Republicans Want Chaos at the Border

It serves their political interests

To the left is California, to the right, Tijuana, Mexico (photo courtesy Wikimedia commons).

Senator Joni Ernst just returned from a trip to our southern border. Predictably, she says: 

“Month after month, we continue to see complete chaos at the Southern border under this administration. With our Border Patrol agents more overwhelmed than ever, we need serious action to restore law and order at the border." — U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst.

First, whenever Republicans talk about law and order, their words ring hollow. Yes, we need law and order at the border. But we also needed it in the White House during the Trump administration, and now during his continuing rolling coup. With few exceptions, Republicans are not only uninterested, they are complicit and risk our democracy.

Second, like inflation, the chaos at our southern border is an international issue impacting the European Union as well as the United States. Desperate migrants worldwide are fleeing poverty, crime, political violence, and the largely man-made climate crisis that Republicans refuse to help address. Biden could have done better at the beginning of his administration and needs to do better now. But at least Biden is working toward a solution, not fueling the chaos. Republicans can cry all the crocodile tears they want during their staged PR campaign visits to the border, but their interest in taking any action is as fake as their tears.

Ernst says Trump’s border wall is the solution, and Republicans have introduced legislation to reboot its construction. This doesn’t make an iota of sense except as throwing a bone to the base that doesn’t know that the portions of the wall that have been built are nothing but costly failures. How can they possibly know? Trump TV, er, I mean Fox News, will never tell them the truth about Trump’s wall, or much else. As of March of this year, Trump’s border wall has been breached by smugglers over 3,000 times. How do they do it? With tools that can be found at any hardware store. 

The anti-immigrant rhetoric espoused by Trump and other Republicans exploits the border crises in ways that make the situation even more unstable. Ali Noorani, former President and CEO of the non-partisan National Immigration Forum, and now with the Hewlett Foundation, says it best.

“Borders are meant to create order and security. But worldwide, authoritarians seeking to enhance their power are pushing dangerous border narratives to sow chaos and exploit insecurity. Democratic societies have failed to understand how these narratives are weaponized, putting migrants in harm’s way and our way of life at risk.”

Where you see “authoritarian” above, think “Trump,” but don’t stop there. Republican Governors are becoming increasingly authoritarian. Think Ron DeSantis of Florida, Greg Abbott of Texas, and Kim Reynolds of Iowa. Yes, Kim Reynolds, who endorsed the primary opponents of five Republican incumbents earlier this year because they differed with her on school vouchers. The incumbents all lost. 

Speaking of Reynolds, remember when she and nine other Republican governors went to the border and presented a ten-point plan to make the border more secure? I wrote about it for TIME, while also addressing our labor shortage, and how legal immigrants could help ease it. I cite Noorani again in the TIME piece.

“Ten Republican governors traveled to Mission, Texas, on October 6 and released their 10-point plan for border security. Noorani says, “The cartels must be thrilled: Nine of the plan’s 10 proposals would merely push migrants out of the already-elusive legal path to entry and into the hands of smugglers, coyotes and kidnappers. Through their inaction, Congress has outsourced our nation’s immigration system to the cartels. Organized crime, not our government, is determining who can enter the U.S.“

Republicans are making the border crisis worse, much, much worse, and blaming Biden because it serves their immediate political interests.

I’ve asked both Senators Ernst and Grassley if they see any hope for bipartisan immigration reform soon. They have both told me no, not until the border is secure.

If Republicans have their way, it will never be secure. It will never be secure because they don’t want it secure, and they will keep undermining border security as long as it serves their political ends. Republicans want chaos at the border; the human and economic costs be damned.

---

Free Love! Work Optional!

The overlook at Cedar Bluffs Natural Area, Mahaska County, IA.

My friend Pete Eyheralde, a biology professor at William Penn University in Oskaloosa, was the first to tell me about an early settlement in Iowa that was below Cedar Bluffs. Pete is a walking, talking encyclopedia of the flora, fauna, history, and prehistory of Iowa. He also knows the area like the back of his hand. One of the most fascinating mornings I have ever spent was walking with Pete at Cedar Bluffs as he told me about what we were seeing. It was priceless.

Below the overlook and to the east a mile or so, where the Cedar River meets the Des Moines river, a utopian community was founded in 1844. It was called the Iowa Pioneer Phalanx. The utopians settling in Mahaska County were followers of Charles Fourier, “an early French socialist and a founder of utopian socialism. He believed that an ideal society could be arranged into “phalanxes,” small self-contained communities of 500 to 2,000 people where cooperation and mutual benefit reigned and everything harmonized with nature.”

Here is the source of the map, and more information.

The utopian community failed, and was in existence only from 1844-1845. Founded on the principals of free love and with work optional, what could possibly go wrong?

And Pete tells me everyone was encouraged to go about their day naked, weather permitting, of course.

---

Violet meets a Rabbit!

Violet met a rabbit Saturday morning. Here is how it went.

I’m not sure if she could make it on her own, “in the wild.” 

Annie thinks Violet was conflicted; between wanting to stay by my side, to protect me, and the “hunt.”

---

Tractor Ride

And here are the “Red Rock Threshers” driving past the house Saturday morning. Who said country life is boring?

Here are the sounds of Cedar Bluffs early Saturday. Enjoy the wonders of nature!

Berries are about ready!

I’m not sure if these are blackberries, raspberries, black raspberries, or what. It seems like the seeds are a tiny bit larger than the seeds of store-bought berries. Are the smaller seeds in the store-bought versions a product of domestication? Selective breeding? Who knows…

---

End of Day

Finally, this is Violet with me not mowing, quitting after a couple hours of work. The rider is in the shop, and we both have had enough. Our day is over. Besides, there is always tomorrow--that is, Sunday. As some of you read this, have no doubt we are mowing…

Chin up!