Libertea Leaves
columnist: Libertea

Topic: Foreign Policy
Southwest Border Violence Reduction Act of 2009 (S. 205)

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A brief discussion of S. 205 in relation to the Constitution and North American Union

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by Libertea
(libertarian)
Friday, January 16, 2009

On January 12^th, Senator Jeff Bingaman (D) of New Mexico introduced the Southwest Border Violence Reduction Act of 2009 (S. 205). Co-sponsors of this bill include Senators McCain (R-AZ), Durbin (D-IL), Feinstein (D-CA), Kyl (R-AZ), and Hutchinson (R-TX). In his speech introducing the bill, Senator Bingaman states that the legislation "is aimed at addressing drug-related violence in Mexico by reducing weapons that are illegally smuggled into the country". I had to read this line several times as I was sure that I was reading it wrong. I kept looking for the punch line, the point where it became clear that this bill was intended to keep weapons from being smuggled into America, not smuggled out of it. Sadly, that punch line never came. This is in fact a bill designed to keep guns from being smuggled from the United States into Mexico.

No where in the US Constitution do the Framers suggest that the United States should intervene in the problems of other nations. Furthermore, our founding fathers repeatedly warned against involving ourselves in the interests of other nations:

[America] goes not abroad, in search of monsters to destroy. She is the well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all. She is the champion and vindicator only of her own. She will commend the general cause by the countenance of her voice, and the benignant sympathy of her example. She well knows that by once enlisting under other banners than her own, were they even the banners of foreign independence, she would involve herself beyond the power of extrication, in all the wars of interest and intrigue, of individual avarice, envy, and ambition, which assume the colors and usurp the standard of freedom." John Quincy Adams

"My policy has been, and will continue to be, while I have the honor to remain in the administration of the government, to be upon friendly terms with, but independent of, all the nations of the earth. To share in the broils of none. To fulfil our own engagements." George Washington

Clearly, the founding fathers never intended for America to become embroiled in the affairs of other nations. Just as clearly, America currently has her own affairs to be concerned with and her own problems to solve.

The Obama has made it clear that he intends to attempt to spend his way to a better economy in spite of the repeated failure of such spending. Now it appears that some in government also intend to attempt to spend their way into a better Mexico, an undertaking that should be left to the Mexican government.

The only possible reason for this defense of a foreign nation is to foster commerce and relations with that nation. In fact, the Senator states that part of the intent of this bill is to protect commerce in the Border States. This sounds suspiciously like a step forward for the North American Union, which means a step backward for American liberty.

While my strongest objection to this bill is that it violates the intent of the founding fathers and threatens the liberty of all Americans, I would be remiss in not pointing out the price tag of this bill: $15,000,000 per year for fiscal years 2010 and 2011 for expanding the presence of the ATF and other Federal agencies along the US-Mexican border for the purpose of reducing arms trafficking and $9,500,000 per year for fiscal years 2010 and 2011 for providing assistance, training, and equipment to Mexican agencies. That is a total of $49,000,000. In my mind, this money could be much more fruitfully applied in other areas . . . better yet, perhaps the government should just not spend this money; thereby entering into that much less debt.

This article deals with S. 205. The companion legislation to this bill in the house is H.R. 495.

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©2009 Libertea, all rights reserved. You must have written permission from the author in order to republish this work.
Published: Friday, January 16, 2009
Last modified: Friday, January 16, 2009

The views expressed in this article are those of Libertea only and do not represent the views of Nolan Chart, LLC or its affiliates. Libertea is solely responsible for the contents of this article and is not an employee or otherwise affiliated with Nolan Chart, LLC in his/her role as a columnist.

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