Filed under: Bureaucracy, Crime, Domestic Policy, Economy, History, Immigration, Law, Liberalism, Media Bias, Mexico, National Security, News, Politics, Progressives, The United States | Tags: Americans Need to Learn, The Reality, The Rule of Law, The Southern Border
Naturally, I like to write my own sterling opinions, which I assume are entirely correct, but I have the feeling that you would rather hear it direct from the horse’s mouth, as the saying goes. This is a conversation between Jessica Vaughn for the Center for Immigration Studies and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Acting Commissioner Mark Morgan. He is well chosen to occupy this post with his long experience in the field.
The talking points and misinformation that we normally hear have little to do with the actuality in the field. The flow of people who want to get in to the United States is huge, composed of people from all over the world. But it’s not a simple thing to understand. We hear lots about compassion and concern, and a lot less about the Cartels and their activity which includes not just the Wall, which is being built, but drugs coming across the border. 68,000 Americans died this past year from drugs smuggled in across the Southern Border. Sixty-eight thousand!
There’s lots of human smuggling, sex trafficking, and drugs, the Cartels haul in billions from their take in supporting all this evil. Democrats, interested in compassion, and their own designation as “good people”, are apt to believe that we should care deeply about these poor people who just want to participate in the good life that America promises. It is way more complicated than that.
The estimate is 150,000 people who make it across unchecked, and unaccounted for, not those who are caught and tallied. They assume that the actuality is much larger. Mr. Morgan points out that not all of them are bad people, but a heck of a lot are. The Wall is not an invention of President Trump’s. It is the results of the request of the Border Patrol for a badly needed wall.
Do watch the whole thing. We need more people who understand what the real situation is, and what the Border Patrol faces. We have a lot of Politicians who come up with a lot of false information. It’s a complicated and complex situation, and we need more informed and concerned Americans.
Filed under: Blogging, Bureaucracy, Capitalism, Democrat Corruption, Domestic Policy, Economy, Education, Foreign Polidy, Freedom, Immigration, Israel, Latin America, Mexico, Middle East, Progressives, Regulation, The Constitution, The United States, Unemployment | Tags: Explaining The Politics, Trump's Accomplishments, Victor Davis Hanson
This was first posted in May, this year. I think it’s time to review it once again, because there is so much here and it is so valuable. Please watch the whole thing, you’ll be glad you did. It’s a long conversation, but you can spread it out over several days if need be.
Filed under: Bureaucracy, Domestic Policy, Immigration, Latin America, Mexico, National Security, Regulation, The United States | Tags: Keeping Promises, Migrant Caravans, President Donald Trump
Early on, President Trump promised voters that he was going to build a wall at the Southern Border, and Mexico was going to pay for it. Well, of course that promptly hit the fan! You know how much outrage that bit provoked. But the really hot weather of high summer is over, as we move into fall, and it’s time for the caravans again.
And guess what? President Donald Trump is building a wall at the Southern Border, and Mexico is helping to pay for it. Caravans of Central American migrants are forming up in Honduras and Guatemala to start their annual mass migration north in hopes of reaching the border of the United States. The very first group of the season, more than 2,000 strong, didn’t make it very far. They were stopped by Mexican federal troops, with more than half of them being detained.
Some 2,000 migrants from various nations — including Central American and African countries, Haiti and Cuba — set off on foot in the predawn hours from the southern Mexican city of Tapachula…
On Saturday, the northbound caravan met a phalanx of Mexican authorities, including National Guard and federal police units along the highway at a point about 25 miles north of Tapachula. The enforcement presence prompted almost half the caravan members — including many women and children — to surrender to Mexican immigration authorities.
This is the result of the deal that the White House cut with Mexico. We are happy to have productive trade deals with them, and provide them with aid, but we need their cooperation in matters of immigration enforcement. This can become the new norm.
Those in the half of the caravan that wasn’t detained, some scattered to look for a new way north, but many returned to their countries of origin. If the word gets out in Guatemala and Honduras that caravans can no longer travel freely all the way to the American border, fewer will sign up. Hopefully some are being informed about how to go about fixing their own countries.
And perhaps we can clear some of the backlog in our immigration courts. Thank you, AMLO.
Filed under: Bureaucracy, Capitalism, China, Democrat Corruption, Domestic Policy, Economics, Energy, Environment, Europe, European Union, Foreign Policy, Free Markets, Freedom, Intelligence, Latin America, Law, Media Bias, Mexico, National Security, News, Politics, Taxes, The United States | Tags: A Made-Up Mystery, A Strange Mythical Trump, The Democrats' Trump
Excellent article at American Greatness (amgreatness.com). Victor Davis Hanson explores the strange mythical Trump that Democrats have devised for themselves in order to explain the horrors of the last election. They have completely lost contact with reality.
Candidate Trump never really wanted to be president. His entire amateurish and buffoonish candidacy was designed only to enhance his brand. Once he was unexpectedly elected, Trump was more shocked than anyone, and quickly sought to maximize his profits from the Oval Office. Thus, followed the constant progressive evocation of the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution to prevent chronic Trump profiteering.
In reality, the Trump empire reportedly has declined by nearly $1 billion in net value, aside from the tens of millions of his own money that Trump spent on the 2016 campaign. Trump’s business interests are the most thoroughly investigated of any recent president in memory. Obama and the Clintons made millions from their presidencies; Trump may well end up losing billions.
Hanson takes a hard look at the strange mysterious Trump creation that Democrats have lodged in their minds. We were right all along. They have completely allowed their emotions to run away with them and the result is remarkably foolish and bears little resemblance to reality. Do read the whole thing. You’ll enjoy it.
Filed under: Bureaucracy, Capitalism, Democrat Corruption, Domestic Policy, Economy, Immigration, Latin America, Law, Mexico, National Security, Politics, Taxes, The United States | Tags: 5.800 Fake Families, Illegal Immigration, Pity the Little Children
We have an interesting disconnect here. Illegal immigration is a major concern for the American people, according to polls. Democrats, uniformly, seem to believe in open borders, Sanctuary Cities and states, and seem to believe that AOC’s (always on camera) description of “concentration camps” for kids is quite accurate, or even if not accurate, — useful. They believe that ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) is a terrorist organization and should be abolished. Democrats feature pictures of children in cages, left from the Obama administration as propaganda to show how awful the Border Patrol and anyone who dares to oppose illegal immigrants just flowing over the border is. This suggests that they believe the American people outside the hallowed halls of the nation’s capitol are so stupid they will believe any propaganda the Democrats choose to present.
On Tuesday, Mark Morgan, Acting Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) told a Senate Committee that 5,800 “fake families” have been discovered trying to enter the U.S. illegally this year.
“Our laws prevent us from holding people more than 20 days and because we can’t get the information we’re probably releasing them even sooner than that in many cases, correct?” Chairman Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.) asked Morgan during a Senate Homeland Security hearing on the border crisis.
“With respect to family units, since March of this year, United States Border Patrol has been releasing family units directly so in some cases they’re being released in under 48 hours into the interior of the United States,” Morgan said.
Johnson replied, “Because it really doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to try and find facilities to hold them for 20 days with this overwhelming flow so instead of border patrol turning them over to ICE for a more thorough vetting process and then ICE releasing them, border patrol is doing it directly?”
Democrats are anxious to make all things about the border an emotional affair, you are supposed to pity the poor children, care for the poor adults who just want to get into the country to make more money than they can make at home. Children are separated from their “parents” because the law does not allow children to be detained with their parents. They are required to be cared for separately, and they are well cared for.
The Border Patrol began testing DNA on April 30. They really don’t have time to determine if children are with their real parents or are victims of human trafficking.
AOC’s visit to the border and weeping photograph over an empty parking lot on the other side of the chain link fence, and her claims of “concentration camps” are meant to elicit pity and emotion. Congress needs to change some bad laws to help the Border Patrol deal with a monumental problem, but Democrats find the current situation much more useful.
ADDENDUM: Elizabeth Warren apparently claimed last night that there are “cages of babies” being held at the U.S.-Mexico border – despite there being no evidence whatsoever, no photos, no confirmation from others.
“What we can’t do is not live our values,” Warren said. “I’ve been down to the border, I have seen the mothers, I have seen the cages of babies. We must be a country that every day lives our values. And that means we cannot make it a crime when somebody comes here.”
While visiting a federal immigration facility in Los Fresnos, Texas, Warren spoke about adult border crossers being held in detention without the children they arrived with but did not mention seeing cages of babies.
They keep explaining and explaining that the law requires that children cannot be put in detention with their parents. They are place in non-detention facilities, treated well, taken to parks and entertained. If Democrats want children to remain with their (?) parents, they will have to change the law which they refuse to do. All pictures of children in cages are from the Obama administration, which did put them in cages.
Filed under: Environment, Global Warming, Junk Science, Mexico, News, News of the Weird | Tags: Guadalajara, Like Deep Snow, Unusual Hailstorms
There was a big hailstorm yesterday in Guadalajara, Mexico. I saw that this morning, and then promptly forgot where it happened, and started looking for the article, and learned that massive drops of hail happen somewhat frequently — at least there were other examples in the Western hemisphere, Argentina, Denver. I never knew that was possible. My experience with hail was that it came looking much like white peas, at least the hail as I knew it was pea size.
I had heard about big hailstones in some places, even big enough to break some fragile windows, but in such quantity that it ended up with several feet, I had never heard or read of. One finds new or unexpected things in the news frequently, and you just say a mental “Oh!” and feel that you learned something new. Hail in 3 and 5 foot dumps means you have to get out the snowplows and shovels!
Filed under: Bureaucracy, Capitalism, Democrat Corruption, Domestic Policy, Economics, Economy, Free Markets, Free Speech, Freedom, Health Care, Immigration, Intelligence, Iran, Islam, Law, Mexico, Politics, Progressives, Socialism, Taxes, The United States | Tags: A Word from Tom Sowell, Little Children at the Border, Medicare for All
I watched and listened to the Democrats’ debate for a while, and couldn’t take any more. Perhaps after a bit of a rest, I can stand a little more without getting too annoyed.
What is wrong with today’s world, the enormous troubles of the world, all that is wrong anywhere — is Trump. The horrors of the border, the American health care situation, drug addiction, the American economy, the rest of the world which now hates us because of Trump, He has turned all of our allies into enemies. They’re not going to call them “concentration camps” at the border, (that didn’t go over too well) But the children at the border, the poor pitiful little children must be saved, not clear exactly how, but everybody gets to make their application for amnesty because they are escaping from countries that we have to turn our attention and wealth to fixing, so they can stay home once we have fixed their home countries for them.
Their loathing for Trump is enormous, and he is to blame for everything. What I have found really interesting is Democrats’ lack of interest in Hillary. They are most furious about being out of power, about losing the election and every detail of what caused them to lose (electoral college), Constitution, white supremacy etc. etc.
They are all signing on to “Medicare for All” which will clearly be a major campaign issue. That and some form of children in cages being mistreated at the border. Make voters care with an appeal to stop Trump from mistreating innocent little children. Little children dying in evil Border Patrol custody will be big. Evil pharmaceutical companies to blame for drug addiction, the cost of health care, and just the usual Democrat focus on big business as evil. You don’t even need to watch any of this to know what is being said and urged. You’ve heard it all before.
Time to insert Thomas Sowell quotation:
“There are no solutions, only trade-offs”
America has the best health care in the world because kids who like science work their tails off to get good grades so they can get into good medical schools so they can become doctors, save lives, become prosperous and live good lives themselves. One of the Democrat debaters (I didn’t recognize him) said he asked several hospital management people what they would do if everybody was on Medicare. The answer was uniformly – close down. Did you ever ask how much one of those complicated hospital beds costs? Let alone the big scanners and the complex new drugs that are saving lives. That’s why in the big cities the hospitals have auxiliaries and society balls for their supporters where it is important to be seen. Trade-offs. Democrats don’t like Tom Sowell. They call him an “Uncle Tom.”
Filed under: Blogging, Bureaucracy, Democrat Corruption, Domestic Policy, Education, Free Speech, Freedom, Global Warming, Intelligence, Junk Science, Law, Media Bias, Mexico, Politics, Pop Culture, Progressives, Progressivism, Regulation, Science/Technology, The United States | Tags: Alexandria Ocasia-Cortez, One More Misunderstanding, The Green New Deal
Perhaps we should increase the age when one is eligible to run for Congress. AOC was apparently an excellent student. She graduated cum laude with a double major in international affairs and (snort) economics. But she was the youngest woman to be elected to Congress. She announced Friday that an explosion at a Philadelphia oil refinery was due to climate change, arguing that the incident underscores the urgency of her Green New Deal. (A vat of butane ignited and eventually exploded at the Philadelphia Energy Solutions Refining Complex, followed by a series of smaller explosions through the pipes moving fuel around the complex. It injured five workers and took 120 firefighters to bring under control.)
You have noticed, I ‘m sure that AOC has become what is called “click bait”– that is, articles about her will be clicked on and partly read, which means that the advertisers’ ads will be seen, which pays the newsmen’s salaries for their stories. (Heck of a way to run an economy). Democrats pay attention because she is one of theirs who gets attention, those suffering from “climate panic” because of her “green new deal”, and Republicans, because everything she says is so remarkably stupid. She also had some remark about Trump not allowing toothpaste to the children in the concentration camps at the southern border. She has never been to the southern border, and has turned down innumerable offers to be enlightened a little about concentration camps.
ADDENDUM: I saw an article which showed AOC at the border, so I was mistaken about her never having been. I cannot find it again, but as I recall, she was staring at a chain link fence, which she apparently confused with a concentration camp. I apologize for misleading anyone.
Filed under: Bureaucracy, Domestic Policy, Education, Immigration, Mexico, Regulation, The United States | Tags: Is "Racist" Worse than "Nazi", Snowflakes Everywhere, The Right Sensitivity
While I wasn’t paying attention, it seems that the world in general has gone certifiably nuts, or perhaps it has just caught the “snowflake” germ that has been floating around the universities. Everyone has become super-sensitive, and every and any little thing has become racist, or offensive in some way.
The University of California at Santa Cruz will remove a major historical artifact from their campus. The “Spanish Mission” bells were used between 1769 and 1833 to highlight the trail of the California Missions for the Catholic priests who built the Missions to evangelize the Native Americans. Valentin Lopez ,who is chairman of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band. encouraged the university to remove the bells, which he claimed “are deeply painful symbols that celebrate the destruction, domination and erasure of our people. They are constant reminders of the disrespect our tribe faces to this day.” Uh huh.
Sarah Latham, UC Santa Cruz’s vice chancellor for Business and Administrative Services, said that the students were the catalyst behind the decision to remove the bells. “Val brought forth concerns to us about the symbolism of the bell. He spoke of the historical injustices and oppression that the bell represents to the Amah Mutsun and indigenous populations. It was such a compelling statement of impact and I am pleased we have been able to work in partnership with them on the removal. Our students have also given voice to the need to remove the bell,” Latham said.
(Vice chancellors learn to talk like that.) The bells will be removed from campus on Friday after a short ceremony that will address their history. History is not as important as feelings.
I have a vague memory of some other school removing statues of the ’49rs who poured into California in 1869 when gold was discovered. There is a George Washington High School in San Francisco which is planning to remove an”offensive” mural of General George Washington, which supposedly has a slave and an a native American pictured in the mural. California is very sensitive, sanctuary-wise. The folks on the southern border want better protection from the illegal aliens pouring over the border, the rest of the state wants more to do the scut work like mowing lawns and sweeping streets.
Pete Buttigieg, one of the 24 Democrat candidates for the presidency, who wants to be the first gay president, announced today that asking anyone if they are a citizen is “racist.” Most Hollywood celebrities have found that if they become “political activists” they can get the media attention they crave. Silicon Valley, is still too young in business to recognize that playing politics with their business instead of being steadfastly neutral, is apt to get you heavily regulated. Americans, in general, are very attached to the First Amendment, even if they have a hard time understanding its meaning.
Our elections are always contentious, but this year is far worse than usual because we are still deeply involved with the last election, and Hillary’s efforts to become the “first woman president.” Those designations: the first Black President, the first Woman President, the first Gay President are deeply important to Democrats, who think that way, when they should be thinking: what real qualifications does the candidate have, what has he done of note, what has he accomplished, what does he know a lot about, what skills does he have? Instead, they want someone who is — one of them. Not an outsider.
Perhaps that is the problem. They simply do not know what Trump will do, because they do not understand who he is or what to expect, and they find that frightening and they imagine the worst, and do not know how to respond. He calls them names right back.
Filed under: Blogging, Bureaucracy, Cool Site of the Day, Crime, Democrat Corruption, Domestic Policy, Economy, Free Speech, Freedom, Heartwarming, History, Humor, Immigration, Latin America, Law, Media Bias, Mexico, National Security, News, Politics, Regulation, The United States | Tags: A Friendly Conversation, A Judicial Watch Special, Invite Some Insiders In
This amazing video from Judicial Watch was like sitting down with a bunch of well-informed insiders and getting answers to most of the questions I had, and some I hadn’t thought of. Judicial Watch is a wonderful organization that works hard at forcing the federal government to fulfill their requirement to be reasonably transparent. They sue. They take one department after another to court to get the information that is being withheld. I would love to see a list of the things that we know about only because Judicial Watch has been on the case.
We have just had an attempted coup, with one of our political parties attempting to get rid of a president they are afraid of, that they don’t like, because he’s on to them. He knows how crooked they are and wants to know why they are attacking every good thing he is trying to do for the country and the American people.
It’s fairly long, but broken up in modest segments so you can stop conveniently should you wish. But do watch it. You will be a better informed citizen.
American Elephants 