007 at 12:47 PM
What do you guys want? Besides complaining…
tomas on May 21, 2007 at 12:49 PM
tomas, I want a revolt. Our government is no longer listening. It thinks that it is our boss…and it is not.
THIS is precisely what the Founding Fathers were trying to insure against.
We no longer have Representation in our government. We have a group of power hungry career tyrants.
tickleddragon on May 21, 2007 at 12:52 PM
Heh.
When in doubt, erect a straw man and knock it over. The Rethuglicans have learned this lesson well from the left.
PRCalDude on May 21, 2007 at 12:53 PM
Hmmm… nooo…
But I do think that if you are in charge of somthing, and its NOT WORKING, you should be fired.
Like… oh… border security?
Hey… Mikey… where my fence?
Romeo13 on May 21, 2007 at 12:53 PM
What’s wrong with these people?
First they let the libs define (and win) the debate on Iraq. Then they screw their own supporters with this Amnesty Abortion.
I mean what’s so hard about build a fence and fix the system you’ve got? Deport the ones in jail already, fine/jail those who employ, rent to, shield or give other benefits to illegals, then you deal with the illegals left.
Personally I’m really opposed to giving illegals any sort of path to citizenship.
What do you think would happen if 12 million (or more) of us decided not to pay taxes anymore? You think there’d be amnesty for tax scoflaws? Rule of law and national soverignty have to mean something. We already seeing that the rule of law only applies to some while those of the favored class (illegals, liberals, union memebers) are exempt. Its got to stop.
Iblis on May 21, 2007 at 12:54 PM
A trick right out of the DNC manual – demonize everyone who disagrees with you. What a tool! Here’s my middle finger right back atcha cherkoff.
MarkM on May 21, 2007 at 12:55 PM
What do you guys want? Besides complaining…
tomas on May 21, 2007 at 12:49 PM
I vote and that gives me the right to complain! I have e-mailed, called and written my Congressman, my left wing Senators(I am from michigan), and the dummy in the White House. I have informed each of them that I am the boss, not them and I expect them do what the majority of us wish not what they want.
deadbackpacker on May 21, 2007 at 12:55 PM
Also, tomas, you make it sound as if complaining is ALL we’re doing.
You are WRONG. I’ve called, written and emailed my congress critters. They are NOT listening. So, what do I have to do aside from removing myself from their “party” and voicing my opinion in the media I have access to??
Don’t be an idiot and assume that we are all just complaining. It’s wrongheaded and ignorant on your part. Not to mention condescending and insulting.
tickleddragon on May 21, 2007 at 12:55 PM
As stated previously…I’m FOR that tax revolt.
No money, no power for those bastards.
tickleddragon on May 21, 2007 at 12:57 PM
I really haven’t heard any specifics that would work better than much of what we have been hearing. I have heard more horrible rhetoric that doesn’t help anything. Give me a plan or a basic outline of what you guys want.
tomas on May 21, 2007 at 12:59 PM
Another reason why the nutroots aren’t saying much: they don’t have to. The Republican party is self-destructing over this, not from a fundamental split in its base, but from a fundamental split between the base and its leadership. Why should the nutroots say anything when the Republicans are committing suicide?
After this stupidity, will people still believe Karl Rove is a master politicial operator? I doubt it. From “permanent Republican majority” to “end of the party as we know it” within 5 years. Congratulations, Bush.
Sydney Carton on May 21, 2007 at 1:00 PM
There, fixed it.
fogw on May 21, 2007 at 1:01 PM
Apparently Chertoff believes that enacting legislation that directly contradicts the will of the American people is a patriotic thing to do, kind of reminds me of the logic employed by Benedict Arnold.
doriangrey on May 21, 2007 at 1:01 PM
1. Leadership that listens to the base and doesn’t propose laws that run fundamentally opposite to the demands of the base.
2. Regarding immigration: enforcement and a wall and fines and expanded border patrols first, all the rest can be discussed 3 years after a heavy crackdown.
Don’t you get it? The base does not believe in “comprehensive” immigration reform, because they do not believe that targets for enforcement will EVER be made effective in the future. Future promises of tough enforcement mean nothing. We want to SEE it happen before agreeing to anything else.
Sydney Carton on May 21, 2007 at 1:02 PM
http://contact.dhs.gov/
here is the contact form for the department of hopelessly stupid. they have for issues to contact them about one being security threats, should we tell the our own government is the real threat?
deadbackpacker on May 21, 2007 at 1:02 PM
And if they aren’t listening get off you arse and hit the streets.
tomas on May 21, 2007 at 1:02 PM
What they’re so ticked off about is how many people keep calling it “amnesty”.
“Listen, if it quacks like a duck, walks like a duck and has feathers, it’s a damn cat if we say it is!”
Veeshir on May 21, 2007 at 1:03 PM
tomas most of us have jobs and I feel the media and left would just paint us as racists. I find it funny that if these people are really doing jobs Americans wont do, why couldn’t they shut down the country on May 1st? Because they are full of crap thats why, they are taking jobs from Americans. Been to a construction site lately?
deadbackpacker on May 21, 2007 at 1:07 PM
Militarize the border for three years and then give amnesty.
You need Rudy.
tomas on May 21, 2007 at 1:07 PM
I’m for a tax revolt.
PRCalDude on May 21, 2007 at 1:08 PM
As stated previously…I’m FOR that tax revolt.
No money, no power for those bastards.
tickleddragon on May 21, 2007 at 12:57 PM
I’m for a tax revolt.
PRCalDude on May 21, 2007 at 1:08 PM
deadbackpacker on May 21, 2007 at 1:09 PM
How is it not amnesty when my friend (Eduardo) who came here on a Student Visa, who has learned English, taken courses on American History, is becoming a Civil Engineer, can not stay. (Has been trying for 3 years)
Yet we let a bunch of criminals (felons) to win life’s lottery and stay, get citizenship and eventually vote.
I am soooooooo pissed at Republicans and Bush!
Tim Burton on May 21, 2007 at 1:13 PM
It’s good to see the Pro America message getting through.
Chertoff may exaggerate the verbiage but they would be lying if they said the pressure was not intense.
Americans will not accept bill that rewards criminal or anti America behavior.
Speakup on May 21, 2007 at 1:16 PM
Now they’re rubbing our nose in it. I am just DONE with these arrogant elitist S.O. BEES.
ronsfi on May 21, 2007 at 1:21 PM
Tomas, I know this is a tricky one for a lot of people so I’ll keep my plan short and sweet. You ready? Here it is:
STEP #1 – ENFORCE THE LAWS ON THE BOOKS!!! Thats it. That is the entire plan from start to finish. We DO NOT need new laws. We DO NOT need different laws. We DO NOT need more laws.
Zetterson on May 21, 2007 at 1:23 PM
You know, with Congress and the president’s approval rating in the toilet, is it any wonder why the want all these “new” voters to pander too?
liquidflorian on May 21, 2007 at 1:28 PM
You mean something like a gun law when murder is already illegal? Your plan says it all. no new laws needed.
Wade on May 21, 2007 at 1:31 PM
So we should just let 3 Million illegals have amnesty?
tomas on May 21, 2007 at 1:33 PM
3 million, tomas. It’s probably more like 20 million
deadbackpacker on May 21, 2007 at 1:38 PM
Noone else will say it, so I will. What scenario pulls together the obviously absurd way that the administration is handling immigration, with any wish at all to serve the nation and their party’s base? I don’t see one at all. What does that leave? What agenda causes this White House to completely ignore the wishes of the base, of those who elected them? Why does President Bush serve the people of Mexico, of Guatemala, of Saudi Arabia better than he does the people of the U.S.?
It can’t possibly be globalism, can it?
Freelancer on May 21, 2007 at 1:39 PM
Lets keep it clear too that this harakiri (Entelechy’s perfect description) impression that the Republicans are performing is the direct fault of the elected Republicans deviation from their own base. In other words we didn’t leave the Republican party, the Republican party left us. We are going to bring it back to where it should be.
Zetterson on May 21, 2007 at 1:39 PM
John and Ken, on their radio show on KFI call Mr. Chertoff “the Skull”.
His statement reassures me that he’s taking care of our security and that he enforces our laws, especially those which protect our borders and our sovereignty.
In Mexico, entering and staying illegally is a felony. Citizens are tracked and all visitors, upon entering, are triggering a tracking number to be opened. Here it’s a misdemeanor, and he belittles millions who question why not even that is being addressed.
Mexico’s laws being followed is protecting a sovereign country.
Our laws being followed is racism.
This from the same Kennedy/Chertoff allied factions.
He needs to read up what amnesty means. This distorted approach from the WH will backfire. I’d much rather they call it amnesty and then try to sell it.
Entelechy on May 21, 2007 at 1:43 PM
The Republican Party left US. What’s to save? This could shake out with a party that represents the core values that these chumps merely pay lip service to.
ronsfi on May 21, 2007 at 1:45 PM
The Ideas are what matters, not the personalities.
ronsfi on May 21, 2007 at 1:46 PM
Here is the Comment Line at DHS: 202-282-8495
Peter_P on May 21, 2007 at 1:46 PM
$3 Million was under Reagan…is that the laws on the book we should follow?
tomas on May 21, 2007 at 1:51 PM
3 million people I mean
tomas on May 21, 2007 at 1:51 PM
http://truthlaidbear.com/immigrationbill0518.php?page=1 here is the immigration bill in a usable format, all 326 pages of it’s anti-citizen glory.
deadbackpacker on May 21, 2007 at 1:52 PM
No
Zetterson on May 21, 2007 at 1:52 PM
Can you think of 2 more irrelevant people in national politics today than these two?
TheBigOldDog on May 21, 2007 at 1:53 PM
Some people think Chertoff is a dweeb.
Valiant on May 21, 2007 at 1:55 PM
The only way the fence will work is if it will give you 10,000 volts. I think we would also need camps to round people into. They should be tagged so we can recognize them. If you are caught more than three times you should be shot in the street. We should shut down any business that has knowingly hired an illegal. States should be fined for each illegal voter. Know health care should be provided to an illegal before a citizen. I can go on. If this will truly work…this must be done.
tomas on May 21, 2007 at 1:55 PM
What on earth are you talking about? How many strawmen does it take to build a paragraph??
Zetterson on May 21, 2007 at 2:01 PM
tomas KNOCK IT OFF
RushBaby on May 21, 2007 at 2:10 PM
Er, no, it mustn’t. And let’s knock it off right now.
Allahpundit on May 21, 2007 at 2:17 PM
C’mon you guys. TAG illegals? It’s a joke! The third time you catch them, shoot them in the street?
I can’t believe anyone would be serious about that.
csdeven on May 21, 2007 at 2:28 PM
What a fu**ing tool Chertoff is.
I am thinking that this would be fun: a new law making it a felony, punishable by huge, punitive fines for any employer to hire an illegal alien, effective immediately.
It would essentially be forced social upheaval and chaos — bad — but would have the happy effect of forcing everyone on all sides of the issue to deal with it right now.
Jaibones on May 21, 2007 at 2:32 PM
Seriously, the only logical way to do it is to penalize business. Maybe, the penalty is based on the size of the company.
You have to make the border a Military operation…nothing less will work. This will be a political nightmare.
Most importantly you have to treat people for what they really are and that is criminals. Sorry.
I believe you should have 3 months to sign up for deportation. If you do so you will be put on the list to be a guest worker…but you still must leave…every scenario must have them leave.
It is Mexicos job to take care of them once they are gone…not ours.
tomas on May 21, 2007 at 2:36 PM
The funniest part? tomas probably thinks it’s performing a valuable service.
To paraphrase Jailbones
What a f***ing tool tomas is.
Veeshir on May 21, 2007 at 2:41 PM
He’s not making a joke, he’s mocking those who think that the the U.S. should remain a sovereign nation.
Fatal on May 21, 2007 at 2:42 PM
And here I thought “Homeland Security” implied an interest in say, securing the homeland or something. My bad. In the last few days, Chertoff has moved from being someone who’s never impressed me to being firmly in the “Utter Douchebag” column.
And ignore the troll. He’s just jerking you around to get a reaction.
ReubenJCogburn on May 21, 2007 at 2:43 PM
No.
Anything less than enforcing the law is amnesty.
Lawrence on May 21, 2007 at 2:46 PM
What must Chertoff say to his wife when he gets home at night?
I can’t believe he would throw the vast majority of his own constituency under the bus with a comment like that.
Babs on May 21, 2007 at 2:59 PM
Don’t you get it? The base does not believe in “comprehensive” immigration reform, because they do not believe that targets for enforcement will EVER be made effective in the future. Future promises of tough enforcement mean nothing. We want to SEE it happen before agreeing to anything else.
Sydney Carton on May 21, 2007 at 1:02 PM
Here in the heartland we can make this even more succinct:
I’m from Missouri
SHOW ME Border Control!
NellE on May 21, 2007 at 3:01 PM
The arrogance of Chertoff boggles the mind. Who told him his shit doesn’t stink?
The Republican party isn’t committing suicide, just some elected officials. Its time to see who’s truly conservative and run vigourous primary campaigns against those that aren’t.
And its time jerks like Chertoff never see another government paycheck.
If the nutroots can bring their wayward pols into line, we should be able to do the same. Its time to publish lists and name names.
Iblis on May 21, 2007 at 3:04 PM
No i’m mocking the gringos who aren’t willing to hit the streets and fight for what they are obviously so angry about. I wrote a really mean letter…so what. You gotta see it to believe it these days guys.
tomas on May 21, 2007 at 3:04 PM
You know I don’t know what the answer is to all of this, but I do know one thing, he was being a smart elect (sp) and that is fine. There is not one fix all to end all i don’t care what you say. The Bible says ye with out sin cast the first stone.
So I would imagine that all the people that have responded on talk radio, blogs, and the ship them home crowd – none of you live in a house that was touch by illegal inmagant hands, eat in a restaurant that employs mexicans, eat fruit of veggies pick by illegals, have your grass cut by them, shop in stores that cater to them (Walmart – ever seen the mexican row – lots and lots of beans and tortias).
My point is this yes something needs to be done, the boarder needs to be shut down and we need to turn of the social programs to them. If the goverment can not tell if you are legal or not how are employers, home buyers, customers of restaurants and stores surpose to. The problem has taken 21 years to get where we are today it will not be fixed over night.
If you know for a fact that you have not bought anything made by illegals and have not done business with those who emp them, then pick up your stone and let it fly. Everyone else how about lets fight to cut them off from social programs, have doctors report hispanic pregnancey and ship them back and let them have their kids in Mex. I love Rush, Hanity, Michelle, and Laura but they are wrong about one thing, we need the labor. It is more so in some areas than others, but we need the labor, there are jobs that Americans will not do, and frankly when you have blue hair, pants hanging off your ass, tatoos down both arms, ear rings in every open part of your face, some people you just can’t hire. We want our food picked, we want our dishes washed, we want our grass cut, we want our homes built but we don’t want to pay out the ass for it. And thats with paying people 8 to 8.50 an hour. And if you think illegals not being here would lower health care and cut your taxes, your are smoking stuff from alittle futher south. The goverment would find something to spend it on. We need reform, but get over it, it will not be round them up and send them home, who’s going to do it you! Right after they build you house, cut your grass, cook your food, pick your tomatos. Yeh right after that! Stop the social programs, send back the criminals, show compassion to those just trying to feed there family.
Ross
kara26 on May 21, 2007 at 3:06 PM
Haven’t heard from you in awhile. We have no choices now as far as who we hire to do the above mentioned jobs in California. Americans have been run out of those jobs.
PRCalDude on May 21, 2007 at 3:11 PM
Hmmm. I have read about how these same arguments were made about the need to continue the practice called slavery. They were crap then too.
Zetterson on May 21, 2007 at 3:13 PM
Wait, What? OK, you know this is a bad bit of legislature if “our own people” are sounding like something a Kossack would say.
Bad Candy on May 21, 2007 at 3:19 PM
PRCalDude
Hey tell your friends out there that I saw a story on tv last night about Skid Row, about 8000+ homeless. I am sure there is plenty of people there that will pick something for $9 an hr.
How you doing? You been run out? Family doing good? By the way this is a problem and it is a problem I believe that started with states like yours, texas, arizona and new mex.
Whats the answer? Not everyone is going to be happy. Its a big tough problem that the goverment has let go for 21 years or longer. Stop the social programs today, send the crooks back and 90% of the chest beating stops.
kara26 on May 21, 2007 at 3:19 PM
I knew something was rotten at the head when Bush described the Minutemen at the borders “vigilantes”.
Chertoff is just the a$$hat on the numbskull.
profitsbeard on May 21, 2007 at 3:19 PM
did slaves get paid? bad argument. don’t read into what i said. its a problem. but all i hear here is bitching, no solutions, thats all i every hear.
Close the boarder
stop social programs
deport the criminals
for starters today!!
whats your plan – something that will work – not “Round them up and ship them out”
kara26 on May 21, 2007 at 3:22 PM
\
I whole-heartedly agree that America needs workers. We’ve aborted about 70 million of ours. But we need ones that don’t have this ingrained ‘la raza’ mentality that favors Mexico over the USA.
I have not been run out of any jobs, unless they start taking over the engineering profession. But my brother is at the very same education level as these illegals and yes, his pay is about half of what it should be. Also, there’s vast parts of the city that are off-limits to pale faces like myself. If I wanted to put a kid in a public school in one of those areas, forget about it.
PRCalDude on May 21, 2007 at 3:27 PM
PR
No doubt there is major issues. I would not put my kid in public for some of the same reasons, I live in North Carolina. but the b*tching and mouning and growning about what we see on tv, hear in radio, and read online is not fixing anything. I just personal feel we are going at it the wrong way.
By the way is your brother under paid or is it market value, maybe I am under paid. what does he do, I may think differently.
I just want to see someone give the answer instead of gripeing about it, is that not what Rep. said about democrates during the last election. Always telling us whats wrong but never giving the answer. so again what is the answer, I don’t no.
kara26 on May 21, 2007 at 3:33 PM
Exactly. Why would we believe the Gov’t will do something in the future when it was supposed to be doing that same thing now and aren’t?
I feel like Charlie Brown with Lucy holding the football.
VikingGoneWild on May 21, 2007 at 3:33 PM
Zett
It’s not slaver by the way, bad argument.
kara26 on May 21, 2007 at 3:34 PM
The answer is very simple. Protect the borders. Banning abortion is also a very, very good idea. To claim that we need all these people from the third world and then abort our own is idiotic. When wages go up 20-30% in the jobs that illegals have stolen, we’ll miraculously find our American workers again. I heard one American construction worker in Long Beach say that he’s making what he made in 1990. Can you imagine your pay not going up for 17 years?
PRCalDude on May 21, 2007 at 3:40 PM
kara26,
Perhaps a history lesson is in order………It worked for Eisenhower back in 1954 and there is no justifible reason that it wouldnt work again.
Operation Wetback………
doriangrey on May 21, 2007 at 3:53 PM
Chertoff => FUBAR
robman27 on May 21, 2007 at 3:59 PM
I guess my family and friends can live the America Dream after a non US citizen does.
VikingGoneWild on May 21, 2007 at 4:19 PM
Sorry, kind of, for finding this at the end of the link from Dorian (with the provocative and insulting epithet); I guess it is not often noted in polite society. Still, I found it most interesting.
Jaibones on May 21, 2007 at 4:28 PM
Now elaborate. What specifically is the difference between what you are saying and was was said in the past as a pro slavery argument. For example. Lets apply what you said here:
It was said in years past that “we need the labor” only that time it turned out the labor was arriving in the form of slaves. This time it is arriving in the form of 4 dollar an hour slaves. You seem to be for that.
Zetterson on May 21, 2007 at 4:30 PM
If Dean Barnett is right, and our leaders are so insulated and tone deaf that they have no idea what is going on outside the beltway, then we must throw them all out and start over.
Valiant on May 21, 2007 at 4:32 PM
1. Build a 15 ft high wall with vehicle ditch & barriers.
2. Utilize cameras and motion activated flood lights.
3. Utilize a regional monitoring center.
4. Random Vehicle patrols in the area for response.
5. On call regional helicopter support.
6. Expanded Regional gateways north & south like now.
7. $1 fee for each person going north or south. No exceptions.
8. Enforce existing laws. Fine employers, heavily.
9. Give illegals 12 months to return home to start process properly.
10. After this if illegals are caught it is an automatic 1 year add onto the wait time plus additional ecalating fine for each offense.
11. Track illegal soc. sec. # usage and penalize.
12. Issue a guest worker card to use at job
13. Allow access to public services, if paying taxes.
See #12.
14. Expectations set. Follow the rules and respect our country as you do your own.
15. Citizenship. Earned not given. Something given for free is worth what it cost you to get it.
16. English, national language. No exceptions.
17. Language and civic lessons. Available to anyone.
How’s that for a start?
VikingGoneWild on May 21, 2007 at 4:39 PM
Pretty damned good.
Jaibones on May 21, 2007 at 5:05 PM
No jobs = few illegals, it’s just that simple but the fact that so many of our businesses require low wage employees to make those huge profits that have boosted this economy to record level after record level means that business has more to say about our government than the voters do.
I believe in the “free market” but haven’t we all expected it to be “free” within the boundaries of our nations laws and always be subservient to the will of the voter. What we have today is far from the Reagan “trickle down” theory that I view as the best that conservative economics has had to offer this nation. What we have today is government by the business and for the business and Chertoff just echoed this administrations attitude about the voter.
Buzzy on May 21, 2007 at 5:11 PM
Those of us from Texas that had Dubya as a governor already knew he was ineffective at stopping illegal aliens from Mexico, so this isn’t a shocka… even after 9/11 we had our doubts.
And I agree with most of VikingGoneWild’s plan except for the labor-intensive portions requiring a staff of agents that will most likely consist of unionized career civil servants without passion for securing the U.S. border. That’s not gonna work, but I forsee a technological solution:
Hundreds of UAV drones that hover on the vast unmanned stretches of our southern/northern border that attack anything coming in and going out of the United States of America.
Let everyone know that crossing our borders illegally will be dealt forcibly with no exceptions.
This works to secure not only our borders, but the borders of our neighbors. Those e-e-e-e-evil gun-toting American criminals that obviously cause all of the crime in the peaceful, rainbow-and-kitten utopia of Canada by sneaking across the northern border will be attacked by the UAVs just as quickly as an illegal alien trying to swim across the Rio Grande. Again, no exceptions.
The downside is that cranks like Tancredo won’t like such a plan because it would require a NAFTA-style agreement between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico that would be construed as part of that whole New World Order(tm) thing…
ScottMcC on May 21, 2007 at 6:04 PM
Chertoff is such a “wimp”!
gary on May 21, 2007 at 6:18 PM
Can we start calling him Miguel Chertoff? Seems it fit, doesn’t it?
jaleach on May 21, 2007 at 6:27 PM
PR – Wages are not increase guaenteed – there are several, several, several, sorry Millons of jobs that have increased in wages. Abortion bad, hate it, can’t be the answer to everything.
Zett – your arguement does not warrent response. its not slaver. Capitalism needs a low cass work force. Get over it. who do you know that makes $4 an hour. I’ll pay $8.50, can i get some names. By the way are illegals allowed to leave when they want, do they come here on their own will, are they getting beat if they step out of line. Dumb A## don’t degrade the Millons of people that had to live through that stain on this country by saying they had it as good as the wetbacks. What a dumb A@@ argument. Try again.
Dor – See thats what i am talking about. Ideas, Arguments for, not just b&tching about it and complaining.
Viking – Your first response = Whats wrong you not living the American Dream? Thats your fault, not anyone elses.
Now your second post – thats what i am talking about sharing ideas –
I like 1 – 7 do that first, at the same time cut off social programs. (i hear no one talking about cutting them off, i hear people complain about them getting them, but cut them off) #8 – If knowing they are illegal and their just trying to cut labor, I would be in favor of this once the guest worker program is in place with some type of tamper proff card.
The rest is good, i could go for it all — good job —
Buzzy – Huge profits – what if some one makes $150 g a year is that to much or is 50 g to much. You may not like it but it is called being in business. Vote democrate right up you alley.
kara26 on May 21, 2007 at 7:18 PM
“Some people” didn’t want the Dubai Port deal or Harriet Miers on the Supreme Court.
“Some people” have had about all they are going to take.
Valiant on May 21, 2007 at 7:52 PM
You can’t make this stuff up.
Limerick on May 21, 2007 at 7:55 PM
Comment pages: 1 2 Next »