American Republic Online

Well it was Oct 26, 2006 President Bush signed into law a fence for 700 of the 2000 miles of southern border:

“Within about three years, we should have about 370 miles,” said [Senator] Kyl, whose state would be virtually sealed from Mexico through fencing and other barriers.

Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Ralph Basham said the fence could take many forms, from chain link to solid wall, depending on where it is placed. The shape will be determined with the help of Boeing Co., which was awarded a $67 million contract to install a high-tech “virtual fence” along 28 miles in Arizona. - Washington Post (10/27/06)

18 months later, how’s that 370 miles coming? Half way would be 185 miles of fence, Senator. Senator?  Most recently the virtual fence has been deemed an utter failure who’s “design will not be used as the basis for future developments”.  Yeah it’s not even worth building on for a virtual fence version 2.  Oh and I like how now that it failed it only cost tax payers $20M not the true $67M.  Sounds better when you only mention the construction costs and not the $47M of “other costs”.

Seriously when are we going to learn from the Israelis and just use the trusty chain link, ditches & barbed wire?

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So I have to wonder if the strong portrayal of President David Palmer by Dennis Haysbert in the hit series 24 helped Presidential Hopeful Obama in the American mindscape. President Palmer was the ideal man for the job for most Americans. Lets look at his qualifications:

• Tall
• Attractive (don’t kid yourself - these matter)
• “Presidential Presence”
• Compassionate enough to wrestle with weighty decisions of life and death
• Yet still has the balls to take the fight to our enemies and authorize whatever-is-necessary Bauer to kick ass

I believe this mix of strength and compassion is what most people crave in a leader. After 3 Seasons, Dennis Haysbert secured the idea of a Black American as a great President and got himself his own show (the Unit).

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The brains behind Obama are recommending that the “Pull Out” of Iraq look a lot more like a simple force reduction. Returning us to troop levels not that far below Pre-Surge levels. While there is a significant difference in “stance” of 150k troops “on the front lines” and 80k troops in “oversight” - though the terms are as malleable as any applied to this war - it falls far short of “pulling out”. Now people with some semblance of foreign policy knowledge will find it comforting that, as many suspected, the Democrats have no intention of leaving Iraq except ceremonially for the TV cameras. On the other hand, the anti-war zealots won’t be to happy to learn that the candidate most pandering to them - isn’t quite the pacifist he claims to be .

• NY Sun: Obama Advisor: 60-80k Troops Through 2010

That’s right since leaving the White House the Clintons have sure found a lot of GREEN. They couple’s recently released tax returns show that they have made $109,200,000.00 since 2007. That’s an average of $15.6 Million per year. Which makes you wonder if Hillary has her fingers crossed when gives campaign speeches about how she’s going to stop the evil rich or when she explains how she can empathize with the poor and downtrodden in this country.

Something I’ve always wondered: if the Big Wig Democrats actually believed the things told to the adoring masses, why don’t they donate their own money to the government? I mean it’s a widely held democratic belief that the rich are “bad” and can “afford” to give more of their wealth to the government… so where is the leading by example? I think this question could be asked of any multi-millionaire Democrat, (I’m looking at you Hollywood) but particularly a leader of said political movement. If the government is the best method to more justly/correctly/fairly distribute the money that the rich don’t need to help those that do need…. doesn’t it follow that wealthy politicians (that claim such beliefs) should just give the portion of wealth that they don’t need to the government? I mean sure raise taxes as soon as you can, but you don’t have to wait to help the masses with your money - right? Right?

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