By Melissa del Bosque, Texas Observer, Feb. 19, 2008

Why do I sound so depressed lately? Because I am and it’s entirely because of crap like THIS.

The Border Wall is suffering from so much corruption that Mexican Pres. Calderon might as well be in charge of it.

“As the U.S. Department of Homeland Security marches down the Texas border serving condemnation lawsuits to frightened landowners, Brownsville resident Eloisa Tamez, 72, has one simple question. She would like to know why her land is being targeted for destruction by a border wall, while a nearby golf course and resort remain untouched.”

“While the border wall will go through her backyard and effectively destroy her home, it will stop at the edge of the River Bend Resort and golf course, a popular Winter Texan retreat two miles down the road. The wall starts up again on the other side of the resort.”

“Along the border, preliminary plans for fencing seem to target landowners of modest means and cities and public institutions such as the University of Texas at Brownsville, which rely on the federal government to pay their bills.”

“Just 69 miles north, Daniel Garza, 76, faces a similar situation with a neighbor who has political connections that reach the White House. In the small town of Granjeno, population 313, Garza points to a field across the street where a segment of the proposed 18-foot high border wall would abruptly end after passing through his brick home and a small, yellow house he gave his son. “All that land over there is owned by the Hunts,” he says, waving a hand toward the horizon. “The wall doesn’t go there.”

“In this area everyone knows the Hunts. Dallas billionaire Ray L. Hunt and his relatives are one of the wealthiest oil and gas dynasties in the world. Hunt, a close friend of President George W. Bush, recently donated $35 million to Southern Methodist University to help build Bush’s presidential library. In 2001, Bush made him a member of the Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board, where Hunt received a security clearance and access to classified intelligence.”

So the Hunts don’t get a Border Wall through their property, that they don’t want. Instead these oil barons get access to classified information. Why? What do the Hunts want with it?

“On August 10, 2007, Chertoff announced his agency would scale back the initial 700 miles of fencing to 370 miles, to be built in segments across the southern border. Chertoff cited budget shortages and technological difficulties as justifications for not complying with the bill.”

So now that they can segment the wall, they can just put it where they want and leave big sections open in exchange for bribes and political favors. This is the Bush Administration in action. How do you like it? How do you like the cronyism of George Bush? Our goddam President? If you ever wanted to see corruption at the highest levels of government, then take a good look because here it is.

A deep bow to Melissa Del Bosque for researching this, interviewing people along the wall and publishing this for all to see. Go here to read it in its entirety and Go Here to see 2 excellent Minuteman videos.

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