# George, just admit it. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 16, 2006, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-just-admit-it/356903 "2006-05-16T00:13:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2006, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-just-admit-it/356903/1 "2006-05-16T00:13:36Z")
Umm, we were in the middle of a FUCKING WAR and you’re bothering us with this border shit? We’ve lost the war on terror, right? Damn. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2006, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-just-admit-it/356903/2 "2006-05-16T00:18:34Z")
No shit, he’s talking about _immigration?_ What’s up with the thousands of National Guardsmen he’s gonna post to the Mexican border? ---
**Author:** ![sleeping\_mud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58f4c7/32.png) [@sleeping\_mud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleeping_mud)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2006, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-just-admit-it/356903/3 "2006-05-16T00:23:41Z")
Blimey. He’d scared me; at first, i thought they’d said United Nations troops instead of National Guard. That would be funny. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2006, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-just-admit-it/356903/4 "2006-05-16T00:25:00Z")
> [@Ukulele Ike](#): > > No shit, he’s talking about _immigration?_ > > What’s up with the thousands of National Guardsmen he’s gonna post to the Mexican border? We’re invading Mexico. Strategic oil reserves recently found in Quintana Roo. OK, no. We’re just putting them there to whack dirty wetbacks. What’s the problem? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2006, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-just-admit-it/356903/5 "2006-05-16T00:33:33Z")
Wouldn’t using the military be a violation of _Posse Comitatus_? Or is W just ignoring that law too? ---
**Author:** ![sleeping\_mud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58f4c7/32.png) [@sleeping\_mud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleeping_mud)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2006, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-just-admit-it/356903/6 "2006-05-16T00:36:07Z")
Would it? I honestly don’t know. Its not like he would get impeached for it or anything. Of course, I didn’t watch the speech; did he say how many troops? If so, what if they are needed elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2006, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-just-admit-it/356903/7 "2006-05-16T00:37:10Z")
I mean, with all the other shit going on, they decided to make him talk about fucking _immigration?_ Not Iraq, not the telephone tracing, not Cheney? I know his base is all inflamed about those nasty Hispanics comin in here and takin all our social services and singin the National Anthem in Spanish, but…whoa. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2006, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-just-admit-it/356903/8 "2006-05-16T00:43:05Z")
> [@Ukulele Ike](#): > > I mean, with all the other shit going on, they decided to make him talk about fucking _immigration?_ Not Iraq, not the telephone tracing, not Cheney? > > I know his base is all inflamed about those nasty Hispanics comin in here and takin all our social services and singin the National Anthem in Spanish, but…whoa. Dude, hello? What part of “dancing a little sidestep” don’t you get? Iraq, telephone spying, and Cheney are EXACTLY why they’re talking about immigration. ---
**Author:** ![Unregistered\_Bull](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3da27b/32.png) [@Unregistered\_Bull](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unregistered_Bull)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2006, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-just-admit-it/356903/9 "2006-05-16T00:44:41Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Wouldn’t using the military be a violation of _Posse Comitatus_? Or is W just ignoring that law too? Troops have been used before on the border. [http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/military/july-dec97/border\_8-13.html](http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/military/july-dec97/border_8-13.html) [http://www.cnn.com/US/9708/14/border.shooting/](http://www.cnn.com/US/9708/14/border.shooting/) [http://www.ndsn.org/sepoct98/lawenf2.html](http://www.ndsn.org/sepoct98/lawenf2.html) ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2006, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-just-admit-it/356903/10 "2006-05-16T00:45:20Z")
It’s a diversionary tactic. Didn’t I predict in one of the threads, that the key hot button issues would be queers and wetbacks? They have to do something, to distract us from Rovegate, Cheney’s gunplay, Plamegate, Hookergate, Iraqgate, NSA wiretap gate, Katrinagate, Cunninghamgate, Dukegate, Abramoffgate, and all the other gates. Maybe we can have another war on Christmas too. Is there still time for that? The GOP is in trouble and they needed something fast. After how many years (?) of a Republican House, Senate and WHite House - when they could have done something - now this is THE issue? Bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2006, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-just-admit-it/356903/11 "2006-05-16T00:49:06Z")
It’s just the amount of time and energy that has been and _will continue to be_ wasted on what really is a non-issue. Besides pandering to the small-minded, and alienating (heh) 25 million voters, what does this accomplish? Well, I bet the Guardsmen can’t wait to come home and, uh, what-- Keep shooting at folks? I really am amazed. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2006, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-just-admit-it/356903/12 "2006-05-16T01:01:28Z")
> [@Unregistered Bull](#): > > Troops have been used before on the border. > > [http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/military/july-dec97/border\_8-13.html](http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/military/july-dec97/border_8-13.html) > > [http://www.cnn.com/US/9708/14/border.shooting/](http://www.cnn.com/US/9708/14/border.shooting/) > > [http://www.ndsn.org/sepoct98/lawenf2.html](http://www.ndsn.org/sepoct98/lawenf2.html) For drug interdiction, not immigration (and I think it was wrong even then). I can’t see how anyone could honestly argue that people coming across to pick tomatoes constitutes a violent invasion. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2006, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-just-admit-it/356903/13 "2006-05-16T01:02:17Z")
From the Texas Politician character in “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas”: \*Now my good friends, it behooves me To be solemn and declare, I’m for goodness and for profit And for living clean And saying daily prayer. And now, my good friends, you can sleep nights, I’ll continue to stand tall. You can trust me, for I promise, I shall keep a watchful eye upon y’all Ooh I love to dance a little sidestep, Now they see me now they don’t, I’ve come and gone. Ooh I love to sweep around the wide step, Cut a little swathe and lead the people on.\* ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2006, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-just-admit-it/356903/14 "2006-05-16T01:02:31Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Wouldn’t using the military be a violation of _Posse Comitatus_? Or is W just ignoring that law too? When has Bush ever paid more than lip service to the law? ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2006, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-just-admit-it/356903/15 "2006-05-16T01:08:14Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > Maybe we can have another war on Christmas too. Is there still time for that? The GOP is in trouble and they needed something fast. How about a “War on Flag-Day”? You know, them rotten lib’ruls won’t let us fly our American flags anymore. (Based entirely on one misunderstood incident that may or may not have happened several years ago.) Bill O’Reilly and John Gibson can easily crank out a month’s worth of episodes between now and June 14th. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2006, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-just-admit-it/356903/16 "2006-05-16T01:10:11Z")
One could argue the two are related; it’d be pretty easy for terrorists to get themselves and weapons through the border the way things are now. Of course, if Bush had actually MADE that connection, it’d be easier to believe that this was his intent. But to be fair to Bush, I think he’d definitely prefer that this whole immigration thing never came up, or at the least that it would go away quietly. It’s bad for him and the party, given his beliefs on the issue. It’s the public and the media that have made this a big deal. That it’s both helping and hurting the President is something he’s probably ambivalent about. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2006, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-just-admit-it/356903/17 "2006-05-16T01:19:59Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Wouldn’t using the military be a violation of _Posse Comitatus_? Or is W just ignoring that law too? Since they’re opperating in a support role only, this shouldn’t be a problem. If they were involved in actual arrests, then _posse comitatus_ would come into play. ---
**Author:** ![DxZero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@DxZero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DxZero)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2006, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-just-admit-it/356903/18 "2006-05-16T01:31:28Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > Since they’re opperating in a support role only, this shouldn’t be a problem. If they were involved in actual arrests, then _posse comitatus_ would come into play. There’s an exception to _posse comitatus_ under the Insurrection Act that reads: _“§ 332. Use of militia and armed forces to enforce Federal authority Whenever the President considers that unlawful obstructions, combinations, or assemblages, or rebellion against the authority of the United States, make it impracticable to enforce the laws of the United States in any State or Territory by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings, he may call into Federal service such of the militia of any State, and use such of the armed forces, as he considers necessary to enforce those laws or to suppress the rebellion.”_ I imagine that’s where he’s getting the authority from. That’s a pretty broad and vague code, though. So there might be something more specific somewheres. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2006, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-just-admit-it/356903/19 "2006-05-16T01:39:47Z")
The guard will, however, be allowed to form fake guns with their fingers and say, “bang, bang.” ---
**Author:** ![DxZero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@DxZero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DxZero)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2006, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-just-admit-it/356903/20 "2006-05-16T01:40:50Z")
> [@DxZero](#): > > There’s an exception to _posse comitatus_ under the Insurrection Act that reads: > _“§ 332. Use of militia and armed forces to enforce Federal authority > Whenever the President considers that unlawful obstructions, combinations, or assemblages, or rebellion against the authority of the United States, make it impracticable to enforce the laws of the United States in any State or Territory by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings, he may call into Federal service such of the militia of any State, and use such of the armed forces, as he considers necessary to enforce those laws or to suppress the rebellion.”_ > > I imagine that’s where he’s getting the authority from. That’s a pretty broad and vague code, though. So there might be something more specific somewheres. On second read…that seems to be more about uprisings or protests and all that jazz. Doesn’t seem to fit. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-just-admit-it/356903.md?page=2)