Thread: Lawmakers move to put Guard troops on border speedily

http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/border/118055

Published: 03.01.2006

Lawmakers move to put Guard troops on border speedily
By Howard Fischer
CAPITOL MEDIA SERVICES
PHOENIX — Rejecting objections of improper constitutional intrusion, the Senate Appropriations Committee voted Tuesday to force Gov. Janet Napolitano to put National Guard troops on the border immediately.

The move came despite opposition from Col. Ed Flinn who said the Governor's Office told his agency to oppose the measure. Flinn said that is because it "appears to usurp authority from the executive branch, not because they're opposed to the idea of the National Guard going to the border."

That drew an angry response from Sen. Dean Martin, R-Phoenix.
"If she believes this an infringement on her executive power, she should be the one that is saying it," said Martin. He called it "totally inappropriate" for a National Guard colonel to be at the Legislature lobbying for the governor.

"We need the National Guard defending our borders, not the Governor's Office," he said.

Exactly what Napolitano wants, however, is not that clear.
The governor, in her State of the State speech, said she wants to station Guard troops along the border in a support role. She has so far, though, made that contingent on the federal government picking up the tab — something that hasn't happened yet.

Gubernatorial press aide Jeanine L'Ecuyer, out of state Tuesday with Napolitano, denied Napolitano directed anyone from the Guard to lobby against the bill.

"Sounds like a misunderstanding," she said, saying the governor "doesn't direct testimony." And L'Ecuyer refused to say what Napolitano thinks of this measure.

Martin, however, noted the National Guard reports to Napolitano and suggested the governor is playing politics with this issue.

"I find it extremely telling that the governor will, in her State of the State, when the cameras are watching, talking about a state of emergency, say we want the troops on the border, and later undermine attempts to do just that," he said.

The bill says a governor must call out Guard troops for any state of emergency due to illegal border crossings that result in increased deaths, crimes or property damage.

Napolitano declared such an emergency Aug. 16 of last year, a move that enabled her to provide grants to communities to deal with the effects of illegal border crossing like crime. This bill — retroactive to Aug. 15 — says any declaration also must include activation of Guard troops.
Lawmakers could force Napolitano to take a stance within weeks. This measure, already approved by the House, now goes to the full Senate.

This could be good news if she would do it and stop talking about it. If one does it, the others will follow. Who's gonna be the first governor to grow a backbone?

I doubt it is the governor of California. Arnold has no backbone.

And Pretty Boy Perry waits until the people are mad enough to spit in his face to even think about doing anything that might make their lives better. Then he points fingers for awhile before he makes any rash decisions........

Napolitano will do everything she can (stealthily) to make sure the state congress can't make her deploy troops.

She doesn't want troops there, and just says enough to fool some people into believing that she wants to.



Even if she is threatened in the upcoming election, she will bank on the illegal alien vote to carry her through.

-pa

Sound just like the rest of them doesn't she? Are her two faces from side to side or from front to back?

added to homepage

http://www.alipac.us/admin.php?op=adminMain

I seem to remember seeing a video tape last year where the the open borders people were at the Arizona statehouse chanting 'Thank-you Janet!" I don't trust her I think she talks out of both sides of her mouth, remember it is an election year.

Originally Posted by JuniusJnr

This could be good news if she would do it and stop talking about it. If one does it, the others will follow. Who's gonna be the first governor to grow a backbone?

It would be the greatest news we could get if she does it. But I just don't think she will every be more than hot air on this subject.

Napolitano is no friend of the Arizona citizens. She has vetoed over 60 bills that would have dealt severe blows to the illegal alien crowd. If she does anything it will only be to save her butt in this election, that is her sole goal to get re-elected.

Yes we need our national guard on the border, in force, armed to the teeth! But not just as a political ploy, that would accomplish nothing. They need to be down there with explicit orders of engagement, “take the leash off of the dog” and let it accomplish it’s task to the best of it’s abilities. They need to be there with orders to interdict, detain, pursue, and eliminate the hostile military, paramilitary, drug running scum that are invading our country.

Mind you just because we have not declared war with Mexico does not mean that both acts of war and a state of war do not exist. As long as our politicians keep burying their heads in the sand and ignoring the issue it will only get worse and not better.