or plan. I'm actually kinda pleasently shocked.

How can this be justified on any reasonable basis. The US-Mexian border is 1951 miles long from San Diego to the Gulf of Mexico. Placing 6000 NG troops on the border means that we'll have added one trooper per mile to the border security, once you calculate that the average trooper can really only patrol the border for eight hours per day on average. I'm feeling safer already! I'll bet Dubya didn't even bother to calculate what his pathetic little number really comes to, just so long as it sounded good and enabled him to divert attentio from Karl Rove's impending indictment. How long before even the Congressional Republicans realize they have to put this corrupt, incompetent administration down?

I would just say that the desert is good training and climate acclimation for Iraq. ;)

but damn hard to find a better realistic alternative.

Those that think you can lock up or deport 12 million people live in la-la land. Hitler managed something along those lines, but this will not fly in the United States of America. You going to lock up all the Catholic priests and social workers that offer them aid also?

Assuming another million try to cross and get caught this year. What then are you going to do with these people?

One problem with theories: Sooner or later they have to be applied to the real world in which we live.

I can't tell you how much it pains me to have to agree with something bush the lesser says, and what he suggests won't work, but it may be the best alternative I've heard offered.

If we get the troops and no plan to assimilate those already here and also fail to provide legal short term work permits, expect hell to break loose.

I did inhale.

Imagine the logistical nightmare this creates for the guard. Instead of your normal one or two week annual training event at your local National Guard Base, you now have orders to report - where? With - what? Reporting to - whom? To do - what?

I can't think of something more disruptive to the local law enforcement / border patrol personnel than a revolving door of National Guard Troops coming down for a two week vacation in Arizona at taxpayer's expense.

And the first time one of these guys puts a bullet in some poor Mexican immigrant whose pregnant wife is standing next to him it will be all over.

The following words come from a guardsman who is a friend - they are not mine -- "The guard is like Boy Scouts without adult supervision." Now that is a pretty unfair characterization given they are fighting and dying in Iraq, but it gives you perspective on their view of themselves, prior to deployment in Iraq. And it tells you what will happen in Arizona under these circumstances. Quasi-militarization using quasi-military will lead to very unfortunate mishaps.

George, go back and read Reagan's notes on his immigration challenge and return to your roots.

Video - WMP
Video - QT
transcript

BLITZER: Give us your -- tell our viewers who aren't familiar your personal story, how you got to where you are, your grandparents, your parents. They struggled, they came here. I don't know if they came here legally or illegally, but give us the story.

GONZALES: Well, three of my grandparents were born in Mexico. They came to Texas. My parents -- both of my parents were born in Texas, extremely poor. My mother...

BLITZER: But when they came to Texas, were they legally documented, were they unlegally documented?

GONZALES: You know, it's unclear. It's unclear. And I've looked at this issue, I've talked to my parents about it, and it's just not clear...

C&L Link

http://agonist.org/20060517/senate_votes_to_bar_immigrant_felons_build_fencing

_{"at some point I'm hopeful I'll figure out something to put here"}

the Constitution has mandated that the President-- the Executive Branch, secure the borders of the United States. To date the only portion of the US borders ever attempted to secure have been our coast line and costal waters. While I might find objection personally to nearly every action taken by the Bush Administration, at least this one action is fulfilling the mandates of the Constitution. Fences and razor wire are nasty obstructions, but just as you see when you travel into Mexico, there is human monitoring of traffic along the roads and passing from the Frontera zone into the rest of the country, you pass through a check point and must present papers showing lawful entry and proof of motor vehicle insurance. Sure, those last for six months and allow for multiple trips to an extent, but without the papers you are turned back to the border. Further inside Mexico, you might be hauled to jail if the policeman has more than a bicycle you can outrun or threathens you with a gun. It's been a while, but usually money could fix whatever problem you had, but papers had to be done at the border and the only fix was looking the other way as you passed by. We can't say that happens here because dollars are not in the equation, but if it happens without any money changing hands, what is the difference?One small step to contorl the passage of people from one point to another is a beginning that need not address illegal residents already here. In Mexico, US citizens can't legally work, but in the rare circumstances where it occurs, warnings come to those involved to stay home on a given day when inspections will be made. I'm certain that happens here, too, but there are just too many people involved for any inspections to have any effect.

Today in Congress it was debated whether illegal aliens paying into Social Security should be elligible for benefits. McCain voiced the majority opinion saying people of whatever circumstance deserve what they have paid into. Alberto Gonzalez was asked about the legal status of his grandparents as some members of Congress have considered and advocated denying citizenship to those whose parents or predessors came here illegally, and had no answer.If we simply control our borders all the other details can be worked out eventually. My major complaint with guest worker programs with a time limit, is that on low wages going primarily to feed families back home, what is someone to do to feed their family when the time limit expires? With virtually no limit on Canadian Immigration to the US, Mexico should have an equal advantage. I don't think Canada allows easy immigration from the US either, just as Mexico does not allow it. Wherever immigration issues occur, it should work bilaterally in equality.