Thread: More Obama Administration Publicity Stunts

Napolitano says thanks but no thanks, DHS has funds
By Jordy Yager
Posted: 03/25/09 07:06 PM [ET]

The head of the Department of Homeland Security turned down an offer for more money to fight crime along the U.S.’s southern border, saying she’ll pay for it with the funds she has.

At a meeting of the Senate Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday, committee Chairman Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) said he requested an additional $380 million in funds for enhanced border protection.

But Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said she thought that the agency’s existing funds would cover the costs of the administration’s increased presence in the border region.

“These actions so far are designed to be budget-neutral,â€

As a small businessman & former financial industry employee, I understand Napolitano's desire to work within her current budget. Good managers try to make due with what they have. We do not have the luxury of just taxing the public more for operating funds like the government does.

But this woman "is" a government official, not someone from private enterprise. And quite frankly, it amazes me to hear this from a former Governor who had no trouble spending money from the state she previously represented. It just amazes me she just said, oh, we'll find it.

Lets face it, few government employees, at any level, refuse additional funds. In fact, in my lifetime, this may be an historic first.

What the Senators did NOT ask her was.... "WHERE?"

And personally, I think that question & its answer is significantly more important than asking her if she needs more money! I am stunned that none of our supposedly intelligent officials in Washington, failed to ask that basic question. Failure to ask the obvious questions is how we got the AIG bonus mess!

The public has a right to know, exactly where is she diverting funds from, so she can pay for this scaled up operation? I suspect, there are numerous programs people like us all support, but she & open borders advocates do not, that will be sacrificed. All so she & Obama can portray themselves as fiscal watchdog types.

She & Obama are up to something & you can bet the bank, whatever it is will cost immigration enforcement elsewhere. Operations like interior enforcement, ICE raids, E-Verify operations, VISA processing, security clearance processing, new hires, training, whatever, will surely suffer. I suspect the fence that many liberals oppose, may be a major monetary loser in this process. This despite actual evidence that wherever there is a fence, crossings, either way, have been "dramatically" reduced!

The next question is, why are you taking funds from areas that had already justified expenditures? Were we lied to then? Are we being lied to now? What gives with, I'll find the money elsewhere?

BTW... I also want to have ATF provide the public w/ a list of the serial numbers of all those guns that supposedly get into Mexico from America. Seems to me its awfully easy to just say 90% come from America & to show TV bits with guns all over the ground. But its another issue altogether to actually provide real evidence those guns came from America. I suspect, most did not & surely not the 90% we are told.
The other logical issue is, why demand serious gun controls over this? Why not use the serial numbers to track back to the straw purchasers? After all, isn't that what all this registration & waiting period stuff was all about? Use existing laws to go after those criminals or future criminals who are buying such guns so they can be transported to Mexico, "if" they really are coming from America! The gun control folks do not want to hear this. They just want serious gun control. ATF & the rest of the federal government back them up by releasing vague information to the public, so they can rabble rouse the public into mob action demanding gun controls. This mob mentality stuff is getting out of hand. If "we" did this, we would be branded as terrorists!
Lets demand our government provide public information on the serial numbers of captured guns, or they stop exaggerating this issue to support the gun control liberal left lobby!

She's taking money away from interior enforcement and putting it on the border, which is total BS.

Miguelina wrote:

She's taking money away from interior enforcement and putting it on the border, which is total BS.

I too suspect that is where the funds are coming from.

I have asked a friend in the federal government to get me the proper contact information of the person(s) to speak to or write to at ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco, & Firearms), so I can ask they provide the public with serial numbers of weapons recovered from drug cartel law enforcement operations in Mexico, as part of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

Since legislation is being suggested or lobbied for new additional gun controls & limitations on law abiding citizens, I want them to know I want anything proposed to be based on actual facts & not on media hype.
If I get the info I'll let ya all know. If anyone else gets it before me, please post it!

Thank, Rubicon

(Wanna make bets the folks in Washington will not want to take the time to answer my request? I bet it'll get lost due to being busy!)