Bush did not explain how he decided that one-sixth of that number could do the job, but he did insist that National Guardsmen "will not be involved in direct law-enforcement activities."
"The United States is not going to militarize the southern border," he said, as if using our military to secure our border would be beneath our national dignity.
On the other hand, Bush said he would use federal funds to train state and local authorities "to help federal officers apprehend and detain illegal immigrants." Rather than "militarize" the border, he is going to take part of the core federal responsibility of defending the national frontier and dump it on local cops.
Then there were the serial rationalizations Bush offered on behalf of illegal aliens, their employers and even those who demonstrate in favor of illegal immigration.
When he was trying to excuse employers for hiring illegal aliens, Bush accused illegal aliens of using "forged documents to get jobs." But then he described the type of illegal alien he would like to grant permanent legal residency as "someone who has worked here for many years" and who has "an otherwise clean record."
If employers generally can't be held responsible for hiring illegal aliens because illegal aliens are using "forged documents to get jobs," how can all those illegal aliens who have "worked here for many years" have "otherwise clean records?"
Where did all those illegal aliens using forged documents go, Mr. President?
"On the streets of major cities, crowds have rallied in support of those in our country illegally. At our southern border, others have organized to stop illegal immigrants from coming in," Bush said. "Across the country, Americans are trying to reconcile these contrasting images." These words suggest that our chief law enforcement officer believes there is moral equivalence between helping those who enforce our immigration laws and cheering those who break them.
There isn't. Enforcing our immigration laws is good. Breaking them is bad.
Republicans in Congress should remember this basic point, stop President Bush's immigration plan and insist that he secure the border. Whether they remain the majority may depend on it.