Warning: the following is political in nature and should not be read by anyone.
Since October approximately 52,000 unaccompanied children have been apprehended entering the U.S. illegally. Read that out loud if you must: “…approximately 52,000 unaccompanied children have been apprehended entering the U.S. illegally.”
Texas became so overwhelmed that they just started busing the kids to New Mexico and Arizona. Many of these kids were sick and malnourished (there were also reports of many dying a long the way).

What would you do?
Yesterday, President Obama asked Congress for $2 billion dollars to deal with this influx of immigrants from Central America to the United States.
Do you know what else happened yesterday? People on Facebook lost their frickin’ minds.
There were comments about President Obama wanting to use the money to build Muslim welcome centers along the border; about hiring the illegals to tear down any existing barriers so that others could make their way into the country. People also commented that all Obama wants to do is spend, spend, spend.
It was basically a full-on bashing session by people with IQ’s pushing just past the legal blood alcohol limit.
Let me ask a rational question to those irrational bashers: what would you do?
Deport them? Shore up the border? Stiffer penalties for the smugglers? It seemed as if the dolts on Facebook were screaming for “All of the above.”
Until, of course, they found out that’s what Obama wanted. (Then the Facebook posts resorted to typical Obamacare bashing and the ever-absurd accusation that he wasn’t born in the United States.)
Some people suggested that the US should force the Central American countries to pay the costs of feeding, housing, and ultimate deportation of these kids. That’s not a bad idea actually, though does anyone really think Honduras is really going to fork over its share of two-billion dollars? Or Guatemala?
Something needs to be done with these 52,000 children and whatever that something is going to cost money.
Executive Excess
In the above case, Obama asked Congress for the $2 billion needed to address this crisis. Yet the president has also stated on several occasions that if Congress doesn’t do their job, he’ll go it alone – including on issues related to immigration reform.
This falls under the proverbial “slippery slope” category though I get why he feels the need to go it alone.
Congress (i.e. the House of Representatives (i.e. the Tea Party and their puppet John Boehner)) have publicly stated they will not even consider any immigration reform. As a matter of fact, here’s a good summary from a recent MSNBC story:
Almost exactly a year ago, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said in no uncertain terms that he would ignore the popular, bipartisan immigration reform bill passed by the Senate. The plan may have been endorsed by business leaders, labor unions, law enforcement, immigration advocates, leaders from the faith community, economists, and deficit hawks, but the Republican leader said it didn’t matter: the Senate bill was dead on arrival. Even if it had the votes to pass, it would never reach the House floor. (bold added).
Yet, YET – this same Speaker of the House said “It’s time for Congress to act.”
With blatant resistance put up by the GOP and the Tea-bag, errr, Party – what other options does the president have?
What should he do? Better yet, what would you do?
Have you seen the documentary “Which Way Home”? It follows these kids (and their families to some extent) as they attempt to get into the US, mostly by train. It’s terrifying, horrifying, and amazing and I highly recommend it. (Streaming on Netflix!)
As to the rest: I agree with renbog’s comment that I don’t know what the answer is, but something should be done. I also think $2 billion is a lot of funds; more so knowing how many (legal) American kids are living in abject poverty and how far that could go to help. But nothing comes cheap any more…
Never seen (nor heard of) it. Ill try to remember it though.
“Life sure is funny sometimes, and sometimes it isn’t.” Kurt Vonnegut.
The first 20 minutes of The movie “el Norte” partly explains why the reasons why the parents send their kids (government arrest and death lists, poverty . . .) though I don’t know why they wouldn’t accompany them unless it is the money they have to pay those who bring them into the U S. , And they only have enough for the kids. The movie is powerful.
I agree with you Mike.
Uncle Jim
I’ve often asked myself the same question. I simply don’t know what to do. And you’re correct that SOMETHING has to be done. These are children, after all. In the absence of any viable ideas from me, I have to accept whatever ideas actually get implemented — good, bad, or somewhere in between. The above referenced Facebook morons want to do exactly what they are doing — bitch bitch bitch. They have no interest in any issues being resolved because they would have nothing to bitch about.
People have come to believe if you’re conservative you HAVE to disagree with the liberals no matter what (and vice versa). If a different man were in office, it’d still be the same only with a different set of idiots.
$2 billion just seems like a lot to me. Besides, aren’t there funds already budgeted for contingencies like this? (I guess not).