December 7 – President Joe Biden has been facing increasing calls to visit the southern border between Texas and Mexico to meet with border patrol recently.
Reporting has shown a record number of illegal crossings into the United States.
Minority House leader (who is likely going to be the Speaker once the Republicans take control in January) Kevin McCarthy apparently invited the president to come to the border with him, but no response came.
McCarthy has said, “This is the difference with Republicans winning the majority of the House, a couple different things. You know what we can do on our very first moments of taking the majority? I can have hearings at the border so the Democrats can no longer ignore it.”
Pat Ryan of NewsTalk 103.7FM pointed out, “I don’t like the cost of that. Maybe you put everybody on the bus and send them back down to the border.”
Attorney Clint Barkdoll said, “I think Biden missed a huge opportunity yesterday.”
The president was in Arizona for the day at a new microchip factory that opened.
Barkdoll said, “A lot of critics are pointing out, I think legitimately, while he was there and there were invitations extended to the president, let’s go down to the border and check it out. Not only did Biden say no, but he made comments to some reporters that there were more important things that he had to address yesterday, which is not sitting well with a lot of people.”
Think tank projections that track border crossings predict there will be 2.6 million illegal crossings in 2023. This year, they’re guessing there will be about 2.3 million.
Barkdoll said, “So this think tank is actually projecting that the problem is going to get worse as we get into 2023 and as McCarthy is saying, there’s really no plans to address any of this. Maybe some things will happen come January, but there’s nothing out there that’s solid enough to address this problem.”
Ryan added, “And then you’ve got rubber stamps. Warnock will be a rubber stamp. Fetterman’s going to be a rubber stamp. They can’t wait to step on the gas and you’re going to pay for their phones and their heat and their food and their education, but the majority of the country isn’t engaged in it anyway. Right up until something bad happens. So you get what you get. There’s nothing more that can be done. If the electorate is not engaged in it, you see it right in front of you and they don’t do anything, then enjoy it.”
Barkdoll said, “The problem is there’s nothing even being proposed. It just seems like the current position is just to sit back, let this happen, let these old policies in place that clearly are not working, but you see nothing coming from Congress. There are no proposals or initiatives or laws that would address this. Even if McCarthy and the new House majority try to get some things on the floor next year, I don’t see where it goes because the votes are likely not in the Senate to approve it. Biden likely is not on board and the way the dynamics are in Washington, you really don’t see them coming together to negotiate anything, either.”
