I wish, as always, I had more time. With so many important things happening these days, everywhere, I’m sure that wish will stay with me.

* * *

City Hall failed to pay August and September’s employee health benefit premiums on time, causing an interruption in service. Employee turnover has been suggested by the city manager. Perhaps a standard exit-interview with the departing employee would have avoided the problem.

Since virtually nothing is going on at city hall these days, with most of the top staff gone, employees mostly gone, city coffers empty, the budget in disarray – with another $1.4 million threatening to sink us, and the council majority wanting to have fewer meetings, I’m going to skip that area today. Leaning on the city government alarm bell too long has caused Fillmore’s residents to believe things are normal. Someone please remember to turn out the lights.

* * *

Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Mitt Romney, or Herman Cain were my top presidential choices a few weeks ago. Now it’s between Cain and Romney. Perry seems to be a great guy, a wildly successful governor, and sincere Christian man. However, his opposition to a fence-secured border, and tuition assistance for all illegal aliens told me immediately that he had no chance to win the nomination, what’s more, the election.

“Boots on the ground” is his solution for securing the Texas border. Although he has at his disposal some of the very best law enforcement personnel in the nation, he should be smart enough to recognize that that tactic has not worked, and can never work. The reality of the invasion of illegals from all over the world, especially, if not exclusively, across our southern border with Mexico, demands a strong fence – as well as boots on the ground.
I am astounded that any governor of Texas, which has the longest border segment with Mexico, would not understand that the relatively few boots he has to put on the ground, and the most sophisticated surveillance available, alone can never work. The reality and extent of the criminal war (a virtual civil war) in Mexico, amongst cartels themselves and the federal government, despite massive media coverage, is not properly understood by the vast majority of Americans.

How bad is it? Mexico has been turned into a non-stop, indiscriminate slaughterhouse – quite literally. An exaggeration? I urge you to read the most recent, highly detailed assessment of the Texas border threat: http://www.texasagriculture.gov/vgn/tda/files/1848/46982_Final%20Report-....

Those brave souls who might actually read this document would be enlightened. The report is very long (read at least pages 8-15). Then, ask yourself if all the Texas Rangers in the world, alone, could have any discernable effect on the blood and drug mayhem taking place along our border. Any sensible person would immediately answer “no”. They are far out-manned (in numbers, not quality) out-gunned (thanks in part to our Attorney General’s "Fast and Furious" firearms assistance to the Mexican cartels) and far out-funded (the cartels bring in about $35 billion a year – tax free of course). They have fleets of water craft (including 100-foot long completely submersible submarines), aircraft, and a huge inventory of military arms, including hand grenades, missiles, machine guns, and 50 caliber sniper rifles (which have brought down at least one helicopter so far). In short, they can obtain anything they want whenever they want it.

The federal government, whose primary job is to defend the country, despite its claims, has done effectively nothing to control the threat since President Eisenhower’s time. They have all promised, lied, and failed to make a significant difference. Don’t blame our courageous border guards. The blame belongs with our politicians - presidents, senators, and congressmen, of BOTH parties. With the cartels now cooperating with Islamist terrorists (most recently revealed – Iran) and American street gangs, and with American citizen-residents threatened daily and dying along the border, Perry’s “boots on the ground” is deadly ridiculous. We need a strong, high fence (like Israel’s) intensely monitored with federal and state troops. This would also be a terrific, real time training exercise for our troops, and would open once again our border parks.

For myself, I want to hear both Romney and Cain publically commit to this sort of border solution.

Too extreme? Not Politically Correct enough? READ THAT OFFICIAL REPORT! Maybe this sort of action will prevent others from being “skinned alive” or being bathed in acid. Parental discretion is advised!