Not Since Pancho Villa...

From the Associated Press:

National Guard troops not allowed to apprehend illegal border crossers

TUCSON, Ariz. - National Guard troops at an observation post near the Mexico border were forced to flee a group of armed people, who later ran into Mexico, authorities said.

The troops, who are not allowed to apprehend illegal border crossers, withdrew safely and no one was injured, said National Guard Sgt. Edward Balaban.

U.S. Border Patrol officials are investigating the 11 p.m. Wednesday incident and trying to determine who the armed people were and why they approached the post near Sasabe, in the desert corridor between Nogales and Lukeville. Balaban said the troops didn’t know how many people were involved because it was so dark.

What the hell? Why do we have troops stationed on the border if they can't engage armed hostiles, apprehend illegal border crossers and aren't equipped to do the task anyway? Why don't they have night-vision goggles and the authority to apprehend?

The National Guard abandoned territory to armed thugs, most likely agents of some narco-boss. That is the bottom line.

This situation must be addressed and the parameters and guidelines the National Guard forces we station on our border must be updated and new policies enacted. The Guard has been stood up at the border as window dressing, to make it look like something is being done; when in reality, they (the politicians) are beholden to business interests that are served just fine by the status quo.

Time for some real accountability, before some druglord puts a bounty on the heads of Guardsmen.

We have a Village Idiot today

Control immigration

Republicans should control Congress after the elections because they offer the best chance of controlling immigration.
B.J. Blackerby,Parkville

I know, I know. I said I was going to knock off annointing an Idiot of the Day, but some days, like today I just can't resist.

All one needs to do is look at the chart on the left to see that the lie has been put to this meme.

Immigrants, both legal and illegal come here for economic reasons. As long as businesses hire illegals they will come. As long as the federal authorities turn a blind eye and don't prosecute businesses that hire these undocumented workers, they will continue to do so. That is a no-brainer to most people who actually, you know, posess a working thinking apparatus.

I wish this chart went back a couple of years farther, to show the contrast with Clinton vs. Bush 41. When Clinton came into office, prosecution of businesses hiring undocumented aliens spiked as the real culprits were taken to task. Prosecution of businesses went from a couple of hundred per year to approximately 1500 per year. The numbers fell as businesses realized they would be held accountable for their hiring practices. When Bush 43 came into office, installed by big bidness, prosecutions of these businesses dropped steadily, to the point that a whopping three were prosecuted for hiring undocumented labor in 2004.

Now who is it that can be trusted with immigration issues again? You were saying Mr. Blackerby?