Barack Obama Border Security

Jon Huntsman and 2012: Can He Reverse American Decline?

On June 21st former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman declared that he was seeking the GOP nomination to be the 2012 Presidential contender against Barack Obama. There is a growing discontent with Obama's calamitous policies that have drained American wealth and power, decimated job prospects and national security at home, while enabling Asia, particularly China to become the leading economic rival to challenge US leadership in world affairs.

On the surface Huntsman seems to have an impressive resume. He is married to a beautiful blonde, who blessed him with five amazing children and the privileged couple later adopted two girls, one each from India and China. During his years as Chief Executive of Utah his approval ratings were strong. Utah's economy was sailing smoothly, its fiscal health was consistently in top 3 among 50 States, and Utah families were earning a living wage. His family fortune is in billions much of which has been donated to noble causes such as cancer research.

However, Utah was already a well oiled machine before Huntsman took over as Governor. Huntsman did not inherit a State in deep crises, fiscal insolvency, depressed wages, mass unemployment, falling White birth rates and rising crime. That is where America is today. No one knows if Huntsman is fit for crisis leadership.

Jon Huntsman's stint as US ambassador to China also needs further scrutiny. Did he assertively quiz the Chinese leadership on its military build-up that is causing great alarm in Asia, particularly in Japan, South Korea, India and even Russia? Did he advice Obama to call for an alliance between China's neighbors such as India, Japan, Russia and ASEAN to contain the rising dragon and shoulder more responsibility for their own security? Did he advice Obama Administration on the need to curtail technology transfer to Asia, reduce Income tax and federal regulations to encourage job growth in US?

To reverse American decline we need strong leadership with proven track record; someone who will champion the Constitution and reinstate the American way. We need a President that will bring our troops home not just from Afghanistan as Huntsman is half-heartedly advocating under the rubric of "aggressive drawdown", but from the whole of Eurasia.

Americans should be building schools, hospitals, roads, bridges and levees at home not in Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan.  Our troops should be on Mexican border not in Europe, Japan and Korea.

US Mayors Discuss Immigration Reform, Border Security

WASHINGTON – Immigration reform, border security and the economy will be among the topics addressed by mayors of more than 1,000 U.S. cities gathered this weekend in Baltimore.

The mayor of Laredo, Texas, Raul Salinas, will be among those calling for the “immediate” adoption of a comprehensive immigration overhaul, he said on Friday.

“When you have more than 11 million undocumented people, that’s reason enough to try to improve the situation and solve this problem because it’s serious,” he said.

The mayor said he opposes Arizona’s SB 1070 anti-illegal immigrant measure and a similar bill in Texas – SB 9 – that was passed by that state’s Senate this week and which would require local law enforcement to use the federal Safe Communities program to verify the immigration status of all detainees.

SB 9 also would prohibit local governments from enacting policies that prevent local police departments from enforcing state or federal immigration laws, among other provisions.

Salinas said these laws “discriminate” against citizens “for having Mexican or Latino characteristics” and only serve to “intimidate and divide, not to help the United States continue to prosper.”

The Laredo mayor, whose parents and grandparents were born in Mexico, will submit an immigration reform and border security proposal Sunday that he hopes his fellow mayors will use to pressure President Barack Obama’s administration, adding that “a lot of time has passed.”

In 2007, then-President George W. Bush and Democratic lawmakers backed an immigration-reform bill that would have allowed a path to citizenship for millions of undocumented foreigners while also tightening border security.

But the proposal was defeated by Republican legislators, who said it amounted to amnesty for those who had illegally entered the country.

Obama said during his campaign that one of his main goals if elected would be a comprehensive immigration overhaul that will allow many of the undocumented migrants to acquire legal status.

Latinos strongly backed Obama in the 2008 presidential election.

Referring to the issue of border safety, Salinas said he valued the cooperation he has received from Mexican mayors in battling organized crime and said the United States must make an effort to intercept “weapons heading south,” as well as stolen vehicles and money laundered by drug traffickers.

U.S.

U.S. Border Security, A Reference Handbook

Immigration and American democracy, subverting the rule of law

Canada and Obama

Change we can believe in, Barack Obama's plan to renew America's promise

National Security Strategy of the United States (2010)