"In a press conference, DeSantis rather absurdly claimed that he’s just trying to address the border crisis by offering immigrants free transport to the kind of blue-state enclaves that claim to welcome them. "
In all seriousness, what is absurd about this, beyond liberal hypocrisy?
In addition to seeming to be the preferred policy of first Obama and now Biden instead of actually establishing a secure border, the *Democrat* mayor of El Paso has been doing the same thing
"The Democrat-run city of El Paso has recently started bussing migrants into New York City, but has so far not seen the sort of attacks from liberal mayors and others that have faced Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.
The border city, which has been at the front line of the massive migrant crisis that has raged since early 2021, has so far bused over 2,500 migrants to New York City since the end of August -- as well as about 150 migrants to Chicago."
Kind of like how it was never racist for Bernie Sanders to vehemently oppose illegal immigration and advocate for very stringent legal immigration for almost his entire political career. It only became when Trump started saying it, and it's only racist now if a Republican enacts such policy.
I live in Texas. The US government has been sending illegals, I mean undocumented Democrats, by the hundreds to San Antonio and other cities and towns in Texas, Arizona and New Mexico for over a year. I have never seen or heard a leftist whine and beat their chest that this was human trafficking or inhumane.
This puts a strain of the taxpayers of the border states. The Blue states and cities have been sanctuary states and cites for years. I would think they would welcome these undocumented Dems with open arms.
Are they the bunch of compassionate, humanitarians they claim to be or are they the hypocrites we all know they are?
I live in Texas as well, in one of those border communities being impacted. Not only is the federal gubmint busing to other cities in Texas, but also down to Harlingen, Tx for flights to other parts of the country (dadgum human traffickers)
It gets really bad here when the local accommodations are overflowing, and the CBP releases migrants directly onto the streets here....if they promise to check in later.
I was flying up and down the east coast last summer and saw several migrants on every flight I was on. I'm not against immigration. I'm against the lying and hyporocrisy. Of course the Republican governors had to resort to this. A year and half of begging for help only resulted in being ignored or called racist.
It all happens because the Democrats view these immigrants as a captive voting bloc. I want to see the GOP make a serious effort to win this audience -- the opportunity window is open. Once the immigrants start voting Republican, you can bet the Democrats will be all for controlling the border.
The Constitution assigned immigration policy, including the transportation and handling of illegals, exclusively to the federal government. The feds can transport and drop off illegals in any state they wish because they have that legal right. State governments cannot touch or transport illegals, because they don't have any legal authority over immigration policy.
Yes, it's maddening for border states to be stuck with the tsunami because the feds won't revamp our broken immigration laws, but that's how it goes, legally. Biden can move illegals wherever he wants; DeSantis and Abbott cannot.
The problem with this argument is two-fold. 1) The governors are not doing anything touching on immigration. Transportation is not a part of a path to citizenship. Nor have the governors granted or denied the illegals citizenship. It is a non-issue. 2) Immigration is at the sole discretion of Congress not the executive (Article I, Section 8, Clause 4). So, Biden, like the governors is simply moving the illegals around. He is not granting or denying them citizenship. This was at the core of Obama’s (correct) comment that he didn’t have the authority to grant the dreamers citizenship (until he changed his mind at least).
It's so weird, us playing nice. But okay with me . . .
I agree, immigration laws and policy are set by Congress. But the executive is charged with enforcing them. That means only the federal government can legally move illegals around.
It's not immigration policy per se that's being violated by gubernatorial stunts in Florida and Texas. Federal law prohibits the unauthorized transport of illegals, and only federal employees are so authorized. Governors who ship illegals around the country for political theater risk violating that law. While the law is aimed at human traffickers, it can apply to governors and other non-federal actors:
"Domestic Transporting -- Subsection 1324(a)(1)(A)(ii) makes it an offense for any person who -- knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that an alien has come to, entered, or remains in the United States in violation of law, transports, or moves or attempts to transport or move such alien within the United States by means of transportation or otherwise, in furtherance of such violation of law." https://www.justice.gov/archives/jm/criminal-resource-manual-1907-title-8-usc-1324a-offenses
I doubt the Justice Department will press charges, due to the political ramifications. But it could, and would win if a judge was observing the law fairly.
Obama did not have the authority to grand citizenship. Neither did Trump and neither does Biden---that is the job of Congress. But neither do governors have the right to defraud people they believe here illegally into flying to the East Coast for "jobs" and "work permits" that do not exist.
Well, once they are in the country are they considered illegals? Don't they have freedom to get on busses and planes just like anyone else? Have they been coerced?
And it is not the Feds who won't revamp the immigration laws, it is the Democrats who refuse to address the problem, follow the law, and continue to use the these people as pawns in their human trafficking and smuggling game.
Kat, the author of this piece, exposes her fucking despicalbe bias here, disgustingly ignoring everything prior to them getting on a bus or plane. But then, what else should I expect from these pieces of debris stuck between the treads of my shoes? When the normalization of illegaliity and horror becomes the norm, you just blame the next conveneint CNN story on the other guy.
"what else should I expect from these pieces of debris stuck between the treads of my shoes?"
Aw, don't be so hard on yourself, Sumtimgwong, you're not debris.
"Once they are in the country, are they considered illegals?"
It depends. Asylum seekers who pass Border Patrol screening are in the United States legally. They get to stay here until their hearings on asylum. Those who bypass border control are here illegally and are, in fact, illegals. Illegals have the right to transport themselves as they wish, even though that exposes them to arrest if caught. But only the federal government can transport illegals for immigration policy needs. States and their governors CANNOT, which is what made DeSantis's and Abbott's transports felonies.
"And it is not the Feds who won't revamp the immigration laws, it is the Democrats who refuse to address the problem"
"The feds" are both Democrats and Republicans, because "the feds" means the federal government, not any particular party. Neither party has made any serious effort to fix our broken immigration system, and until they decide to do it, we will continue to be flooded with attempts to illegally cross our borders.
No Lillia thought this one way worse especially with astronaut suit and the Vaseline 🤣. Just want to ask if any of you saw the murder that took place in Park Slopes this past week when the one man would not thank the other for holding the door open a fight ensured and the victim was stabbed twice. Was wondering where The Panthers were???
Yip when I last looked we were still a democracy and as Bari has always said this is a forum for my or your opinion you didn’t have to read it there was nobody holding a gun to your head.
Yip, this human was free to read or not read, even more so it could have posted it’s own opinion I would have been equally free to read or not to read, think it’s a newcomer probably get use to all of us humans😀😀
American labor unions have historically and consistently been hardline opponents of immigration (and especially illegal immigration after federal laws were passed in the late 19th-early 20th centuries). Their argument was that these new arrivals would inevitably depress the wages of American workers. It was an economic argument not a racist one per se, though it was based on a rather static view of the potential for growth of the economic pie.
So Bernie Sanders was following in a hallowed labor union tradition of opposition. In effect, it is one view in competition with others on how to deal with those who wish to make their lives and futures on our shores. We really need to make some decisions soon.
On to another topic. The riots in Iran. The glassy eyed left love Islam. They, through blind ignorance, call it the religion of peace. It has never been the religion of peace. Read a history of Islam and you will find out the armies of Islam brutally slaughtered infidels by the hundreds of thousands and have always treated woman like crap yet the ignoramuses on the left, the feminist party, loves them. Like the Swedes if you tell the truth that Islam is a religion of thugs, they will call you a racist and an Islamophobe.
God bless the Democrats! How can anyone with half a brain vote for them?
It's all about hatred of Israel. If not for the fact that it is Islamic countries who are determined to wipe Israel off the map, the Left would be less fond of Islam. But the shared antisemitism of Leftists and Muslims is enough of an excuse to let the religious zealots of Islam have a pass.
I just wish young people could look in the mirror and see a person and not a Party! They make it known they are a liberal or leftist even when they sound purple or slightly red!
Yep, well said. I blame the MSM, who stokes the fires of this divide, and attempts to pit us against each other over any small difference, whether skin color, sexual preference, economic position or political beliefs.
"We're a nation-state. We have borders. The idea that we can just have open borders is something that ... as a practical matter, is unsustainable." - Obama, September 2021
I am not an Obama fan (far from it). However, he was right to stay out of Syria. I won't say a good word for any of the factions in Syria. However, that is exactly the point. Staying out was a wise choice. Obama also describes Libya as "the greatest mistake (thank you Hillary) of my administration". That is also correct.
The stupid part was drawing a "red line", and then ignoring when Russia crossed it. It made Obama look weak and compliant (not for the first time). Biden's people have been smart to not draw a "red line" in Ukraine. Leave Putin guessing.
I agree. Drawing a 'red line' and then backing off, made Obama look weak. When this happened, I made exactly the same points. Staying out of Syria was wise. Not enforcing a 'red line' was an error. Bush (41) said 'a line in the sand has been drawn'. Most people laughed. They weren't laughing after Saddam got his but kicked.
Personally I think the employment of this type of argument, coupled with the Bexar County (Texas) sheriff's " investigation" is a boon to those who recognize the border crisis for what it is. All kinds of individuals and groups have been transporting the border-crossers a over the nation for 20 months now. So everybody can do it but Abbott and DeSantis?
When I heard the "threat" of investigations I thought bring it on! Yes lets investigate every bus and plane of migrants moved around over the last couple years. Fine idea.
Agreed. You don't exactly have to be an inveterate political operative to ascertain that the point of this wasn't to show that the rich white liberals of New England would mistreat these illegal immigrants, but that forcing them to deal with a mere 50 illegal immigrants would provoke a huge mobilization (they called in the National Guard, for God's sake), with the implied contrast of the Biden administration refusing to help border communities dealing with 8,000 a day. It is absolutely a stunt, but it’s one that has successfully highlighted that there's an ongoing crisis that the Biden administration has exacerbated, and that the preening sanctimonious moralizers don't care about illegal immigration or the consequences until it slightly affects them.
I would have used "sarcastically" instead of absurdly - although each can apply here. DeSantis was intentionally baiting the believers in sanctuary cities and calling out their hypocrisy. Brilliant!
They do as long as the cameras are rolling....and then move them out to a miltiaty installation (MV), or a Republican suburb (Burr Ridge in the case of Chicago)
"only jumping on the border crisis story when it was politically expedient, a point I will reluctantly concede."
Nice to hear that the author is willing to "reluctantly concede" the extremely obvious moral high ground. Whether it's Bari Weiss or any of her guest authors, this whole substack still really wishes it could be on Team Evil.
Horseshit. Not absurd at all. This isn’t to punk Dems, but the Dems media buds. The media simply have ignored the border in defense of their servants, the Dem Party.
idk that "wrong" is being assigned here but yes. Everyone knows Dems are morons and liars. Can you imagine taking them seriously? that would be absurd.
Ever seen the movie "Speed"? Today's Dem party is that bus. It's been hijacked by progressives, and forced to go along for the ride, but this isn't our father's Dem party. The party of the working class, blue collar American has become the party of wealthy elitists. I didn't leave the Dem party. They left me.
My Mom and her father were both Democrats to their core. Both have passed but I can guarantee that neither would be Dems today with the craziness they now represent.
I mean...it's an absurd claim because that's not what he's doing. Sending 50 people to Martha's Vineyard isn't a serious attempt to fix the problems at the border, it's trolling political opponents.
It's fine if you agree with the trolling, but be clear-eyed about what he's doing. There's no point in pretending this is something it isn't.
Couldn't disagree more. These Governors should send ALL (Illegal immigrants) to one sanctuary city after another until the Dems pull their heads out of their asses. If they play it right, this strategy will work. If they didn't want them, why did they declare themselves sanctuary cities?... because it was a political stunt to virtue signal on Red States.
There is nothing that anyone outside the federal government can do to fix the border problem. And it is painfully obvious that as long as Democrats control the federal government, nothing will be done to fix the problem.
The entire point of sending these migrants to Democrat-run locations that claim to be sanctuaries is to display the hypocrisy of Democrats, who--quite predictably--screamed bloody murder when forced to deal with the same unexpected, unsanctioned arrival of border-crossers that towns along the border deal with every day.
Our ONLY hope of solving the border crisis is to vote the Democrats out of office. I don't have a huge amount of faith that the Republicans will actually manage to solve it, but at least Trump's approach staunched the flow, whereas Biden has more or less encouraged people to come over the border.
The next problem is optics, and with MSM in the pocket of the left, they are putting up a good fight to dispel their hypocrisy…and the vote will still be along party lines.
The best hope will be in the courts. Unfortunately, the best argument will be ‘but Biden shipped them out first’.
Not “more or less”. Biden has undone everything Trump was trying to do! In a video (I believe was shown during one of his rare outings from the basement) Biden stated that a country of 340 million citizens could certainly take in a couple million more. And, of course, his small audience clapped & agreed!
So if this was his plan, then WHY say our border is closed & secure??!!!
Daniel these governors have been begging for help for almost 2 years. Many of the commenters on here have been asking for anyone besides Fox to go down there and look around. It took this for anyone to notice. Also Greg Abbott has repeatedly invited Mayor Adams and Bowser to the border for a tour so they can have some more informed talking points for the press conferences but they prefer NOT to bring their cameras to the border. Why is that?
Virtue signaling aside, no issues with the great states of Florida and Texas spending their taxpayers hard earned money shipping migrants to sanctuary cities.
Just don't spend mine because I'd prefer to fund the campaign of the presidential candidate I choose the old fashioned way.
As a Florida resident, I have no problem whatsoever with my tax dollars being used to relocate those here illegally to the places that pretend to welcome them. I have no issue with the way my Governor rubs the lefts stupidity back in their faces. If more state leaders would grow a set, we might stand a chance of again seeing an America that we recognize. Forget Trump, DeSantis 2024
The money being spent to transport illegals was already set aside for Florida to use (voted on by both Reps & Dems) out of the $12 billion Fl. received in COVID relief funds. Since Fl. did such a fabulous job caring for its citizens during COVID (hence why so many Dems vacationed there) the money is available for the expense of moving illegals to Democrat run SANCTUARY STATES & CITIES - who profess to welcome them!
Ironically, the Dems. voted for Biden & his border policies (or lack of), yet now they are screaming that they had no warning!
Well guess what … border towns have NO warning of the hundreds who cross under cover of darkness! States that Biden flew plane loads into, under cover of
darkness, had warning of either! Yet, NO outrage until Red Border States said ENOUGH!
I live on the border, cross into Mexico daily taking a good paying job away from a Mexican National. Only warning we get is when the crowds under the International Bridge start getting bigger.
but it ain't state tax dollars paying for it....it's left over "funds" from the elebenty bajillion COVID dollars that were sent to the states. So DeSantis is using the money that Biden so generously "gave" to Florida to send the poor migrants to the wholesome liberal elitists in MV.
It’s not trolling. It is drawing attention to the border crisis (a real and serious thing), which the MSM refuses to cover honestly. There is nothing good about this for the migrants nor our country. We need to control our border and have serious reforms to our immigration laws. I’m not saying keep everyone out, but have some kind of organized way to have people come here and work and bring them here safely. Right now the cartels and coyotes are making a fortune and many people are dying, or being raped and robbed as they make their way to the border. If it takes sending a few people to MV to draw attention to what us actually happening, it us well worth it. Oh yeah, the MSM didn’t mention any of that...just how bad DeSantis is.🙄
I can't help thinking that if the Republicans did a 180 and decided to *welcome* all migrants who were screened as likely to be productive citizens (the traffickers, drug runners, and Islamic terrorists should be screened out), and seek a fast path to citizenship for the productive ones, I think the Democrats would be falling over themselves to close the border.
The reality is that Hispanic voters are turning increasingly against the Democrats. Their cultural values align more with the Republicans. If Republicans were doing everything possible to HELP migrants become citizens, they would be a voting bloc to reckon with.
Touche. Very true. Dems are losing Hispanics big time, but, in smaller numbers also black and Asian voters. Dems need to figure out their positions and reckon with the fringe left before it's too late.
We've reached a point where "illegal" vs "legal" is meaningless. The people flowing over the border do not have the time or money to use the "legal" method. We need a screening method--like that used at Ellis Island--to distinguish the future good Americans from criminals, gang members, drug-runners, and Islamic terrorists.
Trolling, yes. But also testing whether what they say is what they mean, and demonstrating that this is far from the case.
And I have trouble seeing the cruelty - a mere 50 in MV should surely be better cared for than tens of thousands at the border in Texas. More immigrants will eventually move further north on their own steam in any case, and this little push will hopefully get these states preparing for the influx.
No one seemed to be up-in-arms and wringing their hands when human traffickers left 52 (I believe) migrants to die in a truck in Bexar County. But 50 migrants taken to one of the nicest places in the US who literally said they wanted all people to be welcome there? No one seems to care that children are being trafficked for sex and servitude. Or that Fentanyl is pouring over the border and killing thousands of citizens. We have serious problems at the border that the media has ignored. And while I'm not a huge fan of Trump, his border policies were so far superior to what we have now.
The problem is that few have any steam. The federal government has been transporting them to 5 cities recently - Alexandria, Louisiana and 4 in Texas of which San Antonio is one. After 20 months of this Texas is picked dry and it is my understanding they are literally on the streets in San Antonio. The MV whining about "no resources" was galling. This is all on Joe Biden. All of it - the migrant deaths, the overwhelmed CBP, the financial drain on Texas (I suspect that is the goal), the trafficking of humans and drugs, and the fentanyl deaths.
El Paso is a town of about 700k. Now imagine similar numbers of "displaced travelers" in a town about 5% that size. Think about the impact to infrastructure, etc.
A few weeks back the local IHOP ran out of pancakes due to large volume provided to CBP to feed detainees. An IHOP without pancakes.
The reactions do a better job than any other tactic of exposing that the people with “All Are Welcome” yard signs are really imposing onto others the consequences of their pious virtue signaling.
Well you are in the right place for trolling, sadly, but in this case trolling is in the eye of the reader. I think DeSantis, and Abbott are 1) bringing media attention to a crisis of the first order and 2) demonstrating beautifully the hypocrisy of both the media and "In this neighborhood . . ." crowd.
I actually thought the more amusing stunt was Abbott sending three busloads (now) to Kamala's residence (Naval Observatory) after her comment on the Sunday shows that the border is secure.
Didn't get nearly as much coverage as MV, maybe as the MSM sees DeSantis as more of a threat in 2024 than Abbott.
I think you are right about DeSantis being a threat. But I also doubt that sending them to the VPs resident even registered on their radar - they have people to take care of that. Or I guess we have people to take care of that.
It's not trolling. It was a masterful way of highlighting a border crisis that the media goes out of its way to ignore.
The reaction of this progressive enclave and their media handmaidens has proven that requests for resources and assistance at the border by Republican governors are rational responses from leaders charged with maintaining order within their jurisdictions.
It looks to me as an attempt to make the problem visible. None of the MSM have been reporting on the border crisis except Fox. Yet, when Republicans were in charge Dems could go down there and shed crocodile tears at the fences.
I'm fine with what DeSantis did. But OK, the point has been made. Time to move on to the next steps -- propose legislation that will actually address the problem, and then force the Democrats to either respond to it, or admit that they're not interested in addressing the issue.
Any journalist that is or at least hopes to be in any way associated with mainstream media absolutely HAS to make a profession of leftist faith before making a common sense remark. So in order to state how absurd is the hysterical reaction in Martha’s Vineyard to 50 illegals, this week’s host HAD to say something really nasty about DeSantis, to “balance” things. It might not buy her anything at all, but it’s a Pavlovian reaction. Any current or wanabee journalist understand “balance” not as stating facts, but throwing some mud in both directions. Last week’s host did exactly the same. These young journalists are so brainwashed they don’t really understand the real meaning of “center” or “common sense” anymore.
This was the most boring column that i ever read here and I hope that it isn't a sign that this is going to be what it has turned into - first last week's and now this . - I am interested in the goings on in Iran and hope for the best for the ladies but this isn't what I want on a Friday round-up - it is more of a complete news article. I look for the absurdities of the week's news so I can start the day laughing - there was nothing laughable today except for the MV transport which proves that deSantis has a sense of ironic humor - enough so to almost get my vote. -
He “absurdly claimed” that he was sending the migrants to blue states that would welcome them. He was being ironic, probably sarcastic.
The claim is absurd because he was obviously pranking the press and tweaking the nose of liberals by sending a statistically irrelevant number of illegal migrants to Martha’s Vineyard, which will not accept them. Meanwhile, TX is sending them to the vice president’s house. All of this is a great way to point out the hypocrisy of elite liberals arguing for a destructive policy that barely affects them.
Like NotARobot, I’m a little disappointed in the hair-trigger of Common Sense’s readers, as they humorlessly misinterpret one line in an excellent article. Personally, I thought the whole article was great, and I laughed a number of times reading it. To me, Kat is funny, and she did a great job on this.
I might have read her “absurd” phrasing as generously as you have if she hadn’t followed it up by “reluctantly” conceding that Desantis had a point. If she was shooting for ironic humor I’d say she missed her mark. Kinda shot herself in the foot judging by the reaction.
They’re humans, not pawns on a chessboard. Giving them a bus ticket to a city where they have family is one thing… obviously they don’t have family in Martha’s Vinyard. DeSantis just tanked any chance of a presidential bid that he had. Tulsi Gabbard in 2024!
So it's better in our local community when the shelters are overwhelmed to just turn them loose on the street? Cuz that's what is happening now.
I live in a town of about 35k, we get that many and more every month of "temporarily displaced travelers" Takes resources away from local needs (the majority of the population here already lives below the poverty line).
In addition, there is a whole lot more dogs barking in the middle of the night than there used to be...sooner or later some resident is going to shoot a migrant in their backyard in the middle of the night....and that person will be castigated in the MSM for being a racist gun lover - instead of being someone trying to protect their home and family.
According to progressive thinking, they shouldn’t need to have family on Martha’s Vineyard. The whole progressive idea is that the community should band together to provide for the migrants’ welfare.
Community responsibility is key to the progressive concept of the rights of all to housing, healthcare, education, etc, etc.
Sending migrants to Martha’s Vineyard was simply putting progressive ideas into action, albeit in a high-profile way.
“… DeSantis rathersbsurdlyclaimed …” DEAD giveaway which way Kat leans! Bet Kat has never come to the Texas border, but probably has friends who are Progressive Liberals. Please!!!
I have a hunch it was written with the intention to spur comments, conversation. Although I know better than to attempt mind reading. If so it was successful.
Most of us can see through to his actual motivation. He is not trying to help those people. It's obvious grandstanding to make a political point about progressive hypocrisy. However, terrible motivation does not make him incorrect. The Martha's are NIMBY about much more than just immigrants.
How else are we to get the attention needed to address the thousands of illegals flooding into our border states, that have overwhelmed us?
Funny how “grandstanding” only applies to DeSantis & Abbot, but Biden, Harris, KJP and the MSM get a total pass for their “grandstanding & motivation” I. Denying we have a border crisis!
It’s absurd because it’s not working towards a legitimate solution. It’s like homelessness where people in one neighborhood complain and then the police sweep the homeless to another neighborhood, which then complains and the cycle continues with no solution. Any solution needs more than politicians shilling for votes. We need a three pronged approach: 1. faster asylum hearings 2. Stronger enforcement. 3. Penalties against employers who hire people not authorized to work here. Maybe something for those brought here as children. The problem is Ds will never go for 1 and 2 and Rs will never go for 3.
It was part of the amnesty signed years ago by Reagan and Republicans removed it. All I hear people like De Santis saying is "Democrats are doing nothing about immigration" but I don't hear any solutions or what they would do about it. At least Trump said he'd build a wall which was absurdly impossible but was better than just endlessly whining about Democrats.
Pemulis, I must admit, I have to agree. Seriously.
I have a measurement tool - it's called the McConnell Hypocrisy Meter.
If I measure this brilliant move pulled by DeSantis to expose the sanctuary nonsense of all those wealthy latte libs (who probably have never set foot in Texas to see the carnage of the letting loose of all those asylum seekers there), and compare it to McConnell's Garland reasoning vs his Barrett about face - I would call it a tie!
9 on 10 for each. Dems (as well as the MSM) having to come face to face with what they don't want to see on the Rio Grande. And the GOP, who in their quest for power, would do just about anything.
Let's hear it for hypocrisy, a non idealogical ingredient spiking the Kool aid being drunk by both parties.
I got about a few paragraphs in. I don’t care what your OPINION is about Desantis sending migrants to wherever. If you want to write about the events, feel free. I don’t care how you feel about them. Where I live there are far, far more illegal immigrants. It’s not like they are being cared for or someone has a plan. It’s not republicans making this happen, so it’s a little silly to talk about desantis taking advantage of desperate people. No one made them come here illegally. Martha’s Vineyard is a nice place full of wealthy people who all support illegal immigration. I’d say the folks who ended up there were very lucky.
Right, and then no mention of how whoever is helping them file a patently frivolous lawsuit are clearly taking advantage of them to try to land a political counter-punch. Remember, illegal immigrants are entitled to whatever they want, except when that actually affects rich liberals.
And the sheriff of the Texas county where those poor people were found dead in a trailer a couple of months ago is now opening an investigation into DeSantis! Nice deflection for him. 
The (fairly) local scuttlebutt is that he was angry at lack of screen time over the Uvalde tragedy and is looking to make up for it. Generally speaking law enforcement does not telegraph its intention to investigate because that risks witnesses being prepared and evidence disappearing, so I think there may be truth to the scuttlebutt. If so he is the one using the border-crossers as a political stunt.
As we know very well, the cartels bribe Mexican law enforcement and government officials all of the time. I wonder if any reporters have looked into the same phenomenon happening here in the United States? Are the drug cartels bribing US law-enforcement and officials to allow the borders to remain open, so they can get their drugs through and continue to get coyote fees?
I am sure there is the occasional bribe. But they really don't have too. We have telegraphed our procedures so openly that a it takes is the well-placed distraction at one spot to open another spot. Call me cynical but I have no doubt that lots of "getaways"(those who have no desire to comply with our immigration laws or probably others), trafficked persons and drugs came through elsewhere while Border Patrol and other law enforcement were pulling people from the swollen Rio Grande a couple of weeks ago.
I believe I could make a fairly cogent argument that the Uvalde tragedy is tangentially related to the border issue. My wife is a teacher in the 9th grade school here (about 75 miles west of Uvalde). There are weekly alerts in the schools as to CBP activity in chasing migrants. It's to the point where it has become the norm, rather than the exception. I can see where possibly when the alert came from the school in Uvalde about the activity with the shooter, it was initially met with the attitude of just another day chasing migrants.
Well considering they were fed, sheltered, helped and are now undertaking legal proceedings, as the brochures they were handed, at least according some could be fraudulent inducement - seems the rich liberals weren't affected in the least.
Anyway, this is nothing new. S. States did the same thing to black people during the Civil Rights movement (i.e."Reverse Freedom Rides)
No surprise you'd miss the rank hypocrisy and treacly sanctimony of your deranged leftist buddies. And fall for a patent ploy hatched by your leftist overseers, including the Hungarian sonderkommando. DeSantis owned you dolts.
What was your point, Bruce? That people clothing, feeding, sheltering and helping to coordinate lawsuits is "hypocritical?"
I'm sure DeSantis expected MV residents to chase them out with bats and crowbars...but the exact opposite happened. And now, DeSantis might have to explain all the lies in the Spanish-language brochures that were provided to get people on planes, buses, etc.
We'll have to see what happens, I guess.
That's not a definition of hypocrisy. It's just another dumb statement. You never disappoint.
Yes. The residents of MV didn't let the migrants move in to their homes and didn't get married to the single ones and didn't set up college funds for the kids.
Does it bother you that thousands of people of color are being shot by other people of color in Chicago and no word whatsoever from BLM? Thats a lot of black lives not being repped by the organization that is happy to accept money for that very cause.
Yes Comprof. They were so kind to the illegal immigrants that they housed and fed them for less than 48 hours, then shipped them off to a military base. What humanitarians! You're one of them.
Why not? That seems to be DeSantis, Abbott's strategy. Pick a place with better infrastructure, larger population and more diverse population so that you can play on people's racial fears/animosity more easily.
Unfortunately, for you, they were not chased out with bats and crowbars, nor were they separated from their children, etc.
I only exercise my intellectual capacity when presented a serious enough challenge/argument.
Quite a bit. Black people were bused/sent to other places, under false pretenes, for politically motivated/showmanship purposes as well. Called the "Reverse Freedom" rides.
America is gonna America. THAT'S what it has to do with this.
The "prof" gets his history from the 1619 Project. More histrionics than history. But he does entertain, in a certain way. He hates America but continues to enjoy our bounties. And liberty. Go figure.
Maybe you should put your energy toward reading the 1619 Project, or anything, period - instead of hurling buffoonish invective that causes your ignorance to be exposed.
You don't even know the history, culture, norms, ideology, pros, cons, etc. of the country you live in. You're like a child, reacting only to emotional or physical stimuli.
If you don't think DeSantis's ploy to make liberals, progressives and Democrats, generally, look comically sanctimonious and hypocritical then you probably shouldn't take down your lawn sign, either.
Imagine if the people of the vineyard took those migrants into their homes and helped them get on the path to citizenship. They could have shown the world what liberalism is all about.
Instead they showed the world what liberalism is all about.
They could have changed those 50 people's lives and followed along for decades for an eventual documentary about how one family can make a difference. But....naw...
I would love for a real journalist to dig in and see how much of this funding ever goes to people in the LEGAL immigration system, whose cases may need a nudge to get them to the finish line. I would love for a real journalist to dig into this organization and scrutinize their background and agenda, since they’re receiving taxpayer money. But it never happens.
It's maddening because I'm willing to bet that most of the "asylum" cases taxpayers are so generously paying for them to fight don't even meet the actual standard for asylum. They're basically economic migrants trying to plead a case for asylum on the taxpayer’s dime.
And I don't hold it against any "economic migrant" for wanting to come to this country. Why wouldn't they want to come? When I use the (legal) term "illegal alien" above, it’s because I went through the LEGAL immigration system, and for the years I was in that system, I had to produce documentation to prove that I was a "legal alien". I was in that system for years until I eventually became a naturalized citizen. I know many people in the LEGAL system who have waited patiently for their cases to progress, and paid multiple fees, none of which were funded by shady NGO’s with a political agenda. In the LEGAL system, you have to produce immunization records, prove you can support yourself, get photographed, finger-printed etc., none of which applies to what’s happening on the southern border (during a pandemic, no less!). While many, many hard-working Americans were fired from their jobs for refusing the Covid jabs, no such condition was ever imposed on people entering illegally at the southern border. Think about that for a minute. The media chooses to ignore it.
What irritates me is the double standard, the way the media lies about immigration to drum up public sympathy, the way the media fails to differentiate between legal immigrants and illegal immigrants, and the inappropriate use of taxpayer funds to underwrite a corrupted system.
Can we cut the bullshit and stop pretending that the majority of people pouring over the southern border actually qualify for asylum? Can we cut the bullshit and stop saying that the immigration system needs reform? Why does it need reform? To allow for more economic migrants to enter with no consequence and use taxpayer funded programs? Just enforce the damn laws on the books, the ones that legal immigrants like myself are subject to. The LEGAL system (that specifically bars people from applying for public assistance for a number of years), is completely ignored and overlooked by the media. They only focus on crying racism and virtue signaling to support this shadow operation - which is completely out-of-control at this point.
Where’s the real journalism exposing the cost of all this to the American taxpayer? Again, I have obviously no issue with immigrants coming in legally, because I am one. I don’t care where you’re from, or what race you are, but it has to be controlled and limited in number in order to be sustainable. I have lived around other immigrants for most of my life and I know first-hand how diligently people work to make a better life in this country. However, it isn’t reasonable for American taxpayers to have to foot the bill for infinite numbers of people pouring over the border with no end in sight. When people came en masse through Ellis Island, there was no public assistance. It was sink or swim for them, and they worked their tails off to make it work.
What’s happening now is insane. There’s no defense for it. I applaud DeSantis for doing what he did: calling out the hypocrisy, and getting illegal immigration in the news. It’s about damn time!
I agree with you regarding Rosenfield but disagree regarding Martha’s Vineyard being a nice place. Whether a place is nice depends mainly on the character of the people who live there.
For the rest of us, Martha's Vineyard is an overpriced tourist trap with too many Lyme's disease ticks. I say, send ALL of the two million illegals there. Massachusetts certainly is pro-illegal. They love their breakfast tacos.
That’s not what I wrote. Like most people, when the bias of the author is so obvious, I understand that there information is being run through the authors personal political filter. There is literally no shortage of her opinion anywhere else, so why should I waste my morning listening to someone so biased? I can turn CNN on at the gym and get the same take, if I could stomach CNN. The whole point of this substack, or so I thought when Bari started it, was to be something different. Like possibly getting through a weekly roundup without having to hear the opinion of the writer about the roundup. I know her opinion. I’ve already heard those talking points 100 times and they will continue to be pushed till the election I presume. Why waste my time? I’m already wasting my money.
You sound upset. Why do you let liberals get to you so much? It sounds like you're ready to go to war over some very light editorializing in a weekly infotainment column. One can believe there is a border crisis while also believing that DeSantis's tactics are ultimately ineffective and juvenile, and do nothing to address the root of the problem.
War? Nah. Just clarifying because you didn’t seem to understand what I was writing. Now I get that you did understand but you just don’t like it. Cheers. Honestly, didn’t even know you were liberal. I have no idea who you are and frankly, don’t really care. I was a liberal for roughly 36 of the 43 years on this planet. We just disagree. Is it juvenile to send illegals to my neighborhood? It’s not like they have a bunch of housing and jobs waiting for them here. But you don’t care about that because it’s not happening to wealthy liberals. It’s not juvenile to point out that the people most passionate about protecting people who come here illegally are also the people who get the most upset when they have to live with the results of their beliefs. I’m just happy that they had to join the rest of us for two days. That’s just my perspective.
The root of the problem is that democrats want people to come here illegally. Democrats have done everything in their power to entice them and protect them when they do come here illegally. They will find any loophole to get them in and do nothing to make them leave when they aren’t allowed to be here anymore. That’s the problem. No matter what system we have people will try to come outside the rules of it. No matter how many people we grant citizenship to, it will only entice more to come. I’m fine with greatly increasing immigration. But there will still be people who come here illegally, outside ports of entry and you folks will still protect them. That’s the root of the problem.
He wasn’t trying to address the root of the problem. He was trying to highlight the root of the problem, which is that most humans spout off before recognizing what they are and are not willing to when it comes to actually helping strangers. There’s simply too little self-awareness among politically minded types.
Great news summary. I completely disagree with your portrayal of DeSantis -- While I don't like using people as pawns, either, I would have preferred a different focus to the article. I hardly think he's "absurd." Such as the fact that the media has been mostly silent about the 2 million illegal immigrants crossing our southern border this year alone until 50 showed up in a sanctuary city beloved by the super-privileged. To me that is both very sad and extremely hilarious. And another hilarious fact -- right before all this (and Abbott's latest gift to DC) is that Kamala Harris said there is no crisis at the border. What a complete joke. Those of us who live in border states see the problems of unmitigated, uncontrolled, and illegal immigration.
(Not to mention that the Democrat city of El Paso has been shipping out migrants for months to absolute crickets in the press, or that the Biden Administration has been flying and resettling illegal immigrants all over the country for nearly two years-- quietly, in the dead of night.) We have an extremely serious problem at the border that has gotten worse since Biden. I love that DeSantis is shining a light on it.
I initially thought it was a shop teacher trying to make a point about the absurd Woke school boards and the insanity they are accepting as right and good for our children to be exposed to. I pray that this is actually his point.
If not, if this is really acceptable, we are doomed to a planet where our kids won't understand that cartoons are entertainment and there is no limit to what perversions of reality can be displayed anytime and anywhere.
The first video I saw was the profile of him at the saw and I thought it was a pregnant man storyline because the breasts were down at his belt line. First of all of this guy was a good teacher he wouldn't be doing something so obviously distracting in such a dangerous setting.
I'm not sure I care for DeSantis, but the Democrats would do absolutely nothing about the border crisis because only "ignorant red-staters" feel the pain. The border states are overrun literally by millions and Martha's Vineyard cries foul over 50? Making the limousine-Leftists in the "Sanctuary Cities" of the northern blue states to feel just a tiny fraction of the pain border states deal with every day is pure genius.
You don't need to like DeSantis. He works for the people of Florida, and so far, has won over millions who voted for the Democrat last time, to judge by opinion polls which put him well beyond 49%.
It's true that as a resident of Virginia, the people of Florida certainly don't need my approval. However, as an independent, I do not vote like a sheep with Stockholm Syndrome the way most Republicans and Democrats do. I have never voted for a Democrat for president and I've not voted Republican for president since 2000. If the Republicans want my vote in 2024, they will have to earn it.
Given the choice in 2024 between a Democrat lunatic (Biden, Harris, Newsome) and an America-first Republican (Trump, DeSantis, Cruz), which would you choose?
I would add that if Republicans had the testicular fortitude to nominate a man or woman of honor in 2020, we wouldn't be on this sinking ship with Biden at the helm. They own this 100% and they have no one to blame but themselves.
It certainly is wasting a vote. It’s as silly as not voting. Oh you May hold yourself up as virtuous and principled but you’re just spitting into the wind.
More Stockholm Syndrome. Someday you will come to realize that the only difference between Democrats and Republicans is their rhetoric. The acquisition and maintenance of power is all they care about and they will say whatever it takes to keep you pulling that lever.
I’m finding a sharp tone change in these comments. Anger. Less respect in disagreement and to the author. This is a good place where good people come to debate and disagree. Let’s keep it that way.
I wanted to log in and write in response to your comment. Since Suzy liked your comment, I'm going to assume that she is reading this. And I wanted to share my thoughts, if that's ok:)
First, I am also finding a sharpness/tone change. What I want her to know, to want everyone to know, is that I think this is largely an expression of deep cultural pain. There is a psychological concept called "mirroring." We need to see ourselves reflected in our culture. We I am 46, Asian, and when I grew up, there was hardly an Asian lead to be found in Hollywood.
In the same way, the culture has shifted. ALMOST ALL of the cultural expositors now follow the Grand Narrative of the Left. Did you know the top 17 - yes 17 (or something close to that) - top rated cable shows are on Fox? And very few "prestige" corporations advertise on their shows. Why? Because it's not accepted. Being moderate or - God help you conservative - is to be an massive cultural underdog these days.
People like me - thoughtful, empathetic, kind people who are trying to hold onto ourselves - need to see ourselves "mirrored" in today's culture.
When someone doesn't appear to confirm our worldview, when they don't mirror our stand against the Narrative, it hurts. And we react.
Maybe this explains it a bit.
It's a tough thing to navigate even in the best of times.
very much so. I work as a mental health clinician and I saw the signs instantly. I'm like this is textbook abuse. If there were an abuse manual (God forbid), many of the tactics employed by the Establishment (media, colleges, institutions etc), this would be on page 2.
I, too., have felt very alone in in the last 3 years. VERY alone. The way I have responded to it is this way -
1) Focus on my blessings.
2) Realize the people in my life are here because of ME. NOT my politics. Anyone who is or isn't in your life because of politics (or is willing to risk a relationship because of it) isn't worth having in your life. Period.
3) Eat the red meat, once in a while. Listen, we ALL NEED a tribe. Every once in a while, i permit myself to go RAH RAH EFF THE BLUE TEAM I'M RED ALL THE WAY. F U people.
And then I put it away and go back to my thoughtful self.
4) Animals (dogs and cats for me). Best things on earth. :))
5) Validate yourself. You are bright and thoughtful. It's why you're here in the comments section. Hold onto places like this.
7) Spirituality helps me. God alone judges our lives. No one else.
Love wins. Love ALWAYS wins. it's the only thing that can. Godspeed to you too, take care:)
Just to tack on here. If people went back to G-d and faith and the community surrounding faith, most of this crap would go away. The woke are a religion in search of a god. It’s sad.
A thoughtful comment, #427. Thanks. All I can say is that the cultural touchstones you're looking for are indeed out there, if you know where to look. Check out Yellowstone, if you haven't already. And root for the entire family. Or Succession (and root for the dad..)
Beautiful indeed. Have you Read Buber’s I/Thou? It takes energy, presence, and compassion to engage in ways to finds solutions & helps us see each other as “humans” and not just others. Thank you for this
I think less respect for the author might have something to do with the fact that the substitutes for Nellie have displayed less and less common sense (the whole point, supposedly, of this substack) and more and more Leftist arrogance. That, in turn, changes the whole tone.
I think the comments would be less angry if common sense worked harder to recruit a variety of voices. All the subs have had the same voice so far. They all “reluctantly agree” or “yeah but trump”. It’s boring.
If they mixed it up occasionally and had a conservative write this, or a liberitarian, or even someone from outside New York City, that would be nice. I think the anger is coming from a place of frustration.
I think some of the frustration comes from our administration vilifying people and the MSM ignoring or lying about what everyone can see with their own eyes.
Thanks, Sister Mary Elephant. Whatever would we poor unwashed illiterates do when we wash up on this shore without a public scold to instruct us as to proper tone? Could posture correction be far behind?
You’ve not been reading here much if you give lectures to others such as your above comment.
A worthy comment, Jen. This may be a good place, and there are indeed good people here (and intelligent ones too), but the tone you're referring to has always been present in varying degrees, depending on the disparity of opinion.
Good people can get very angry with each other, voices are raised and nasty words expressed. Perhaps what we see here is a revealing microcosm of the country as a whole. Ideas are entrenched and the search for a common bond is abandoned.
Though not always - which is why I stay around. And why you should too.
You did good until you linked us to the Bovy article commenting on the Canadian teacher using his students as props in his sexual fantasies. From the op-ed:
It feels like the progressive thing to do is to support this teacher’s right to self-present in the classroom as she does, or at least to honour her side in the matter. But there’s something about treating her decision to wear enormous fake breasts to class as a reasonable form of self-expression that makes a mockery of countless young girls who’ve been told at school that their bodies – developing bodies they themselves are still getting used to – are a distraction.
The fact that even the most disgusting, most blatant attacks on womanhood and the female body can’t be unequivocally denounced and condemned by the Left without some sort of caveat and a whole lot of “but but THE RIGHT WING!!!!” is proof positive that there is no bridging this divide.
Nothing against pornography per se. But it is quite horrifying that it is now illegal for Canadians to use scientifically appropriate pronouns to refer to other human beings.
The first amendment and its protecting against state sponsored religion might be the United States last hope against the scourge of stupidity that is ravaging the world.
I genuinely want to understand the liberal argument that migrants should not be sent to sanctuary cities and states. If a state or city has designated themselves a sanctuary city, why shouldn't they bear some of the burden of caring for these migrants? Why it is cruel to send them? It seems like complete hypocrisy to me, but maybe I'm missing something?
That's definitely what it seems like to me, but I'd like to at least understand if there is some other logical argument here. I can't think of any valid argument, but I'm open to one. So far, it's been crickets.
I've probably invited Nellie to allow an independent journalist that has been at the border to write something for CS in 50% of her TGIFs. How about Jorge Ventura? He's been there awhile.
You are missing that it is ok to encourage the huddled masses to come to our shores (Rio Grande river) from an ivory tower, but as soon as those aforementioned masses impact the view from the tower, the person that ruined that view (however temporarily) is obviously a racist, misogynistic bastard just playing games with peoples lives.
While being able to ignore the actions that encouraged them to come to our shores initially.
I think I question the intent. Sanctuary cities, IMHO, should welcome them. But 50 humans were misled (from what I understood) & used as a political ploy. It’s gross in general, like all such things are, I think. But I generally agree - if cities are sanctuary cities, they should indeed have resources to help.
You're being told they were misled because the Democrats are taking any angle and any straw they can to portray this as morally bad, in the strongest terms possible. They always go straight to hyperbole like that, and it's why we live in a divided and hateful nation now.
100% because of out-of-control, hate based moral hypocrisy of the left, and they've been like this my entire life.
The script they have already written is "the next Republican candidate is even worse than Trump" and so they're doing their best to make it stick to Ron. Scorched Earth Revolution and willful hatred are the entire platform of the Democratic Party right now. It's why they're paying their donation money to MAGA candidates. They want the division.
Abbott sent three busloads to Kamala's residence in the same time period as DeSantis sending 50 to MV.
I have seen quite a bit more play over the MV incident than the Naval Observatory delivery...I am guessing because the MSM sees DeSantis as more of a threat in 2024 than Abbott.
What is imminently clear is that the people of Martha’s Vineyard (and probably in every other like city) never met as citizens to unpack the impact of their claim to offer sanctuary. Shouldn’t we create a sanctuary fund? Shouldn’t we create a telephone list of people assigned to certain tasks in the event of a sudden surge of migrants? Shouldn’t we collect and warehouse supplies for such an event? It’s after the season, but clearly homeowners do not want to open their vacant up-scale homes to the 50 Venezuelans seeking sanctuary, so, sorry: no room at the inn, despite our imbecilic signage. Another thing that has been clearly revealed is that America’s middle and under classes, unlike their much wealthier betters, actually practice their beliefs every day and not just on Sunday.
There were vacancies at the most popular local hotel. And the municipalities (5) all are running budget surpluses to the point they could have given each of the Venezuelans a room at the hotel for a year without negatively impacting their local budgets.
Wouldn't have had to raise local property taxes above the current .3% (average)
Yes, I'm sure the intent was at least partially political. Although, I do think many border towns are absolutely struggling with the sheer number of migrants. That burden should be shared. I guess in the case of busing or flying them to northern cities, it doesn't seem at all cruel to me. They are living in shelters near the border and being sent to other shelters in different cities. Their living conditions don't change. They aren't from those border towns, so it's not like they are being forcefully separated from their families. They just walked here from Venezuela (or someplace similar) and endured grueling conditions along the way (as well as terrible conditions in their home country), so I'm not convinced that moving them is even remotely cruel. Biden (and probably Trump too) has been moving migrants all along, so I'm still not seeing the problem.
The details of the trip were explained to the migrants (presumably in Spanish), and they all signed consent forms. No doubt they knew why they were being flown to MV.
It's not that the substitutes have been bad, but the last weeks have provided an illustration of just how superb Nellie is. I hope all is wonderful in your personal life, Nellie, and look forward to your glorious, and very unique weekly recaps on the weeks events.
Apropos to nothing in the column, here's another unique, and quite hilarious take on satire, from another unique comedian named Kyle Dunnigan who actually makes fun of all spectrums on comedy. This targets Joe Biden, but there's plenty of both sides of the spectrum, you know, back like National Lampoons, SNL (first generation) and others in the 60s/70/80ss.
Anyone with the "In This House We Believe" yard sign are people who for some strange reason feel the need to convince others (and themselves) that they are decent upstanding members of the community - when it all just boils down to nothing more than a pathetic attempt at moral grandstanding.
Martha's Vineyard residents were quick to highlight it - 48 hours quick! They got rid of those pesky "asylum seekers" very quickly didn't they?
My husband and I recently discussed those signs and we questioned that if we didn’t believe those things, did that mean we weren’t welcome in the house?
I would like to know why the Iranian women freedom protests are not a big cause among the Prog political class and on campus, but BDS just the Jews is. Nothing from feminist Sandy Cortez, Boonie Sandas or the fake progressive Muslims.
Just like when protesters all across Iran unsuccessfully begged Barack Obama to assist them in their struggle against the mullahs (I can’t remember the exact year) and the media bowed to his sanctimonious POV that his Iran deal, which only enriched the mullahs, was more important than the freedom and protection of everyday people.
I see nothing wrong with DeSantis making what is described as an absurd claim. When it comes to the border crisis there have been a number of absurd claims from the current party in charge. Karine Jeanne-Pierre absurdly claimed “Nobody is just walking into the country.” Agents at the border were wrongly smeared for doing their jobs by Biden and his administration, and the media. By absurdly claiming they were whipping people -when in REALITY they were on horseback using reigns and doing their damn job. Then they get punished for it! When it’s disproven not a single apology.
Isn’t the VP the appointed border czar? Who is in charge?
I live in an affluent suburb with woke “In this house” signs peppered all over, in front yards of large homes. All are welcome here, except nobody in reality can afford price of admission. There is zero affordable housing or other resources. It’s a protected bubble where it is trendy to display how much one cares about the so called oppressed and to prove you’re on the “good” side.
What isn’t absurd in all of this?
So some migrants were disappointed they did not get on a plane as promised and were left sitting in Texas. They made it in didn’t they?
What’s next? The absurd claim immigrants didn’t get first class with warm cookies and a hot towel?
The VP sits for an interview and tells the reporter, “The border is secure”. Her face says, “I know and I lying”. When is a reporter going to tell her to stop lying? Why isn’t there a clock counting her lies and Biden’s?
Remember the covid clock on every channel in 2020? Lets do that for murders in 2022. CNN clung to that clock until they finally got roasted. Heres their chance to bring one back.
Funny you would mention first class...When I was flying a lot last summer I saw some on every flight with the folder sized lanyards. They usually board the plane before first class.
I agree. It is my understanding that the San Antonio processing center is completely overwhelmed and the border-crossers are on the streets. The temperature was easily in the 110-120 degree range.
It’s chaos and people suffering and dying -due to Biden administration’s incompetence and willful negligence. But ya let’s point to the Fl guy who does something they cannot ignore or pretend isn’t happening. They can’t now and they know it.
I didn't know that about San Antonio but I know people in El Paso and they describe a scene more similar to a movie about refugee camps than a US city.
It is tragic. Even the Democrsts from south and west Texas are outraged. And ignored by the Biden Administration. And both houses of Congress for that matter.
"DeSantis rather ABSURDLY claimed that he’s just trying to address the border crisis by offering immigrants free transport to the kind of blue-state enclaves that claim to welcome them. He also called out the wealthy residents on the Vineyard for being a bunch of NIMBYs dressed up as open-borders progressives, and the media class for only jumping on the border crisis story when it was politically expedient, a point I will RELUCTANTLY concede. " (emphasis mine)
Are you stupid? You misspelled my name and you are also wrong when you assume I support Trump, though I agree with Bill Barr. He is better than any Democrat.
Bari, please pay attention and respond. We do not want TDS in this newsletter. We are sick of it, and it is a toxic force of brain damage that prevents empathy and understanding.
"Is that sound you hear on a six-week ultrasound the pumping action of a fully formed human heart? No. Does that matter to the millions of pregnant women who feel a profound sense of joy and wonder when they hear it?" - Is an eagle's egg a baby eagle? It is illegal to destroy a fertilized eagle's egg BECAUSE it is an eagle. What is this so hard for science deniers (utopians that want their worldview made into the law of the land) to accept and apply with continuity to their belief systems?
Actually this is not hard to logically resolve. The eagle egg is an eagle egg and not an eagle. If the law is such that killing eagles is only illegal, then destroying eagle eggs should be legal. If however we want to protect eagles from going extinct we should also make it illegal to destroy eagle eggs.
As a species you would be correct, but you would have a hard time making this argument with a fetus that just lost the argument if they are a person or a blob of tissue.
I wasn’t addressing that. However my personal opinions on abortion are nuanced and fairly mainstream according to pretty much all the polls, but I really don’t feel like having an argument about the merits of binary pro vs against abortion and beating a dead horse ( fetal of course! ).
"In a press conference, DeSantis rather absurdly claimed that he’s just trying to address the border crisis by offering immigrants free transport to the kind of blue-state enclaves that claim to welcome them. "
In all seriousness, what is absurd about this, beyond liberal hypocrisy?
In addition to seeming to be the preferred policy of first Obama and now Biden instead of actually establishing a secure border, the *Democrat* mayor of El Paso has been doing the same thing
"The Democrat-run city of El Paso has recently started bussing migrants into New York City, but has so far not seen the sort of attacks from liberal mayors and others that have faced Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.
The border city, which has been at the front line of the massive migrant crisis that has raged since early 2021, has so far bused over 2,500 migrants to New York City since the end of August -- as well as about 150 migrants to Chicago."
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/democrat-run-el-paso-escapes-liberal-mayors-ire-busing-migrants
Kind of like how it was never racist for Bernie Sanders to vehemently oppose illegal immigration and advocate for very stringent legal immigration for almost his entire political career. It only became when Trump started saying it, and it's only racist now if a Republican enacts such policy.
I live in Texas. The US government has been sending illegals, I mean undocumented Democrats, by the hundreds to San Antonio and other cities and towns in Texas, Arizona and New Mexico for over a year. I have never seen or heard a leftist whine and beat their chest that this was human trafficking or inhumane.
This puts a strain of the taxpayers of the border states. The Blue states and cities have been sanctuary states and cites for years. I would think they would welcome these undocumented Dems with open arms.
Are they the bunch of compassionate, humanitarians they claim to be or are they the hypocrites we all know they are?
I live in Texas as well, in one of those border communities being impacted. Not only is the federal gubmint busing to other cities in Texas, but also down to Harlingen, Tx for flights to other parts of the country (dadgum human traffickers)
It gets really bad here when the local accommodations are overflowing, and the CBP releases migrants directly onto the streets here....if they promise to check in later.
I was flying up and down the east coast last summer and saw several migrants on every flight I was on. I'm not against immigration. I'm against the lying and hyporocrisy. Of course the Republican governors had to resort to this. A year and half of begging for help only resulted in being ignored or called racist.
It all happens because the Democrats view these immigrants as a captive voting bloc. I want to see the GOP make a serious effort to win this audience -- the opportunity window is open. Once the immigrants start voting Republican, you can bet the Democrats will be all for controlling the border.
I rest my case.
They have been getting to bussed to the Florida panhandle area for sure for over a year. Crickets.
The last comment!
The Constitution assigned immigration policy, including the transportation and handling of illegals, exclusively to the federal government. The feds can transport and drop off illegals in any state they wish because they have that legal right. State governments cannot touch or transport illegals, because they don't have any legal authority over immigration policy.
Yes, it's maddening for border states to be stuck with the tsunami because the feds won't revamp our broken immigration laws, but that's how it goes, legally. Biden can move illegals wherever he wants; DeSantis and Abbott cannot.
The problem with this argument is two-fold. 1) The governors are not doing anything touching on immigration. Transportation is not a part of a path to citizenship. Nor have the governors granted or denied the illegals citizenship. It is a non-issue. 2) Immigration is at the sole discretion of Congress not the executive (Article I, Section 8, Clause 4). So, Biden, like the governors is simply moving the illegals around. He is not granting or denying them citizenship. This was at the core of Obama’s (correct) comment that he didn’t have the authority to grant the dreamers citizenship (until he changed his mind at least).
It's so weird, us playing nice. But okay with me . . .
I agree, immigration laws and policy are set by Congress. But the executive is charged with enforcing them. That means only the federal government can legally move illegals around.
It's not immigration policy per se that's being violated by gubernatorial stunts in Florida and Texas. Federal law prohibits the unauthorized transport of illegals, and only federal employees are so authorized. Governors who ship illegals around the country for political theater risk violating that law. While the law is aimed at human traffickers, it can apply to governors and other non-federal actors:
"Domestic Transporting -- Subsection 1324(a)(1)(A)(ii) makes it an offense for any person who -- knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that an alien has come to, entered, or remains in the United States in violation of law, transports, or moves or attempts to transport or move such alien within the United States by means of transportation or otherwise, in furtherance of such violation of law." https://www.justice.gov/archives/jm/criminal-resource-manual-1907-title-8-usc-1324a-offenses
I doubt the Justice Department will press charges, due to the political ramifications. But it could, and would win if a judge was observing the law fairly.
Obama did not have the authority to grand citizenship. Neither did Trump and neither does Biden---that is the job of Congress. But neither do governors have the right to defraud people they believe here illegally into flying to the East Coast for "jobs" and "work permits" that do not exist.
Well, once they are in the country are they considered illegals? Don't they have freedom to get on busses and planes just like anyone else? Have they been coerced?
And it is not the Feds who won't revamp the immigration laws, it is the Democrats who refuse to address the problem, follow the law, and continue to use the these people as pawns in their human trafficking and smuggling game.
Kat, the author of this piece, exposes her fucking despicalbe bias here, disgustingly ignoring everything prior to them getting on a bus or plane. But then, what else should I expect from these pieces of debris stuck between the treads of my shoes? When the normalization of illegaliity and horror becomes the norm, you just blame the next conveneint CNN story on the other guy.
"what else should I expect from these pieces of debris stuck between the treads of my shoes?"
Aw, don't be so hard on yourself, Sumtimgwong, you're not debris.
"Once they are in the country, are they considered illegals?"
It depends. Asylum seekers who pass Border Patrol screening are in the United States legally. They get to stay here until their hearings on asylum. Those who bypass border control are here illegally and are, in fact, illegals. Illegals have the right to transport themselves as they wish, even though that exposes them to arrest if caught. But only the federal government can transport illegals for immigration policy needs. States and their governors CANNOT, which is what made DeSantis's and Abbott's transports felonies.
"And it is not the Feds who won't revamp the immigration laws, it is the Democrats who refuse to address the problem"
"The feds" are both Democrats and Republicans, because "the feds" means the federal government, not any particular party. Neither party has made any serious effort to fix our broken immigration system, and until they decide to do it, we will continue to be flooded with attempts to illegally cross our borders.
This is a helpful comment. (But my device will not let me “like” it.) Thank you!
You're very welcome, SallyWally. Have a great weekend.
Started reading this TGIF but it wasn’t for me, actually to be honest thought it was one of the worst so far!
Once you got past the stupid MV DeSantis bashing, it was pretty good.
The Russia denial is still pretty brutal
Uh, no, that was last week. That one was bad, bad, bad.
No Lillia thought this one way worse especially with astronaut suit and the Vaseline 🤣. Just want to ask if any of you saw the murder that took place in Park Slopes this past week when the one man would not thank the other for holding the door open a fight ensured and the victim was stabbed twice. Was wondering where The Panthers were???
I hadn't seen that.
Disagree. Great work by Kat. But I defend your viewpoint because free speech remains one of our greatest gifts.
Good for you Skinny. This is supposed to be a free speech forum.
Thank you Lonesome!
But you had to share your opinion?
Yip when I last looked we were still a democracy and as Bari has always said this is a forum for my or your opinion you didn’t have to read it there was nobody holding a gun to your head.
uh...that's what the comments section is for, no?
Yip, this human was free to read or not read, even more so it could have posted it’s own opinion I would have been equally free to read or not to read, think it’s a newcomer probably get use to all of us humans😀😀
American labor unions have historically and consistently been hardline opponents of immigration (and especially illegal immigration after federal laws were passed in the late 19th-early 20th centuries). Their argument was that these new arrivals would inevitably depress the wages of American workers. It was an economic argument not a racist one per se, though it was based on a rather static view of the potential for growth of the economic pie.
So Bernie Sanders was following in a hallowed labor union tradition of opposition. In effect, it is one view in competition with others on how to deal with those who wish to make their lives and futures on our shores. We really need to make some decisions soon.
Very very soon like November maybe
On to another topic. The riots in Iran. The glassy eyed left love Islam. They, through blind ignorance, call it the religion of peace. It has never been the religion of peace. Read a history of Islam and you will find out the armies of Islam brutally slaughtered infidels by the hundreds of thousands and have always treated woman like crap yet the ignoramuses on the left, the feminist party, loves them. Like the Swedes if you tell the truth that Islam is a religion of thugs, they will call you a racist and an Islamophobe.
God bless the Democrats! How can anyone with half a brain vote for them?
It's all about hatred of Israel. If not for the fact that it is Islamic countries who are determined to wipe Israel off the map, the Left would be less fond of Islam. But the shared antisemitism of Leftists and Muslims is enough of an excuse to let the religious zealots of Islam have a pass.
I just wish young people could look in the mirror and see a person and not a Party! They make it known they are a liberal or leftist even when they sound purple or slightly red!
Yep, well said. I blame the MSM, who stokes the fires of this divide, and attempts to pit us against each other over any small difference, whether skin color, sexual preference, economic position or political beliefs.
"We're a nation-state. We have borders. The idea that we can just have open borders is something that ... as a practical matter, is unsustainable." - Obama, September 2021
So Obama, at one point in time, wasn’t wrong about absolutely everything.
He did say that but he said a lot of things that were expedient. He later recanted and opened the borders.
You don't think he lied, do you?
Oh, I know that he lied. And, he’s worse than ever now.
I am not an Obama fan (far from it). However, he was right to stay out of Syria. I won't say a good word for any of the factions in Syria. However, that is exactly the point. Staying out was a wise choice. Obama also describes Libya as "the greatest mistake (thank you Hillary) of my administration". That is also correct.
The stupid part was drawing a "red line", and then ignoring when Russia crossed it. It made Obama look weak and compliant (not for the first time). Biden's people have been smart to not draw a "red line" in Ukraine. Leave Putin guessing.
I agree. Drawing a 'red line' and then backing off, made Obama look weak. When this happened, I made exactly the same points. Staying out of Syria was wise. Not enforcing a 'red line' was an error. Bush (41) said 'a line in the sand has been drawn'. Most people laughed. They weren't laughing after Saddam got his but kicked.
Personally I think the employment of this type of argument, coupled with the Bexar County (Texas) sheriff's " investigation" is a boon to those who recognize the border crisis for what it is. All kinds of individuals and groups have been transporting the border-crossers a over the nation for 20 months now. So everybody can do it but Abbott and DeSantis?
When I heard the "threat" of investigations I thought bring it on! Yes lets investigate every bus and plane of migrants moved around over the last couple years. Fine idea.
Agreed. You don't exactly have to be an inveterate political operative to ascertain that the point of this wasn't to show that the rich white liberals of New England would mistreat these illegal immigrants, but that forcing them to deal with a mere 50 illegal immigrants would provoke a huge mobilization (they called in the National Guard, for God's sake), with the implied contrast of the Biden administration refusing to help border communities dealing with 8,000 a day. It is absolutely a stunt, but it’s one that has successfully highlighted that there's an ongoing crisis that the Biden administration has exacerbated, and that the preening sanctimonious moralizers don't care about illegal immigration or the consequences until it slightly affects them.
https://euphoricrecall.substack.com/p/the-marthas-vineyard-imbroglio
Remember this exchange about whether it was a "crisis"? There are other clips in different outfits but I'll just put this one from March 2021 here.
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/white-house-press-secretary-slips-calls-border-migrant/story?id=76540202
I think that 50 illegals amounts to about an average of ten to fifteen minutes of apprehensions. Not counting the get aways and ones not seen.
I would have used "sarcastically" instead of absurdly - although each can apply here. DeSantis was intentionally baiting the believers in sanctuary cities and calling out their hypocrisy. Brilliant!
the best part was when he sent an empty plane to Delaware.
Not when you realize he’s using taxpayer money to prank his political rivals like he’s a damn frat boy.
And if the majority of Floridians agree with what he did? Then they approve of the use of their tax money.
exactly. Let the Floridians express their dis/approval at the next election.
I guess if that was the meaning it just went over my head.
He didn’t. It went to NJ. Get it yet?
Sanctuary cities should welcome illegal immigrants.
They do as long as the cameras are rolling....and then move them out to a miltiaty installation (MV), or a Republican suburb (Burr Ridge in the case of Chicago)
"only jumping on the border crisis story when it was politically expedient, a point I will reluctantly concede."
Nice to hear that the author is willing to "reluctantly concede" the extremely obvious moral high ground. Whether it's Bari Weiss or any of her guest authors, this whole substack still really wishes it could be on Team Evil.
It's absurd because he taking the the virtue signaling of the left seriously.
Horseshit. Not absurd at all. This isn’t to punk Dems, but the Dems media buds. The media simply have ignored the border in defense of their servants, the Dem Party.
Exactly!
So is the argument then that DeSantis is in the wrong due to the left just obviously not actually meaning what they say?
idk that "wrong" is being assigned here but yes. Everyone knows Dems are morons and liars. Can you imagine taking them seriously? that would be absurd.
Ever seen the movie "Speed"? Today's Dem party is that bus. It's been hijacked by progressives, and forced to go along for the ride, but this isn't our father's Dem party. The party of the working class, blue collar American has become the party of wealthy elitists. I didn't leave the Dem party. They left me.
My Mom and her father were both Democrats to their core. Both have passed but I can guarantee that neither would be Dems today with the craziness they now represent.
They've been flirting with Marxism as long as I can remember
I mean...it's an absurd claim because that's not what he's doing. Sending 50 people to Martha's Vineyard isn't a serious attempt to fix the problems at the border, it's trolling political opponents.
It's fine if you agree with the trolling, but be clear-eyed about what he's doing. There's no point in pretending this is something it isn't.
Couldn't disagree more. These Governors should send ALL (Illegal immigrants) to one sanctuary city after another until the Dems pull their heads out of their asses. If they play it right, this strategy will work. If they didn't want them, why did they declare themselves sanctuary cities?... because it was a political stunt to virtue signal on Red States.
If there were a concerted effort to move immigrants to sanctuary cities, that would be a serious attempt to fic the problems at the border.
Sending 50 people to Martha's Vineyard is not that.
https://hwfo.substack.com/p/ron-desantis-should-just-go-for-it
There is nothing that anyone outside the federal government can do to fix the border problem. And it is painfully obvious that as long as Democrats control the federal government, nothing will be done to fix the problem.
The entire point of sending these migrants to Democrat-run locations that claim to be sanctuaries is to display the hypocrisy of Democrats, who--quite predictably--screamed bloody murder when forced to deal with the same unexpected, unsanctioned arrival of border-crossers that towns along the border deal with every day.
Our ONLY hope of solving the border crisis is to vote the Democrats out of office. I don't have a huge amount of faith that the Republicans will actually manage to solve it, but at least Trump's approach staunched the flow, whereas Biden has more or less encouraged people to come over the border.
I'm voting for gators to be relocated from Florida and released into the Rio Grande.
Or is that kidnapping or trafficking?
I sure hope that don't offend PETA
The next problem is optics, and with MSM in the pocket of the left, they are putting up a good fight to dispel their hypocrisy…and the vote will still be along party lines.
The best hope will be in the courts. Unfortunately, the best argument will be ‘but Biden shipped them out first’.
Not “more or less”. Biden has undone everything Trump was trying to do! In a video (I believe was shown during one of his rare outings from the basement) Biden stated that a country of 340 million citizens could certainly take in a couple million more. And, of course, his small audience clapped & agreed!
So if this was his plan, then WHY say our border is closed & secure??!!!
Daniel these governors have been begging for help for almost 2 years. Many of the commenters on here have been asking for anyone besides Fox to go down there and look around. It took this for anyone to notice. Also Greg Abbott has repeatedly invited Mayor Adams and Bowser to the border for a tour so they can have some more informed talking points for the press conferences but they prefer NOT to bring their cameras to the border. Why is that?
Virtue signaling aside, no issues with the great states of Florida and Texas spending their taxpayers hard earned money shipping migrants to sanctuary cities.
Just don't spend mine because I'd prefer to fund the campaign of the presidential candidate I choose the old fashioned way.
As a Florida resident, I have no problem whatsoever with my tax dollars being used to relocate those here illegally to the places that pretend to welcome them. I have no issue with the way my Governor rubs the lefts stupidity back in their faces. If more state leaders would grow a set, we might stand a chance of again seeing an America that we recognize. Forget Trump, DeSantis 2024
I bet these governors could start gofundmes for busses and border state residents would volunteer a lot of money
One plane flight seems cheaper than housing and feeding 50 migrants... or am I misunderstanding your point?
This is about getting Democrats to stop ignoring the border crisis... Which is taking a hell of a lot of your tax payer dollars.
The money being spent to transport illegals was already set aside for Florida to use (voted on by both Reps & Dems) out of the $12 billion Fl. received in COVID relief funds. Since Fl. did such a fabulous job caring for its citizens during COVID (hence why so many Dems vacationed there) the money is available for the expense of moving illegals to Democrat run SANCTUARY STATES & CITIES - who profess to welcome them!
Ironically, the Dems. voted for Biden & his border policies (or lack of), yet now they are screaming that they had no warning!
Well guess what … border towns have NO warning of the hundreds who cross under cover of darkness! States that Biden flew plane loads into, under cover of
darkness, had warning of either! Yet, NO outrage until Red Border States said ENOUGH!
Had NO warning
I live on the border, cross into Mexico daily taking a good paying job away from a Mexican National. Only warning we get is when the crowds under the International Bridge start getting bigger.
Linus they ARE protecting their states. They've been pleading for help for almost 2 years. They had to do SOMETHING to get some relief.
but it ain't state tax dollars paying for it....it's left over "funds" from the elebenty bajillion COVID dollars that were sent to the states. So DeSantis is using the money that Biden so generously "gave" to Florida to send the poor migrants to the wholesome liberal elitists in MV.
It’s not trolling. It is drawing attention to the border crisis (a real and serious thing), which the MSM refuses to cover honestly. There is nothing good about this for the migrants nor our country. We need to control our border and have serious reforms to our immigration laws. I’m not saying keep everyone out, but have some kind of organized way to have people come here and work and bring them here safely. Right now the cartels and coyotes are making a fortune and many people are dying, or being raped and robbed as they make their way to the border. If it takes sending a few people to MV to draw attention to what us actually happening, it us well worth it. Oh yeah, the MSM didn’t mention any of that...just how bad DeSantis is.🙄
I can't help thinking that if the Republicans did a 180 and decided to *welcome* all migrants who were screened as likely to be productive citizens (the traffickers, drug runners, and Islamic terrorists should be screened out), and seek a fast path to citizenship for the productive ones, I think the Democrats would be falling over themselves to close the border.
The reality is that Hispanic voters are turning increasingly against the Democrats. Their cultural values align more with the Republicans. If Republicans were doing everything possible to HELP migrants become citizens, they would be a voting bloc to reckon with.
Touche. Very true. Dems are losing Hispanics big time, but, in smaller numbers also black and Asian voters. Dems need to figure out their positions and reckon with the fringe left before it's too late.
GOP should just do what the Democrats have been doing for over 100 years. "here's an apartment, here's a job. Vote for this guy/gal."
GOP WELCOME ALL LEGAL IMMIGRANTS! We just remember the ones that have to wait in line to come through the "lawful" way!
We've reached a point where "illegal" vs "legal" is meaningless. The people flowing over the border do not have the time or money to use the "legal" method. We need a screening method--like that used at Ellis Island--to distinguish the future good Americans from criminals, gang members, drug-runners, and Islamic terrorists.
I think it is trolling....but the more humorous, good kind of trolling.
Exposes those Mayors as hypocrites, and also the MSM talking heads as well.
Trolling, yes. But also testing whether what they say is what they mean, and demonstrating that this is far from the case.
And I have trouble seeing the cruelty - a mere 50 in MV should surely be better cared for than tens of thousands at the border in Texas. More immigrants will eventually move further north on their own steam in any case, and this little push will hopefully get these states preparing for the influx.
No one seemed to be up-in-arms and wringing their hands when human traffickers left 52 (I believe) migrants to die in a truck in Bexar County. But 50 migrants taken to one of the nicest places in the US who literally said they wanted all people to be welcome there? No one seems to care that children are being trafficked for sex and servitude. Or that Fentanyl is pouring over the border and killing thousands of citizens. We have serious problems at the border that the media has ignored. And while I'm not a huge fan of Trump, his border policies were so far superior to what we have now.
The problem is that few have any steam. The federal government has been transporting them to 5 cities recently - Alexandria, Louisiana and 4 in Texas of which San Antonio is one. After 20 months of this Texas is picked dry and it is my understanding they are literally on the streets in San Antonio. The MV whining about "no resources" was galling. This is all on Joe Biden. All of it - the migrant deaths, the overwhelmed CBP, the financial drain on Texas (I suspect that is the goal), the trafficking of humans and drugs, and the fentanyl deaths.
The writer makes a point that I made in previous comments - whole bunch of "In This House We Believe..." signs got took down in a hurry last week.
I saw that.
It obviously can't be an issue, the gubmint reduced the CBP budget by about $254M for the upcoming fiscal year. (for enforcement and removal)
Though the gubmint did bump up the budget by $40M for "improving detainee phone access"
El Paso is in dire straights with thousands of migrants on the streets there.
El Paso is a town of about 700k. Now imagine similar numbers of "displaced travelers" in a town about 5% that size. Think about the impact to infrastructure, etc.
A few weeks back the local IHOP ran out of pancakes due to large volume provided to CBP to feed detainees. An IHOP without pancakes.
The reactions do a better job than any other tactic of exposing that the people with “All Are Welcome” yard signs are really imposing onto others the consequences of their pious virtue signaling.
Well you are in the right place for trolling, sadly, but in this case trolling is in the eye of the reader. I think DeSantis, and Abbott are 1) bringing media attention to a crisis of the first order and 2) demonstrating beautifully the hypocrisy of both the media and "In this neighborhood . . ." crowd.
And its kinda delicious.
I actually thought the more amusing stunt was Abbott sending three busloads (now) to Kamala's residence (Naval Observatory) after her comment on the Sunday shows that the border is secure.
Didn't get nearly as much coverage as MV, maybe as the MSM sees DeSantis as more of a threat in 2024 than Abbott.
You nailed it! Thsnks
I think you are right about DeSantis being a threat. But I also doubt that sending them to the VPs resident even registered on their radar - they have people to take care of that. Or I guess we have people to take care of that.
Daniel
DeSantis didn’t troll anyone. He brilliantly exposed the stupidity and hypocrisy of Leftists. You have exposed your bias and dishonesty.
Terence.
Learn to disagree without being disagreeable.
It's not trolling. It was a masterful way of highlighting a border crisis that the media goes out of its way to ignore.
The reaction of this progressive enclave and their media handmaidens has proven that requests for resources and assistance at the border by Republican governors are rational responses from leaders charged with maintaining order within their jurisdictions.
It looks to me as an attempt to make the problem visible. None of the MSM have been reporting on the border crisis except Fox. Yet, when Republicans were in charge Dems could go down there and shed crocodile tears at the fences.
I'm fine with what DeSantis did. But OK, the point has been made. Time to move on to the next steps -- propose legislation that will actually address the problem, and then force the Democrats to either respond to it, or admit that they're not interested in addressing the issue.
Unfortunately, with the Democrats in control of the Media, Congress can easily get away with not taking any Republican proposals seriously.
Any journalist that is or at least hopes to be in any way associated with mainstream media absolutely HAS to make a profession of leftist faith before making a common sense remark. So in order to state how absurd is the hysterical reaction in Martha’s Vineyard to 50 illegals, this week’s host HAD to say something really nasty about DeSantis, to “balance” things. It might not buy her anything at all, but it’s a Pavlovian reaction. Any current or wanabee journalist understand “balance” not as stating facts, but throwing some mud in both directions. Last week’s host did exactly the same. These young journalists are so brainwashed they don’t really understand the real meaning of “center” or “common sense” anymore.
And they would NEVER come to the border and witness the flood of illegals overwhelming border towns!
Sad but true.
This was the most boring column that i ever read here and I hope that it isn't a sign that this is going to be what it has turned into - first last week's and now this . - I am interested in the goings on in Iran and hope for the best for the ladies but this isn't what I want on a Friday round-up - it is more of a complete news article. I look for the absurdities of the week's news so I can start the day laughing - there was nothing laughable today except for the MV transport which proves that deSantis has a sense of ironic humor - enough so to almost get my vote. -
The author is pretty clearly an unfunny clown. His attempts at humor are sophomoric and his attempts at pinions the right are flat
I think she’s funny. Y’all sure get butt hurt when someone says anything negative about a Republican… yer as tribal and simple as the left.
Mind arguing on the actual topic? What exactly is absurd about what DeSantis did?
He “absurdly claimed” that he was sending the migrants to blue states that would welcome them. He was being ironic, probably sarcastic.
The claim is absurd because he was obviously pranking the press and tweaking the nose of liberals by sending a statistically irrelevant number of illegal migrants to Martha’s Vineyard, which will not accept them. Meanwhile, TX is sending them to the vice president’s house. All of this is a great way to point out the hypocrisy of elite liberals arguing for a destructive policy that barely affects them.
Like NotARobot, I’m a little disappointed in the hair-trigger of Common Sense’s readers, as they humorlessly misinterpret one line in an excellent article. Personally, I thought the whole article was great, and I laughed a number of times reading it. To me, Kat is funny, and she did a great job on this.
I might have read her “absurd” phrasing as generously as you have if she hadn’t followed it up by “reluctantly” conceding that Desantis had a point. If she was shooting for ironic humor I’d say she missed her mark. Kinda shot herself in the foot judging by the reaction.
Me too Rich.
They’re humans, not pawns on a chessboard. Giving them a bus ticket to a city where they have family is one thing… obviously they don’t have family in Martha’s Vinyard. DeSantis just tanked any chance of a presidential bid that he had. Tulsi Gabbard in 2024!
So it's better in our local community when the shelters are overwhelmed to just turn them loose on the street? Cuz that's what is happening now.
I live in a town of about 35k, we get that many and more every month of "temporarily displaced travelers" Takes resources away from local needs (the majority of the population here already lives below the poverty line).
In addition, there is a whole lot more dogs barking in the middle of the night than there used to be...sooner or later some resident is going to shoot a migrant in their backyard in the middle of the night....and that person will be castigated in the MSM for being a racist gun lover - instead of being someone trying to protect their home and family.
It is a miracle that hasn't already happened. The victim will be vilified.
If by "victim" you mean homeowner/shooter I agree
According to progressive thinking, they shouldn’t need to have family on Martha’s Vineyard. The whole progressive idea is that the community should band together to provide for the migrants’ welfare.
Community responsibility is key to the progressive concept of the rights of all to housing, healthcare, education, etc, etc.
Sending migrants to Martha’s Vineyard was simply putting progressive ideas into action, albeit in a high-profile way.
"It takes a village"
- Crazy old battleaxe
“Her” not”his”. I think. These days one can’t be sure.
Maybe a preferred noun?
It's probably clearly listed on her Twitter profile
Do the work
LOL
prolly safer just to use "them/theirs
I am a semi redneck, I talked in them pronouns all my life
🤣🤣you right, probably safer in future it’s them/theirs
“… DeSantis rathersbsurdlyclaimed …” DEAD giveaway which way Kat leans! Bet Kat has never come to the Texas border, but probably has friends who are Progressive Liberals. Please!!!
I have a hunch it was written with the intention to spur comments, conversation. Although I know better than to attempt mind reading. If so it was successful.
yes, i wish she would have explained her reasoning behind this gratuitous remark.
Most of us can see through to his actual motivation. He is not trying to help those people. It's obvious grandstanding to make a political point about progressive hypocrisy. However, terrible motivation does not make him incorrect. The Martha's are NIMBY about much more than just immigrants.
How else are we to get the attention needed to address the thousands of illegals flooding into our border states, that have overwhelmed us?
Funny how “grandstanding” only applies to DeSantis & Abbot, but Biden, Harris, KJP and the MSM get a total pass for their “grandstanding & motivation” I. Denying we have a border crisis!
I don't give them a pass. I wonder if Kat does?
It’s absurd because it’s not working towards a legitimate solution. It’s like homelessness where people in one neighborhood complain and then the police sweep the homeless to another neighborhood, which then complains and the cycle continues with no solution. Any solution needs more than politicians shilling for votes. We need a three pronged approach: 1. faster asylum hearings 2. Stronger enforcement. 3. Penalties against employers who hire people not authorized to work here. Maybe something for those brought here as children. The problem is Ds will never go for 1 and 2 and Rs will never go for 3.
Who are the Rs not going for 3?
It was part of the amnesty signed years ago by Reagan and Republicans removed it. All I hear people like De Santis saying is "Democrats are doing nothing about immigration" but I don't hear any solutions or what they would do about it. At least Trump said he'd build a wall which was absurdly impossible but was better than just endlessly whining about Democrats.
That was 1986... who would oppose it today?
Pemulis, I must admit, I have to agree. Seriously.
I have a measurement tool - it's called the McConnell Hypocrisy Meter.
If I measure this brilliant move pulled by DeSantis to expose the sanctuary nonsense of all those wealthy latte libs (who probably have never set foot in Texas to see the carnage of the letting loose of all those asylum seekers there), and compare it to McConnell's Garland reasoning vs his Barrett about face - I would call it a tie!
9 on 10 for each. Dems (as well as the MSM) having to come face to face with what they don't want to see on the Rio Grande. And the GOP, who in their quest for power, would do just about anything.
Let's hear it for hypocrisy, a non idealogical ingredient spiking the Kool aid being drunk by both parties.
I got about a few paragraphs in. I don’t care what your OPINION is about Desantis sending migrants to wherever. If you want to write about the events, feel free. I don’t care how you feel about them. Where I live there are far, far more illegal immigrants. It’s not like they are being cared for or someone has a plan. It’s not republicans making this happen, so it’s a little silly to talk about desantis taking advantage of desperate people. No one made them come here illegally. Martha’s Vineyard is a nice place full of wealthy people who all support illegal immigration. I’d say the folks who ended up there were very lucky.
Right, and then no mention of how whoever is helping them file a patently frivolous lawsuit are clearly taking advantage of them to try to land a political counter-punch. Remember, illegal immigrants are entitled to whatever they want, except when that actually affects rich liberals.
And the sheriff of the Texas county where those poor people were found dead in a trailer a couple of months ago is now opening an investigation into DeSantis! Nice deflection for him. 
The (fairly) local scuttlebutt is that he was angry at lack of screen time over the Uvalde tragedy and is looking to make up for it. Generally speaking law enforcement does not telegraph its intention to investigate because that risks witnesses being prepared and evidence disappearing, so I think there may be truth to the scuttlebutt. If so he is the one using the border-crossers as a political stunt.
As we know very well, the cartels bribe Mexican law enforcement and government officials all of the time. I wonder if any reporters have looked into the same phenomenon happening here in the United States? Are the drug cartels bribing US law-enforcement and officials to allow the borders to remain open, so they can get their drugs through and continue to get coyote fees?
I am sure there is the occasional bribe. But they really don't have too. We have telegraphed our procedures so openly that a it takes is the well-placed distraction at one spot to open another spot. Call me cynical but I have no doubt that lots of "getaways"(those who have no desire to comply with our immigration laws or probably others), trafficked persons and drugs came through elsewhere while Border Patrol and other law enforcement were pulling people from the swollen Rio Grande a couple of weeks ago.
what was it - a dozen or so drowned by Eagle Pass a few weeks ago?
Good points.
I believe I could make a fairly cogent argument that the Uvalde tragedy is tangentially related to the border issue. My wife is a teacher in the 9th grade school here (about 75 miles west of Uvalde). There are weekly alerts in the schools as to CBP activity in chasing migrants. It's to the point where it has become the norm, rather than the exception. I can see where possibly when the alert came from the school in Uvalde about the activity with the shooter, it was initially met with the attitude of just another day chasing migrants.
I was aware of that. And I believe it.
It is a non-profit that has been provided $1.3 million in funds from Soros' Open Society organizations since 2016.
I believe I read somewhere that a Dem PAC was paying $1.3M to the law firm...part of it to go to the litigants for their support in the suit.
$1.3 million from three of Soros' Open Society organizations since 2016. I feel certain more will be forthcoming.
diddly dang extreme right winger Soros
Well considering they were fed, sheltered, helped and are now undertaking legal proceedings, as the brochures they were handed, at least according some could be fraudulent inducement - seems the rich liberals weren't affected in the least.
Anyway, this is nothing new. S. States did the same thing to black people during the Civil Rights movement (i.e."Reverse Freedom Rides)
No surprise you'd miss the rank hypocrisy and treacly sanctimony of your deranged leftist buddies. And fall for a patent ploy hatched by your leftist overseers, including the Hungarian sonderkommando. DeSantis owned you dolts.
Lol.
Hypocrisy? Fed, clothed, housing and now helping coordinate potential lawsuits. Seems the people in Martha's Vinyard have been quite helpful/kind.
Again, nothing new. Same thing was done with black people during Civil Rights movement.
America is gonna America.
Yes...I feel really owned.
Thanks for making my point.
You never disappoint.....
What was your point, Bruce? That people clothing, feeding, sheltering and helping to coordinate lawsuits is "hypocritical?"
I'm sure DeSantis expected MV residents to chase them out with bats and crowbars...but the exact opposite happened. And now, DeSantis might have to explain all the lies in the Spanish-language brochures that were provided to get people on planes, buses, etc.
We'll have to see what happens, I guess.
That's not a definition of hypocrisy. It's just another dumb statement. You never disappoint.
Yes. The residents of MV didn't let the migrants move in to their homes and didn't get married to the single ones and didn't set up college funds for the kids.
The "Hypocrisy!" Lol.
There is wonderful neighborhood in WI with a lot BLM signs but oddly no black lives live there! Kinda like Martha's Vineyard! All signs and no action!
"No Black?" lives there. LOL.
Well...maybe the housing is too expensive? What does that have to do with saying Black Lives should "Matter?"
If that phrase throws you into a rage. Ok. That's you.
Does it bother you that thousands of people of color are being shot by other people of color in Chicago and no word whatsoever from BLM? Thats a lot of black lives not being repped by the organization that is happy to accept money for that very cause.
Yes Comprof. They were so kind to the illegal immigrants that they housed and fed them for less than 48 hours, then shipped them off to a military base. What humanitarians! You're one of them.
Nope. Don't live in Martha's Vinyard
Yep. Sure you expected them to be beaten and separated from their kids. Sorry to disappoint. Received a nice welcome and now suing on their behalf.
Try another location. You might have better luck there.
You keep telling everyone to try another location. You can't come up with a better line? Or maybe you don't have the intellectual capacity to do so.
Why not? That seems to be DeSantis, Abbott's strategy. Pick a place with better infrastructure, larger population and more diverse population so that you can play on people's racial fears/animosity more easily.
Unfortunately, for you, they were not chased out with bats and crowbars, nor were they separated from their children, etc.
I only exercise my intellectual capacity when presented a serious enough challenge/argument.
You do not fulfill either of those criteria.
Better luck next time.
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2022/09/what-we-know-about-the-migrants-flown-to-marthas-vineyard.html
What does this have to do with the Civil Rights Movement?
Quite a bit. Black people were bused/sent to other places, under false pretenes, for politically motivated/showmanship purposes as well. Called the "Reverse Freedom" rides.
America is gonna America. THAT'S what it has to do with this.
Learn your history.
The "prof" gets his history from the 1619 Project. More histrionics than history. But he does entertain, in a certain way. He hates America but continues to enjoy our bounties. And liberty. Go figure.
Here's some more history you didn't know. Beginner's level, since you're stupid.
https://www.history.com/news/how-the-nazis-were-inspired-by-jim-crow
Yes...please argue this. Run your mouth some more so I can stick my dick in it again.
Don't worry, Bruce. Moving to Panama full-time in 2028. Only live in U.S. 6 months out of the year.
Yes...stating accurate history is "hating America" no wonder you want it banned. Lol.
Lol.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reverse_Freedom_Rides
You're wrong again, dummy. Go figure.
Maybe you should put your energy toward reading the 1619 Project, or anything, period - instead of hurling buffoonish invective that causes your ignorance to be exposed.
You don't even know the history, culture, norms, ideology, pros, cons, etc. of the country you live in. You're like a child, reacting only to emotional or physical stimuli.
You really suck at this "owning" thing. 😆
If you don't think DeSantis's ploy to make liberals, progressives and Democrats, generally, look comically sanctimonious and hypocritical then you probably shouldn't take down your lawn sign, either.
Imagine if the people of the vineyard took those migrants into their homes and helped them get on the path to citizenship. They could have shown the world what liberalism is all about.
Instead they showed the world what liberalism is all about.
They could have changed those 50 people's lives and followed along for decades for an eventual documentary about how one family can make a difference. But....naw...
I'm sure the Obama's pool cabana could probably house at least a dozen.
That's awesome Vernon.
The prof gets schooled.
Again.
In Colorado, taxpayers are now paying legal fees for illegal aliens to fight deportation:
https://denverfoundation.org/2021/07/new-statewide-immigration-defense-fund-signed-into-law/
and they increased the state's (taxpayer) contribution in the new budget by more than double:
https://www.rmian.org/happenings-news/2022/4/27/colorados-immigrant-legal-defense-fund-grows-for-2022-23
I would love for a real journalist to dig in and see how much of this funding ever goes to people in the LEGAL immigration system, whose cases may need a nudge to get them to the finish line. I would love for a real journalist to dig into this organization and scrutinize their background and agenda, since they’re receiving taxpayer money. But it never happens.
It's maddening because I'm willing to bet that most of the "asylum" cases taxpayers are so generously paying for them to fight don't even meet the actual standard for asylum. They're basically economic migrants trying to plead a case for asylum on the taxpayer’s dime.
And I don't hold it against any "economic migrant" for wanting to come to this country. Why wouldn't they want to come? When I use the (legal) term "illegal alien" above, it’s because I went through the LEGAL immigration system, and for the years I was in that system, I had to produce documentation to prove that I was a "legal alien". I was in that system for years until I eventually became a naturalized citizen. I know many people in the LEGAL system who have waited patiently for their cases to progress, and paid multiple fees, none of which were funded by shady NGO’s with a political agenda. In the LEGAL system, you have to produce immunization records, prove you can support yourself, get photographed, finger-printed etc., none of which applies to what’s happening on the southern border (during a pandemic, no less!). While many, many hard-working Americans were fired from their jobs for refusing the Covid jabs, no such condition was ever imposed on people entering illegally at the southern border. Think about that for a minute. The media chooses to ignore it.
What irritates me is the double standard, the way the media lies about immigration to drum up public sympathy, the way the media fails to differentiate between legal immigrants and illegal immigrants, and the inappropriate use of taxpayer funds to underwrite a corrupted system.
Can we cut the bullshit and stop pretending that the majority of people pouring over the southern border actually qualify for asylum? Can we cut the bullshit and stop saying that the immigration system needs reform? Why does it need reform? To allow for more economic migrants to enter with no consequence and use taxpayer funded programs? Just enforce the damn laws on the books, the ones that legal immigrants like myself are subject to. The LEGAL system (that specifically bars people from applying for public assistance for a number of years), is completely ignored and overlooked by the media. They only focus on crying racism and virtue signaling to support this shadow operation - which is completely out-of-control at this point.
Where’s the real journalism exposing the cost of all this to the American taxpayer? Again, I have obviously no issue with immigrants coming in legally, because I am one. I don’t care where you’re from, or what race you are, but it has to be controlled and limited in number in order to be sustainable. I have lived around other immigrants for most of my life and I know first-hand how diligently people work to make a better life in this country. However, it isn’t reasonable for American taxpayers to have to foot the bill for infinite numbers of people pouring over the border with no end in sight. When people came en masse through Ellis Island, there was no public assistance. It was sink or swim for them, and they worked their tails off to make it work.
What’s happening now is insane. There’s no defense for it. I applaud DeSantis for doing what he did: calling out the hypocrisy, and getting illegal immigration in the news. It’s about damn time!
How about we just enforce the laws currently on the books? Passed by Congress and signed by a President?
If current crop of politician don't like those laws win elections and pass new laws.
But easier to get the useful idiots in the MSM to do their campaigning.
Thankful you are here and now a citizen.
Thank you - I am very grateful to be here!
I applaud you.
Preach!
I agree with you regarding Rosenfield but disagree regarding Martha’s Vineyard being a nice place. Whether a place is nice depends mainly on the character of the people who live there.
For the rest of us, Martha's Vineyard is an overpriced tourist trap with too many Lyme's disease ticks. I say, send ALL of the two million illegals there. Massachusetts certainly is pro-illegal. They love their breakfast tacos.
The Left loves immigrants. As long as they keep their distance.
as long as they know their place. In the kitchen, or in the yard with a leaf blower.
😃🤣🤣 MV not a nice place at all soooo snobbish
Like, chill man.
"I disagreed with the author, so I shut my eyes and plugged my ears and said, 'nah nah nah I can't hear you.'"
That’s not what I wrote. Like most people, when the bias of the author is so obvious, I understand that there information is being run through the authors personal political filter. There is literally no shortage of her opinion anywhere else, so why should I waste my morning listening to someone so biased? I can turn CNN on at the gym and get the same take, if I could stomach CNN. The whole point of this substack, or so I thought when Bari started it, was to be something different. Like possibly getting through a weekly roundup without having to hear the opinion of the writer about the roundup. I know her opinion. I’ve already heard those talking points 100 times and they will continue to be pushed till the election I presume. Why waste my time? I’m already wasting my money.
You sound upset. Why do you let liberals get to you so much? It sounds like you're ready to go to war over some very light editorializing in a weekly infotainment column. One can believe there is a border crisis while also believing that DeSantis's tactics are ultimately ineffective and juvenile, and do nothing to address the root of the problem.
War? Nah. Just clarifying because you didn’t seem to understand what I was writing. Now I get that you did understand but you just don’t like it. Cheers. Honestly, didn’t even know you were liberal. I have no idea who you are and frankly, don’t really care. I was a liberal for roughly 36 of the 43 years on this planet. We just disagree. Is it juvenile to send illegals to my neighborhood? It’s not like they have a bunch of housing and jobs waiting for them here. But you don’t care about that because it’s not happening to wealthy liberals. It’s not juvenile to point out that the people most passionate about protecting people who come here illegally are also the people who get the most upset when they have to live with the results of their beliefs. I’m just happy that they had to join the rest of us for two days. That’s just my perspective.
The root of the problem is that democrats want people to come here illegally. Democrats have done everything in their power to entice them and protect them when they do come here illegally. They will find any loophole to get them in and do nothing to make them leave when they aren’t allowed to be here anymore. That’s the problem. No matter what system we have people will try to come outside the rules of it. No matter how many people we grant citizenship to, it will only entice more to come. I’m fine with greatly increasing immigration. But there will still be people who come here illegally, outside ports of entry and you folks will still protect them. That’s the root of the problem.
I'm a registered independent.
Me as well. Still very much a lefty when it comes to climate change and civil rights, even immigration. Just not illegal immigration.
He wasn’t trying to address the root of the problem. He was trying to highlight the root of the problem, which is that most humans spout off before recognizing what they are and are not willing to when it comes to actually helping strangers. There’s simply too little self-awareness among politically minded types.
Great news summary. I completely disagree with your portrayal of DeSantis -- While I don't like using people as pawns, either, I would have preferred a different focus to the article. I hardly think he's "absurd." Such as the fact that the media has been mostly silent about the 2 million illegal immigrants crossing our southern border this year alone until 50 showed up in a sanctuary city beloved by the super-privileged. To me that is both very sad and extremely hilarious. And another hilarious fact -- right before all this (and Abbott's latest gift to DC) is that Kamala Harris said there is no crisis at the border. What a complete joke. Those of us who live in border states see the problems of unmitigated, uncontrolled, and illegal immigration.
(Not to mention that the Democrat city of El Paso has been shipping out migrants for months to absolute crickets in the press, or that the Biden Administration has been flying and resettling illegal immigrants all over the country for nearly two years-- quietly, in the dead of night.) We have an extremely serious problem at the border that has gotten worse since Biden. I love that DeSantis is shining a light on it.
Exactly right Allison!
Kamala herself is a joke! WTF happened there?!?
The big-boobed man has his mask below his nose. MURDERER!
I initially thought it was a shop teacher trying to make a point about the absurd Woke school boards and the insanity they are accepting as right and good for our children to be exposed to. I pray that this is actually his point.
If not, if this is really acceptable, we are doomed to a planet where our kids won't understand that cartoons are entertainment and there is no limit to what perversions of reality can be displayed anytime and anywhere.
More likely, he is trying to either get fired or to catch someone snickering so he can file a human rights complaint.
That's entirely possible. It makes me cringe.
The first video I saw was the profile of him at the saw and I thought it was a pregnant man storyline because the breasts were down at his belt line. First of all of this guy was a good teacher he wouldn't be doing something so obviously distracting in such a dangerous setting.
I have read that the "Babylon Bee" comes up with ludicrous headlines....and then can't use them because it was actually happening
That really is sad. And frightening.
Indeed! It just keeps getting more and more strenuously absurd.
I figured that was what set off the woke first. Healthy at any size!
he killed grandma, bastard!
I'm not sure I care for DeSantis, but the Democrats would do absolutely nothing about the border crisis because only "ignorant red-staters" feel the pain. The border states are overrun literally by millions and Martha's Vineyard cries foul over 50? Making the limousine-Leftists in the "Sanctuary Cities" of the northern blue states to feel just a tiny fraction of the pain border states deal with every day is pure genius.
Didn't you actually mean to say 'Sanctimony' Cities?
Very good - I’ll use that!
You don't need to like DeSantis. He works for the people of Florida, and so far, has won over millions who voted for the Democrat last time, to judge by opinion polls which put him well beyond 49%.
It's true that as a resident of Virginia, the people of Florida certainly don't need my approval. However, as an independent, I do not vote like a sheep with Stockholm Syndrome the way most Republicans and Democrats do. I have never voted for a Democrat for president and I've not voted Republican for president since 2000. If the Republicans want my vote in 2024, they will have to earn it.
Given the choice in 2024 between a Democrat lunatic (Biden, Harris, Newsome) and an America-first Republican (Trump, DeSantis, Cruz), which would you choose?
Cruz just sold out Americans. Pass.
At this point, I would vote for DeSantis or Cruz over any Democrat. If Trump is on the ticket, I'll vote Libertarian.
Suppose it’s Kamala Harris versus Trump, plus some nobody running as a libertarian.
Suppose further that Harris wins by one vote.
So, thanks a bunch for giving us 4 years of that fool.
I would add that if Republicans had the testicular fortitude to nominate a man or woman of honor in 2020, we wouldn't be on this sinking ship with Biden at the helm. They own this 100% and they have no one to blame but themselves.
As I said earlier, if Republicans want my vote, they have to EARN it.
So basically you’ve wasted your vote on a pipe dream.
That sounds like Stockholm Syndrome. Voting your conscience is never a wasted vote.
It certainly is wasting a vote. It’s as silly as not voting. Oh you May hold yourself up as virtuous and principled but you’re just spitting into the wind.
More Stockholm Syndrome. Someday you will come to realize that the only difference between Democrats and Republicans is their rhetoric. The acquisition and maintenance of power is all they care about and they will say whatever it takes to keep you pulling that lever.
I’m finding a sharp tone change in these comments. Anger. Less respect in disagreement and to the author. This is a good place where good people come to debate and disagree. Let’s keep it that way.
I wanted to log in and write in response to your comment. Since Suzy liked your comment, I'm going to assume that she is reading this. And I wanted to share my thoughts, if that's ok:)
First, I am also finding a sharpness/tone change. What I want her to know, to want everyone to know, is that I think this is largely an expression of deep cultural pain. There is a psychological concept called "mirroring." We need to see ourselves reflected in our culture. We I am 46, Asian, and when I grew up, there was hardly an Asian lead to be found in Hollywood.
In the same way, the culture has shifted. ALMOST ALL of the cultural expositors now follow the Grand Narrative of the Left. Did you know the top 17 - yes 17 (or something close to that) - top rated cable shows are on Fox? And very few "prestige" corporations advertise on their shows. Why? Because it's not accepted. Being moderate or - God help you conservative - is to be an massive cultural underdog these days.
People like me - thoughtful, empathetic, kind people who are trying to hold onto ourselves - need to see ourselves "mirrored" in today's culture.
When someone doesn't appear to confirm our worldview, when they don't mirror our stand against the Narrative, it hurts. And we react.
Maybe this explains it a bit.
It's a tough thing to navigate even in the best of times.
Blessings to all for a good day:)
Gaslighting is a form of psychic torture, and it’s a cultural constant. It makes you feel crazy—and alone. Godspeed, Sgd427.
very much so. I work as a mental health clinician and I saw the signs instantly. I'm like this is textbook abuse. If there were an abuse manual (God forbid), many of the tactics employed by the Establishment (media, colleges, institutions etc), this would be on page 2.
I, too., have felt very alone in in the last 3 years. VERY alone. The way I have responded to it is this way -
1) Focus on my blessings.
2) Realize the people in my life are here because of ME. NOT my politics. Anyone who is or isn't in your life because of politics (or is willing to risk a relationship because of it) isn't worth having in your life. Period.
3) Eat the red meat, once in a while. Listen, we ALL NEED a tribe. Every once in a while, i permit myself to go RAH RAH EFF THE BLUE TEAM I'M RED ALL THE WAY. F U people.
And then I put it away and go back to my thoughtful self.
4) Animals (dogs and cats for me). Best things on earth. :))
5) Validate yourself. You are bright and thoughtful. It's why you're here in the comments section. Hold onto places like this.
7) Spirituality helps me. God alone judges our lives. No one else.
Love wins. Love ALWAYS wins. it's the only thing that can. Godspeed to you too, take care:)
Just to tack on here. If people went back to G-d and faith and the community surrounding faith, most of this crap would go away. The woke are a religion in search of a god. It’s sad.
Excellent comment! This rings true for me and is beautifully expressed.
A thoughtful comment, #427. Thanks. All I can say is that the cultural touchstones you're looking for are indeed out there, if you know where to look. Check out Yellowstone, if you haven't already. And root for the entire family. Or Succession (and root for the dad..)
Or Sons of Anarchy. And root for the Harleys..
Thanks for that. I think I will
Beautiful indeed. Have you Read Buber’s I/Thou? It takes energy, presence, and compassion to engage in ways to finds solutions & helps us see each other as “humans” and not just others. Thank you for this
it does indeed. I like what you said. Energy, Presence, and Compassion.
I have not read Buber but I will definitely check it out. Thank you for the recommendation:)
I think less respect for the author might have something to do with the fact that the substitutes for Nellie have displayed less and less common sense (the whole point, supposedly, of this substack) and more and more Leftist arrogance. That, in turn, changes the whole tone.
Agree. I prefer civil discussions.
I think the comments would be less angry if common sense worked harder to recruit a variety of voices. All the subs have had the same voice so far. They all “reluctantly agree” or “yeah but trump”. It’s boring.
If they mixed it up occasionally and had a conservative write this, or a liberitarian, or even someone from outside New York City, that would be nice. I think the anger is coming from a place of frustration.
I think some of the frustration comes from our administration vilifying people and the MSM ignoring or lying about what everyone can see with their own eyes.
Very much so!
Thanks, Sister Mary Elephant. Whatever would we poor unwashed illiterates do when we wash up on this shore without a public scold to instruct us as to proper tone? Could posture correction be far behind?
You’ve not been reading here much if you give lectures to others such as your above comment.
Alas. I hope your day is lovely.
And you’ve got snark, too! How wonderful. But, hey, you got a Suzi Weiss upvote so your day is already lovely!
A worthy comment, Jen. This may be a good place, and there are indeed good people here (and intelligent ones too), but the tone you're referring to has always been present in varying degrees, depending on the disparity of opinion.
Good people can get very angry with each other, voices are raised and nasty words expressed. Perhaps what we see here is a revealing microcosm of the country as a whole. Ideas are entrenched and the search for a common bond is abandoned.
Though not always - which is why I stay around. And why you should too.
I love this place. Not going anywhere :)
Agree! Thank you.
You seem angry.
You did good until you linked us to the Bovy article commenting on the Canadian teacher using his students as props in his sexual fantasies. From the op-ed:
It feels like the progressive thing to do is to support this teacher’s right to self-present in the classroom as she does, or at least to honour her side in the matter. But there’s something about treating her decision to wear enormous fake breasts to class as a reasonable form of self-expression that makes a mockery of countless young girls who’ve been told at school that their bodies – developing bodies they themselves are still getting used to – are a distraction.
The fact that even the most disgusting, most blatant attacks on womanhood and the female body can’t be unequivocally denounced and condemned by the Left without some sort of caveat and a whole lot of “but but THE RIGHT WING!!!!” is proof positive that there is no bridging this divide.
The teacher is a man - a he not a she; the pornographic appendage is his not hers; the school board’s supporting a him not a her.
Alas, it’s now illegal in Canada to refer to the teacher as a he or him.
Nothing against pornography per se. But it is quite horrifying that it is now illegal for Canadians to use scientifically appropriate pronouns to refer to other human beings.
The first amendment and its protecting against state sponsored religion might be the United States last hope against the scourge of stupidity that is ravaging the world.
"the media class for only jumping on the border crisis story when it was politically expedient, a point I will reluctantly concede."
Why reluctantly ? Were you thinking all the "right wing" press about millions of illegals pouring across the border was fake news ?
Because it obviously kidnapping/human trafficking when a red state governor does.
And it is kind and uplifting when the federal gubmint does it.
Bring on the investigation over the last 2 years. Lets shine a bright light on who's been doing what for how long.
I'm kinda hoping they do.....disclosure conferences would be amusing
I said the same thing Coco.
I genuinely want to understand the liberal argument that migrants should not be sent to sanctuary cities and states. If a state or city has designated themselves a sanctuary city, why shouldn't they bear some of the burden of caring for these migrants? Why it is cruel to send them? It seems like complete hypocrisy to me, but maybe I'm missing something?
Genuine understanding is that there isn't an argument. They don't have arguments, they have condemnations of The Others.
That's it. It is just hate and ignorance. There's nothing else to understand.
That's definitely what it seems like to me, but I'd like to at least understand if there is some other logical argument here. I can't think of any valid argument, but I'm open to one. So far, it's been crickets.
I've probably invited Nellie to allow an independent journalist that has been at the border to write something for CS in 50% of her TGIFs. How about Jorge Ventura? He's been there awhile.
https://www.kusi.com/jorge-ventura-large-caravans-of-migrants-are-illegally-entering-the-united-states/
Complete hypocrisy is no obstacle to The Woke!
You are missing that it is ok to encourage the huddled masses to come to our shores (Rio Grande river) from an ivory tower, but as soon as those aforementioned masses impact the view from the tower, the person that ruined that view (however temporarily) is obviously a racist, misogynistic bastard just playing games with peoples lives.
While being able to ignore the actions that encouraged them to come to our shores initially.
I think I question the intent. Sanctuary cities, IMHO, should welcome them. But 50 humans were misled (from what I understood) & used as a political ploy. It’s gross in general, like all such things are, I think. But I generally agree - if cities are sanctuary cities, they should indeed have resources to help.
You're being told they were misled because the Democrats are taking any angle and any straw they can to portray this as morally bad, in the strongest terms possible. They always go straight to hyperbole like that, and it's why we live in a divided and hateful nation now.
100% because of out-of-control, hate based moral hypocrisy of the left, and they've been like this my entire life.
The script they have already written is "the next Republican candidate is even worse than Trump" and so they're doing their best to make it stick to Ron. Scorched Earth Revolution and willful hatred are the entire platform of the Democratic Party right now. It's why they're paying their donation money to MAGA candidates. They want the division.
Abbott sent three busloads to Kamala's residence in the same time period as DeSantis sending 50 to MV.
I have seen quite a bit more play over the MV incident than the Naval Observatory delivery...I am guessing because the MSM sees DeSantis as more of a threat in 2024 than Abbott.
100%
What is imminently clear is that the people of Martha’s Vineyard (and probably in every other like city) never met as citizens to unpack the impact of their claim to offer sanctuary. Shouldn’t we create a sanctuary fund? Shouldn’t we create a telephone list of people assigned to certain tasks in the event of a sudden surge of migrants? Shouldn’t we collect and warehouse supplies for such an event? It’s after the season, but clearly homeowners do not want to open their vacant up-scale homes to the 50 Venezuelans seeking sanctuary, so, sorry: no room at the inn, despite our imbecilic signage. Another thing that has been clearly revealed is that America’s middle and under classes, unlike their much wealthier betters, actually practice their beliefs every day and not just on Sunday.
There were vacancies at the most popular local hotel. And the municipalities (5) all are running budget surpluses to the point they could have given each of the Venezuelans a room at the hotel for a year without negatively impacting their local budgets.
Wouldn't have had to raise local property taxes above the current .3% (average)
Didn’t they set up a go-fund me site to replenish their coffers? So charity-minded these folks.
Can’t touch them trust funds, they’re barely surviving off the interest
Yes, I'm sure the intent was at least partially political. Although, I do think many border towns are absolutely struggling with the sheer number of migrants. That burden should be shared. I guess in the case of busing or flying them to northern cities, it doesn't seem at all cruel to me. They are living in shelters near the border and being sent to other shelters in different cities. Their living conditions don't change. They aren't from those border towns, so it's not like they are being forcefully separated from their families. They just walked here from Venezuela (or someplace similar) and endured grueling conditions along the way (as well as terrible conditions in their home country), so I'm not convinced that moving them is even remotely cruel. Biden (and probably Trump too) has been moving migrants all along, so I'm still not seeing the problem.
The details of the trip were explained to the migrants (presumably in Spanish), and they all signed consent forms. No doubt they knew why they were being flown to MV.
Bee ess.
It's not that the substitutes have been bad, but the last weeks have provided an illustration of just how superb Nellie is. I hope all is wonderful in your personal life, Nellie, and look forward to your glorious, and very unique weekly recaps on the weeks events.
Apropos to nothing in the column, here's another unique, and quite hilarious take on satire, from another unique comedian named Kyle Dunnigan who actually makes fun of all spectrums on comedy. This targets Joe Biden, but there's plenty of both sides of the spectrum, you know, back like National Lampoons, SNL (first generation) and others in the 60s/70/80ss.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6FxRcXmfgY
Anyone with the "In This House We Believe" yard sign are people who for some strange reason feel the need to convince others (and themselves) that they are decent upstanding members of the community - when it all just boils down to nothing more than a pathetic attempt at moral grandstanding.
Martha's Vineyard residents were quick to highlight it - 48 hours quick! They got rid of those pesky "asylum seekers" very quickly didn't they?
My husband and I recently discussed those signs and we questioned that if we didn’t believe those things, did that mean we weren’t welcome in the house?
I would like to know why the Iranian women freedom protests are not a big cause among the Prog political class and on campus, but BDS just the Jews is. Nothing from feminist Sandy Cortez, Boonie Sandas or the fake progressive Muslims.
Because women are now very low on the oppression hierarchy.
Just like when protesters all across Iran unsuccessfully begged Barack Obama to assist them in their struggle against the mullahs (I can’t remember the exact year) and the media bowed to his sanctimonious POV that his Iran deal, which only enriched the mullahs, was more important than the freedom and protection of everyday people.
👍👍👍👍👍
The Left has always been anti-Semitic. They're just a bit more open about it these days.
I see nothing wrong with DeSantis making what is described as an absurd claim. When it comes to the border crisis there have been a number of absurd claims from the current party in charge. Karine Jeanne-Pierre absurdly claimed “Nobody is just walking into the country.” Agents at the border were wrongly smeared for doing their jobs by Biden and his administration, and the media. By absurdly claiming they were whipping people -when in REALITY they were on horseback using reigns and doing their damn job. Then they get punished for it! When it’s disproven not a single apology.
Isn’t the VP the appointed border czar? Who is in charge?
I live in an affluent suburb with woke “In this house” signs peppered all over, in front yards of large homes. All are welcome here, except nobody in reality can afford price of admission. There is zero affordable housing or other resources. It’s a protected bubble where it is trendy to display how much one cares about the so called oppressed and to prove you’re on the “good” side.
What isn’t absurd in all of this?
So some migrants were disappointed they did not get on a plane as promised and were left sitting in Texas. They made it in didn’t they?
What’s next? The absurd claim immigrants didn’t get first class with warm cookies and a hot towel?
The VP sits for an interview and tells the reporter, “The border is secure”. Her face says, “I know and I lying”. When is a reporter going to tell her to stop lying? Why isn’t there a clock counting her lies and Biden’s?
Remember the covid clock on every channel in 2020? Lets do that for murders in 2022. CNN clung to that clock until they finally got roasted. Heres their chance to bring one back.
Funny you would mention first class...When I was flying a lot last summer I saw some on every flight with the folder sized lanyards. They usually board the plane before first class.
I agree. It is my understanding that the San Antonio processing center is completely overwhelmed and the border-crossers are on the streets. The temperature was easily in the 110-120 degree range.
It’s chaos and people suffering and dying -due to Biden administration’s incompetence and willful negligence. But ya let’s point to the Fl guy who does something they cannot ignore or pretend isn’t happening. They can’t now and they know it.
During the day on camera for all the world to see.
I didn't know that about San Antonio but I know people in El Paso and they describe a scene more similar to a movie about refugee camps than a US city.
It is tragic. Even the Democrsts from south and west Texas are outraged. And ignored by the Biden Administration. And both houses of Congress for that matter.
I’m in the north east, it’s barely gonna break 60 today. Come visit Penny. We can go out and raise some hell together. 😂
it's cooled off a bit here in South Texas, we're only gonna be about 95 today.
Fall done fell
"DeSantis rather ABSURDLY claimed that he’s just trying to address the border crisis by offering immigrants free transport to the kind of blue-state enclaves that claim to welcome them. He also called out the wealthy residents on the Vineyard for being a bunch of NIMBYs dressed up as open-borders progressives, and the media class for only jumping on the border crisis story when it was politically expedient, a point I will RELUCTANTLY concede. " (emphasis mine)
No need to read further. You are cancelled.
I take it that you were, like, not impressed. Me too. Bari Weiss is inadvertently doing a good job of demonstrating the stupidity of Leftists.
R T
Are you stupid? You misspelled my name and you are also wrong when you assume I support Trump, though I agree with Bill Barr. He is better than any Democrat.
You’re right. You can’t help me. And I can’t help anyone who believes that open borders, hyperinflation and increased crime are good for America.
BTW, overdose is one word. You don’t appear to be very bright.
Yep, more TDS.
Bari, please pay attention and respond. We do not want TDS in this newsletter. We are sick of it, and it is a toxic force of brain damage that prevents empathy and understanding.
I disagree! Bari: please keep including various perspectives. It's critical to present both sides.
(Incidentally, I'm a lifelong liberal and will never vote for a D again.)
Yeah, I’ve read Kat on UnHerd sometimes I agree with her and sometimes not. She writes well and isn’t nuts, I.e. ideologically possessed.
Please Bari. Read this.
"Is that sound you hear on a six-week ultrasound the pumping action of a fully formed human heart? No. Does that matter to the millions of pregnant women who feel a profound sense of joy and wonder when they hear it?" - Is an eagle's egg a baby eagle? It is illegal to destroy a fertilized eagle's egg BECAUSE it is an eagle. What is this so hard for science deniers (utopians that want their worldview made into the law of the land) to accept and apply with continuity to their belief systems?
I made the same argument about sea turtle eggs in college decades ago.
The cognitive dissonance was substantial.
Actually this is not hard to logically resolve. The eagle egg is an eagle egg and not an eagle. If the law is such that killing eagles is only illegal, then destroying eagle eggs should be legal. If however we want to protect eagles from going extinct we should also make it illegal to destroy eagle eggs.
stop with the science and the law, its racist, supremacist, phobic and patriarchal and such.
Oh Godwin!
Good example.
TBF humans aren’t remotely endangered so the analogy doesn’t really work.
As a species you would be correct, but you would have a hard time making this argument with a fetus that just lost the argument if they are a person or a blob of tissue.
I wasn’t addressing that. However my personal opinions on abortion are nuanced and fairly mainstream according to pretty much all the polls, but I really don’t feel like having an argument about the merits of binary pro vs against abortion and beating a dead horse ( fetal of course! ).
As are my opinions on many social issues although riding a dead horse is a little more binary.
Haha
Amazing how libs just can’t seem to avoid being arrogant these days. Comes thru loud and clear on this one.
0 for 4 or is it 5 now? Can’t wait for Nellie to get back. I hope my subscription survives this crap.
Honestly? Me too. Sigh... me too.