LOS ANGELES.–President Joe Biden, 81, promised to shut down the border if the U.S. Senate and House approved his supplemental spending bill largely for Ukraine War funding, Israeli assistance and and afterthought to beef up U.S. border security. Since Biden took office, he reversed many of the tough border provisions signed by executive order by his predecessor, 77-year-old former President Donald Trump. Suddenly Biden has a deathbed conversion, telling Republicans he would not hesitate to shut down the border. “The toughest and fairest set of reform to secure the border we’ve ever had in our country,” Biden said, throwing down the gauntlet to Republicans. But Biden’s seriousness about border security is only contingent on getting $60 billion in more Ukraine War funding, despite the fact that military experts agree that the nearly two-year-old war is a stalemate.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), 51, signaled that the $110 billion spending plan was dead-on-arrival, not because it’s opposed by Trump but because Biden wouldn’t agree to the border security unless he got his Ukraine War funding. Democrats spin the GOP opposition as purely political, with Trump not wanting to hand Biden a legislative victory before the 2024 presidential election. Democrats call Republicans disgraceful for sabotaging the best border security legislation in the nation’s history, all because it makes Biden look good. “A bad border deal is far worse than no border deal,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. Democrats and the press don’t want to talk about Ukraine War funding, something they accept without any reservations, despite the fact that Biden and Ukraine’s 45-year-old President Volodymyr Zelensky show no signs of ending the war.
Biden admitted this week that the border is not secure, the same message giving by 64-year-old Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Republicans have started impeachment proceedings over Mayorkas’ denials that there’s any problem at the U.S.-Mexico border. Biden breaks new ground for his disingenuous offer, appearing like he’s concerned now about the border when what he really wants is another $60 billion for Ukraine. Under Biden’s new border plan, Homeland Security would be authorized to shut down the border when 4,000 cross daily for a period of one week. “Securing the border through these negotiations is a win for America,” Biden said, hoping he can bamboozle Republicans to fork over the cash for Ukraine under the guise of protecting the border. But why should Republicans trust the deal with Mayorkas since he said the border was secure?
Biden exposed his hardball tactics, ignoring border security for three years, only taking it seriously when he wants more Ukraine War funding. How inclined would Biden be to pass border security if it were not tied to Ukraine War funding? For everyone who is demanding tougher border control, this is the way to do it. If you’re serious about the border crisis, pass a bipartisan bill and I will sign it,” Biden said, essentially holding border security hostage to his demands for more Ukraine War funding. If Biden didn’t get his Ukraine War funding, he’d offer nothing when it came to the border. Biden and Mayorkas have been saying for three years that there’s no problem on the Mexico border. Nothing could be more disingenuous than pressuring Congress to release more Ukraine funding. If Biden were sincere about border security, he’d sign a stand-alone bill.
White House negotiators need to decouple the border security bill from funds requested for the Ukraine War. Biden needs to tell the nation not about Putin taking over Europe if Ukraine doesn’t win, he needs to tell the public how he plans to end the war. If there’s no clear plan to win the Ukraine War, then Congress should not authorize another $60 billion. House Republicans want stand-alone funding bills, not the omnibus bill Biden wants the House and Senate to approve. Biden has made no effort over the last three years to deal with the border crisis, no matter what he’s been told. Biden essentially tells House and Senate GOP lawmakers to “take it or leave it.” But why should Republican believe in the new border security legislation unless it’s a stand-alone bill. Biden tries to sell his $110 billion boondoggle to get Ukraine more war funding without any guarantees.
Biden showed his cunning side trying to gaslight Republicans into signing his border security deal to get the $60 billion in Ukraine War funding. Voters need to ask Biden whether giving Ukraine another $60 billion is the best use of taxpayers dollars when American citizens, including veterans, sleep in the streets? If Biden were serious about border security, why would have denied the border security until he wanted to cajole Congress to give him more cash for Ukraine? Biden needs to know that voters aren’t ignorant of what he’s trying to do, brow-beating Republicans into going along with his Ukraine War funding. Biden has no plan for ending the Ukraine War should he get another four years. Voters need to ask how long the country can tolerate Biden’s abysmal decision-making. Biden should sign stand-alone border security without funds for Ukraine.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
