Republican conservatives are unhappy... don't have a presidential candidate.
...they don't see a "real" conservative in the top tier of the GOP field.
...may have to choose between a front-runner who professes fealty to conservative causes but whose devotion may be suspect or a lesser-known ...
The disquiet stems largely from polls showing the two front-runners ...John McCain of Arizona ... Rudy Giuliani, who supports abortion rights, gun control and gay marriage.
The fastest-rising contender ...Mitt Romney, ... once campaigned as a backer of abortion rights and urged a bigger role for gays and lesbians in the GOP.
In a column last month ... Republican pollster David Hill dismissed .. McCain and Romney candidacies ...
...that doesn't mean there is no GOP aspirant with a record that social conservatives could readily support. Sen. Sam Brownback... Mike Huckabee... James Gilmore... Duncan Hunter of California and Tom Tancredo of Colorado, are also wooing the right.
... Mr. Hill, who seemed mainly concerned with questioning the motivations of Mr. McCain and Mr. Romney. Both "possess some conservative credentials," he conceded, but "neither of them seems particularly interested in being the 'real' conservative."
"They are already moving to the center to win the general election, and this could be their undoing if a genuine conservative enters the fray,"...
The conservative dilemma is hardly a new one. Since Barry Goldwater's 1964 candidacy, the most conservative contenders – from Phil Crane in 1980 to Gary Bauer in 2000 – have usually lost the GOP nomination to more broadly acceptable candidates.
But one thing is clear: Republicans have tended to do better with nominees like Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush, who drew the enthusiastic support of conservatives, than with those who attracted less fervent backing, like Gerald Ford, the elder George Bush and Bob Dole.
...
"Get a clue."
Reply 2 - 'A Clue' :)
http://www.house.gov/hunter/border2.html
FENCE, LIGHTS, BORDER PATROL
Congressman Duncan Hunter's Efforts to Secure the U.S. Border
October 9, 1996: In response to an INS report detailing the costs and planning associated with the construction of the Triple Fence, Rep. Hunter writes Commissioner Meissner with his objections to cost overruns and time delays in construction.
September 28, 1996: The House passes H.R. 3610, an Appropriations bill which includes funding of the INS for FY97. Included, is funding for an additional 1,000 Border Patrol agents (300 above the request by the administration). Also, over INS opposition, another $4.3 million for construction of the San Ysidro Triple Fence is included.
September 12, 1996: After one of the most prolific wildfire seasons in eastern San Diego County, Rep. Duncan Hunter requests an addition 100 Border Patrol agents from INS Commissioner Meissner.
August 9, 1996: The House Government Reform and Oversight Committee conducts a field hearing on the effectiveness of Operation Gatekeeper. During this hearing, Rep. Hunter receives testimony from a Border Patrol agent who testifies that the INS orchestrated efforts to show reductions in illegal aliens.
June 12, 1996: Through Rep. Hunter's efforts, Team Engineer receives 94 new National Guard personnel to participate in counter drug efforts already in existence in East County.
June 11, 1996: Rep. Duncan Hunter and INS Commissioner Doris Meissner formally agree to begin construction of the San Ysidro Triple Fence along the first 14 miles of border extending eastward from the Pacific Ocean.
A completed section of new border fencing is on the right, the original border fence is on the left.
June 5, 1996: Reports from the California Division of Forestry show that wildfires in eastern San Diego County have almost tripled over previous years. It is widely understood that many of these fires were started by illegal aliens.
May 1, 1996: The House National Security Committee voted to approve Rep. Hunter's amendment to increase funding for continued construction of the border fence in eastern San Diego County. The additional $5 million will allow the National Guard to build another 4-5 miles of border fence and roads in East County.
May 1996: In a letter to INS Commissioner Meissner, Rep. Duncan Hunter formally requests an immediate increase of 300 Border Patrol agents in East County. Despite unprecedented levels of alien traffic, INS provides no action.
March 21, 1996: The Senate Judiciary Committee approves authorization of funding for the triple fence by a vote of 12-4.
March 20, 1996: The House of Representatives defeats an INS-prompted amendment to delete further funding for the triple fence by a vote of 120-291. The House goes on to approve H.R. 2202 which includes the full authorization of the San Ysidro Triple Fence.
February 26, 1996: In a letter to Commissioner Meissner, Hunter calls on the INS to begin construction of the triple fence.
February 1996: Following President Clinton's veto of the FY96 Commerce, Justice, State Appropriations Act, Congress passes, and the President then signs into law, the Balanced Budget Down Payment Act. Included in that measure is the $4.3 million in initial funding for the triple fence project in San Diego. The INS lists the San Ysidro Triple Fence Pilot Project as one of the Clinton Administration's priorities in a report entitled "Implementing the President's Immigration Initiative."
January 26, 1996: In fulfilling a promise to further increase the National Guard presence along the border, Rep. Hunter secured $2 million in funding to add 45-50 Guard Engineers and Heavy Equipment Operators to eastern San Diego County. National Guard Team Engineer renewed border fence and road construction in East County last October with approximately 40 engineers. Beginning February 1, 1996, 15 new Guardsmen will join the effort, followed by approximately 15 more on March 1st and April 1st, respectively. Also taking part will be 16 Guardsmen currently assigned to the Imperial Beach area. Rep. Hunter further announced plans to deploy National Guard units from states including Texas, South Carolina, Massachusetts, and Connecticut to assist Team Engineer's efforts.
As Chairman of the House National Security Subcommittee on Military Procurement, which funds equipment for the National Guard and other U.S. military services, Rep. Hunter has overseen an additional $680 million within the fiscal year 1996 defense authorization for drug interdiction, counter drug activities, operations and maintenance. The funding includes $25 million for the acquisition of new customs inspection equipment and $3 million for continued work on border fence and roads.
December 6, 1995: The House of Representatives passes the FY96 Commerce, Justice, State
Appropriations Act, funding an initial $4.3 million to begin construction of the San Ysidro Triple Fence Pilot Project and 1,000 additional Border Patrol agents. The new border agents are added at the direction of the 1994 Hunter amendment.
October 9, 1995: Rep. Hunter arranges for military engineer equipment and National Guardsmen to be relocated from Imperial Beach to Tecate in order to begin new fence and road construction in eastern San Diego County. Through the Department of Defense Drug Enforcement Policy and Support Agency, Hunter acquires steel landing-mat, the same as that used for the existing border fence in San Diego, to be brought to the area from a depot in West Virginia.
Road grading and new fence construction in eastern San Diego County.
September 30, 1995: Citing substantial increases in drug and alien traffic in the Campo area of the San Diego sector, Rep. Hunter requests INS Commissioner Doris Meissner immediately assign 100 additional Border Patrol agents to the area. Out of the 700 new agents slated to be appropriated in the fiscal year 1996 budget, Hunter indicated that 100 officers would provide a more visible law enforcement presence in this difficult sector to patrol. Commissioner Meissner assigned additional agents to the area later in the year, though the INS indicated it was unaware of Hunter's request.
September 13, 1995: Hunter meets with General Edward Baca, Chief of the National Guard, and Adjutant General Robert Brandt of the California National Guard regarding the Campo road project in the San Diego sector. After Hunter detailed how the road project is chronically undermanned and under equipped, the generals pledged to double the compliment of Guardsmen and equipment assigned to the area, effective at the start of fiscal year 1996.
July 13, 1995: Hunter and Bilbray announce the preliminary results of the GAO investigation. The first phase uncovered serious security breaches in the border crossing card system at San Ysidro, and even identified known alien felons who had received new border crossing cards despite lengthy criminal records on file with both state and local authorities. Although the INS has access to these files, the GAO indicated that they do not conduct routine background checks in order to promote "facilitation" across the border. Following the announcement, the INS pledged to overhaul the crossing card system.
April 7, 1995: Hunter traveled the 14 miles of border from the Ocean, east to Otay Mesa. Despite approximately 1,400 Border Patrol agents now stationed in San Diego County, Hunter and a local reporter, counted a total of 25 Border Patrol agents directly on the border.
April 3, 1995: Reps. Hunter and Bilbray formally request a General Accounting Office (GAO) investigation into allegations of corruption and mismanagement at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. Several port inspectors and former employees of both the INS and the U.S. Customs Service approached the Congressmen with information that serious systemic deficiencies existed in the port operation.
March 10, 1995: Congressman Hunter testifies before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims regarding the failure of traditional INS strategies on the border. In his testimony, he also promotes the construction of second and third layers of fencing in the San Diego sector following recommendations made by Sandia National Laboratories. These recommendations were part of an official report conducted by Sandia for the INS. Following his testimony, Rep. Hunter sat on the subcommittee panel and questioned INS Commissioner Doris Meissner regarding the failure of Operation Gatekeeper, and questioned El Paso Border Patrol sector chief, Silvestre Reyes, on the feasibility of having a triple fence in San Diego. When asked if this type of fence, adequately patrolled by agents, could replicate the same results as Operation Hold the Line in El Paso, Chief Reyes stated that it would.
Congressman Hunter gained the support of Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich
for his new border fence legislation. From left to right are: Rep. Lamar Smith (Texas),
Hunter, Rep. Elton Gallegly (Calif.) and Speaker Gingrich.
August 20, 1994: Congressman Hunter offers the "No Pork Crime Bill" containing 6,000 Border Patrol Agents. Although this substitute was defeated by only 21 votes, the final conference report on the crime bill contained 4,000 agents over 4 years.
June 15, 1994: Congressman Hunter meets with Chairman of House Subcommittee which oversees Border Patrol. Chairman Mollohan assures him that at least 950 new agents will be appropriated for FY95. This increase is 550 agents over the Administration's request.
June 10, 1994: Congressman Hunter passes an amendment to H.R. 518, the California Desert Protection Act, maintaining motorized access for federal, state and local law enforcement agencies in the proposed desert wilderness areas. Without access, large tracts of land near the border in Imperial and San Diego Counties would become "safe havens" for drug and alien smugglers. Adopted 389-0.
May 1994: INS announces new policy of consulting with Mexico before the construction of additional drug interdiction fences on the border.
May 11, 1994: INS Commissioner Doris Meissner states opposition to the 6,000 agent increase before the House Judiciary Committee's Immigration Subcommittee. She states that the Administration favors a much smaller increase of 1,000 agents.
April 20, 1994: Congressman Hunter offers and passes an amendment to H.R. 4092, the Omnibus Crime Bill, authorizing 6,000 additional Border Patrol agents and support staff. Adopted 417-12.
April 1994: The U.S. Department of Justice reinstates criminal alien background check program after considerable pressure from Members of Congress.
February 1994: Clinton Administration revises its immigration policy, announcing it welcomes the increased funding for the Border Patrol.
July 1993: Following the restoration by Rep. Hal Rodgers (R-Ky) of the 93 agent cut in the Border Patrol, Congressman Hunter offers and passes an amendment to the Commerce, Justice and State appropriations bill allocating $60 million dollars for the Border Patrol through the INS. The sum was planned to hire, train, and equip 600 new Border Patrol agents. Adopted 265-164. The Senate included similar language.
June 15, 1993: Congressman Hunter testifies that proposed wilderness areas near the border in Imperial and San Diego Counties would create "safe-havens" for smugglers where law enforcement vehicles and aircraft would not be permitted access. These provisions, contained in S. 21 (Feinstein), the California Desert Protection Act, would make interdiction much more difficult and hamper the effectiveness of the Border Patrol. Hunter further announces his co-sponsorship of H.R. 2379 (Lewis-CA), an alternative to S. 21, that would not only follow the Bureau of Land Management guidelines, but would complement border defense efforts.
May 27, 1993: Congressman Hunter, along with 37 other members of the California delegation, sends a letter to the Chairman of the House Subcommittee on International Law, Immigration and Refugees asking for an additional 3,000 Border Patrol Agents. Citing the skyrocketing costs of supporting these aliens, Hunter again urged Congress to address this serious problem.
May 11, 1993: Congressman Hunter testifies before a House subcommittee that the plans to reduce the number of Border Patrol agents would lead to an increase in illegal alien traffic and drug smuggling. The potential costs to the State of California would be into the billions of dollars annually. Hunter also called for a policy of "Deep Repatriation" whereby illegals would be sent back to the city or the country of their origin, not just asked to walk south across the border. This would prevent the "turnstile" immigrants who simply cross over at another place after they are sent home.
April 8, 1993: Clinton Budget calls for a cut of 93 agents from the U.S. Border Patrol.
November 1992: Congressman Hunter, noting the success of the fence along the "Smuggler's Corridor," announces plans to complete the fourteen-mile fence along the border between the Pacific Ocean and the San Ysidro Mountains. Included is the maintenance of the border roads for the transportation of supplies and equipment and better access by the Border Patrol.
September 1992: Congressman Hunter announces the lighting of a thirteen mile stretch of the
California-Mexican border. This lighting project will compliment the newly reinforced border fence along the "Smuggler's Corridor." Hunter also announces a staggering increase in the quantity of drugs that have been interdicted along the border. Through September, 7,528 pounds of cocaine and 39,448 pounds of marijuana were seized. These numbers were up from 1991 levels of 694 pounds of cocaine and 13,674 pounds of marijuana. These dramatic increases are due to the continued excellent work of the Border Patrol and the newly erected border fence.
April 1992: Congressman Hunter announces that twenty Missouri National Guard engineers will join over thirty of their California counterparts currently repairing the Border Patrol's pursuit road along the United States-Mexico border.
September 7, 1991: Twenty-one welders join the crew of twelve on the border fence. To date, six miles of fence has been replaced.
Ineffective chainlink fencing was replaced by steel landing mat fencing
in order to prevent vehicles from freely driving across the border.
June 4, 1991: Drug interdiction has already risen dramatically since the beginning of the border fence project, Congressman Hunter announces that 694 pounds of cocaine alone was captured along the border. Joint Task Force-Six maintains a team of twelve welders on the border who build and repair approximately 250 feet of fence per week.
December 11, 1990: Congressman Hunter announces that members of the Amphibious Construction Battalion 1 (ACB-1), stationed at Coronado, will begin work on the fence along the United States-Mexico border.
September 1990: National Guard begins work on roads and fence.
Road grading work is underway.
March 1990: Congressman Hunter presents his Four Achievable Victories in the Drug War to President Bush. Goals presented in the report include the building of a border road, the lighting of the twelve major smuggling corridors, the replacing of the chain-link fence with steel matting, and the use of the National Guard to build the roads and fence.
President George Bush and Congressman Duncan Hunter.
May 13, 1988: Senator Pete Wilson offers similar language to Senate Defense Authorization Bill. Adopted 83-6.
May 5, 1988: Congressman Hunter passes an amendment making the Department of Defense the lead agency in federal drug interdiction efforts. Adopted 385-23.
A Navy E2-C Hawkeye and an Army Blackhawk helicopter on patrol.
