The Real timschochet

How do we know how many countries they’ve travelled through if we can’t process them? Processiny them doesn’t mean letting them in. If you’re correct about the law (I have no idea) then the ones who went through several countries would be deemed ineligible and not allowed to stay. But I don’t see how we can determine that if we don’t have the manpower to investigate it.

1. Where are you reading this? 2. What ahould be done with people who are seeking asylum legally?

Actually they’re not. Both sides have kept the details under wraps. The MAGa crowd assumes it’s weak and includes some sort of amnesty. Leftists like AOC assume it’s a surrender to the right and oppose it. Personally I’d like to know the specifics.

It wasn’t McConnell who came up with the idea to tie the two together. It was the House Republicans led by Mike Johnson, with the approval of Trump. They attempted to tie the two together because they never expected Biden to agree. Now that Biden is willing to make concessions they have abruptly changed their minds because Republicans don’t want a deal on immigration. They don’t want to fund Ukraine either but they’re terrified of a vote on that.

Actually the Who was the first “Mod” band. I love Depeche Mode (just saw them) and I like the Cure a lot. The Smiths are terrible. Marr is actually a fine guitarist, but the lead singer has got to be one of the most annoying people in the history of popular music, with perhaps the whiniest voice ever. And yes I thought this way about him for years long before he showed himself to be a racist and bigot.

Three points: 1. The only reply to my link about Soros’ heroic actions to help save Eastern Europe was that the article I linked came from his organization. That would be pertinent if the facts were wrong, but they’re actually very well documented and nobody is disputing them. He really was one of the main figures behind the end of Communism, which makes the argument that he is a leftist himself both stupid and ironic. 2. The main criticism against Soros’ policies seems to be his support of criminal justice reform. As usual, the conservative mantra is that any supposed “softening” of criminal justice encourages criminals and leads to more crime. The facts contradict this, and it’s actually a much more complicated question. But on this subject as in so many others, facts are less important to conservatives than emotion. The emotional response is that we need to be “tough” with criminals. Unfortunately this lazy approach produces unequal and unjust outcomes. 3. Any discussion of Soros inevitably leads to anti-Semitic tropes. Most of the folks who engage in this do so unaware. But the tropes are there: the wealthy powerful Jew moving in the shadows, the puppet master controlling events.

People from all political persuasions and all walks of life can unite on the simple concept that the Smiths suck.

I actually kinda agree with this. The Smiths are awful.

Trump has clearly told the House Republicans to reject any deal with the Democrats no matter how much Biden is willing to concede on this issue. Trump wants the border to be a crisis on Election Day. He also does not want any further money going to Ukraine.

I was wrong about that assertion, at least in recent years.

We live in different realities apparently.

Also this sentence is rather mean spirited and unworthy of you. And while I’ve never been in such a situation I would like to think it’s not true.

Damn. Now I’m killing people on the Titanic? Your metaphor represents a vital conceptual difference between you and me on this issue perhaps. I don’t perceive the United States as a lifeboat. Yes these people coming as fast as they are is a crisis. But they’re not going to drown us.

He’ll have early success and then overstay his welcome. He’ll be gone in 5 years or less. He’s the Larry Brown of football. Or Billy Martin. Great coach but eventually people get sick of him or he gets sick of them or whatever.

How am I a hypocrite? Please explain.

Except you didn’t. Simply pointing out you don’t trust NPR doesn’t repudiate the facts they offered. The point that most undocumented immigration doesn’t come from our southern border is one that has been true for decades; I simply posted one article among dozens that make the same case. If it’s not true currently that’s a new thing and may not be a permanent change either.

Simple logic suggests that if (a) the statistics on undocumented immigration were fairly steady for decades prior to 2021 and (b) all Biden did was reverse some of Trump’s actions but not all then this crisis has little to do with Biden vs Trump. Again, we need to focus on why so many folks are coming here at the present time. What is happening in their home countries that is producing such a large migration of people? What should we do, if anything, to try and mitigate that? These are the issues we should be addressing IMO.

I will concede the following: 1. 2.6 million border encounters in a single year is unsustainable, even for me who is pretty damn liberal on this issue. 2. Biden and the Democrats haven’t done enough to address this problem. I remain opposed to what the Republicans are proposing. But I agree we need to do something.

This is from 2019: https://www.npr.org/2019/01/16/686056668/for-seventh-consecutive-year-visa-overstays-exceeded-illegal-border-crossings It was the basis of my assertion. But I concede that, based on what you and @Horseman have posted, those facts have changed recently.

Well you asked for my opinion.

Your numbers are correct but represent only recent years. What I wrote is true over the last several decades. And according to law enforcement fentanyl is mostly brought into this country by legal citizens through legal points of entry.

Yes. It’s an ignorant, bigoted argument based on fear.

I don’t buy into this “they don’t share our values” argument. The biggest indicator that this is not so is how much they want to come here, They risk their lives to be here.

Well that’s what most experts believe. And it’s not really changing the conversation. It’s pointing out, if you regard undocumented immigrants as a problem (I don’t but most people do) then you’re not really addressing it by setting up razor wire in Texas.

Excellent analysis.