Geist

Group Terrorism not focus of Homeland Security

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Claims of terrorism represented less than 0.01 percent of charges filed in recent years in immigration courts by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, according to a report issued Sunday by an independent research group.

This comes despite the fact the Bush administration has repeatedly asserted that fighting terrorism is the central mission of DHS.

The Transactional Records Action Clearinghouse said it analyzed millions of previously undisclosed records obtained from the immigration courts under the Freedom of Information Act.

Of the 814,073 people charged by DHS in immigration courts during the past three years, 12 faced charges of terrorism, TRAC said.

Those 12 cases represent 0.0015 percent of the total number of cases filed.

"The DHS claims it is focused on terrorism. Well that's just not true," said David Burnham, a TRAC spokesman. "Either there's no terrorism, or they're terrible at catching them. Either way it's bad for all of us."

The TRAC analysis also found that DHS filed a minuscule number of what are called "national security" charges against people in the immigration courts. The report stated that 114, or 0.014 percent of the total of roughly 800,000 individuals charged were charged with national security violations.

TRAC reported more than 85 percent of the charges involved more common immigration violations such as not having a valid immigrant visa, overstaying a student visa or entering the United States without an inspection.

According to the report by TRAC, which is affiliated with Syracuse University, the results show that there is an "apparent gap between DHS rhetoric about its role in fighting terrorism and what it actually has been doing."

DHS spokesman Russ Knocke called the TRAC report "ill-conceived" and said the group "lacked a grasp of the DHS mission."

Knocke said that, by clamping down on all forms of immigration, DHS has made it difficult for terrorists to come to the United States.

Inconsequential, even if it's real. He's already said he has no plans of running as an I.

....which is why he's running as a republican, not as an I.

lol he has no shot as an R. None.

I beg to disagree

First people say he has no shot, now it's he has no shot as a republican...next I suppose he'll have no shot as a dem? It's ridiculous.

Inconsequential, even if it's real. He's already said he has no plans of running as an I.

....which is why he's running as a republican, not as an I.

The Ron Paul bot has already been disproven:

Ron Paul Bot or Not

US Presidential candidate Ron Paul's political campaign hit its biggest snag yet with revelations that someone (nobody knows who yet) sent out mass spam emails using the dreaded Internet bot. A bot is an artificial life form that can do everything a human can, only in the speed of light. Bots cannot feel emotion and they cannot vote, however.

So what's up with Ron Paul "Botgate"? Leave it to our Gambling911.com sleuth, Jennifer Reynolds, to get to the bottom of this matter. She says not to be so quick to jump down the throats of Ron Paul supporters, who may have had absolutely nothing to do with this gaffe (or could it have been a ploy by an opposing campaign?)

------

Are you a real Ron Paul supporter or are you a bot?

Sadly, some jerk decided to send out actual spam to unknown people around the world "in support" of Ron Paul. No one in the Ron Paul campaign sent this thing out, but the blowback from this is falling all over his shoulders and the shoulders of the rest of his supporters. Once again, the doubters are at it again saying that this one spam message that does exist proves that all of the rest of Ron Paul's support doesn't exist. The USA Today, a widely read publication had an article today (slyly citing another source so if the information turns out to be false they can't be blamed for it) which read "Researchers say 'criminal botnet' is behind Ron Paul's Web Support.

So, I put it to you reader, are you a criminal botnet? This is a difficult question for me to answer because I do not know what a botnet is, but it doesn't sound good and it certainly doesn't sound human. Since I know I am human, I am probably not a botnet, but we know that doesn't prove anything to a fine upstanding company like the USA Today who would never print a misleading headline. Of course, they did say, that "Researchers" said this thing, not them, so they are only reporting the news you see. They have no hidden agenda. They are being fair and balanced.

One way to prove to the USA Today and any other rag (just a friendly term for newspaper) that you are not a botnet or a bot or a net is to get on board with the November 5 Money Bomb for Ron Paul. The idea is to get 100,000 people to donate $100 to Ron Paul's campaign all on the same day. What a marvelous way to support freedom and liberty and Ron Paul and tell all of those papers that we are here and we are real all in one shot! Have you ever been able to say so much with so little? Here is the website: http://www.thisnovember5th.com . Go there, sign up and join in the shot heard around the world. You can also Digg the article if you like. Your choice. So far, over 204,000 people have visited the page. Only 15,405 have actually signed up for this. With any luck a lot of people are planning on making a donation without signing up at this webpage. You can also donate directly to the campaign at www.ronpaul2008.com . Actually, whether you donate directly or notify this site that you plan on making a donation, always only donate directly to the campaign. This site is just a way to track the people who are joining the cause. Either way, on November 5, 2007 you have the chance to tell world if you are a bot or a person. We all know the computers won't be donating the money. (Well, at least WE all know the computers won't be donating the money, I am not sure what THEY will think.)

Please send this article to everyone you know. Pass it along. The Revolution is growing faster than you know. So many people have already stated that they intend to donate much more than $100. If Bill Gates is not in your family tree however, all donations of any size will be welcome that day. There are only three days left. Right now they are a long way from their ultimate goal. You have your one chance to prove you have a pulse. Join in. Teach the world what a Revolution is all about! And hey, if they only raise $100,000 that is still a lot of money! Hopefully, they will announce not only the dollars raised, but how many people actually donated. The goal is astronomical, but we can only get what we want if we reach for the sky!

Here's to all the bots supporting Ron Paul!

---------

So, far it looks like the total fundraising for today will surpass $4 million with at least 30,000 individual donors. The support for Ron Paul is real

At some point, there will be enough inflationary pressure that the Fed will need to start raising interest rates. This will strengthen the dollar.

Unfortunately, the Fed seems only interested in cutting the interest rate and depreciating the dollar I hope they change their minds...

That has been the goal of every country from the beginning of time. We are no different. That is just the nature of humans everywhere.

But we were different. Right up until Teddy Roosevelt, our forays into foreign lands were quite limited. Just because it didn't last doesn't mean it can't be stopped and we can't return to our roots. Or should our country be governed by the basest of human emotions, the desire to conquer and rule everybody?

We are used to fighting city/states and that is the reason we are doing so poorly. We need to adjust to this new kind of war.

So...perhaps we ought to become terrorists ourselves? Fight fire with fire? I'm sorry, but I cannot support any government or person that engages in terrorism, or that engages in torture. Where do we draw the line? Do we intend to destroy our village in order to save it?

Think of this comparison, after WW1 Germany thought it was being abused by the victors. That was the reason Hitler came to power and get his countries peoples backing. It was his "reason" for starting the war but it wasn't his motivation. His motivation was power.

Godwinned!!!1!!

The reasons behind Hitler's rise to power are complex, and for most people, power is but a means to an end.

I still say, IF he wins the primary...I will vote for him.

Why, who are you voting for in the primary?

Previously I was registered Democrat, as of 2004...independent.

Still doesn't answer my question, but as an independent, you have until Jan 1 to register as a republican to vote for him in the primaries

I was an independent until recently, or as they call it in NH, "undecided" (because picking between tweedle-dee and tweedle-dum is so hard . I vote for the people, not the party.

I know some dems who are looking at Richardson pretty closely...apparently he's good on some issues.

He is not blaming America but saying the country is partially responsible. Bin Laden did not wake up one day and say hmmm it would be nice to drive planes into NYC buildings. Clearly there is built up hatred towards something.

Or at least our foreign policy is. As for the buildup: well, they bombed our embassies in Africa, our embassy in Saudi Arabia, the USS Cole...there was a lot of buildup way before the Bush Administration that pointed towards some serious resentment of American Meddling abroad

Some of the opinions and ideas of what is happening are truly amazing. No use in even arguing with you all about it. IMO your misled and wrong. But I also know you think I am just as wrong and misled. I can only pray people that think like this never get into power.

Well, if you would provide some facts and reasons as to why our opinions and ideas are so misguided and wrong, perhaps some of us would change our minds...it can't be that hard to do, right?

I still say, IF he wins the primary...I will vote for him.

Why, who are you voting for in the primary?

I bought 1 oz of gold in September for $736. At that time, it was roughly equivalent to 1 week's gross pay for me. A friend of mine has a 1/2 oz gold coin from 1911 and the face value on that coin is $10. So, in 1911, 1/2 oz of gold was worth $10 and I would have earned $20 in one week.

Now, in Nov., 1 oz of gold is worth more than $800...more than I earn in a week! In less than two months, my pay has decreased in real terms, while I'm still working just as hard as I was two months ago

This makes me very sad.

And if you want to remember history then remember that everything we were doing in Iraq prior to 9/11 was authorized by the UN and sanctioned by the world at large. Blowback my azz! UBL is a murderer that had no justification for what he did. To suggest otherwise is turning your back on history not remembering it.

Except for the invasion, of course, that wasn't sanctioned. And do you really think the US ought to be acting only when the UN tells us to? Does that mean you were against the war in Iraq?

What does Usama Bin Laden have to do with Iraq? He was not in Iraq when we invaded.

The fact of the matter is that the US has been interfering in countries around the world since the end of World War 2 to such a degree as we would never allow at home. What gives us the authority to go into Iran and overthrow their government, something we are apparently threatening to do again?

It is impossible to look at a terrorist and devine their motivations. Some of them may be acting because for religious reasons, some because they "hate us for our freedoms", others because they hate us for infringing on their freedoms, and their right to choose the government they want, without interference from the busybodies of the world.

I don't think he is saying its the fault of the US. I think Ron Paul is saying eactly what Geo. Washington said- avoid foreign entanglement. He is an isolationist.

Not exactly. He is a non-interventionist. Here, this is from an article he wrote for the New Hampshire Union Leader

A non-interventionist foreign policy is not an isolationist foreign policy. It is quite the opposite. Under a Paul administration, the United States would trade freely with any nation that seeks to engage with us. American citizens would be encouraged to visit other countries and interact with other peoples rather than be told by their own government that certain countries are off limits to them...It is not we non-interventionists who are isolationsists. The real isolationists are those who impose sanctions and embargoes on countries and peoples across the globe because they disagree with the internal and foreign policies of their leaders. The real isolationists are those who choose to use force overseas to promote democracy, rather than seek change through diplomacy, engagement, and by setting a positive example.

'Nuff said.

Oh good god. Did you even listen to that ####### about 9/11??? blink:

Thank god he doesn't stand a chance in he!! of winning the GOP nod.

What about his stance do you disagree with, and why?

Glad to see there are some people down in Mass. who support him, too...I figured all the ones who would support him had already moved up to NH

Heck, when he opened his official campaign office in Concord, there was a get-together at 2:30 on a Tuesday afternoon and around 80 people showed up. Here are some pics I got of that, and of Dr. Paul (not very good ones, the crowd surged and since I'd already met him before, I went ahead and moved backwards so that some of the people who hadn't could have their chance).

LOL...I think most posters in this thread missed the point. According to the GAO, there is a large discrepency between the fee charged for a passport and the actual cost.

It depends on what they're counting as costs. Do they just mean the costs of making the passport? Or do they include the costs of hiring people to process paperwork, the buildings and capital necessary to make them, etc, etc? In Portsmouth, they had to hire contract workers who worked 24/7 to take care of the passport backlog created by the requirement that every American have a passport to leave the country. Those workers don't come cheap. I highly doubt that the State Department is making that much of a profit off of it. And I'm not against the profit motive at any rate.

What the article also addressed is the fact that a lot of people have had to pay twice for their passports...that is unfair, and I just say that's what happens when you deal with bureaucracies and it should piss everybody off.

He'll never be President...

I dunno, he's got a lot of support in New Hampshire. I feel pretty confident he'll win the primary. I see more bumper stickers for Ron Paul than any other candidate. I see more yard signs for Ron Paul than any candidate. And he's third in cash on hand out of all the Republicans.

I live in a house full of people who plan on voting for him.

Don't underestimate his chances, and if you don't vote for him, or switch your party registration over to Republican and vote for him, then of course he won't win. It'd be a self-fulfilling prophecy, wouldn't it?

"You always trust the post office. You think they're not trying to make any money off me. That's baloney," she said.

Erm, the inability of a business (government run or not) to make money isn't something to be proud of. The fact that the post office has only ever RAISED the price of stamps and the costs of packages should be a major clue that maybe you shouldn't rust them so much?

In anycase, $97 ain't bad. It could be worse, a lot worse. Meanwhile, Americans are being gouged by being forced to pay into programs like social security that they won't see a dime out of, being forced to pay billions to rebuild countries around the world, and are being gouged constantly by taxes...but no, let's complain about paying $97 for something for which the results are tangible.

Sad, very sad I remember when the military coup happened. My friends from Pakistan were frantic, trying to get ahold of relatives over there...

Arizona has a similar law, which I have mentioned several other times, where those who cannot prove their legal presence in the US are not allowed state funded benefits.

Ain't nothing wrong with that...but I do see something wrong with making it a felony to "provide transportation", employment or (in all likelihood) interact with people whose legal immigration status you haven't ascertained. That creeps me out to no end.

The new law restricts the ability of illegal immigrants to obtain government IDs or public assistance. It also gives police authority to check the immigration status of anyone arrested, which can lead to deportations.

Checking the immigration status of anyone arrested, eh? So, what if you don't have an immigration status because you were born here? Are you going to have to prove that too?

Mainly I'm just wondering how this anti-illegal immigrant law is going to affect regular Joe Blow Americans.

off topic

From what I've experienced, Oklahoma is a rather bad place to live. Tattoos are illegal and their roads suck, too. Are they EVER going to finish redoing that stretch of I-35 just north of Oklahoma city and south of Kansas? I swear to god, they've been working on it since I was 6.

/off topic

You know, when I think about it, I stopped even bothering to stand up during the pledge of allegiance in sophomore year of high school...

Guess that makes me Canadian or something.

Sooooo...instead of focusing on his policy ideas, philosophy and what role he thinks government should play in people's lives, people are focusing on the fact that he--didn't--put--his--hand--over--his--heart?

*is dumbfounded*

The Onion is more accurate than I thought

Plenty of Fish n' Chips in New England. I get them all the time. So if you're willing to drive...

together it's just walk (the distance you walk). not a very efficient language

siigh...no, I'm beginning to get that impression

Clearly Finnish needs more German influence!

Awesome Geist! When will he come over? I am with my wife now and will bring her home with me mid-November. We'll be visiting my family in NH for Thanksgiving methinks. :-) She's looking forward to a white Xmas this year

No idea I'm going to visit Nov 8 (scheduled that trip when I found out I had to use up all my vacation this year and the NVC was going nowhere with our IV Bill) through Nov 17, so sometime after that. He also has to get some more info on the degrees he's still trying to get out from our university. Soonest is probably Nov. 22.

While I like to be dramatic and say how that is forever away, it's really not that bad considering how long we've been apart

I'm just really looking forward to my life (our lives!) finally GOING somewhere.

Thanks guys! Stabu would say thanks, too, but he's asleep at the moment....probably the first good night's sleep he's had since the interview was scheduled

He doesn't have the visa in hand yet, though...their electronic fingerprint taker was broken, so they're still working on it, but we're not in AR or AP or anything. Most definitely approved

:dance: