Extra border guards amount to little

President Obama's proposal to spend $600 million to provide 1,000 more guards plus some drones to help secure our Mexican border is a classic example of a politician spending a huge amount of money to provide an appearance of doing something constructive without actually doing anything.

Since the border is about 2,000 miles long, covering three shifts per day and seven days a week, 1,000 guards works out to a small fraction of one guard per mile. An awful lot of money for so little help.

I'm not sorry I voted for Obama, given the alternatives at the time, but I sure am disappointed in his performance as he has kept none of his promises. Even more of our troops are in Asia suffering increasingly greater casualties, and his health care program will cause more harm than good. He had the opportunity to pass a really effective bill, but he caved in to the trial lawyers and insurance companies.

Now he's taking credit for an economic recovery that hasn't really happened. The stock market has recovered some, and if you are fortunate enough to have money invested there you may be happy. But if you are among the tens of millions who have lost their jobs and/or homes, you may not appreciate the stock market's partial recovery.

Now, not only has Obama done nothing really effective in controlling our border, he is fighting states that are trying to do something on their own to stop the influx of drugs and crime that stem from our poorly guarded border.

The only areas where Obama has so far been effective are talking, shooting baskets and going on vacation.

John Hurley

Palatine