Posted on 05/29/2008 5:24:20 AM PDT by radar101
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Governors from both sides of the border are meeting in Mexico City to push for more crime-fighting and border security amid unprecedented violence in Mexico.
The governors of California, Texas and New Mexico planned to offer support to Mexican President Calderon on Thursday for his crackdown against the drug trade, in which he has deployed more than 20,000 federal troops across Mexico.
Cartels have responded with increasingly bold attacks against police and other security officials. On Tuesday, seven federal officers were killed in a shootout at a suspected drug safe house.
Beyond policy talks, it's not clear what the U.S. governors and the governors of the six Mexican states will be able to accomplish, because many of the actions they are seeking require congressional approval.
The coalition made a similar anti-crime appeal to President Bush in February, but progress has been slow. Still, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration says the partnership and continued pressure already have produced results.
Federal Homeland Security Director Michael Chertoff has boosted the number of workers at key border crossings, reducing wait times, said Dan Dunmoyer, Schwarzenegger's cabinet secretary.
However, the wait at some border crossings can drag on for hours - slowing trade and adding to pollution as diesel trucks idle. Schwarzenegger is seeking a joint agreement aimed at cutting wait times in half by 2013.
The coalition also seeks a six-month extension of Operation Jump Start, Bush's initiative to place National Guard troops at the border to help local and federal authorities with immigration enforcement. The administration has been noncommittal about its plans for the initiative, which began in mid-2006.
Bush has used the wave of violence in Mexico to further an anti-crime legislative package. He is urging Congress to approve the first $500 million installment of a proposed $1.4 billion law enforcement aid package known as the Merida Initiative to combat drug crime in Mexico.
Calderon has called on U.S. lawmakers not to put further conditions on the funding. Schwarzenegger wants to see some of the money go toward helping U.S. states fight organized crime.
Among the other issues the U.S. governors hope to address are a joint plan to more quickly respond to natural disasters along the border and environmental protection, particularly in joint waterways.
Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano is also part of the coalition but won't attend Thursday's meetings because of a scheduling conflict, spokeswoman Jeanine L'Ecuyer said.
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It is going to be a HUGE Pander Party:
All of these Governors are PRO-Illegal Immigration.
I say we just make the entire border a federally protected wildlife zone and stock it with rabid wolverines coast to coast.
Ping.
This is also an example of the fact that in the face of numerous ongoing crises the Federal Gov’t, i.e., Congress and the Executive Branch have been all but silent and completely ineffectual in dealing with the problems. They behave as though if they ignore the problems, they don’t exist, or in the alternative, the thinking seems to be that none of the so-called elected officials is willing to be the first to mention a problem for fear he or she will be blamed for it.
Face it folks; what you’ve got in Washington is no more than an absentee caretaker gov’t. And will it be any different after Debacle ‘08? I think not!
Yeah- this will help. I can see where Mexico might need the Terminator to help with their drug wars, but really what is Richardson going to do? Arizona’s governor must have read the State Department warning against travel to Mexico and decided she was much too busy.
These border governor’s are part of the problem; not part of the solution- they are all open border supporters.
Oh I think it will be different- I think it will get much worse.
Note to the governors;
If the border were truly secure, then there would be no reason for the cartels to be at our doorstep. IMO, it is that simple.
NUKE MEXICO
A couple small Tactical Nukes from our Howitzers would do the trick.
Ping!
The problem is our mismanagement/lack of enforcement of our border and the ILLEGAL immigrants who come into our country, not every one in Mexico.
Not with a bunch of liberal whiny-a$$ed judges doing the sentencing.
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