Yesterday, the House passed a measure authorizing the construction of a 700-mile fence along our southern border. And, as expected, the Democrats opposed it. Their major criticisms:
1) It could push illegal aliens to make crossings in more dangerous areas.
2) It does nothing about protecting our northern border.
3) It's a modern-day "Berlin Wall."
Let's take these in turn:
1) A legal action might drive criminals into taking more chances to break our laws. By that logic, we ought to outlaw things like security fences, guards, and the like. They endanger criminals directly, and should not be tolerated, much like these fences.
2) Well, duh. But right now the southern border is the open sieve. If -- IF -- at some point in the future, the flow of illegal aliens increases from Canada, then we can look at doing something about it. But you don't skip fixing one imminent problem just because it doesn't address a potential one.
3) The Berlin Wall was intended to keep people IN. The American southern wall is intended to keep people OUT. If anyone wants out of the United States, they're pretty much free to go whenever they like, as long as they have someplace willing to take them. East Germany had an illegal EMIGRANT problem -- people wanted to get the hell out from under Communist oppression, and their slavemasters didn't want to let them go. So they went to extraordinary measures to get away, and the tyrants went to even more extreme measures to keep them. It's like the walls and fences and other barriers Israel is building. Only the most idiotic or partisan twits could possibly conflate the two types.
The real danger with this wall is that some will view it as the panacea for the illegal alien problem. It's a good first step, but it's only the first step. Another good one would be to make it easier for employers to verify the legality of job-seekers, and toughen the penalties for hiring illegals. But that ain't likely to happen any time soon.
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Illegal Aliens
Comments (3)
I was about to make a sarca... (Below threshold)1. Posted by SilverBubble | September 15, 2006 2:35 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I was about to make a sarcastic comment relating illegal aliens to voter fraud, but I think I'll let that one slide.
Both issues get me fiery, and I'm too tired to rant.
1. Posted by SilverBubble | September 15, 2006 2:35 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 15, 2006 14:35
2. Posted by USMC Pilot | September 15, 2006 4:19 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
1) It could push illegal aliens to make crossings in more dangerous areas.
2) It does nothing about protecting our northern border.
3) It's a modern-day "Berlin Wall."
Everytime I think that some politician has said the absolutely stupidest thing posible, one of them proves me wrong.
McCain's statement about the posible future treatment of American prisoners of war was just about in the same vein.
2. Posted by USMC Pilot | September 15, 2006 4:19 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 15, 2006 16:19
3. Posted by Lurking Observer | September 15, 2006 4:51 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Why does this resemble so many other Democratic/liberal responses?
1. A wall could push illegal aliens to make crossings in more dangerous areas. Fighting our enemies only generates more of them. Whatever you do will only make things worse---therefore do as little as possible, certainly pro-actively.
2. A wall in the south doesn't do anything about the north. Fighting Saddam doesn't end bad regimes elsewhere. Why Mexico and not Canada? Why Iraq and not Sudan/North Korea/Syria? Why Muslims and not Christian fundamentalists?
3. A wall to keep people out is the equivalent of the "Berlin Wall." And Bush is the equivalent of Saddam (I believe McDermott said that), Hitler, Osama. America is no better than Iran (when it comes to owning nukes).
The same message, just with the proper nouns slightly altered. Over and over again.
3. Posted by Lurking Observer | September 15, 2006 4:51 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 15, 2006 16:51