Lawmaker: Obama to Send 1,200 Troops to Border

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=10740653


Lawmaker: Obama to Send 1,200 Troops to Border
Arizona congresswoman says Obama to send up to 1,200 troops to US-Mexico border
The Associated Press
1 comment
By JACQUES BILLEAUD Associated Press Writer
TUCSON, Ariz. May 25, 2010 (AP)


The Obama administration plans to announce Tuesday that it will send as many as 1,200 National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to improve border security, an Arizona congresswoman said.

Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords also said in a statement released Tuesday that President Barack Obama will request $500 million in funding for border security.

Part of Giffords' district borders Mexico.

In 2006, President George W. Bush sent thousands of troops to the border to perform support duties that tie up immigration agents. The troops wouldn't perform significant law enforcement duties.

That program has since ended, and politicians in border states have called for troops to be sent there to curb human and drug smuggling and prevent Mexico's drug violence from spilling over into the United States.

Legalization would cost a fair bit less money and lives

Legalization would save a lot of money.

Not locking up drug offenders would save a lot of money.

Street prices would go down, but we could tax away the savings and use it to provide free rehab for drug addicts.

We would be faced with serious unemployment among drug distribution workers. They might take up other more harmful criminal activity, like burglary, robbing banks, or selling variable rate mortgages.

My plan is not perfected yet, but I am still working on it.

Burglary and bank robbery would be a fair bit of a step up for them. Hence, its the least of my concerns.

stem the violence.

Only the politically astute can comprehend a move like this.

It's masterful.

and he is really thinking ahead of everyone else, first by decimating McCain's proposal before it reaches the senate, and giving him political cover to fight for immigration reform. I do, sincerely, hope you are right...

Obama just won the immigration debate.

Checkmate.