Re: Duncan Hunter and My American Hero

[ericcpn]

A border fence is simply a means to create a stronger deterrent to illegal border crossings. If you believe the nation's borders should be protected, then you want to deter illegal border crossings. There is more than enough funding in the federal budget to implement effective immigration control measures (including a fence), but this requires reallocating funds away from other programs. What is most needed is political will; but that is what is most lacking in both political parties.

[ericcpn]

Whether a border fence will work or not depends on several factors:

-How well designed & constructed is the fence?

-How is the fence maintained & monitored?

-How many active deterrent measures (patrols, etc.) support the fence?

-Will state & federal policies be changed to decrease the incentives for illegals to enter the US (for example, ending birthright citizenship)

-Are current immigration rules enforced? (for example, visa rules, punishment of employers hiring illegals).

[falsificationism]

Carl Sagan is the man...what do you think of Dan Dennett?

[kkasajian]

I have a hard time accepting that a border can't be protected. I mean, what about the border between the former soviet union and the bordering countries. no one could leave the country by crossing the border. And they certainly had a bigger border than U.S. and Mexico.

[Razela]

Yah, but have you ever been there?  It's not miles and miles of uninhabited desert.

[kkasajian]

Yes, it is. I'm from there. they protected it.

[mikemidcity]

Oh well, you know what they say about assume .....case in point!

[mikemidcity]

If your interested in science why would you want a Republican for President?

[Razela]

When did I say I'd want a republican for president?

[conservativegrunt]

Duncan Hunter for President 2008. Support a genuine conservative. Duncan Hunter is actively campaigning on a platform of strong national defense, enforceable borders, and core conservative values.

Visit gohunter08 dot com.

[Salvatrucho213]

This guy almost made me puke. I have never been so disgusted. I am Salvadorian and Ronald Reagan DID NOT BRING FREEDOM TO EL SALVADOR! HE brought destruction and hate to El Salvador. He aided in the deaths of 75,000 Salvadorians. The ARENA party still rules El Salvador and have gone undefeated. Duncan Hunter is a demagogue and a fucking retard.

[Razela]

I'm not against tancredo or Hunter (who has been my congressman for awhile). Just because I express some concern and ask a question doesn't mean I'm against them. If so, then I guess I'd have to be "against" every candidate.

[Razela]

I said it's NOT an issue of "anti-immigration" and yes, there are people who are against even legal immigration. I was just stating extremes, and the "close of all our borders" and "we need to stop letting outsiders into our country" crowd is an extreme.

[nathannis]

didn't jefferson approve of that?

[stone1home]

j'amie.. please consider: science is not 'really boring'. To wit, at this point, we don't know what Time is, what Space is, what electricity or magnetism are, what Matter is, or really much of anything. Not to mention Gravity. We know what they -do-, not what they -are-. The future is bold and brilliant place! And your imaginations of it are just as important as anybody's.

[Razela]

I said that I thought science was boring till I watched Cosmos (which was awhile ago) and now I love science. Trust me, I read Scientific American cover to cover every month.

[NoMoreBlatherDotCom]

The border fence in San Diego has certainly worked: apprehensions in that area are down from before it was built. And, the fences would be guarded. With effective fences on much of the border, there would be less incentive for people to cross. However, the fence would not be necessary if our politicians did their jobs and enforced the laws (hiring illegal aliens) or made sure that they were enforced.

[Razela]

700 miles of fence in the middle of the dessert is unlikely to be guarded. It worked in San Diego because it is a populated area and the wall can be watched.

[conservativegrunt]

This is a double fence with a road thru the center that is patrolled by sectors. The Mexico side is monitored by sensors. When the sensor detects activity, the Border Patrol in that sector responds to the alert. If the first fence is breached, the illegals are now between the two fences and subject to apprehension by the Border Patrol. Google "San Diego Fence Provides Lessons in Border Control".

[Razela]

Also, when talking with Congressman Kolbe a year or so ago, he said it is thought that almost 70% of the people crossing the border in Arizona come across legally with VISAs and then disappear before their legal time is up. If that's the case, as you said, we'd be better off cutting down the incentives for illegal immigrants, rather than just building a big expensive wall.

[NoMoreBlatherDotCom]

Kolbe supported illegal immigration (make up your own reason) and even another illegal immigration supporter, Gabby Giffords, helped reverse a decision he made (tinyurl dot com/2284eu). I'm also sure overstays are less than half. I don't know the plans, but I'm sure it wouldn't be difficult to build outposts in remote areas and in any case drones and other means can be used in areas far from urban centers.

[blackblog]

great vid, excellent question about the fence. That is one I would like to see answered with a video. I don't want to buy a fence that does not work.

[Razela]

It's an issue that's been bothering me for about the past 2 years and I've been dying to ask a politician about it. I mean, honestly. Couldn't a person just take a ladder out to the wall? The ones down in San Diego that I've seen (and Hunter claims credit for) look really easy to get over. Of course, they're close to the city and guarded so it works. Out in the middle of the dessert, I'm skeptical. I'm taking a TJ trip on Tuesday so I'll get a better look at the walls that are already up.

[davisfleetwood]

Love the video style you have going there, Jamie. Keep it going.

[RogCBrand]

When I was a kid and Cosmos came out I fell in love with it right away! That Christmas, all I wanted was the companion book! Later when I started college, I got the chance to go listen to Carl speak at P.S.U. To me that was more exciting than seeing any "celebrity"!

[Razela]

I can't believe you got to see him speak! I was like 14 when he died, so I never got the chance. If only I could time travel.

[RogCBrand]

It was so neat to hear his distinctive voice in person. Unfortunately, even though it was done in a relatively small room, with something like 100 or so people listening to him, I wasn't able to say hi to him or shake his hand.

I think the day our society values the Carl Sagans and Stephen Hawkings more, or even as much as, the Paris Hiltons and Kobe Briants, then the world will be on its way to becoming a much better place!

[Razela]

hear hear!

[nym5678]

So far I watched a couple of these responses and I have to say I like yours and j0eg0d's. Also thanks for mentioning the name Carl Sagan and that book that I must check out on my next trip to the used book store because I always forget to look for his stuff. Thanks again(5stars).

[j0eg0d]

Another great video, Razela - I gave you 5 Stars right away just because I saw Pink Floyd on your t-shirt.

Illegal Immigration is used by many politicians to explain our failing economy. I want more people to understand the reality here.

That the cause of our economic failure isn't from Mexicans coming here to take our jobs - It's because of our jobs going there to hire Mexicans.

The only problem this issue should a focus of, is Identity Theft.

[blackblog]

Something I learned living on the South Border. Mexico is losing factories (mechiladores) to China. Even with shipping charges at $1000+ a pallet, companies can save money over Mexico. Just something I learned living down there near cuidad acuna.

[Razela]

Yep, I get exactly what you're saying. I've visited a Maquiladora in Nogales, Mexico. They're struggling down in Mexico because workers are so much cheaper in China. Outsourcing is becoming less and less of a problem with Mexico and more and more and issue with the far east. America needs to learn to work with this trend rather than fighting against it.

[j0eg0d]

I'd say America had something to do with that too. The wages in Mexico went up to (what) a buck & a half an hour ? Just as it did for several Asian manufacturers like Taiwan Korea Thailand over the years after NAFTA. China is just part of the shift because they're still at the 25 cent an hour mark ... eventually factories will move from China to the next highest level of poverty.

[Razela]

Exactly. American jobs that moved to Mexico created competition for workers, causing salaries to go up. Now that salaries are higher, jobs are moving to China, where the labor is cheap. After that...well, exactly what you said. Mexico is todays issue, but these things always shift.

[j0eg0d]

Not too difficult to predict where. What area near the Chinese border are we focused on currently ?

[JonathonRedley]

Here's what the fence is like.

One large fence next to the Mexican border. Behind it is a road that can be travelled by Border Patrol agents. Behind the road is another, LARGER fence: 15 feet high, slanted so that people can't climb over.

It's worked in deterring illegals. What Hunter wants is LEGAL immigration.

[Electrophill]

Outstanding video! "And" you are wearing a Pink Floyd shirt.  You're the best of all worlds. Great job!