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June 12, 2007
Pedal To The Metal!
Border Patrol Seeks Recruits At NASCAR
The U.S. Border Patrol hopes a NASCAR sponsorship will help it recruit 9,000 new agents.
The Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines all have sponsored cars.
"It was just a matter of time that the Border Patrol got involved," said Robert Richardson Jr., who drives the U.S. Border Patrol No. 28.
A Saturday NASCAR Busch Series race at the Nashville Superspeedway marks the fourth race for the car, which is getting more attention than its rookie driver.
The Border Patrol has hired about 1,500 agents since it began recruiting last year after President Bush announced plans to add 6,000 agents at the country's Mexican border. The agency needs another 3,000 to replace agents who are retiring.
In the meantime, National Guard troops have been sent to the border while the new agents are being recruited and trained. More than 6,000 troops, including hundreds from Tennessee have gone to the border in the past year.
The NASCAR sponsorship will run for 25 races at a cost of $950,000.
Officials said the deal gives them visibility in areas of the country, like the Southeast, where the Border Patrol doesn't have a presence and may be little known.
"Never in our 83-year history have we had this ambitious of a hiring campaign," said Assistant Border Patrol Chief Michael Olsen, who planned to attend the race on Saturday to talk with prospective recruits.
At last week's race in Dover, Del., Olsen said, he talked to between 50 and 100 people who were eligible and interested in joining. Only about one in 30 applicants actually becomes an agent.
Richardson said he has enjoyed the added attention the car has given his team.
"They're serious about what they're doing for the nation, and we're serious about what we're doing for our race team," he said.
Wild Thing's comment..........
This is a battle for hearts and minds and NASCAR fans are some of the most pro-America people. Great demographic to get the word out. If the car wins, the driver gets global face time and you can bet La Raza won’t be mentioned favorably.
Posted by Wild Thing at June 12, 2007 12:47 AM
Comments
Great Idea!
I really like this one.
And I'm not a NASCAR or racing fan.
Now if the government will let them do their jobs.
Posted by: Lynn at June 12, 2007 04:09 AM
I have seen this car featured on several tv shows. I watch very little television, so the Border Patrol auto must really be getting a lot of attention. Well worth the money spent. What would really be neat is if they put the names of the imprisoned BP agents on the car.
Posted by: TomR at June 12, 2007 07:13 AM
Well, I want to know, what are the global warming 'Nutsos' going to say about this. First you have NASCAR running, these cars at 170 ave mph, open exhaust, high octane fuel and leaded(it used to be)and going in a circle to see who can get there, the fastest.
Second, who is buying the Carbon Off-sets for NASCAR ?
I was reading a NASCAR poll, and of all the drivers the most disliked Driver, by Drivers and fans alike, was some guy named Garcia, coincidence,
They are willing to give Amnesty to 12 Million people they dont' know, but to pardon two Border Agents who did their job, why that would'nt be right, they must up hold the law.
Is it me or is there a double standard here.????
Amnsety, Round two starts today. If we don't win this one we may as well bring the troops home because there won't be anything worth fighting for, because Bush has just given our Sovereignty to Mexico and sold the country out from underneath us.
Posted by: Mark at June 12, 2007 09:08 AM
I would think the Border Patrol would have little trouble recruiting in the US considering how many Minutemen went to patrol the border. The only thing hindering recruitment is the fear of being prosecuted for doing your job, especially if you have to defend yourself. The Justice Department sent a strong message of what will happen to Agents who actually do their jobs.
Posted by: BobF at June 12, 2007 09:30 AM
The thing that gets me is Chertoff, director of Homeland Security (rhymes with jerk) has likened an Illegal sneaking into the country to that of US legals getting a speeding ticket.
Illegals are given at least 5 arrests before any action is taken against them.
How many of you out there Ignore a speeding ticket and don't show up for your court date.
Ignore one and the 'Staties' are at your door to personally escort you to the local court and the fines are doubled.
Ignore two and your car is impounded, you are arrested and taken away with jail time a good bet.
Speeding ticket my ass.
Posted by: Mark at June 12, 2007 11:47 AM
My wife's hometown is a perfect example of the failure at the border, here is one recent incident that is an almost weekly occurance. There was a time when the presence of a car with U.S. government plates would make the town a ghost town in fear of the INS, today they rally around that government car for more benefits and they get them. This is a little farm community in central Washington. They have no fear of the INS, the border patrol has been shown that they lack the support of Congress, the Sentate, the President and most of the people, we will lock them up for doing their job. I do hope exposure at NASCAR will focus the public on the problem, but NASCAR attendance is predicated upon the public liking the sport and the ability to buy the tickets and travel there to attend the races. This is priced out of the range of the ordinary citizen on a budget, that leaves televised coverage with it's media censureship and biases. I fear it's only smoke and mirrors posturing to make it look like they are doing something. I'm hopeful but skeptical.
Posted by: Jack at June 12, 2007 12:30 PM
Another Border Patrol agent sent to jail by US Attorney Sutton and Judge Kathleen Cardone, the same two that sent Agents Ramos and Compean to prison. This guy is sent to jail based on "typo" on paperwork when he adopted his nieces from Mexico. The guy tries to do the right thing and he gets slammed for it. If he would have brought them over illegally, nothing would have happened.
http://www.diggersrealm.com/mt/archives/002335.html
Posted by: BobF at June 12, 2007 12:50 PM
Wow, follow the rules, do a good job and you WILL get your just reward.
It seems the INS had no problem finding those three girls and deporting them, must be something about their status, that is being LEGAL is not what the INS is all about.
What he should have done is snuck them in through Arizona, and McCain and company would have helped, Of course now there wouldn't have been a problem.
Posted by: Mark at June 12, 2007 03:20 PM
Lynn I agree, we have got to let the BP agents do their jobs. How awful to be a BP agent and have your hands tied. Extremely dangerous for them for one thing.
Posted by: Wild Thing at June 13, 2007 12:22 AM
Tom that is so neat, I think that is a marvelous idea to put their names on the car. Great idea!!!
Posted by: Wild Thing at June 13, 2007 12:24 AM
Mark.......AMEN to everything you said.
Right now is going to determine what direction this country is going to take, it is a dangerous and extremely concerning time we live in.
I agree what you said too about our troops.
Posted by: Wild Thing at June 13, 2007 12:27 AM
Bob, they sure did! Our government is so screwed up, they have lsot all my respect except for just a handful of last holdouts and I pray they stay strong.
Posted by: Wild Thing at June 13, 2007 12:29 AM
Mark sheesh this jsut gets worse and worse.
I have never felt like this in my life!!!!
Posted by: Wild Thing at June 13, 2007 12:31 AM
Jack thank you for sharing about that. OMG amazing and shocking at the same time. God help us!!!
Posted by: Wild Thing at June 13, 2007 12:33 AM
Bob thanks for the link. I was reading about him this morning. I bet there will be more of them too, and many quiting and getting other jobs out of being so frustrated and I don't blame that at all.
Posted by: Wild Thing at June 13, 2007 12:36 AM
