Border Patrol and the US PATRIOT Act...
To continue with the theme of our southern border and the lack of any serious federal legislative attempt to reform it's protection, we need not look any farther than the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001. I doubt most people have read it, or even seen it. I myself found it online for the first time today and had just enough time to skim the first half of it. You can read it here. The first few titles of the Act are pretty minute in terms of significance. A number of other pieces of legislation are changed with the removal of the word "and" here and the insertion of the word "or" there - nothing too profound. Then they get into the money laundering and the bank accounts, which is good. But it really is just an extension of already existing finance and economic laws to me... no real meat.
Then we come to "TITLE IV--PROTECTING THE BORDER." Immediately I get excited. FINALLY something my Dad can sink his teeth into. Surely if there were no tough immigration laws protecting those Arizona citizens before 9/11, this part of this Act oughta fix some of the problem. "Subtitle A--Protecting the Northern Border." Good, take care of the North, then take care of the South... the way it should be. "Subtitle B--Enhanced Immigration Provisions." Wait, where's the part about protecting the US/Mexico border? I'm sure it most be another subtitle. "Subtitle C--Preservation of Immigration Benefits for Victims of Terrorism" Ok, I get that. If you're a victim of terrorism, we'll take care of you. So, Subtitle D... wait, there is none. Did they forget to print it? Is it in another Title? Hold on, I'm confused...
Folks, there is no mention of increased security, sustained security, or security at all specifically mentioning the southern border of the US with Mexico ANYWHERE in the USA PATRIOT Act. An entire title of the Act is dedicated to making sure terrorists do not come to the U.S. from the North. Triple the number of border patrol and triple the amount of federal funds are now spent on protecting America from illegal aliens crossing our northern border, but not a single mention of our problem in Arizona or anywhere in the southwest. How is this possible?
Maybe there's not enough money to go around. Maybe Congress doesn't think there's a problem. Kidding aside, I understand that we don't have Canadians flooding into our country for a better life. Hell, you can't pay most of them to live here. A fraction of the drugs coming into this country come from Canada. But wouldn't this be an opportune time to ensure the American public that if you're thinking about committing terrorist acts in this country and you think you can come across a border to do it, you'd better think again? What an opportunity to not just protect one border, but to protect BOTH borders, AND our coastline. What good it would do to add three times the number of border patrol in the desert of southern Arizona and let my Dad get back to his waning golf game and grandfathering. I'm disappointed... just really disappointed.
In all fairness, the US PATRIOT Act was written 1 week after 9/11 and voted on in the House and Senate with hardly any debate. I mean, at that time it would be considered political suicide if a member of Congress did anything to halt this legislation from passing (Senator Russ Feingold was the only Senator who voted against the Act for reasons of civil liberties, but was not very public in his opposition). At the end of the Act you could have entered the clause, "And if you don't lie it, KISS OUR ASS!" and you might actually get applause from everyone in America. But almost four years have passed and the nationwide feelings of togetherness and unity have been replaced with hatred and bitterness toward the other side of the aisle. With Republicans claiming Democrats are out to oppose "men of faith" and with the Democrats being so damn reactive that John Kerry seems to be the most decisive man in the party, it's no surprise that there's gonna be some serious debate on reforming this Act. And if the Republicans get their "nuclear option" and the Dems put a lock on the legislative process in Washington, we're gonna have a real showdown.
Back to the main point though, it's obvious, really, why there was no mention of the southern border. I said it yesterday, too many votes at stake, too much money to be made from the cheap labor, not enough people having their homes overrun by illegal immigrants. I think some reform to the PATRIOT Act would be good, not only to get some more money down south, but to protect the civil liberties of those in Guantanamo Bay with no representation (legal or otherwise) and no formal reason for them being there. Another blog for another day...
The PATRIOT Act was a hastily written document rushed to approval with no real significant consideration for protecting our borders. Is walking into this country, stepping onto the personal property of a U.S. citizen, entering their home, raping them, killing them, and fleeing the scene not terrorism? If it isn't, then George Dubbyuh Bush is my hero...
And he can KISS MY ASS!
(applause)
Then we come to "TITLE IV--PROTECTING THE BORDER." Immediately I get excited. FINALLY something my Dad can sink his teeth into. Surely if there were no tough immigration laws protecting those Arizona citizens before 9/11, this part of this Act oughta fix some of the problem. "Subtitle A--Protecting the Northern Border." Good, take care of the North, then take care of the South... the way it should be. "Subtitle B--Enhanced Immigration Provisions." Wait, where's the part about protecting the US/Mexico border? I'm sure it most be another subtitle. "Subtitle C--Preservation of Immigration Benefits for Victims of Terrorism" Ok, I get that. If you're a victim of terrorism, we'll take care of you. So, Subtitle D... wait, there is none. Did they forget to print it? Is it in another Title? Hold on, I'm confused...
Folks, there is no mention of increased security, sustained security, or security at all specifically mentioning the southern border of the US with Mexico ANYWHERE in the USA PATRIOT Act. An entire title of the Act is dedicated to making sure terrorists do not come to the U.S. from the North. Triple the number of border patrol and triple the amount of federal funds are now spent on protecting America from illegal aliens crossing our northern border, but not a single mention of our problem in Arizona or anywhere in the southwest. How is this possible?
Maybe there's not enough money to go around. Maybe Congress doesn't think there's a problem. Kidding aside, I understand that we don't have Canadians flooding into our country for a better life. Hell, you can't pay most of them to live here. A fraction of the drugs coming into this country come from Canada. But wouldn't this be an opportune time to ensure the American public that if you're thinking about committing terrorist acts in this country and you think you can come across a border to do it, you'd better think again? What an opportunity to not just protect one border, but to protect BOTH borders, AND our coastline. What good it would do to add three times the number of border patrol in the desert of southern Arizona and let my Dad get back to his waning golf game and grandfathering. I'm disappointed... just really disappointed.
In all fairness, the US PATRIOT Act was written 1 week after 9/11 and voted on in the House and Senate with hardly any debate. I mean, at that time it would be considered political suicide if a member of Congress did anything to halt this legislation from passing (Senator Russ Feingold was the only Senator who voted against the Act for reasons of civil liberties, but was not very public in his opposition). At the end of the Act you could have entered the clause, "And if you don't lie it, KISS OUR ASS!" and you might actually get applause from everyone in America. But almost four years have passed and the nationwide feelings of togetherness and unity have been replaced with hatred and bitterness toward the other side of the aisle. With Republicans claiming Democrats are out to oppose "men of faith" and with the Democrats being so damn reactive that John Kerry seems to be the most decisive man in the party, it's no surprise that there's gonna be some serious debate on reforming this Act. And if the Republicans get their "nuclear option" and the Dems put a lock on the legislative process in Washington, we're gonna have a real showdown.
Back to the main point though, it's obvious, really, why there was no mention of the southern border. I said it yesterday, too many votes at stake, too much money to be made from the cheap labor, not enough people having their homes overrun by illegal immigrants. I think some reform to the PATRIOT Act would be good, not only to get some more money down south, but to protect the civil liberties of those in Guantanamo Bay with no representation (legal or otherwise) and no formal reason for them being there. Another blog for another day...
The PATRIOT Act was a hastily written document rushed to approval with no real significant consideration for protecting our borders. Is walking into this country, stepping onto the personal property of a U.S. citizen, entering their home, raping them, killing them, and fleeing the scene not terrorism? If it isn't, then George Dubbyuh Bush is my hero...
And he can KISS MY ASS!
(applause)
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