Well, "hearings" might be overstating the situation a mite. As the AZ Republic editorial board noted on August 6th, "average Arizonans were not allowed to speak."
On Thursday, they held another in Sierra Vista.
Again (from the AZ Daily Star, via the AZ Daily Sun), "those present did not have a chance to address the committee."
The only people who were allowed to speak were certain officials who had to read prepared statements that had previously been submitted to the committee, in writing.
Same hot air, different day.
There's an interesting rhetorical two-step going on here, too -
From Rep. Rick Renzi (R- Mantech) at the Sierra Vista 'hearing':
"Far too often the southern border of the United States is characterized as a porous crossing for illegal aliens looking for job opportunities in the United States," Rep. Rick Renzi, R-Ariz., of Flagstaff said as the meeting opened the Buena High School auditorium....
{snip}
"The reality is, however, that human traffickers, drug smugglers, narco-terrorists, violent criminal gangs, and yes, we even have to consider the possibility that international terrorist organizations are leveraging the same routes," Renzi said.
From Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff in Nogales (courtesy the Tucson Citizen):
Agents have seen a 43 percent reduction in apprehensions along the border because "smugglers now realize there is a substantial additional presence on the border and that is beginning to deter them," Chertoff said.
Either the border is more secure, or it isn't.
Somebody needs to tell the Republicans that those are mutually exclusive positions and pick one. Every time they try to have it both ways, they throw away yet more of their rapidly dwindling credibility.
On the other hand, perhaps it's too late for them to salvage their credibility.
From the August 6th Rep editorial (emphasis mine):
Had lawmakers listened, those who attended Thursday's the meeting in Phoenix could have heard from Valley residents who packed a hearing room at the Capitol.
From today's article in the Sun (again, emphasis mine):
...the meeting opened the Buena High School auditorium. The hearing was sparsely attended...
It looks like people on both sides of this issue are learning - it's an issue that Congressional Republicans want to talk about, but not actually do anything about.
What I wrote 2 weeks ago is still true today -
When Congress wants to crawl out from under their rocks and listen to the people most affected by illegal immigration and by the (mostly) crackpot 'plans' to address it, they'll be welcome.
Until then, they should quit wasting our time and money.
The Tucson Citizen has coverage of both the Sierra Vista hearing as well as Mr. Chertoff's Nogales visit. In addition, they have coverage of Congressman Raul Grijalva's (D-AZ7) forum held in Tucson as a response to the hearing, all here.
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