#1604 The Border Crisis is Manufactured for Political Opportunity

Air Date 1/17/2024 It is evident that the immigration debate is more about acquiring raw power than about immigration as demands from the Republican Party change along with whatever strategies they feel are most likely to get Republicans elected and in the age of Trump, that means the most draconian, harmful and, ultimately, pointless demands to date. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Beginning Monroe and Migration Part 1 - Under the Shadow - Air Date 1-9-24 In the second half of the episode, we meet migrants walking North toward the United States on the edge of Central America. A very real manifestation, right now, of the never-ending impact of US intervention in Latin America. Ch. 2: Rep. Greg Casar on GOP's Hard-Line Immigration Demands in Ukraine Funding Request - Democracy Now! - Air Date 12-13-23 As negotiations on the emergency funding request continue, we speak with Democratic Congressmember Greg Casar of Texas about how he and other lawmakers oppose "some of the worst changes to our immigration system in decades." Ch. 3: The Migrant Crisis On The Border And The Hill - The NPR Politics Podcast - Air Date 1-11-24 The stream of migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border hit record numbers at the end of 2023. Guests: political correspondent Ashley Lopez, congressional correspondent Deirdre Walsh, and immigration correspondent Jasmine Garsd. Ch. 4: GOP Bets It All on the Border - What Next - Air Date 11-8-23 A partial government shutdown is just 10 days away. Ch. 5: The Beginning Monroe and Migration Part 2 - Under the Shadow - Air Date 1-9-24 Ch. 6: Trump Plans to Declare War on Who? - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 1-9-24 If re-elected, will Trump dredge up an archaic 18th-century law as a de-facto anti-immigration policy? Just how far will he go…? Ch. 7: Under Attack TX Law Targets Immigrants as Trump Cites Hitler, GOP Pushes for Border Crackdown - Democracy Now! - Air Date 12-20-23 It's very clear that we are under attack. … We have targets on our backs," says Marisa Limón Garza, executive director of Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center in El Paso, which is challenging the new Texas law along with other rights groups. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Fox Host Admits GOP Doesn't Give A Sh— About Immigration - The Majority Report - Air Date 1-12-24 Laura Ingham gives the conservative game away Ch. 9: AOC Dismantles GOP Immigration Lies - The Majority Report - Air Date 9-25-23 When interviewed, AOC "...sanctions that were originally authored by Marco Rubio took a large part in the driving of populations to our southern border, shortly after those sanctions were enacted, we started seeing dramatic increases." FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the naked power grab behind the immigration debate and Trump's long-held fascination with Hitler Bonus:  Trump Claims He's Never Read Mein Kampf After Quoting Hitler, Praising Putin: A Closer Look - Late Night with Seth Meyers - Air Date 12-22-23 Articles:  House Republican Admits He'll Kill Border Deal If It Helps Biden Donald Trump's ex-wife once said Trump kept a book of Hitler's speeches by his bed MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: A photograph taken during a "Reform Immigration March" in D.C. A man holds a homemade sign that says "Militarized Border = A Failed Policy." Other protestors in background hold American flags. Credit: "Reform Immigration March on Washington" by Elvert Barnes, Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Cropped, increase in contrast and brightness.   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]