News: "Schwarzenegger backs Minutemen"

[Bluebear]

Dan Glaister in Los Angeles
Monday May 2, 2005

A controversial project by a group of armed private Americans to patrol the border with Mexico has received an unexpected boost from California's governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Twice last week the Austrian-born actor-turned-politician praised the Minuteman project in Arizona, saying it was an understandable response to the failure of the federal government to patrol the border. He said the group would be welcome to patrol California's border with Mexico.

His comments came just a week after he said the border with Mexico should be "sealed". He subsequently withdrew the remarks.

Mr Schwarzenegger told a Los Angeles radio station last Thursday that the Minuteman group had done a "terrific" job. "They've cut down the crossing of illegal immigrants a huge percentage. So it just shows that it works when you make an effort. It's just that our federal government is not doing their job."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1474633,00.html

[autorank]

1. Great post/awesome pic...but, please, not before the dinner hour!

Great, this will finish the Republicans off in California and maybe even AZ for a good long time. There is a real debate in the Latino/Latina community out West on immigration. There is no debate on what Minutemen mean to Hispanics, at least not that I've heard. This is just disgusting, the chief official of our largest state endorsing vigilantes.

AMF Arnold and AMF CA Republicans, we hardly knew ye!

[Bluebear]

2. I hope the Latino/latina community get out the vote in droves!

Good work Ahhhhnold, keep endorsing vigilanteism.

[democracyindanger]

3. We can only hope, but don't underestimate the power of racism

Talk like this could bring the bigots to the polls in droves. Worked for Wilson.

[autorank]

5. It did work for Wilson and many remember. It hurt the Repubs a lot.

Alot of that Wilson faction is gone literally or outpaced by new voters. Everybody knows the code for this. It may make Arnold more popular w/racists but it will cost him votes. He has a respectable percentage of Hispanic voters in his re-call campaign despite Bustamante on the ballot. Won't happen again, guaranteed. California is also very diverse. The other groups out there, including a big 'anglo' faction, will find this stupid.

I could be wrong but I think Wilson's antics screwed the CA Republicans for a long time.

[Sequoia]

4. The federal government is NOT doing their JOB!!!???

Where the hell does he get off with a comment like that. Okay, immigrants go on strike now, no cotton pickin', no grape, lettuce, cabbage or cherries. Maids? Forget it, just use old sheets.

Let's see California grind to a halt, and then the whole USA butt head. I think it's time for the Prez to call Arnie and tell him to mind his own bees wax, and leave the border patroling to men, not overaged school boys.

[brooklynite]

6. Makes sense to me....

RW'ers believe that privatizing everything is most efficient way to run things; why not national security?

[MisterP]

7. an SA brat desiring a private paramilitary militia to come in and help?

quick! stop him before he annexes Nevada!

[jean]

8. after Grope is booted from office, will he make endless movies

about himself? Like a MinuteMan one in which he is the hero? Seriously - you can bet he will crank out one or two chronicling his great acts as Gropenator of CA.