Here's a quick recap of what's going on lately with border security:
- Republicans are opposing an immigration plan that tightens up the border considerably without much in return for Democrats.
- The House is moving ahead with an impeachment vote against DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for literally no particular reason and with no chance of success.
- Texas is defying the federal government and cordoning off pieces of the border completely from the Border Patrol.
- Republican Speaker Mike Johnson is saying that he won't accept any border proposal "that ALLOWS even one illegal crossing."
The purpose of these things is:
- Making Joe Biden look like he's helpless to do anything about the border.
- Giving Republicans a big stage to rehearse their border gripes on national TV.
- Hoping that Biden will overreact, producing lots of video of federal officers tearing down border barriers.
- Making it clear that nothing will happen as long as Biden is president.
It's all just a show to them. They could hardly make it any clearer.
I blame Chip Roy for actually saying out loud that they have no achievements to run on. This is the best they could come up with on short notice.
BTW, I'm not so sure they have the votes to carry a Mayorkas impeachment-- not that I've seen anything, but there have to be half a dozen or so in close districts who'll have to be really strong-armed (maybe by trump himself), or get enough death threats, to make them cave.
Great precedent. Impeach any cabinet secretary who isn't doing his job the way the opposition party wants. What's next? Impeach the AG for not prosecuting a certain class of crimes vigorously enough? Impeach the Sec Def for closing bases in their states?
Yes, I think that is the plan. This is the risk of our system of government. The opposition party can hold enough power to destroy the ability of the government to function, which is then used to argue that those currently in charge should be voted out.
However much voters say they want bipartisan action, they really respond to government gridlock by supporting the bomb throwers.
I think Kevin meant they have no chance of removing Mayorkas from office via a Senate vote.
The GOP-led House has shattered the record with the least amount of bill passed in the first session of the current 118th Congress.
The strategy you deem to be specific to the border is more like a broad strategy to create interference until they can take back the White House and gain a majority in the Senate. They saw how McConnell sat on Obama's appointment of Garland for a year, and presume that they can just wait out the 118th.
Do nothing is their entire goal
Preventing the Democrats from doing anything is their real goal.
And then running on "Democrats don't do ANYTHING to address [insert crisis du jou}". Yes, it's the Republican strategy as of late: mamufacture "crisis", blame Democrats, prevent them from addressing it, and WIN!
How do you arrest illegal crossings if they don't cross?
Well, during his disastrous single term, the Defendant was advocating shooting them across the border from the US side. A little more permanent than arresting, but cheaper, and it always got applause.
Voters have rewarded this type of behavior. When there is strong demand for a product, suppliers will figure out a way to deliver it. The masses want entertainment and grievances, they dont care about legislation or results.
There is no end in sight for this.
Can you imagine the undecided voter thinking that the republicans are acting in bad faith then deciding to vote for democrats? I cannot.
I've been working on a project and when I go on the site, most of the low skill workers are speaking Spanish. I assume they are illegals, but who knows? No one really wants to think about it. Don't ask, don't tell. Just get the job done. It's been a show for a very long time.
"To many voters, politics is little more than bad people forcing negative energy on everyone. The rational response is to try another form of citizenship."
So. You're part of the problem. One of the folks who encourage illegal immigration by offering jobs and then looking the other way.
👍👍👍👍👍
It is sickening. I’m a Republican, but all these current GOP clowns need to be voted out.
Atticus, you wild and crazy guy! Good on you for that!
The fact that you're framing "Biden might react to Texas being in an open state of rebellion, literally resurrecting early 19th century state's rights doctrines that were beloved of John Calhoun, by asserting just, proper, and morally and ethically correct federal authority" as "an overreaction" says a lot about you, and about how this issue is being framed.
Good observation. Very frequently, nearly everyone in the media accepts the GOP framing of their outrage du jour.
We are always reminded that its heads Biden loses, tails the GOP wins.
This isnt a new phenomenon, but the frequency seems to have increased.
Let’s review:
Declaring Texas to be in a state of rebellion, surrounding the Governor’s mansion with tanks, sending the Texas Governor and Attorney General to Guantanamo == overreaction
Upholding the Constitutional supremacy of the Federal government by nationalizing the Texas National Guard and ordering the removal of any and all barriers not emplaced under proper Federal authority, and restoring control of the US border to Federal officers =/= overreaction
I guess it's not possible to say that it's not a crisis, even though it's not a crisis.
The problem is that the political media will always publish and broadcast whatever the Republicans want them to publish and broadcast. The great mass of voters in swing states live nowhere near the border, so they only know what they see & hear in the political media.
Don't you think the GOP is doing exactly what a Republican political consultant would recommend? This is not about what is best for the country, the aim is to win in 2024.
I still remember the mid 1990s, when all the reporters were so giddy about "Newt" Gingrich's brilliant new "out of the box" strategy of ignoring ethics, facts, and common decency.
Salamander
One can't say Trump and ethics, facts, and common decency in the same paragraph!
The way to call their bluff is to indict a few big employers. Watch the Republicans suddenly become pro illegal immigration.
I think it's more likely that indicting big employers would result in the impeachment of Garland, and maybe a few others.
Well, that would kinda prove my point, in my opinion. I mean, if suddenly the GOP was defending illegal immigration by attacking those trying to stop it.
“It’s all just a show to them.”
Pretty much. I’m not sure what to make of this video from a Texan in the area but I’d invite anyone to take a look and explain how anybody can talk about an “invasion” on our Southern border with a straight face.
https://www.threads.net/@itsedsilha/post/C2uxKkSLrml/
The border stretches thousands of miles across multiple states and the only place this “invasion” seems to be a big worry is one little spot in Gov. Abbott’s backyard.
Ain’t worth a civil war … and it's no good excuse for descending into fascism.
Its hard to understand how people envision this made-up invasion.
I lived in Texas for many years, both in Austin and Houston. A few years ago I was speaking with someone from the midwest while we were both on vacation. She asked me if it was scary to be at my home outside Austin and did my family stay there too? Dumbfounded, i asked what she meant. Well, the rampaging immigrants of course....do I see them roaming around? Do they approach me when Im outside? Are they in groups or individuals? Are they on foot or in cars? Do the police set up barriers? Should I think of moving?
It appeared that she envisioned rural Austin as a Walking Dead type scene with the immigrants playing the role of the zombies, smashing, destroying, stealing and attacking as they aimlessly roamed the countryside.
She was serious. She seemed very suspicious when i insisted that there was nothing like this going on in central Texas. I dont think she believed me. She was very worried for me and my family.
The census dept made a population projection for closing the border to all. In 2100 Murika would have 100 million less population. Mr. Market would hate that.
That sounds like a good plan.
"It's all just a show to them."
And to any competent reader, the following should go without saying. Nevertheless, here it is: They don't actually care about the thing they claim is an existential crisis.
"It's all just a show to them. "
Yep. And it works.