It seems our Glorious Leader is not the only one skilled in "The Chicago Deal".
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar's minions are good at it, too.
They are shaking down the Border Patrol for millions of under-the-radar dollars meant to cover environmental damage stemming from their everyday duties along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Shaking down you and me, really. It's our tax dollars they are playing fast and loose with.
"The Department of Homeland Security, which houses the Border Patrol, last year signed a deal with Interior -- the administrator of America's park lands -- to cough up $50 million for environmental "mitigation" needed in the wake of the construction of a border fence. That was after DHS had already spent or committed millions more for expected environmental damage caused by the Border Patrol over the years."--Fox News
Here's some of the rat-holes that Interior is pouring money down:
-- $200,000 to study the extent of unauthorized vehicle routes in the habitat of Sonoran pronghorn, which are endangered.
-- $1.75 million to close and restore those vehicle routes.
-- $20,000 to move pronghorn back to the Valley of the Ajo if they don't migrate by themselves in three years.
-- $14,000 to do weekly aerial surveys of the pronghorn during the 2010 fawning season.
-- $35,000 for monitoring the maternity roosts of lesser long-nosed bats.
-- $140,000 to study "unknown roosts" for lesser long-nosed bats.
Never mind that the drug cartel convoys, the hordes of illegal immigrants with their trail of discarded trash, human wastes, abandoned possessions, and the beaten paths so many have worn through these areas.
Never mind that Americans cannot use their own national parks and wilderness areas.
Never mind that we have lost control of these areas to the drug cartels and human smugglers.
We gotta protect those bats and pronghorns. Kumbaya.
The environuts are feasting on this as well:
In talking about the funds chiseled out of the Border Patrol to pay for "mitigation" of environmental damage resulting from securing the borders as listed above, mentioning the towers which house cameras and other sensors, DOW weighs in.
Matt Clark, southwest representative for Defenders of Wildlife(DOW), described those examples as "well-thought-out mitigation measures." He said the towers might not look harmful to the environment, but that the generators attached to them and the vehicle traffic necessary to maintain them make a dent."--Fox News
"If anything, he said Border Patrol should be putting up more money to pay for damage. He described the harm from the border fence as "insidious," separating species from their own kind as well as food and water supplies. Though not an ideal situation, he said the mitigation money can be used to purchase land elsewhere and preserve habitat for the affected species. "--Fox News
"I think mitigation dollars can be put to good use," he said."--Fox News
Time to ClearOurBrainZ !
There is legislation in the works to address this, and allow the Border Patrol to do it's job. But, it doesn't address the "fees" being charged the Border Patrol by Interior. The Border Patrol needs all it's resources just to do its job.They are supposed to be safeguarding our nation, not acting as a piggy bank for Interior and the evirodummies. Let's fix this legislation and face reality.
Don't get me wrong....I'm in favor of preserving these areas. I'm in favor of taking good care of the environment.
But people, and the security of our nation, must come first.
It won't do much good to preserve and protect these "sensitive" areas if they are overrun with drug convoys and hordes of illegals.
It won't do any good to protect these areas if we have ceded control of them to Mexico and the drug cartels.
People first.
Our nation's security first.
We can do both. Protect the environment, within reason, and secure the borders.
Bureaucratic infighting and empire building is unacceptable. All I see in this administration in finger pointing.
Where is the leadership?
Good question.
Your comments, please.
