You’ve probably seen reports that the southern border of the US is out of control, with masses of potential immigrants flooding into the US, including terrorists and people who have Covid-19.
This is a coordinated PR effort to smear Joe Biden, and almost everything you’ve heard is propaganda, or at least misleading. For example, is there a new surge of migrants trying to cross the border? That’s misleading. The number of migrants seeking asylum has gone up, but it does that from time to time. It went up like this twice during Trump’s presidency. This is nothing new and certainly not abnormal or due to anything that has changed since the election. In fact, the numbers went up at the end of Trump’s term.
Next Republicans started spreading the lie that the immigrants trying to enter the US are terrorists, or have Covid-19. But there is no evidence of either of these. This is like Trump claiming that Mexico was sending rapists. According to the director of immigration studies at the conservative Cato Institute “The notion that the Southwest border is open to terrorists is ludicrous.” Besides, it is far easier for terrorists to come into the US by air, and then overstay their visas, you know, like the 9/11 terrorists did. There has never been an act of terrorism in the US from a terrorist who entered through the southern border.
Even worse, an article in The Independent presents good evidence that the pro-Trump labor union of the Border Patrol officers is coordinating with Republican politicians to create a fake crisis at the southern border. “This is a planned, coordinated attempt to sabotage the Biden administration.” This same union was coordinating directly with the White House during the Trump administration, to gin up fear about immigrants.
This is how propaganda is created and spread, by creating fear and repeating it over and over again.
13 Comments
Just goes to show, that conservative Republicans are ever ready to lie to your face on any subject you care to choose, and have since at least 1980.
And their dwindling supporters will buy, hook line and sinker.
IK, politics is as politics does. Like Democrats (too many examples to site) Republicans do exactly the same. The migrants aren’t helping the Democrats cause by wearing Biden T-Shirts saying let us in. Whats the old political mantra…Never let a crisis go to waste…
Here is an article by NBC, not exactly a Trump refuge or Republican endorsing organization,
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/southwest-border-crossings-pace-highest-levels-20-years-biden-admin-n1261192
What I don’t care for is all the Left wing shouting (whena Republican is in office) about families separated at the border, children held in cages (the ones Obama had built and used), But now, not a peep. Under Trump it was a standard Dem talking point.
So whats good for the goose, is good for the gander. Its politics, so this too shall pass, until the next shiny scandal comes along.
Some truth, albeit twisted to an extreme is that there are terrorist entities whom have been waiting for the opportunity to blend in with a large crowd to attempt entry. Most however, will use the coyote routs. The other problem is the coyote’s, whom since approx. 2010 have been taken over by the cartels as an additional revenue stream. The cartels like to make mules out the border crossers and treat them horribly.
What I would like to see, that neither party seems to want to tackle, is actual immigration reform and tweaking. Congress controls the quotas, and only they can adjust them. Many of our embassy’s, particularly in poorer countries where the front desks are manned by locals, are fraught with corruption. I’d like to see a system where folks can make their application on line, reviewed by someone not in a local office and given a determination. Like my wife , who is from Peru tells me, if the extra envelope you give with your application isn’t big enough you can forget it.
The last time a President tried, was George W, had a guest worker program with pathway to citizenship among others. I think it was his own party who shot it down, but it didn’t have overwhelming Dem support either. We need to fix it, its broken, but neither party seems to have any intention of fixing it. I guess its too good of a political football to fix.
Actually, Biden campaigned on immigration reform, and already delivered a bill to Congress. You may get your wish! https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/democrats-introduce-bidens-immigration-reform-bill/story?id=75960479
Guest worker programs would be a good start. In my area, we get a lot of Jamaicans in the late summer – early winter season for apple picking. They come in, work, and go home. If they screw up or overstay, they don’t get a second chance at the program. They keep their noses clean.
I agree that we need immigration reform, including a way for people who come here to attain citizenship if they are contributing members of society. After all, if they’re working legally they’re paying taxes too! But just like every other issue, there’s no political gain to solving the problem.
I like parts of the Bill. I’d like to see more language directed at states who don’t cooperate with immigration authorities. There are too many repeat criminal offenders, many for felony level crimes, who certainly don’t need to be here. Add that and I’m all in.
I’d also like to see the quota’s addressed, give a total number for annual immigration, and breakdown by country. The country numbers can be adjusted by Congress annually to address proportionate need.
We are a country of immigrants and need to keep that dream alive.
The problem is not needed tweaks to immigration reform. The problem is that Republicans are using this to divide Americans. For example, Lindsay Graham was just asked if he would vote for an immigration reform bill that was recently introduced in the Senate, and he scoffed “God, no”. What makes this hypocritical is that this is a bill that Graham himself introduced. Now that the GOP is using immigration to attack Biden, they aren’t interested in solving the problem at all.
I agree that politics are beyond crazy currently and bordering on maniacal. Problem is, is that both sides play this game (my theory is perhaps in collusion). Neither wants to admit when there is a good idea. Each wants to take credit for themselves.
In this fashion it perpetuates gridlock, with each side trying to out crazier the other.
I had hoped that Biden’s reminiscences of working across the isle would translate into actual bi-partisanship would come to fruition. But alas, 21st century politics prevail. If Biden shows any inclination to include GOP input he is lambasted, if he doesn’t he lambasted. The far left/right of each seeks to control the narrative. Neither side is willing to concede.
Well, it seems that Democrats (at least one) is sounding the alarm at the border. Its also ironic that when it was Trumps border problem every left leaning TV was showing it non-stop. The exact same situation as then is occurring now. Where’s CNN, MSNBC, Etc. Where’s AOC and all the other progressives stalking around the detention centers and taking pictures of the kids sleeping on tin foil mats?
This is both hypocrisy and irony. It just proves that the left only used it for a prop for political points and now want to say the right is making stuff sound worse.
Here are 2 searches on the border and Rep Cuellar (D-TX) if you don’t believe me. Come one IK, take a stand and call out the blue hypocrisy and the irony that is.
Rep. Henry Cuellar On The Border – Bing News
https://www.bing.com/news/search?q=Rep.+Henry+Cuellar+On+The+Border&FORM=EWRE
Cuellar and border search on Newsweek
https://www.newsweek.com/search/site/?q=cuellar+on+border&op=Search&form_build_id=form-fZ682WsdOVy0CvQPbIUL2T6In25EQtbU6DClgu3ttr8&form_token=NjTiMzKKqA3lZiZaca71FcNN-AlbGkwHKY6-BFpKd3U&form_id=search_block_form
Look at those pics, wow!
PatriotSgt (and anyone else who believes the bullshit about the border), I suggest you read this article about the border “crisis”. It is well documented and contains plenty of links to supporting data. https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2021/03/stephen-miller-started-border-crisis-on-fox-news.html
Thanks IK, but your still not addressing the hypocrisy, when congressional Dems and the VP toured the same camps while Trump was president. The weeping and calls of national shame and outrage were loud and clear.
Now that its Biden’s turn, they’re all working overtime to down play and minimize. The crisis is the same, the facilities the same (the ones Obama built).Psaki calling it “a circumstance” is proof of that.
I fully agree its politics, i’m simply pointing out the hypocrisy of the political parties, of which I am not a member of either.
Here are some different articles from NBC and MSN, neither being rigth leaning organizations
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/southwest-border-crossings-pace-highest-levels-20-years-biden-admin-n1261192
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/number-of-unaccompanied-children-crossing-border-into-us-increased-63-percent-in-february/ar-BB1eJ1xz?ocid=uxbndlbing
The numbers are the same or higher then Trumps troubles. We can argue what constitutes a “crisis” and probably agree that neither the Trump problem or the Biden problem constitutes a crisis. I’m simply pointing out the hypocrisy, which runs into irony. 🙂
PSgt, do you really believe that the border is the biggest issue we need to be solving right now? Do you even have any idea of what that solution would look like? If so, I’d like to hear about it!
Yes, there is plenty of hypocrisy to go around, but when the only point of pointing out hypocrisy is to make it more difficult to actually solve the problem, then no thanks. I think it would be better to work toward a solution. And not just for the immigration situation, but also for homelessness, health insurance, racism, and many other things.
The important hypocrisy here is that the GOP is not complaining about the border because they actually want to do something about it. They just want to damage Biden. If they actually had any suggestions about what to do that might work, that would be different. It seems obvious that “building the wall”, blocking all Muslims, and the other things they did while they were in power were more about ginning up the base, and blaming everything wrong on immigrants and non-whites, rather than actually solving any problems.
Solving immigration problems are difficult, not because there aren’t any solutions, but because the GOP is invested in using the problem as a wedge issue. Just like what they are doing about gun violence, abortion, and a bunch of other issues.
So if you can reframe your arguments in a positive way, that has any chance of solving these issues, then I will be glad to agree with you. But playing the blame game is of no interest to me, and I’m surprised that it is for you.
Agreed IK, the solution is to comprehensively remake the immigration laws. Only Congress can change the laws and quotas allotted to each country. A number of far left advocates desire open borders, far right advocate for super strict immigration.
We are a nation of immigrants, however IMO there needs to be flow controls and proper documentation to assimilate new arrivals into the country and make sure they have what they need to rise to their potential.
I do not think our immigration system should have to be decided by Executive Orders, which can be changed with the next administration. It needs to be done by Congress in a bi-partisan manner. Neither side will get all they want, but each will get some.
Congress has failed miserably on both sides in this crucial function. There’s way too much tribalism and politics currently and neither party is willing to budge. That’s not much different then using executive orders when we only pass legislation that the majority party wants.
Maybe a good way to start is passing a rule or law that any legislation requires a minimum of 25% of the minority to vote yea.
What do you think?
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