borderline schizophrenia

george bush is terribly conflicted.

on the one hand he wants to let illegal immigrants stay because they're nice folks. on the other, he wants them to stay because they're cheap labor that big business can exploit.

on yet another hand, he wants to build fences and surveillance zones and send in the national guard.

in other words, do not enter, but please don't leave.

poor george. it's got to be tough knowing that no matter what he does, it's wrong (then again, he's been dealing with that problem his whole life).

let's take a look at the president's recent random-words-strung-together event, which he solemnly delivered from the oval office. perhaps some analysis or a translation algorithm will help clarify whatever it was he said.

"There are differences between an illegal immigrant who crossed the border recently, and someone who has worked here for many years, and has a home, a family, and an otherwise clean record."

the difference is...well, one is a criminal, maybe even a terr'ist who we can deport or rendition, depending on what kind of mood we're in. the other is working a subsistence wage, padding the profits of american business, and for that we reward them by letting them exist outside the system, without healthcare or benefits.

"The vast majority of illegal immigrants are decent people who work hard, support their families, practice their faith and lead responsible lives."

this, apparently, is according to the same poll that karl rove cited when he said, "americans like this president." that notwithstanding, if illegal immigrants are so darn nice, why should we keep them out?

"Every human being has dignity and value no matter what their citizenship papers say."

that's just an out-and-out lie. dick cheney has no dignity or value. neither does scott mcclellan.

"The United States is not going to militarize the southern border."

we will, however, send thousands of people with guns and military training to the southern border, but only during the winter months when it's cold up north. it'll be a vacation type of deal, a reward for their multiple tours of duty in iraq.

"A temporary worker program would meet the needs of our economy."

ah, now we're getting down to it. because american business loves illegal immigrants, george bush loves illegal immigrants. the availability of illegals who will work for a non-living wage is the engine driving many a u.s. industry. without them, bush's have-and-have-more base would have less. they can't have that, so neither can george, 'cause he's their boy.

"As the border patrol stands up, the national guard will stand down."

that's not an exact quote, but it was implicit. and why not recycle this golden oldie, since it's worked so well in iraq.

bush is getting ready to crank up the military industrial complex and aim it at mexico. notice, however, that never a word is spoken about the canadian border. we must have that situation under control. mexicans are good/bad, but canadians (or whoever is coming across the northern frontier) apparently just don't exist.

tsk. tsk. a classic case of selective schizophrenia. just what you like to see in the "leader of the free world."