May 30, 2007, Michael Cutler Commentary on: Bush tells law officers security is key to immigration reform

I have attached an article below that reports on how President George Bush is at it again. This time he went to the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Training Center in Georgia to push his insane Guest Worker Amnesty Program. He is quoted as having said, "We have a mission, a vital mission, and that's to protect our country," Bush said during a 30-minute speech at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. "You all are on the front line of that mission."

Of course that statement is absolutely accurate, the question is, how do we achieve the goal of protecting our nation? Consider the President's advocacy for a Guest Worker Amnesty Program and his consistent failure to hire adequate numbers of special agents for ICE and, until this year, Border Patrol agents. Do we achieve that mission by not having an adequate number of Border Patrol agents or special agents for ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement)? Do we achieve security by providing unknown millions of illegal aliens whose true identities are unknown and unknowable with official identity documents that would display the names and nationalities that these illegal aliens claim relate to them? Do we achieve security by providing members of violent gangs with lawful immigration status if they simply sign a document that claims that they renounce their gang membership? Do we make America safe by insisting that the overworked bureaucrats at the beleaguered and inept USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) conduct a computer check of names and fingerprints in 24 hours of each of the 100,000 applicants they would be mandated to process each and every day? (If the prints and name checks are not completed in 24 hours these aliens would be given "interim" documents that would enable them to apply for drivers' licenses and Social Security cards even though there would be no way of determining who these people really are- terrorists would have no problem gaming such an absurd program!) Are we more secure by enabling 22 billion dollars to be wired to Mexico each year by those Mexicans who are working in our country and send American dollars out of our economy to prop up the Mexican economy? (Last year an estimated 45 billion dollars were wired to Latin America and the Caribbean. This does not include money that was moved out of the country surreptitiously.) Are we more secure when our open borders enable aliens who may harbor dangerous diseases cross our borders without being inspected by our officials? Are we more secure when you realize that an estimated 25% of the inmate population in the federal prison system are identified as being illegal aliens and our borders still lack the security to prevent the entry of still more criminals, drugs and terrorist?

I could go on for pages with these questions, but I am sure you get the point, the President and the "usual suspects" are attempting to ram this absolutely perilous legislation down the throats of the citizens of this country that would forever change America and imperil its safety and the safety of its citizens. Naturally as more and more Americans wake up to the disaster that the Senate immigration bill I have dubbed the "Terrorism Assistance and Facilitation Act of 2007" the President is resorting to an old tactic, speaking before a "captive audience" the newly hired federal agents and their instructors who know that if they do not provide him with the "photo op" he wants, they will pay with their careers!

This is actually nothing new for immigration law enforcement officers, a number of them have been arrested and prosecuted by the infamous rogue federal prosecutor, United States Attorney Johnny Sutton.

It is time that President Bush, America's least liked President contemplate the words of one of America's most beloved Presidents, Abraham Lincoln:

“You may fool all the people some of the time, you can even fool some of the people all of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all the time.”

When I was a young boy, the old manual cash registers used to have a button that the clerk could push to open the cash drawer that when depressed the drawer would open an a flag would pop up that said, "No Sale"

"We the People are not being fooled by photo-ops and illusions of enforcement created by the President. "We the People" are much smarter than the President and the proponents of the Guest Worker Amnesty Program wish we were! It is time that our leaders did the job that the Americans want them to do, secure our borders and provide an immigration system that has real integrity!

That is why it is absolutely imperative that we must reach out and contact our elected representatives before they return to Washington and the pressures being exerted by the administration and the many special interest groups to sign of on a bill that would have such catastrophic implications for so many aspects of the United States. This is neither a Democrat nor a Republican issue, it is an American issue! Remember, democracy is not a spectator sport!

Lead, follow or get out of the way!

-michael cutler-

Bush tells law officers security is key to immigration reform, The Associated Press - BRUNSWICK, Ga.

Seeking a friendly audience for his first major event touting a controversial immigration reform plan, President Bush told a crowd of federal law enforcement trainees and instructors on Tuesday that security will be key to any effective immigration plan.

"We have a mission, a vital mission, and that's to protect our country," Bush said during a 30-minute speech at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. "You all are on the front line of that mission."

Georgia has been a supportive bastion for Bush in the past year as his popularity slid elsewhere in the country, making it an attractive staging ground as he attempts to fend off conservative critics who say parts of the compromise bill amount to amnesty for illegal immigrants.

Last year, Georgia lawmakers adopted one of the toughest state immigration policies in the nation.

But Tuesday's event presented a contrast to visits over the past six years, when Georgia Republicans clamored to be seen with the president.

Republican U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss was the only Georgia lawmaker who appeared on the outdoor platform with Bush.

Bush specifically thanked Chambliss and Florida Sen. Mel Martinez, who also attended the event, for supporting the plan.

"It takes a lot of courage in the face of some of the criticism in the political world to do what's right, not what's comfortable," Bush said.

At the May 19 Georgia Republican Convention, Chambliss was greeted with boos and hisses when he defended the temporary guest worker provision in the immigration plan.

Both Chambliss and Isakson played leading roles in putting together Bush's deal with the Senate. Yet they have also said they may not support the final bill, depending upon how it is amended.

Bush criticized those who have blasted the plan without studying its details and repeatedly emphasized one of the elements of the plan Chambliss has stressed: that provisions to allow illegal immigrants to pursue legal residency would kick in only after measures to increase border security are in place.

The bill would give temporary legal status to millions of unlawful immigrants, provided they come forward, pay a fine and undergo criminal background checks. To apply for a green card, they would have to pay another fine, learn English, return to their home country and wait in line.

Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue was busy Tuesday reviewing legislation passed during this year's session of the Legislature, said spokesman Dan McLagan. Wednesday is the deadline by which the governor must either sign or veto legislation.

McLagan said Perdue's absence from the president's speech was not related to the event's subject matter.

"It had nothing to do with anything," he said.

Perdue has called the immigration plan a welcome but imperfect starting point in an important debate.

Sen. Johnny Isakson and Rep. Jack Kingston, both Georgia Republicans, did not attend the event because of previous commitments that were scheduled before the White House announced the trip to South Georgia, according to their offices.

State Senate President pro-tem Eric Johnson, of Savannah, whose district stretches to near Brunswick, was not invited to the event, said spokesman Marshall Guest.

White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said it was Bush's first event scheduled to specifically pitch the immigration plan to the American public.

The training center where Bush spoke is a school for 83 federal agencies and provides services to state, local and international police agencies. More than 50,000 students graduated last year from the Brunswick school or one of FLETC's other academies.

A small group of protesters gathered outside the gates of the federal center.

One of them, Brunswick resident Elaine Brown, called the immigration bill "ridiculous."

"I know the big construction companies in this area are making a fortune off of illegal Mexicans," she said. Brown said the provision that allows illegals to pay a fine and get in line to legalize their status is "a sertup for madness. That means any drug dealer with $5,000 will be head of somebody who really is an honest worker."

Earlier Tuesday, Bush received a briefing from federal, state and local officials on the wildfires in southeast Georgia and northeast Florida.

The fires _ the first of which started April 16 _ have charred more than 567,000 acres, forcing evacuations throughout the region and threatening the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.