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Preident Obama Signs $600 Million Border Bill

President Obama today signed into law the $600 million bill enhancing law enforcement and surveillance along the Mexico border.

Obama did this backwards. Republicans aren't likely to support comprehensive immigration reform, particularly a path to legalization, because he caved on border security. As I've opined before, he should told the Republicans, "Hey, you want money for border security, then pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill and the Dream Act and then we'll talk."

This is another example of Obama's tendency to compromise core Democratic principles in his eternal quest for bi-partisanship. He's the President, the Dems still hold a majority in Congress. He should know when it comes to power, you either use it or lose it.

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  • Display: Sort:
    Actually (5.00 / 4) (#1)
    by cal1942 on Fri Aug 13, 2010 at 10:33:08 PM EST
    acting like a President holding all the cards (strong majorities in both houses) has not been his forte.

    Use it or lose it indeed.

    Alarming clues during the primaries were ignored by far too many.

    Many of his fervent supporters still refuse to acknowledge the egg on their faces.

     

    Was this deficit neutral? (5.00 / 2) (#2)
    by oculus on Sat Aug 14, 2010 at 12:49:47 AM EST


    Funding mechanism (none / 0) (#8)
    by MO Blue on Sat Aug 14, 2010 at 09:48:12 AM EST
    The bill funds the new measures by raising visa application fees on a select group of companies that operate in the United States. Schumer last week said they were targeted because they take advantage of U.S. law to import workers from abroad.

    Senate aides said four companies from India would be affected: Tata (TCS.BO), Infosys (INFY.BO), Wipro (WIPR.BO) and Mahindra Satyam (SATY.BO). link



    Parent
    Why does Schumer Hate Indians? (none / 0) (#9)
    by Rojas on Sat Aug 14, 2010 at 09:59:38 AM EST
    The Perils Of Being A Part Time Virgin (none / 0) (#11)
    by Rojas on Sat Aug 14, 2010 at 10:31:34 AM EST
    It's easy to hate on those who would compete with the "creative class" as those people vote and they have a strong sense of entitlement. It's the "creative class" and their unholy alliance with their corporate masters that built a new economy from a single deck of cards.
    It's actually pretty funny because the real cost savings are not to be gained from labor...

    Parent
    I feel (5.00 / 1) (#3)
    by kmblue on Sat Aug 14, 2010 at 05:25:09 AM EST
    so much safer now (snark)

    I (5.00 / 0) (#4)
    by lentinel on Sat Aug 14, 2010 at 06:58:25 AM EST
    can just see it now;

    Some foreign head of State surveys the barrier and intones, "Mr. Obama. Tear down this wall."

    The wall is down (5.00 / 1) (#7)
    by Rojas on Sat Aug 14, 2010 at 09:01:08 AM EST
    Why just this week I was visiting a customer who announced they were building a new factory in Mexico. And so I know the pressure will be soon be ratcheting up on us to move ours down there. But hey the tilting at windmills by the "smart people on the net" will continue unabated. It's not about class it's all about race don't ya know.

    Parent
    Must be an "illegal factory"... (none / 0) (#14)
    by kdog on Sat Aug 14, 2010 at 10:47:06 AM EST
    I thought the waiting list was decades long to make a legal cross border move.

    Oh that's right, that just applies to things that bleed and breath, not factories.  My bad.

    Parent

    Nothing illegal about it (none / 0) (#15)
    by Rojas on Sat Aug 14, 2010 at 11:39:12 AM EST
    In fact due to trade agreements with our EU "friends" there are very strong tax advantages that will go along with the move. That's why we will start getting pressure to move production there. Free trade ain't exactly free doncha know.

    Parent
    TALKING about the prexistent (none / 0) (#16)
    by jondee on Sat Aug 14, 2010 at 12:06:40 PM EST
    class warfare is "class warfare"..

    The no-no of all no-nos..

    Parent

    Strawman, with no basis for comparison n/t (none / 0) (#6)
    by BTAL on Sat Aug 14, 2010 at 08:55:03 AM EST
    Lost it (none / 0) (#5)
    by PatHat on Sat Aug 14, 2010 at 07:22:04 AM EST
    n/t

    Typo in your post title, Jeralyn (none / 0) (#10)
    by Anne on Sat Aug 14, 2010 at 10:23:22 AM EST
    "Preident" instead of "President."

    At some point, one has to ask whether Obama's moves are borne out of ineptitude/incompetence, or design.

    Not that one is necessarily better or worse than the other; they're both bad.

    Here's the thing, though: there is nothing stopping the Congress from drafting comprehensive reform legislation - they do not have to take orders from the WH last I checked.  They could send him a good bill and let him sign it or veto it.

    Are they afraid to do that because it boxes Obama into a corner he doesn't want to be in?

    So, we are left with a President who is either incompetent or not all that interested in immigration reform AND a Democratic Congress that is apparently just taking orders from someone they know to be incompetent/uninterested because they possibly do not want to hurt his feelings or embarrass him.

    Congress needs to start acting more like an independent body and less like the DC branch of the Obama Fan Club.

    Going through the motions (5.00 / 1) (#12)
    by Rojas on Sat Aug 14, 2010 at 10:39:31 AM EST
    If you want to target illegal immigration you hire accountants. Border patrol and border fences are pandering without addressing the issue. Congress and the Senate are being incompetent on purpose and the coin slot will continue to function unabated.

    Parent
    Good news for the cartel & coyotes... (none / 0) (#13)
    by kdog on Sat Aug 14, 2010 at 10:44:27 AM EST
    they can point to the bill and jack their prices and rates.

    Sam old police and thieves...both big winners.  Who loses? Joe and Jane Blow, Jose and Juanita Blow.

    Why does Obama hate Latinos? (none / 0) (#17)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Sat Aug 14, 2010 at 12:08:17 PM EST