George W. Bush and John F. Kerry Oppose Homeland Security
Lonewacko has linked to two October 4 press releases regarding George W. Bush's homeland security failures - specifically, Bush's opposition to certain recommendations of the 9/11 commission. However, there is no evidence that John F. Kerry would perform any better.
From a Tom Tancredo press release:
From the Office of Congressman Tom Tancredo
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 4, 2004
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Tom Tancredo (CO-06) was shocked to learn of the White House’s demand of House Republicans to exclude portions of the House Intelligence Bill which would prevent those who are in the United States illegally from obtaining drivers licenses, speed up the deportation process, and bar the use of the Matricula Consular card, which the FBI has already testified before Congress as being too susceptible to fraud for official use.
“This last minute switch by the White House now puts in jeopardy the most significant border security enhancements we’ve seen in years,” said Tancredo, chairman of the House Immigration Reform Caucus. “I sincerely hope that the White House is not seriously thinking about walking away from this effort in the interest of political expediency in a few states.”
The legislation was originally written with the assistance of the Bush Administration, who initially signed off on the early language, including the landmark immigration reform measures.
Tancredo concluded, “The House Leadership had the courage to implement what the bi-partisan 9/11 Commission referred to as a necessary policy change for the U.S. in order to prevent another attack, and I would hate to think the administration lacked the nerve to do the same.”...
Incidentally, Tancredo probably lied. He certainly wasn't "shocked" that this happened.
From the Federation for American Immigration Reform:
FAIR to Bush: Stop Undercutting Homeland Security
October 4, 2004
(Washington, D.C.—October 4, 2004) In last week's debate with John Kerry, President Bush said he will never subordinate U.S. national security decision-making to international pressure. Instead, he apparently has his own litmus test for deciding what is needed to protect homeland security. Sadly, the President is again unwilling to take vital security steps if they offend the cheap labor lobby or impinge on the open borders policies of Mexican President Vicente Fox....
Last Saturday he sent his White House negotiators to Capitol Hill to tell the House leadership to subordinate long overdue homeland security-related immigration provisions in their legislation, H.R. 10, implementing the recommendations of the 9/11 commission. "Two weeks ago Time magazine, in its cover story on the sad state of U.S. border protections, asked the nation 'who left the back door open.' Today, we know the answer to that question" said Dan Stein President of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR).
"Each and every one of the provisions in the house bill is directly related to the recommendations of the 9/11 commission," continued Stein. Just a few of these provisions include national standards for the issuance of state driver's licenses and identification cards, barring federal acceptance of unverifiable consular identification documents, and creating a secure birth-death registry.
As the Commission itself reported, "Secure identification should begin in the United States. The federal government should set standards for the issuance of birth certificates and sources of identification, such as driver's licenses. Fraud in identification documents is no longer just a problem of theft. At many entry points to vulnerable facilities, including gates for boarding aircraft, sources of identification are the last opportunity to ensure that people are who they say they are and to check whether they are terrorists." (p. 390)
"The House leadership including Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL) and Majority Leader Tom Delay (R-TX) have assembled a sound bill that will implement most of the 9/11 commission recommendations, including those required to modify the immigration policies that led to the attacks of 9/11, and that continue to leave the nation vulnerable to attack. The President and those in congress who oppose including these immigration provisions are deluding themselves if they believe the only threat facing Americans is the threat faced by American military personnel in Afghanistan and Iraq. We are a nation at war and our enemies will have no compunction about attacking us here in the United States, where we are the least prepared, if we allow them to do so" said FAIR's Stein.
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