Bush Immigration Plan Falls Short of Real Substance

Bush Immigration Speech sounded great at first.... And was likely a move to boost his slipping ratings. He may very well get a boost in his poll numbers.

Reaction to the Bush Speech from CNN.

But as more people look deeper into the plan, they will realize that it is nothing more than a Public Relations ploy. This could be the end of the Republican Revolution (at least for the immediate future). Although they still have the upper hand. Because of his own lies, the American people no longer automatically accept what he or his aides have to say. There was a time when the Republicans would speak and the American people would accept just about everything they were told. That's no longer the case. Americans now listen... and then fact check, lol. It has become a routine now (which is how it should have always been in this country anyway).

So, with that in mind, it will not take long (maybe a week or two) before Americans figure this one out.

Why is this just fluff? Because:

1. The National Guard troops being sent will not be sufficiently armed...and most won't be armed at all. Keep in mind we have border guards being out gunned by automatic heavy weapons used by Mexican drug cartels and corrupt Mexican military personnel.

2. This will only involve troops on their routine training (which amounts to only a few days)... Then they leave...and a new crew may come in for a few days. There will also be gaps... this won't be an official deployment as we know it. They are trying to do this on the cheap. Just like the Iraq war.

3. These troops will not be involved in supporting the border patrol at all in any meaninful way. A rotation schedule of just a few days is not enough time for the border patrol to become familiar with the National Guard, and vice verse. The kind of cohesion and coordination that would be needed would take months to develop between the different agencies. So... this plan would simply allow the President to say that the National Guard is on the border (when in reality, this won't be the case in terms of stopping illegal immigration). The plan amounts to an empty photo op for the National Guard and the Bush administration.

4. On top of not being armed, the National Guard won't be involved in the apprehension of border jumpers at all. They will have no law enforcement duties, no rules of engagement, nothing. They will only have administrative and support duties.... supporting the border patrol. PLEASE!!! Let me translate that for you all.... It means that the National Guard won't be doing much of anything at the border, beyond being seen by the cameras (which is the whole purpose of the plan).

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Article and analysis from The Seattle Times.