Border Patrol

On September 19, 2008 The Austin American Statesman posted an article titled, "Department's mismanagement blamed for delays in the completion of the ,Texas/Mexico, border fence." This article is about the mismanagement of funds for the completion of the 670 mile "virtual fence'. The Governments misappropriations have halted the resources needed for Homeland Security. They have run out of land to build on, because they only own certain portions of it. Ranchers and civilians are not willing to sell their properties because the monetary offers are not justified. Since they are not willing to sell for a "cheap" price, I believe sub-contractors will be hired to make them move.

The government doesn't even have enough funds to hire border patrol to keep illegal immigrants from crossing. Vigilantes are ex-military, off duty police officers, ranchers and free lancers who volunteer their time to observe and report and criminal activity taking place. They vigilantes get in trouble for reprimanding the immigrants who are committing crimes. What are they supposed to do? Sit back and watch them cross over? Del Rio, Senora and El Paso are a few of the bigger border towns that they can't keep secure because of the drug traffic and immigrants. The civilians are making money this way, so they don't want to sell their land. To this day, 341 miles out of 670 miles have been completed because of the funding and land issues.

Congress has requested the border fencing be completed by December 31, 2008. Americans need to be aware of this serious issue, and become more involved. We need to do whatever is in our power to complete the fence. Illegal immigration has been an issue for quite some time, and is becoming out of control. Where is the governing in this situation?

On the flip side, we wouldn't be able to walk across the border to Mexico without being interrogated by authorities, so why are we not standing our ground? Why isn't there enough money to complete this project that has been planned out for so long? Don't we pay enough taxes?


The original article is posted below.

Department's mismanagement blamed for delays in border fence

Homeland security agency failed to specify requirements or implement effective testing for 'virtual fence' portion, federal investigators say.

HEARST NEWSPAPERS
Friday, September 19, 2008

WASHINGTON — The Government Accountability Office — the nonpartisan investigative arm of Congress — on Thursday blamed mismanagement in the Department of Homeland Security for delays and failures in the construction of the planned 670-mile fence along the U.S.-Mexico border.

There were "some serious gaps" in the department's approach, the GAO said, citing what it said was a failure to specify performance requirements for a high-tech segment of the fence and to implement effective testing.

Randolph Hite, director of information technology architecture and systems issues for the GAO, told the House Homeland Security Committee that the failure to complete the fence was "not a technical issue, it's an acquisition management issue."

Congress directed the department to construct the fence by Dec. 31 as part of a larger effort to combat illegal immigration.

Richard Stana, director of homeland security for GAO, said the department did not set strict "performance standards" for a high-tech "virtual fence" being constructed in Sasabe, Ariz., in conjunction with the Boeing Corp. The project has faced significant technical difficulties.

The department has said troubles in acquiring land have also slowed the project, although 341 miles of the planned 670 miles of fence have been constructed and contracts for the project's entire span have been completed.

Where do I fit in?

Pro-Government Conservative Based on your answers to the questionnaire, you most closely resemble survey respondents within the Pro-Government Conservative typology group. This does not mean that you necessarily fit every group characteristic or agree with the group on all issues. Pro-Government Conservatives represent 9 percent of the American public, and 10 percent of registered voters. Basic Description Pro-Government Conservatives stand out for their strong religious faith and conservative views on many social and cultural issues. They also express broad support for a social safety net, which sets them apart from the other two core Republican groups. While backing George W. Bush by roughly six-to-one, this group has one of the lowest incomes levels in the typology. Pro-Government Conservatives are skeptical about the effectiveness of the marketplace, favoring government regulation to protect the public interest, and government assistance for the needy. Defining Values Religious, financially insecure, and favorable toward government programs. Support the Iraq war and an assertive foreign policy, but less uniformly so than Enterprisers or Social Conservatives. Back government involvement in a wide range of policy areas, from poverty assistance to protecting morality and regulating industry. Who They Are Predominately female (62%) and relatively young; highest percentage of minority members of any Republican-leaning group (10% black, 12% Hispanic). Most (59%) have no more than a high school diploma. They also are poorer than other Republican groups; nearly half (49%) have household incomes of less than $30,000 (about on par with Disadvantaged Democrats). Nearly half (47%) are parents of children living at home. 42% live in the South. Lifestyle Notes Most (52%) attend religious services at least weekly; nearly all describe religion as “very important” in their lives. Gun ownership is lower (36%) than in other GOP groups. Just 14% trade stocks and bonds in the market; 39% say someone in their home has faced unemployment in the past year. 2004 Election Bush 61%, Kerry 12%. Fully 21% said they didn’t vote in November. Party ID 58% Republican, 40% Independent/No Preference, 2% Democrat (86% Rep/LeanRep) Media Use Most Pro-Government Conservatives consult traditional news sources, including newspapers (48%) and network TV (31%). No more or less engaged in politics than the national average. Note: All descriptions and percentages are based on the national sample of adults surveyed by telephone in December. Based on your answers to the survey questions, you most closely resemble survey respondents within this group, even though you may differ significantly on one or more issues or traits. In the overall typology there is a ninth group called “Bystanders” who are defined as adults who are not registered, who do not follow news about government and public affairs, and who say they rarely or never vote.
Your responses:
	Statement 1	Strongly agree	Agree	Agree	Strongly agree	Statement 2
1	Government is almost always wasteful and inefficient					Government often does a better job than people give it credit for
2	Government regulation of business is necessary to protect the public interest					Government regulation of business usually does more harm than good
3	Poor people today have it easy because they can get government benefits without doing anything in return					Poor people have hard lives because government benefits don't go far enough to help them live decently
4	The government should do more to help needy Americans, even if it means going deeper into debt					The government today can't afford to do much more to help the needy
5	Immigrants today strengthen our country because of their hard work and talents					Immigrants today are a burden on our country because they take our jobs, housing and health care
6	The best way to ensure peace is through military strength					Good diplomacy is the best way to ensure peace
7	We should all be willing to fight for our country, whether it is right or wrong					It's acceptable to refuse to fight in a war you believe is morally wrong
8	Most people who want to get ahead can make it if they're willing to work hard					Hard work and determination are no guarantee of success for most people
9	Success in life is pretty much determined by forces outside of our control					Everyone has it in their own power to succeed
10	Too much power is concentrated in the hands of a few large companies					The largest companies do NOT have too much power
11	Business corporations make too much profit					Most corporations make a fair and reasonable amount of profit
12	Elected officials in Washington lose touch with the people pretty quickly					Elected officials in Washington try hard to stay in touch with voters back home
13	Most elected officials care what people like me think					Most elected officials don't care what people like me think
14	This country should do whatever it takes to protect the environment					This country has gone too far in its efforts to protect the environment
15	Stricter environmental laws and regulations cost too many jobs and hurt the economy					Stricter environmental laws and regulations are worth the cost
16	Homosexuality is a way of life that should be accepted by society					Homosexuality is a way of life that should be discouraged by society
17	Books that contain dangerous ideas should be banned from public school libraries					Public school libraries should be allowed to carry any books they want
18	Religion is a very important part of my life					Religion is not that important to me
19	I'm generally satisfied with the way things are going for me financially					I'm not very satisfied with my financial situation
20	I often don't have enough money to make ends meet					Paying the bills is generally not a problem for me
21	It IS NOT necessary to believe in God in order to be moral and have good values					It IS necessary to believe in God in order to be moral and have good values
22	Using overwhelming military force is the best way to defeat terrorism around the world					Relying too much on military force to defeat terrorism creates hatred that leads to more terrorism
23	The growing number of newcomers from other countries threaten traditional American customs and values					The growing number of newcomers from other countries strengthens American society
24	It’s best for the future of our country to be active in world affairs					We should pay less attention to problems overseas and concentrate on problems here at home
25	The government should do more to protect morality in society					I worry the government is getting too involved in the issue of morality

In politics today, do you consider yourself a Republican, Democrat, or Independent?
Strong Democrat	Democrat	Independent, Lean Democrat	Independent, no leaning	Independent, Lean Republican	Republican	Strong Republican

In general, would you describe your political views as very conservative, conservative, moderate, liberal or very liberal?
Very Liberal	Liberal	Moderate	Conservative	Very Conservative

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