Operation Fast and Furious is the federal government’s outrageous and illegal response to crime and violence in Mexico. Through Operation Fast and Furious, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) pressured the owners of gun shops in Arizona to sell high-powered guns to known gun traffickers who then smuggled the guns across the US/Mexican border and sold them to Mexican drug gangs.
Not only is it illegal to sell guns to known gun traffickers working on behalf of Mexican drug gangs, it is obviously not a good idea for our government to arm Mexican drug gangs. Nevertheless, the ATF persisted in this activity, against the objection of many American gun shop owners, and facilitated the transfer of over two thousand guns to Mexican drug gangs. One of these guns was reportedly used to shoot and kill US Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry. It is a tragedy that Agent Terry was killed at all, but even more tragic that the United States government helped to provide the gun to the thug who shot and killed him. Sadly, the tragic killing of Agent Terry is not the end of this tragedy. Reports indicate these guns were used in other crimes in America.
Apparently, over a thousand of these guns are still unaccounted for because certain ATF supervisors refused to allow their field agents to stop and arrest these gunrunners. Operation Fast & Furious was a sting operation without the sting. Certain brave and honest field agents objected strongly to facilitating the sale of guns to Mexican drug gangs and thankfully blew the whistle – and they should be commended for doing so.
President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder are ultimately responsible for this out-of-control and dangerous ATF. Both men claim they did not authorize this project, were not informed about it and were not aware of it until the scandal broke. President Obama defended his ignorance of the fact that his agency was helping to smuggle guns to Mexican drug gangs by saying, “This is a big government. I’ve got a lot of moving parts.”
Even though President Obama admitted the executive branch he oversees is too big for him to manage, he then defended Fast & Furious on the grounds that he needs to help reduce violence in Mexico. Setting aside the obvious, which is why the President believes providing guns to Mexican drug gangs will reduce violence, we must also ask why the President believes it is his job to reduce violence in Mexico and where does he believe he gets the Constitutional authority to try to do so?
The Constitution does not empower the federal government to regulate and control alcohol, tobacco and firearms in America, let alone in Mexico. Under the Constitution, the states have the power and authority to regulate in these matters. Although the Constitution does not provide the federal government with general police powers, it does empower and require the federal government to defend and protect our borders. So, instead of giving guns to Mexican drug gangs and concerning himself with violence in Mexico, President Obama should concern himself with stopping Mexican drug gangs, criminals and illegal aliens from crossing our border.
One way to protect Americans from Mexican crime and violence coming to America is to replace Barack Obama with a President who will make it a top priority to close the border. Another way is to replace President Obama’s top ally in the U.S. Senate, Robert Casey (D-PA). Senator Casey supports amnesty for illegal aliens, sanctuary cities and enticing illegal aliens to join our military – all of these polices exacerbate the problem of crime, violence and lawlessness on our southern border.
On the contrary, I believe our elected officials should concern themselves with protecting our borders and enhancing the safety of the American people. That is why I support keeping illegal aliens, including Mexican drug gangs and their gunrunners, out of America by closing the border. And, instead of enticing illegal aliens with jobs, government benefits, in-state tuition, sanctuary, and creating a way for them to join our military, I would enforce our immigration laws. I would replace Operation Fast & Furious with Operation Restore Our Sovereignty.
A closed border and an enhanced deportation policy is the way to protect the safety of the American people and reclaim the sovereignty of our nation.
Scaringi For U.S. Senate 