Invasion
Bush misstates Border issues
March 2008
Bush Border Lies, Compiled by Tom Tancredo (Rep.) Colorado
Many thanks to Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado, for keeping a tight focus on President Bush’s inability (or misguided refusal) to secure the Southern Borders. We present the following list of Bush misstatements on border issues from Tancredo’s web site, DefendOurBorders.com, for your consideration.
#1: ON EXPANDING THE BORDER PATROL
Bush misleading statement on “doubling the size of the Border Patrol during my administration,” Laredo, Texas, June 6:
“In New Mexico I saw the training facility that is going to put out enough Border Patrol to be able to tell the American people that we will have doubled the Border Patrol since 2001.”
FACT: The Bush Administration has fought against significant increases in the Border Patrol every year since 2001. Not once did his proposed federal budget include funds for adequate increases in Border Patrol manpower to allow the BP to fulfill its mission.
FACT: Bush’s avowed goal of doubling the Border Patrol to 18,000 still may not meet the manpower needs of the Border Patrol, if its mission is to prevent all illegal entry into our country. Effectively securing the border is what is important, not the number of Border Patrol Agents.
FACT: Under the Clinton Administration, Border Patrol manpower increased by more agents before 9/11 than Bush has added since 9/11. The Clinton Administration increased the Border Patrol from 4,026 to 9,078, an increase of 5,052 agents, or 125%. George W. Bush increased the manpower from 9,078 to the 11,800 in his first five years, an increase of 2,722 agents, or only 30%.
FACT: In 2005 , a full four years after 9/11 , the White House’s FY2006 budget proposal included funds for only 210 new Border Patrol agents – not the 2,000 new agents authorized by Congress in the Intelligence Reform Act of 2004.
FACT: Only after the House passed HR 4437 in December of 2005 did the President decide to accelerate the expansion of the Border Patrol — and he still has not adopted the goal of 2,000 new agents per year for five years, as authorized by Congress in 2004.
FACT: The national Border Patrol Academy has cut its training cycle from nineteen and one-half weeks to sixteen weeks to squeeze in more students, yet the facility is still not capable of training the 2,500 new agents needed each year to achieve the net gain of 2000 new agents annually (allowing for a current attrition rate of 6% according to the National Border Patrol Council).
Get The Full Scoop
Bush Border Lies
Compiled by Tom Tancredo (Rep.) Colorado.
(Would someone please Impeach Commander Koo Koo Bananas?)
[These links tend to become inactive over time. If this has happened with the above link, you can conduct a Google search by clicking here.]
Our Take
How sad is it that even the detestable Bill Clinton added more security guards to our southern border than George W. Bush? This situation must change. It’s too late for Bush, but the next President of the U.S., Dem or Rep., must take this issue by the horns and get serious about it.
