By DUARDO PAZ-MARTINEZ
McALLEN, Texas |...So close and, well, so far away. Dealings with the current slash and burn politics of the Mexican Border has been one runaway rollercoaster ride. The migrant problem is still there this morning. No, not as painted by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott or any of his Republican colleagues, but it's there, as it has always been.
We're slogging through an election year, so therein lies the reason for our discontent.
The U.S. Senate has worked-up a bi-partisan legislative bill to sort of address the problem, only senior Republicans in both the Senate and the House of Representatives aren't interested in backing it. This, we should say, after months and months of hemming and hawing about the dangers of a "migrant invasion," in the words of sensationalism-minded Gov. Abbott.
Hell-o, walls.
As in Border Walls and other solutions to a political issue sort of at odds with reality. That migrant surge, according to the U.S. Border Patrol, is no longer a surge. Yet, the Mexican Border is living large as a danger to American society. Don't let the roofers kick you in the ass on their way south. Same for the landscaping guys and the restaurant workers.
We could use some brains these days on all things to do with the Mexican Border. This is a shank of American and Mexican land separated for the most part by a passive, often-shallow river. The migrants will come. They've always come.
That bill now headed for the House authored by a bi-partisan committee in the Senate seems a step in the right direction. The particulars are sort of bureaucratic from what we've heard, but, already, Republicans in the House say it is "dead on arrival."
Yeah, blame Donald Trump for that. He is running for president proudly lugging four criminal cases and indictments totaling 91 felonies...and he is telling Republicans to kill the bill. Passage of it, he says, would help Democrat Joe Biden. How's that, you ask. Well, Trump sees the border migration issue as something he can use against President Biden ahead of the election in November. If the problem is even alleviated just a bit, that would hurt him as give Biden a campaign win.
Of such high school hallway bullshit are we made these days.
Pass the damned bill and keep working on it.
Republicans do not have - and cannot stake - sole claim to the Mexican Border. Neither do Democrats. This is a U.S. responsibility issue, and it should be dealt with the country - not the political party - in mind. Sounds simple and factual, but then there's Trump. Always the liar, always the dude throwing the firecracker at the teacher.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is whole hog in. He has been relentless in coming up with wild solutions (. . .buoys, razor wire, taking over a municipal park in Eagle Pass, et., etc.) while forever parroting Trump's equally harsh solutions. Abbott even said he'd shoot migrants if only the federal government would not arrest him. It sounds dumb, but talk and word-selection is everything in politics.
Will the Republican-controlled House membership hold to its pro-Trump position on the proposed legislation?
Yes. Bank it.
Elections have consequences and winning the White House is getting and eating the cherry off the celebratory cake. Republicans want that victory against Biden in the November General Election. Taking a political position on an issue that affects the entire country is to be expected. Republicans know that without occupying the White House, well, they are the subservient party.
Moods in this country are always swaying back and forth between being united and being dumb.
Republicans are being dumb about the Mexican Border, but they know it. Their fight is for political ground and a little bad P.R. will be endured.
They even roasted one of their own on this bill. U.S. Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma was censured by his state Republican Party. He co-authored the Border Bill now before the House, the one Trump is against. Indeed, Trump has even damned Lankford, who, truth be told, is one of the more conservative senators in the upper chamber.
Trump even told reporters Lankford is one politician he has never endorsed.
Only, as is wont to happen with Trump, of course he did. The media quickly noted, published and broadcast reports and videos in which Trump wholeheartedly endorsed Lankford in his last campaign for reelection.
But that, too, is our political arena.
Fix the border...if it needs fixing. Get back to real work if it doesn't...
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It's never about policies. It's always about politics. Either you want to secure the border, or you just want to use it for political purposes. The Republicans are showing exactly what they care about.
ReplyDeleteMore of the coward Republican Party should speak out against the orange con guy.
DeleteThey should implement the bill, it’s a lot better than nothing, then over time make some changes. That’s how our congress works.
ReplyDeleteYou said it.
DeleteBiden challenges House GOP to solve border crisis — or "keep playing politics"
ReplyDeleteThe president said the bipartisan border deal includes some of the “toughest and fairest set of border reforms in decades.”
Further evidence that border issues aren't really important to the right-wing Republicans. They won't support anything that shows bi-partisan effort because that might make Biden look good. Trump will not allow his subjects in the House and Senate to do anything at all with regards to the Border, even if it accomplished what conservatives want, because it's Trump first, the party a distant second, and the US doesn't really factor in at all.
ReplyDeleteRepublicans: We need to do something about the border.
DeleteAlso Republicans: It’s an election year, and we need something to run on. We can’t just hand Joe Biden a win. Let’s postpone doing something about the border.
Guess it wasn’t as urgent as trying to hold on to power. Let’s vote in some people who actually care about the country.
Donald Trump's name and his legacy as an American President will forever be attached to one word:
ReplyDeleteInsurrection.
And: grifter
DeleteThis is the toughest border security law ever. Trump wants the crisis not the fix. Read the WSJ opinion page. Trump wants fentanyl for at least another year.
ReplyDeleteThe most encouraging thing to come out of recent polls is that Biden is way ahead of Trump when it comes to women voters in every election since Trump was elected it has been a huge turnout in women voters who have sank one Red Wave after another. Expect this election to set a record of women voters. You go ladies.
ReplyDeleteIt's always worth pointing out, although the shut-down-the-border-now people never take it on board, that most illegal/unauthorized residents in the US fly in and overstay their visas.
ReplyDeleteBREAKING NEWS: Appeals court rejects Trump's immunity claim in federal election interference case
ReplyDeleteTrump had wanted the case dismissed based on his claim of "absolute immunity."
Donald Trump seeking immunity was a bizarre tactic and it was also a confession. If you are innocent, you have no need for immunity.
DeleteGood! About time!!!
DeleteNo one has ever been afforded more latitude to abuse the judicial system to delay delay, delay justice and accountability than the emperor with no clothes. Enough is enough.
DeleteAppeals Court: “Presidential immunity against federal indictment would mean that, as to the President, the Congress could not legislate, the Executive could not prosecute and the Judiciary could not review. We cannot accept that the office of the Presidency places its former occupants above the law for all time thereafter,” the judges wrote.
ReplyDeleteThis is just the beginning of the end for the Orange One. Supreme Court will decline to hear the case and let the Appeals Court ruling stand. Good day for America!!!
DeleteNew York Times headline:
ReplyDeleteFederal Appeals Court Rejects Trump’s Claim of Absolute Immunity
A federal appeals court rejected Donald Trump’s claim that he was immune to charges of plotting to subvert the results of the 2020 election.
It was UNANIMOUS!!!
ReplyDeleteHere are the two choices facing the Supreme Court: (1.) take the case because they intend to overturn a 3-0 decision with a 5-4 decision, or (2.) Decline to take the case. Option 1 ends in the Supreme Court being permanently ruined as an institution.
ReplyDeleteI hate to say it, but I think this is very "cut and dry".
DeleteThe real question, to me, is what to do with Donald Trump after the Supreme Court rules against him (they will, it's clear to everyone that he attempted a coup).
Technically, the highest court in the land finds him guilty, by way of keeping him off the ballot - they should remand him into custody until he is sentenced.
This may be the best way to end the debacle Don created. Ultimately, he should be punished, and this is perfect because he charged head on into it- and the decision will ultimately be handed down by his appointees.
Reality is here. Mr. Orange face is hearing the music that justice is coming to get you, buddy. Best news so far. This thug, and that applies to each and every spineless republican member of Congress who twist and turn at Trump's demands, is going to find out real soon that his feeling that he is infallible is going to come crashing down upon him and his puppets, who all are traitors to their voters and America.
DeleteWhy is Trumps only defense delay tactics? When is he going to start presenting evidence of his innocence? This is what he said he was going to do from words of his own mouth.
DeleteIt's a given, we have presidents, not kings. The president is our employee, we're not his subjects.
DeleteThe majority of Americans want this criminal locked up yesterday. We need this nightmare to stop.
DeleteThe GOP Owns the Border Now. Here’s How Democrats Make Sure of It.
ReplyDeleteHard-right Republicans killed the Senate immigration deal out of fealty to Donald Trump. That’s the perfect opening for President Biden to go on the attack.
Trump would be nothing without the GOPs endorsement and protection for 7 years. Perhaps we should put the spotlight on the Republican Party and start blaming them. They need to own it all.
ReplyDeleteWell we all need to write every senator and congressmen and tell them to do their jobs. Vote for this bipartisan bill or we will vote no on them! We need to put our money and our mouth to push this.
ReplyDeleteThey talked about the need for a bill to deal with immigration, now they have one. So they backpedal because it isn't good timing for Trump. These guys are answering to someone who isn't president. They aren't answering to the people or working for their constituents. They are working for a want to be dictator. Rather work in a bipartisan manner, they bow to a tyrant.
When will these cultists realize they have been duped?
DeleteNo one is above the law. Presidents are not kings, not emperors. Trump's desire for immunity is an admission of guilt. Demand better of our leaders. Vote BLUE!
ReplyDeleteTrump seems to forget that no previous President has had any issues with not having total Presidential immunity.
ReplyDelete