President Trump & Immigration

[heironymouspasparagus]

And just think; the likely scenario is that the dude with two names as his firstname (Markwayne Mullin) will likely run for Inhofe's seat once he resigns after his term is over.  Oy.

Just keeps on never getting better in this state...!!

[patric]

Shutdown gives union an out:


Border Patrol union warns: No wall deal means less help for migrant kids
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/border-patrol-union-warns-no-wall-deal-means-less-help-for-migrant-kids

A top official for U.S. Border Patrol's labor union warned Friday that the ongoing government shutdown will make it harder for border officials to respond to thousands of families, children, and sick migrants at the southern border.

National Border Patrol Council Vice President At-Large Hector Garza on Friday said the money congressional Democrats refuse to give President Trump for border wall enhancements is also holding up basic funding for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which is coping with a humanitarian crisis at the moment.

[patric]

The minions were practically peeing all over themselves when Faux News re-tweeted CNN reporting that the Texas border town of McAllen Texas wasnt seeing an immigration crisis, and he showed a section of a steel-slat wall.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/cnns-jim-acosta-mocked-for-accidently-proving-that-border-walls-work

Acosta mocked for border reporting: 'Exactly – walls work!'
https://thehill.com/homenews/media/424785-acosta-mocked-for-border-reporting-exactly-walls-work

The deceptive headline doesnt indicate the quote came from Pence and not Acosta.

Its all very puzzling until he takes a couple steps from the "wall" and you see it replaced by a 4-foot chain link fence.
https://twitter.com/Acosta/status/1083440238075236353

[Conan71]

I think we are all being led on this by pure hyperbole from both sides of the issue.

What I can't understand is why, when the wall was approved years ago under the Bush Admin why it was never funded?  I also cannot understand why a $5 billion expenditure out of a $4.4 trillion budget is coming so heavily under scrutiny other than the usual fight over orderly immigration and national security. 

Of course, that's ignoring that there's a projected near $1 trillion deficit for FY 2019 which means we are living well beyond our means.  Typical Trump management at work, just keep borrowing until they call the note, then just shaft your lenders.

[Ed W]

What's being done about those who employ illegal immigrants? They come here hoping to find work, after all. But if the individuals and businesses who hire them face stiff penalties, perhaps even jail time, the incentive to cross the border would be considerably reduced.

[patric]

I think we are all being led on this by pure hyperbole from both sides of the issue.

What I can't understand is why, when the wall was approved years ago under the Bush Admin why it was never funded?  I also cannot understand why a $5 billion expenditure out of a $4.4 trillion budget is coming so heavily under scrutiny other than the usual fight over orderly immigration and national security.  

Of course, that's ignoring that there's a projected near $1 trillion deficit for FY 2019 which means we are living well beyond our means.  Typical Trump management at work, just keep borrowing until they call the note, then just shaft your lenders.

Its all vanity.

He is too selfish to make his mark by doing something for the average citizen (like Obamacare) so he has to build a monument to himself, and doesnt care if his Great Wall is hated for generations as long as his name is emblazened on it.

[heironymouspasparagus]

I think we are all being led on this by pure hyperbole from both sides of the issue.

What I can't understand is why, when the wall was approved years ago under the Bush Admin why it was never funded?  I also cannot understand why a $5 billion expenditure out of a $4.4 trillion budget is coming so heavily under scrutiny other than the usual fight over orderly immigration and national security. 

Of course, that's ignoring that there's a projected near $1 trillion deficit for FY 2019 which means we are living well beyond our means.  Typical Trump management at work, just keep borrowing until they call the note, then just shaft your lenders.

Exactly - why was the Bush approved plan never funded - since Republicans have controlled Congress for most of that time?

Or why Trump didn't accept the $25 billion offered 3 times in the last couple of years for building whatever his pointy little head desires?

Or why hasn't he spent over $1 Billion already allocated that is just sitting there?


Am curious - what is it you consider hyperbole on this topic?  Both sides.   (Given everything Trump says about border security has been proven a lie.)

[dbacksfan 2.0]

"The steady flow of asylum seekers through Valley houses of worship continued Friday afternoon when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement dropped off two busloads of migrants at a Phoenix church.

If the churches don't open the door for this humanitarian crisis we will have people in the streets, sleeping in the streets," Magdalena Schwartz, a Mesa pastor who has been coordinating ICE drop-offs at a network of Valley churches, told KTAR News 92.3 FM before the buses arrived.

With Friday's drop-off of around 90 people at Monte Vista Baptist Church, Schwartz said the churches she works with have taken in more than 10,000 asylum seekers released by ICE in recent months.

"ICE drops the people in the church," she said. "We feed them. We give them a hot meal. They can take a shower."

http://ktar.com/story/2373597/ice-keeps-dropping-off-busloads-of-migrants-at-phoenix-area-churches/

[Conan71]

Its all vanity.

He is too selfish to make his mark by doing something for the average citizen (like Obamacare) so he has to build a monument to himself, and doesnt care if his Great Wall is hated for generations as long as his name is emblazened on it.

The same could be said for Obama by many average citizens who have seen their insurance coverage disappear or their premiums increase to the point their employer decides to cut them loose and they can find other work and insurance elsewhere.

[Hoss]

The same could be said for Obama by many average citizens who have seen their insurance coverage disappear or their premiums increase to the point their employer decides to cut them loose and they can find other work and insurance elsewhere.

*cough* Medicare for All *cough*

[patric]

Threatening to declare an emergency is akin to scheduling an unexpected event, so by definition a promised emergency cannot actually be a true crisis.
But Trump did not declare a national emergency because of a crisis; he did it to overcome a political defeat.
https://www.latimes.com/opinion/readersreact/la-ol-opinion-newsletter-trump-emergency-20190216-htmlstory.html

SNL.  Not so much funny as sad.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vQlhWBvAwY

[heironymouspasparagus]

The same could be said for Obama by many average citizens who have seen their insurance coverage disappear or their premiums increase to the point their employer decides to cut them loose and they can find other work and insurance elsewhere.

And the ones that "lost" insurance picked it up through the exchanges.


So many wild distortions all around, but in general a whole lot more have it now then ever before, even counting the declines since Trump started (modest declines).

[Conan71]

And the ones that "lost" insurance picked it up through the exchanges.

And are paying for it out of pocket now in many cases because their employer cut them loose or cut them from their mandated plan.  This I know first-hand, it happened to MC and I first of the year.  I'm still attached to the company I worked for when we lived in Tulsa.  My part of the company's premium was going up to $2200/month, so they put me on semi-retired status on straight commission which was a perfectly legal move on their part so they could cut some costs.

We lucked out and found a gold plan on the NM exchanges for just under $1200 per month.  It was stuck in between a bunch of bronze plans which made self-insuring look pretty attractive due to the lack of coverage on those.  We are fortunate we own several businesses in addition to the work I still do on commission so it's not as big a financial hardship on us coming up with the premium as it would be for others in our risk and age group if all they had was that one occupation and suddenly wound up in a similar situation with an employer looking to jettison some costs.

I will admit were it not for the ACA, there's a damn good chance I would have had a very hard time trying to get insurance or at the very least I would have faced an exclusion on my heart issue.  I spent two days in ICU late last month with it in addition to a 40 mile ambulance ride, so I'm beyond grateful for some aspects of the ACA.  10 years ago I never would have expected to be facing some health challenges I am now so many of the provisions of Obamacare seemed more detrimental than beneficial upon roll-out.

[heironymouspasparagus]

And are paying for it out of pocket now in many cases because their employer cut them loose or cut them from their mandated plan.  This I know first-hand, it happened to MC and I first of the year.  I'm still attached to the company I worked for when we lived in Tulsa.  My part of the company's premium was going up to $2200/month, so they put me on semi-retired status on straight commission which was a perfectly legal move on their part so they could cut some costs.

We lucked out and found a gold plan on the NM exchanges for just under $1200 per month.  It was stuck in between a bunch of bronze plans which made self-insuring look pretty attractive due to the lack of coverage on those.  We are fortunate we own several businesses in addition to the work I still do on commission so it's not as big a financial hardship on us coming up with the premium as it would be for others in our risk and age group if all they had was that one occupation and suddenly wound up in a similar situation with an employer looking to jettison some costs.

I will admit were it not for the ACA, there's a damn good chance I would have had a very hard time trying to get insurance or at the very least I would have faced an exclusion on my heart issue.  I spent two days in ICU late last month with it in addition to a 40 mile ambulance ride, so I'm beyond grateful for some aspects of the ACA.  10 years ago I never would have expected to be facing some health challenges I am now so many of the provisions of Obamacare seemed more detrimental than beneficial upon roll-out.

Yeah.  That ain't because of Obamacare that the premium went to $2,200 a month.

I have a friend who went through some health issues (almost 7 months in hospital plus 18 months massive out-patient treatment) about 17 years ago - before any glimmer of Obamacare.  Almost destroyed them financially - only by scant dollars that - as in a couple hundred - they didn't have to file bankruptcy.  Only because they had been what would have been considered fairly well off before.  Insurance became insane (of course - again, pre-Obamacare) and literally took years to climb out of that hole.  Until Obamacare came along and helped tremendously.  Just became able to "retire" and are on Medicare with supplemental plan.  Still expensive, but at least not destroying their lives.  But still have to work even though "retired". 

There have been big improvements with still a long ways to go.

Glad to hear you could get a reasonable $1,200/month plan!!

Also glad you survived last months "adventure"...sounding like doing better...?  - would REALLY miss your voice here!!

[patric]

More than 2,000 quarantined over mumps outbreak at immigration detention centers
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mumps-outbreak-quarantine-at-immigration-detention-centers/

...because they ran out of smallpox blankets?