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2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: Can somebody please help me understand what the Militiamen vote was about? [View all]Chitown Kev
(2,197 posts)57. I can copy text from a PDF...sweet
Here is what Jack Kingston said when he introduced the amendment.
Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, what this amendment does is it clarifies Congress position on a Border Patrol practice or a practice of the U.S. Government that tips off illegal immigrants as to where citizen patrols may be located. As we know, we had lots of testimony and lots of visits from people along the border, and we have seen lots of cameras and lots of videos about just the total lawlessness of people coming illegally over the border at night. As a response in that area, a group has sprung up called the Minutemen Project, and the Minutemen Project is definitely not politically correct in Washington, D.C. However, they filled a void which the government was unable to fill. There are over 7,000 volunteers in the Minutemen organization, and I am sure, like any other group of 7,000 people, you could find a bad apple or two. Yet, at the same time overall, their help has been productive and good. In fact, the Border Patrol itself in a CRS study indicates how helpful they have been, and their involvement has reduced the number of apprehensions of people coming over. That is because their folks are watching the border. What my amendment does is simply says that the U.S. Government cannot tip off the Mexican officials as to where these folks are located. Plain and simple, nothing fancy about it. I am sure the Border Patrol will say, oh, no, we are not doing that, and yet one of the Web pages of the Secretary of Mexico had the information very explicit, and we just do not believe that is a good practice. So what we wanted to do is confirm Congress position in an amendment. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
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Can somebody please help me understand what the Militiamen vote was about? [View all]
bravenak
Mar 2016
OP
Hi bravenak, the best article on the subject that I have read is by (groan) buzzfeed
JonLeibowitz
Mar 2016
#1
But in truth his vote has nothing to do with immigration policy or with Latinos.
JonLeibowitz
Mar 2016
#8
If it never caused any issues, the only reason it is an issue isbecause Clinton is using it
JonLeibowitz
Mar 2016
#32
Sorry, but a vote doesn't "become bad" because of others' mischaracterizations and
JonLeibowitz
Mar 2016
#40
And we think about the effect of granting ligitimacy because of the subsequent horrors
bravenak
Mar 2016
#49
Yes, it exists to give you another thing (you don't understand) to make noise about
whatchamacallit
Mar 2016
#12
Then, so does Sanders' failing to denounce Border Klan. His Nationalism is not becomming.
Hoyt
Mar 2016
#64
While voting to improve their chances of intimidating or shooting poor immigrants.
Hoyt
Mar 2016
#82
As per USUAL... Senator Sanders vote was spot-on. The U.S. Government should NOT track and reveal
AzDar
Mar 2016
#16
Undoubtedly. But they weren't even mentioned in the text of the Legislation...Either you believe
AzDar
Mar 2016
#26
The funny thing is they already can't do it. The amendment was restating what is already law.
basselope
Mar 2016
#22
How could it not, when it actually described them--and only them--in the legislation? nt
SunSeeker
Mar 2016
#110
That's how I feel. I like that Sanders errs on the side of liberty and privacy.
Bread and Circus
Mar 2016
#88
It is amusing that you have never stated the bill was a bad idea, legally speaking.
JonLeibowitz
Mar 2016
#46
It was a useless symbolic bill, but Bernie did nothing wrong in voting for it
Bjorn Against
Mar 2016
#51
This discussion gets tiring...Anyone who has been in Congress for over 25 years
Chitown Kev
Mar 2016
#30
"Sanders ALWAYS votes the right way for the right reasons and his bills help us ALL, bravenak."
Number23
Mar 2016
#66
Sanders' vote served no other purpose than to legitimize anti-Latino border militias.
SunSeeker
Mar 2016
#108