SURVENT

Here is an interesting story about who may be the next group to watch over our border with Mexico. I will give you a hint - ANYONE! Please provide me with your thoughts on this idea.

Rick Perry has announced a $5 million plan to install hundreds of night-vision cameras on private land along the Mexican border and put the live video on the Internet, so that anyone with a computer who spots illegal immigrants trying to slip across can report it on a toll-free hot line.

I will say that it is interesting how politician's thoughts and actions change to what will benefit them when it comes time for re-election.

The plan marks a political about-face for Perry, a Republican seeking re-election, who has long argued that security along the state's 1,200-mile border with Mexico is strictly a federal responsibility.

This week, he said cuts in federal homeland security funding, a rise in reports of border violence and the crossing of Mexican soldiers into Texas about two years ago have demonstrated that "Texas cannot wait for Washington, D.C., to act."

Two years ago? I do not see why the Governor would allow that to change his mind now....oh, wait, re-election.

Under the plan, announced on the eve of the state GOP convention, cameras and other equipment would be supplied to willing landowners and placed along some of the most remote reaches of the border. The live video would be made available to law enforcement and anyone else with an Internet connection. Viewers would be able to call day or night to report anything that looks like trespassing, drug smuggling or something else suspicious.

The governor plans to pay for it all with grant money the state already has, and wants the first cameras in place within 30 days.

An agressive plan at that. I would have to agree with some of those people, like Connie Hair, who think that having access granted for the general public to view these may be a bad idea.

Connie Hair, a spokeswoman for the Minuteman organization, which patrols the border against illegal immigrants, said access to the video should be restricted to trained volunteers and law enforcement officials, to prevent smugglers from using the equipment to adjust their routes.

I would agree that only certified volunteers and law enforcement officials should be allowed to view these cameras and make the calls to enforcement officers to intervene. Not a terrible idea by Governor Perry, but I think it needs more thought before being implemented. 30 days seems too agressive - but hey, why not.