Why Seal the Border with Mexico?

Remember when the idea of “democracy” was about walls coming down?

No more. In tonight’s press conference, President Bush will announce the militarization of the American border. His plan includes dispatching the National Guard (or, at least, those National Guard personnel we haven’t yet shipped off to the hamburger-maker we call Iraq) to “supplement civilian patrols” of our southern border.

Another feature of the plan? Building a wall.

In every movie you’ve ever seen, what two things line the borders of countries with oppressive dictators?

Soldiers and walls.

“But wait,” you say. “Just this morning, National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley expressly said, ‘This is not about militarizing the border.'”

What you’re forgetting is that the Bush Administration always plainly and clearly telegraphs exactly what it will do by first insisting what it will not do.

Case in point: in January and February, the President and Michael Hayden both insisted that the NSA’s call-tracking program was not being used to track domestic calls. Now that USA Today has broken the story that the NSA is, in fact, tracking all domestic calls … the administration’s statements have shifted from “It isn’t being done” to “We’ve done nothing illegal.”

Tonight, President Bush is going to sell you the militarization of the border using the only currency he has to spend: fear, uncertainty, and doubt. He will tell you the soldiers and walls are necessary to protect the security of our nation. He will tell you these “enhanced security measures” are needed to shut out terrorists.

Don’t you believe it, not even for a minute.

The “Border Ploy” has one purpose, and one purpose only: an untrustworthy President with a plummeting approval rating hopes this story will distract you from …

– the NSA call monitoring scandal

– efforts to bury this weekend’s indictment of Karl Rove

– the escalating mess in Iraq

– plans to start a war with Iran

– Diebold’s admission that machines used in the 2000 and 2004 elections were compromised.

Don’t let him do it. When Republican shills and Mainstream Media puppets ask you, “How will you personally support the President’s agenda to keep America’s borders safe?” reply, “With the mess in Iraq and rumors of stolen elections, America has bigger problems than securing our border with Mexico, and anyone with an ounce of sense knows that.”