The Trump Presidency

January 28, 2017, 04:22 PM

Elk Hunter

quote:
Yeah, but hasn't that ship sailed for these people who already have green cards? They've been vetted with the process that was in place at the time.

Was there not a state department employee some while ago that finally got caught for essentially selling visas?

Considering the corruption rampant in the state department, and other depts as well, I see no real problem with this action by Trump.

The safety of our people has to come first, and if that means some serious action by government, then bring it on!

During the year I spent in Iran, I was up close and personal with the Iranian LEO agencies as well as senior officers in the Iranian army.

The only surprise with respect to corruption was when we found a case that corruption was not in place. Corruption is a way of life over there, or at least was when I was there, and I have no reason to believe it has gotten better.

As an example, when I arrived at Tehran airport, I was met by a US army representative to help me through the crap, and I was on an official duty passport. The guy who met me asked for my passport, put a 20 rial note in it, took me to the head of the customs line. Then he handed my passport to the inspector, who took it, stamped it, handed it back and we were out of there. I checked my passport for the money, it was not there. How the agent took it out of the passport and put it way still impresses me.

We had a couple of US army officers who were shooting antelope from a helicopter (with skid mounted 30 cal MGs) on the only game reserve in the country. (land owned by the Shah)

They landed to pick up the animal and were approached by the game warden/ranger. They had no hunting license + all the other violations.

They gave him 20 rials (about 35 cents) for which he helped them load the animal in the chopper. And the list goes on, and on . . . .

Nothing I have seen since, and I have been in a number of mid east countries since then, and nothing shows me that such "business" has stopped. In fact, many of the civil servants, and others, rely on this system for their retirements. AIR, in Farsi it is called baksheesh.

January 28, 2017, 04:23 PM

Sigmanic

Netanyahu backs Trump's Mexico wall, touts similar one on Egypt border as 'great idea'

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday expressed his support for President Trump’s controversial plan to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, saying the barrier he built along his country’s southern border “stopped all illegal immigration” and was a “great idea.”

Trump on Wednesday signed executive actions to start the construction of a continuous, “physical” wall, making good on a campaign promise to keep out illegal immigrants from Mexico, particularly “rapists” and drug dealers.

"Beginning today, the United States of America gets back control of its borders," Trump declared. "We are going to save lives on both sides of the border."

Trump has forged ahead on the wall promise, despite Mexico refusing to pay the bill, as Trump said it would.

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto responded almost immediately Wednesday to Trump’s declaration, saying in a nationally televised address that he regrets and rejects the president’s decision, nixing a planned meeting between the two leaders.

Wall construction is projected to cost $8 billion to $20 billion, with Congress scrambling for ways to promptly find the money.

The president's executive orders also call for hiring 5,000 additional border patrol agents and 10,000 more immigration officers, though the increases are subject to the approval of congressional funding.

“President Trump is right,” tweeted Netanyahu, who is trying to forge a better relationship with Trump than the one he had with previous President Obama. “I built a wall along Israel's southern border. It stopped all illegal immigration. Great success. Great idea.”

The southern wall in Israel -- completed in 2013 after two years of construction and paid for by Israel -- is not the West Bank barrier, built to end terror attacks launched from Palestinian Arab cities.

The barrier was built because Israel was facing problems from the influx of tens of thousands of African illegal immigrants through Egypt -- mostly from Eritrea, Sudan, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast and Nigeria and seeking employment and asylum.

Many of the immigrants were escaping the atrocities in Darfur, but their arrival also coincided with an spike in crime, more burden on the Israeli health system and other social problems.

Those coming into the U.S. from the south are seeking better economic conditions and include people fleeing El Salvador and other parts of Central America, ravaged by poverty, violence and other consequences of the region’s drug wars.

http://www.foxnews.com/politic...r-as-great-idea.html

January 28, 2017, 04:24 PM

46and2

I got called "soulless" earlier today for being a Trump supporter by a 20-something.

It was glorious.

January 28, 2017, 04:33 PM

EZ_B

Whoever purchased the domain http://pussyhat.com/ has it redirecting to https://www.whitehouse.gov/.

Too funny.

January 28, 2017, 04:35 PM

Gustofer

quote:
Originally posted by Sigmanic:
Those coming into the U.S. from the south are seeking better economic conditions and include people fleeing El Salvador and other parts of Central America, ravaged by poverty, violence and other consequences of the region’s drug wars.

Three words: I. Don't. Care.

If this is you, then it sucks to be you and in your position. But you cannot simply say "I'm tired of this and I'm going to the US." If you are indeed tired of it and you want to come here, then do it legally. I will be here with open arms to welcome you if you do. If not, then GTFO.

January 28, 2017, 04:40 PM

Andyb

quote:
Originally posted by EZ_B:
Whoever purchased the domain http://pussyhat.com/ has it redirecting to https://www.whitehouse.gov/.

Too funny.

Love it.

January 28, 2017, 04:46 PM

Balzé Halzé

quote:
Originally posted by Gustofer:
quote:
Originally posted by Sigmanic:
Those coming into the U.S. from the south are seeking better economic conditions and include people fleeing El Salvador and other parts of Central America, ravaged by poverty, violence and other consequences of the region’s drug wars.

Three words: I. Don't. Care.

If this is you, then it sucks to be you and in your position. But you cannot simply say "I'm tired of this and I'm going to the US." If you are indeed tired of it and you want to come here, then do it legally. I will be here with open arms to welcome you if you do. If not, then GTFO.

Indeed. That monumental moron McAwful--Virginia's governor--was on TV a little while ago lecturing the Trump administration about his "extreme vetting" executive order and said that "everyone has a right to come to this country." Bull, you commie twingo twat!

January 28, 2017, 04:50 PM

TSE

quote:
Originally posted by Elk Hunter:
quote:
Yeah, but hasn't that ship sailed for these people who already have green cards? They've been vetted with the process that was in place at the time.

Was there not a state department employee some while ago that finally got caught for essentially selling visas?

Considering the corruption rampant in the state department, and other depts as well, I see no real problem with this action by Trump.

The safety of our people has to come first, and if that means some serious action by government, then bring it on!

During the year I spent in Iran, I was up close and personal with the Iranian LEO agencies as well as senior officers in the Iranian army.

The only surprise with respect to corruption was when we found a case that corruption was not in place. Corruption is a way of life over there, or at least was when I was there, and I have no reason to believe it has gotten better.

As an example, when I arrived at Tehran airport, I was met by a US army representative to help me through the crap, and I was on an official duty passport. The guy who met me asked for my passport, put a 20 rial note in it, took me to the head of the customs line. Then he handed my passport to the inspector, who took it, stamped it, handed it back and we were out of there. I checked my passport for the money, it was not there. How the agent took it out of the passport and put it way still impresses me.

We had a couple of US army officers who were shooting antelope from a helicopter (with skid mounted 30 cal MGs) on the only game reserve in the country. (land owned by the Shah)

They landed to pick up the animal and were approached by the game warden/ranger. They had no hunting license + all the other violations.

They gave him 20 rials (about 35 cents) for which he helped them load the animal in the chopper. And the list goes on, and on . . . .

Nothing I have seen since, and I have been in a number of mid east countries since then, and nothing shows me that such "business" has stopped. In fact, many of the civil servants, and others, rely on this system for their retirements. AIR, in Farsi it is called baksheesh.

It should also be noted that a green card is not a guarantee of admission anyway. I have a friend who has a green card and worked in the US for 12 years. Six months ago he was refused entry because of an issue with a visa to visit some other country. It took him several months to resolve and his family was stuck in Florida while he was in Canada trying to resolve things.
It is hard to determine how common the problems are in reality, or if there are just a small number of folks caught up in a very big bureaucracy.

January 28, 2017, 04:59 PM

Scoutmaster

Just a side thought.

I am likely the most (maybe only) conservative person on the street. It seems not a single neighbor has initiated a conversation with me since the Nov election. Hmmmm.

January 28, 2017, 05:12 PM

stoic-one

quote:
Originally posted by Scoutmaster:
Just a side thought.

I am likely the most (maybe only) conservative person on the street. It seems not a single neighbor has initiated a conversation with me since the Nov election. Hmmmm.

Sounds peaceful, enjoy!

January 28, 2017, 05:12 PM

JALLEN

quote:
Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
quote:
Originally posted by JALLEN:
quote:
Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
quote:
Originally posted by JALLEN:

It is not about fair, nor need it be. It is about allowing entry only to persons whose situations, beliefs, intentions, can be reasonable vetted.

The San Bernardino shooters might be an example. "Farook was an American-born U.S. citizen of Pakistani descent, who worked as a health department employee. Malik was a Pakistani-born lawful permanent resident of the United States." Wikipedia. You can't ban entry to US citizens. She got in under the "visas to married to US citizen" rules, and eventually got a green card.

Who is to say some of these folks, citizens of the prohibited contries, have been legitimately, properly vetted? Some have been, doubtless. The purpose of this temporary exclusion is to allow an examination of the procedures to tighten up as needed, without every joe jehadi rushing to the entry line while the bureaucrats scratch their heads.

"Fair" is a luxury too many have become accustomed to. We have replaced "In God We Trust" with "It's Not Fair!" It's important to be fair whenever possible, of course, but not at the expense of all other considerations.

Yeah, but hasn't that ship sailed for these people who already have green cards? They've been vetted with the process that was in place at the time. If they are a permanent resident, their lives are now in the US. I'm imagining someone like my wife who maybe returned to France for whatever reason, maybe just for a week, and then all of sudden couldn't return home to see her daughter and her job and her husband for what? 90 days is it. It's outrageous frankly.

And I'm speaking specifically to lawful permanent residents.

My best friend is a Kiwi, been here ~35 years, not a citizen, green card. His wife too.

If you can imagine a reason to limit entry of Kiwis and Aussies, other than a beer shortage in the US, they might get caught up in it, and it would be unfortunate.

The same considerations apply to France and its citizens, and most other countries. What might justify blocking entry of them? It's one of the rewards of good, responsible living. There is no reason to limit entry imaginable.

We try to do things for a reason. It's rational. If there is no reason, there's no reason. If there is a reason, why be silly about it? Stop things while they figure out under what curcumstances, what information, etc. ought to go into a visa grant.

Well, I'm not sure what you're going on about.
What would justify blocking entry to a person who has lived here for 35 years and has a green card but is from Iraq instead of France or New Zealand? We're not talking about a visa here. We're talking about people who are permanent residents of this country.

Are the ones who are currently in the USA as a permanent resident and are from these countries being re-evaluated? If not, then there's no sense to it.

Let's say New Zealand tossed the crown, taken over by libprogs, mobs in the street denouncing western imperialism, death to the limeys and the US, burning the embassies, and the rest of rhe violent dangerous stuff. (Hard to imagine about the loveable Kiwis, I know)

Now, my pal is most unlikely to get caught up in that stuff, but I can see where it would be difficult to stop some Kiwis but not others while they tried to figure out who was a clown and who was a cowboy for a couple of months.

Where do you draw the line? Those who have had green cards for >25 years? 10 years? More than a year? Just got one? The bureaucrat must say stop right here while we figure this out. They catch hell if they guess wrong. Some temporary unfairness is not going to seem particularly compelling compared to a bunch of Kiwis on the loose here.

Luckily, I have enough willpower to control the driving ambition that rages within me.

When you had the votes, we did things your way. Now, we have the votes and you will be doing things our way. This lesson in political reality from Lyndon B. Johnson

"Some things are apparent. Where government moves in, community retreats, civil society disintegrates and our ability to control our own destiny atrophies. The result is: families under siege; war in the streets; unapologetic expropriation of property; the precipitous decline of the rule of law; the rapid rise of corruption; the loss of civility and the triumph of deceit. The result is a debased, debauched culture which finds moral depravity entertaining and virtue contemptible." - Justice Janice Rogers Brown

January 28, 2017, 05:17 PM

entropy

We are at war.

The enemies are both foreign and domestic. They come in the form of ISIS fighters, terrorists, and their sympathizers. They come in the form of globalists masquerading as politicians, CEOs, and philanthropists. They all share one goal which is the destruction of our Country and the freedoms of its founding.

The fabric of this Country has been so poluted by these people that we need to stop and re-evaluate EVERYTHING that has a moving part. Once this is done, GOOD PEOPLE WHO SHARE THIS COUNTRY's ORIGINAL VISION should be welcomed back. If you value what we stand for you will understand, if you dont...there are many other countries that you can enter and live. The United States of America judt wont be one of them. As a Green Card holder, you are NOT a citizen and therfore DO NOT share all the same rights as citizens of this Great Nation.

It is as simple as that.