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Obama administration ends flawed 'virtual fence' for border

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posted on Jan, 15 2011 @ 11:15 AM
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Obama administration ends flawed 'virtual fence' for border


www.rawstory.com

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama's administration on Friday canceled the troubled "virtual fence" project meant to better guard stretches of the vast U.S. border with Mexico and will replace it with other security measures.

The project, begun in 2006 and run by Boeing Co, has cost about $1 billion and was designed to pull together video cameras, radar, sensors and other technologies to catch illegal immigrants and smugglers trying to cross the porous border.

(visit the link for the full news article)



posted on Jan, 15 2011 @ 11:15 AM
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Wonderful.

So yet ANOTHER titanic waste of money protocol scapped, a billion dollars of tax-payer dollars later. But look at the bright side, we were able to dole out another billion to one of the mega-corps, and stuff their coffers a little fuller.

The biggest irony of all is what a JOKE our border security is, while officials are supposedly so worried and warning us constantly about 'being under constant threat and terrorist attacks'. So much so that they keep us locked in a multitude of wars for years on end, make us be groped and fondled just to fly, and are putting up warning messages of fear and paranoia in our grocery stores, malls, and hotels.

It seems we almost have more 'security' checks trying to LEAVE the country, than trying to ENTER it. lol.

www.rawstory.com
(visit the link for the full news article)



posted on Jan, 15 2011 @ 11:19 AM
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reply to post by DimensionalDetective
 


When it comes to responsibility, we are our own worst enemies. Billion dollar program flushed down the toilet. Health care passed and now being flushed down the toilet.

I am surprised Congress has not canceled themselves yet...

Abe Lincoln had a brighter future when he went to the box office to pick up tickets to the theatre...
edit on 15-1-2011 by Xcathdra because: (no reason given)



posted on Jan, 15 2011 @ 11:31 AM
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All governments do this - come up with an idea, spend a fortune of taxpayer's money on developing it, and then abandon it.

Seeing as I don't know precisely why they abandoned it, it could be that they discovered that the contractors were taking them for a ride, and finishing it would have cost even more than projections for scrapping it and heading in a new direction.

That said, you'd think that a government would have more effective ways to recover their losses when they decided to cut and run.

S+F for bringing more government stupidity into the ATS spotlight.
edit on 15/1/2011 by TheWill because: (no reason given)


(Edit: Also, probably, the CIA didn't want any record of their drug-smuggling on video. The "tailored to the unique needs of each border region" approach will probably not impede their drug-smuggling so much.)
edit on 15/1/2011 by TheWill because: (no reason given)



posted on Jan, 15 2011 @ 11:36 AM
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Originally posted by DimensionalDetective
www.rawstory.com
[...] and will replace it with other security measures.

Any ideas what those measures might be? I say let the BP guys come up with something "outside the box", you know, like making a wall out of golf balls and chewing gum or something.

Xcathdra, to soon, dude!


Edit: Oooh, good point, TheWill, we wouldn't want a new Mena on our hands now, would we?
edit on 15-1-2011 by TedStevensLives because: (no reason given)

edit on 15-1-2011 by TedStevensLives because: (no reason given)



posted on Jan, 15 2011 @ 11:43 AM
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reply to post by TheWill
 


I think the reason it was canceled has to dow ith the fact it doesnt work in the manner it was intended. Its a huge border, and no amount of electronics / fences / Border Patrol can plug the gap.

The suggestions to double or triple the Border Patrol is pointless, since we have already done this throughout the last 20 years, and it has no effect.

The solution is going to be Mexico getting its Government and economy in order to create higher paying jobs and benefeits, removing the need to illegally enter the US to work.

Easier said than done I know....


edit on 15-1-2011 by Xcathdra because: (no reason given)



posted on Jan, 15 2011 @ 11:54 AM
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Wouldn't that start a chain reaction, requiring the US to help fix pretty much all the problems of south- and central America? What I mean is, Mexico is getting illegal immigrants already as things stand, and there would surely only be more once Mexicans didn't need to illegally cross the US border to make a living.



posted on Jan, 15 2011 @ 11:55 AM
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All I could do was shake my head after reading the story yesterday. At least 15 million a mile to build that worthless pile. It was a joke yrs ago and they all new it but they have to spend our money somehow. It was nothing more than a political gesture to the public that they were doing something about the problem. The funniest thing I heard a couple yrs ago was that they had employed illegals to help build the gov contracted project. Gotta love our goverment!

edit on 15-1-2011 by mtnshredder because: (no reason given)



posted on Jan, 15 2011 @ 12:00 PM
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Thank goodness. I always thought the whole virtual fence thing was a waste of money. Just part of the huge wasteful spending frenzy over the last decade.

Just imagine the impact if they used the same money to investigate and prosecute companies that hire illegals.



posted on Jan, 15 2011 @ 12:04 PM
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That is the 64k question.. Should the US build economies throughout Mexico and Central and parts of South America. Look at the alternatives:

A continual stream of illegal immigrants crossing the border and continuing to erode away Government programs that are supported by public tax dollars.

People have made the argument that illegals do pay taxes everrytime they buy something, which is partially correct. The taxes that are not being paid are the big ones (FICA/SS/Medicare/Medicaid/Income Tax, etc etc etc).

If we dont invest in our Southern Neighbors, then this problem is only going to continue to get worse. Assisting these countries, at least to me, is going to be win win since it would cut down on illegals coming here and using resources but not neccisarily paying for them, it creates new markets for Ameican goods and vice versa.

All one has to do is look at Canada and the US. Both enjoy high standards of liviing, and because of that we dont have nearly the issues we have on the Southern Border.

Personally investing in Mexico, CEntral and SOuth America is an investment in our future here in the US. What good is it going to do if we can produce the best, highest quality items on the planet when no one can offord to buy them?

I do beleive strings should be attached to assistance, to use Venezuela as an example. These countries are sovereign and can do what they want. Personally if a country chooses to elect a person like Chavez, who single handedly rolled that country back about 50 years with his policies, then they are on their own until such time a Government is elected that wont piss the money away.

And to head off the arguments people are going to make about the US Government pissing money way my response is, its our money to piss away.

@Tedstevenslives - My Abe Lincoln comment over the top?

edit on 15-1-2011 by Xcathdra because: (no reason given)



posted on Jan, 15 2011 @ 12:22 PM
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reply to post by Xcathdra
 

The way I see it, it's either that (help "re"build the Americas) or, maybe, abolishing income tax? If taxes were only on consumables, wouldn't illegal workforce cease to exist as such a problem? I'm having some language problems getting my point across AND I'm fairly confused as to what I'm saying, so I am expecting to take this back in a few posts, once someone points out the folly in this. Maybe my head will be clearer once I recover from my shock at the previous untimely and insensitive Abe Lincoln joke


At any rate, even if the US were to go on such a resuscitation mission, it would probably be problematic these days, with the level of distrust people have of the US and its intentions (much like China and the EU these days). Back in the '60s or 70's would have been another matter entirely, of course.



posted on Jan, 15 2011 @ 12:35 PM
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reply to post by TedStevensLives
 


Yes and no.. As far as taxes go keep in mind that taxes are also at the local (municipal/County) State and FEderal level. So even if a state went to a sales tax only setup, if any of the other entities did not go to that they are still loosing money.

What eventually its going to come down to is can the World continue to afford to be seperate? Emerging companies / countries need oil, which is going to be the middle east and Russia, maybe Africa if they can get the infrastructure going. Coal is going to be a us Export (we are the Saudi Arabia of Coal), China has 97% of the Earths strategic metal deposits.

As it stands right now politics gets in the way of prosperity and human development.

So we come back to the origional question:

In the long run, would it no be better for countries who can, to join together and invest and help build countries who cant (or at least cant right now). Supporting these countries (education, infrastructure, self sufficiency) in the long run I think would far outweigh the amount of investment required.

At some point those countries will become self sufficient and can start to give back as well.

The alternative is to continue down the road we are on now, which we all know and have commented on in many threads, is not working.

- The problems we face today will not be solved by the same level of thinking that got us into the problems in the first place.

192 +/- countries on this planet.. What do you think the result would be if the populations of those countrues told their governemnts to put policies in place that deal with advancing humanity (science / technology / infrastructure / etc)? What would the result be if the people of those countries refused to head to war?

The US and Iran are at each tohers throats, but for the most part the citizens of both countries have no issues with each other. The Government of both of those countries on the other hand, cant stand each other for what their personal reasons are.

I guess I have always found it amazing that a population, who in all countries outnumber the police and military by large numbers, are able to be rendered useless and ineffective. Hell as with any military dictatorship the moment it appears as if the uprising is going to work, the remaining military leaders see the way the wind is blowing and change sides (Russia, East Germany, Poland, etc etc etc).

I always go back to the incident during WWI where an incident occured between British and German troops. On Christmas they put their weapons down, ignored their officers and played soccer, ate and visited with each other.



posted on Jan, 15 2011 @ 12:50 PM
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...what about all the citizens on the border who had their land confiscated or forceably purchased for pennies on the dollar by the federal government in this make boeing richer scheme?...



posted on Jan, 15 2011 @ 02:38 PM
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Originally posted by Wyn Hawks
...what about all the citizens on the border who had their land confiscated or forceably purchased for pennies on the dollar by the federal government in this make boeing richer scheme?...


Aside from the obvious anti US stance, care to share how your statement fits into the conversation? I dont care about criticism, but back it up with something useful.

If I wanted to listen to nothing but a blame game, I will flip on CSPAN and watch our Congressioanl proceedings. We are all good at pointing out the problem, yet fail at putting aside differences to find solutions to those problems.

What are your solutions to the problem? I mean aside from blaming the US government for something that started before we were even a nation?



posted on Jan, 15 2011 @ 04:25 PM
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Originally posted by Wyn Hawks
...what about all the citizens on the border who had their land confiscated or forceably purchased for pennies on the dollar by the federal government in this make boeing richer scheme?...



Originally posted by Xcathdra
Aside from the obvious anti US stance,


...my concern for citizens who live along the border is not an anti-usofa stance...


Originally posted by Xcathdra
care to share how your statement fits into the conversation?


...my statement is in line with the thread topic...


Originally posted by Xcathdra
I dont care about criticism, but back it up with something useful.


...say please...


Originally posted by Xcathdra
If I wanted to listen to nothing but a blame game, I will flip on CSPAN and watch our Congressioanl proceedings.


...your personal issues have nothing to do with the thread topic or my post...


Originally posted by Xcathdra
We are all good at pointing out the problem, yet fail at putting aside differences to find solutions to those problems.


...says you, who failed massively at what you're preaching...



Originally posted by Xcathdra
What are your solutions to the problem?


...i've already stated the only on-topic issue/problem i'm interested in...


Originally posted by Xcathdra
I mean aside from blaming the US government for something that started before we were even a nation?


...that has nothing to do with my original post...



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