Say Anything Blog

Hmm…

CAPITOL HILL The Senate has passed and sent to President Bush a bill authorizing 700 new miles of fencing on the southern border.
The price tag for the fencing is unknown, but a separate bill makes a one-point-two (b) billion dollar downpayment on it. A 14-mile segment of fence under construction in San Diego is costing 126 (m) million dollars.

The fence bill was passed by the House two weeks ago. The Senate vote on it Friday night was 80-19. The legislation became House Republicans’ immigration focus in September after they abandoned President Bush’s call to bring millions of illegal immigrants into the American mainstream.

For North Dakotans, it’s interesting to note that both Conrad and Dorgan voted in favor of this bill despite the fact that their colleague Earl Pomeroy voted against it in the House.

Anyway, I think what we need to ask ourselves is whether or not this represents an actual commitment to border security from Congress (particularly Senate Republicans).  Is it enough?  If more is needed will we get it?  Or is this just something to placate security-minded voters in the GOP base right before an election?  Is it maybe just something Republicans can point to when they start pushing for guest worker programs and amnesty for illegal immigrants after the elections?  Will they tell us, “See, we gave you border security, now let’s legalize the illegals”?

I guess time will tell, but it is at least a step in the right direction.