Texas Governor Greg Abbott is running for re-election against Beto O’Rourke. Betting markets heavily favor him, but he’s not taking chances with his base after being primaried. He’s busing migrants to the Northeast.
Meanwhile, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis – much better-positioned to run for President in 2024 – said hold my beer. He’d use planes to own the libs. First his team had to convince people to take the Martha’s Vineyard trip, part of a $12 million program to transport migrants out of the state.
4. Popular Information, however, has obtained a brochure that was provided to the migrants who agreed to the flights.
The brochure says that migrants will be eligible for numerous benefits, including "8 months cash assistance," "assistance with housing," and "job placement" pic.twitter.com/dx0jRmrmc8
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) September 19, 2022
There’s so much that seems wrong about this stunt. Only a few of those include,
- Misleading the passengers about the benefits of taking part
- Treating them as pawns in a serious public policy discussion
- Massachusetts isn’t even a so-called Sanctuary State, and Martha’s Vineyard isn’t such a city either
Martha’s Vineyard is ostensibly ‘liberal paradise’ but while it’s packed over the summer its character is completely different during the rest of the year. It’s also an expensive place not just to live, but also to buy groceries and to get on and off the island.
Steamship Authority Boat Off Of Martha’s Vineyard
Now there’s speculation that migrants could be headed to President Biden’s home next, based on filed flight plans for one of the planes that was chartered for the Martha’s Vineyard trip:
One of the planes used in DeSantis’ Martha’s Vineyard stunt is currently scheduled to travel tomorrow from San Antonio, to Florida, to a small airport near Biden’s house in Delaware pic.twitter.com/4yejy32wmi
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) September 20, 2022
It’s not yet clear whether this flight is related. Liberals, who see the stunts as egregious and the Martha’s Vineyard community reacting with compassion, see the efforts as a self-own. While nationalist conservatives see themselves as pointing out hypocrisy, that they want immigrants to flow into the United States but don’t want them in their backyards.
Sending migrants to the President’s personal residence – sending them to the White House is too risky of a stunt – may be a way to again one-up Greg Aboott who has sent bus loads of people to the Vice President’s official residence.
(HT: @crucker)
Hopefully he does. That’d be awesome. He is doing an exceptional job at exposing liberal hypocrisy at its finest. Kudos Ron; hope to see you in the oval office in 2024.
This isn’t about not wanting them in their backyard. It is about deceit and playing with those in need. The Repubs have even sunk lower than Trump. I thought it wasn’t possible but they have again proved themselves to be the Party of hate. I will never understand anyone of color voting for them.
“conservatives see themselves as pointing out hypocrisy, that they want immigrants to flow into the United States but don’t want them in their backyards.”
Sounds true to me.
I guess because there’s an airplane involved you feel this is relevant to post on Boarding Area? GTFO with this political garbage. Pathetic click bait
Wow, somepeople had an adverse reaction to what was factual and balanced, presenting both sides.
There are people living in an echo chamber. Ratings are down at CNN due to reporters taking an activist view, and CNN has fired or demoted those. We need more media professionals like you Gary.
Once there was a fellow who was just bad
He stole the Who’s toys and thought they would be mad
But they sang and were happy
And he realized he was sappy
So the Grinch grew a big heart
But Abbott and DeSantis are cruel and cannot
This will turn into another divisive political thread. Why not stick to FF issues that we are care about?
Even though it was an obvious political stunt, for the migrants, I think it is actually a way better solution than being stuck in Texas. In Texas, they are one of hundreds of thousands but in Massachusetts, they are a small group and are now on TV. They are much more likely to get help from lawyers and organizations now.
You should use some of your points and miles to visit places like El Paso that are beyond overwhelmed with migrants. Aside from enlightening and educating you, it would make this relevant to a travel/points blog.
Let’s hope so. The Biden Terrorist Organization is doing everything it can to destroy America.
Interesting that this brochure is NOT in Spanish. Do you think that if these people are from Latin America the information on this would be in Spanish? Hmmm?
So much for “View From The Wing” informing readers about travel and deals. NOW, the bum gets into politics. Stick with what the blog is about.
I’m sure a lot of these people who support this also call themselves “Christians.”:So I ask these “Christians” what would Jesus do?
Leave them in the desert for a while?
Gary – this is so disappointing to me that you put stuff like this on your blog. I have withheld by comments up until this point. I read your blog for travel tips, trip reports, great travel deals, etc. I don’t read your blog for political viewpoints and really, this story has nothing to do with anything travel-related. You have had some great content on your blog in the past but recently, it just seems to be trash and more and more politically-charged. Again, this is so disappointing as an avid reader of your blog and I’m disappointed in you. Everyone is entitled to their political views. I read this blog to hopefully escape all the political garbage that’s going on. Your “take me away Calgon” blog has turned into just the opposite.
You don’t have to go home but you can’t.. stay…heeeere. ~ Every liberal when an illegal shows up in their neighborhood
Biden’s home means shit hole city Wilmington?
That’s so cruel! Delaware is not suitable for any immigrant but only liberal low lives.
If you live in DE, your car either will crash or was already crashed. What a shit hole state.
So it’s cool thousands of migrants overcrowd border towns every day for 20 years, but republicans send 80 to MV one time and we’re going with “how dare republicans mislead them?” Yeah, ok.
I’ve been encouraged by the money raised for the refugees in Martha’s Vineyard and the efforts the community is putting forward to care for them. While this human trafficking stunt is terrible, I applaud the response from this community.
OK — so this is completely off-brand for this website. I’m signing off for a week.
Ray – suck it. You host them. They’re not refugees – they went through ten countries before getting here.
Good riddance.
J.J. – he’d get nailed to a cross. What about it?
Airfarer – absolutely. And prosecute anyone doing water drops.
As much fun as this topic could be, starting to see this site as a timesuck.
If this site is going to descend into nothing more than political vitriol and general cruelty toward humanity I’m out. If I want this kind of hate, intolerance and general rudeness I’ll go hang out on twitter or facebook. This site is supposed to be about reporting on news relevant to the commercial aviation industry, not people’s personal opinions on politics.
Keep it up Gary and a lot of us are out. Since you make your money on clicks you might want to think about this carefully. You’re not the only travel blog out there.
The Bidens have a huge front porch that can fit many of them on and the secret service can look after them so they are safe lol
Like President Biden but they do have to secure our borders and allow legal entry only!
@SOBE ER DOC: So you support those who enter our country ILLEGALLY?
I will remind you that we have immigration laws and immigrants can follow them and be welcomed with open arms. That’s the American way.
You wish to support illegal immigration? Give us your address and we’ll send a bus load over to stay with you.
@ Donald L Smith
“Interesting that this brochure is NOT in Spanish. Do you think that if these people are from Latin America the information on this would be in Spanish? Hmmm?”
Interesting that some posters herein and so f—-ing dumb that they don’t even bother to read the source material for the article (whether fake or not)!!!
Mate, the linked leaflet is in both English and Spanish….;)
@ 1KBrad
“So you support those who enter our country ILLEGALLY?”
Just curious – is it really just a simple matter of “legality” for you?!
Because, if the answer is yes, then a gentle reminder that a significant proportion of migrants enter the US legally on temporary visitor visas and then overstay – such overstay is NOT a federal crime.
I’m looking forward to political commentary with comments from intelligent, well traveled people. Which I assume we all are or we wouldn’t be reading Gary’s blog.
New Castle Airport (ILG) is closer to the casa de Biden than Georgetown, Del is. Guess DeathSantis cronies aren’t very good at actually planning these trips unless he wants to put migrants on Rehoboth Beach, where Biden has a beach house.
But they’ll get a nice reception in Rehoboth… there’s a large immigrant population in the area due to the farms and chicken processing plants in the region.
@ C_M
Yep, a time suck, but, presumably, reassuring for the hysterical right wing that DeSantis is just as vile as the orange muppet for those who support the current odious political milieu of the GOP.
Thereby Gary Leff gets his clicks as the brainwashed right get their kicks.
Incidentally, this pathetic stunt now subject to criminal investigation, something about totally fake information and potential misuse of million of bucks of taxpayers’ money. Classic right trash (pun intended).
Gotta go – have some actual frequent flyer flights to book…be well…;)
We have a severe worker shortage in America leading to inflation as businesses have to pay more to attract scarce workers. What has contributed to this situation? Reduced immigration. The world makes no sense anymore. If Rhonda Santis is going to send migrants North how about sending them back, drop them off at The Villages?
@platy:
Since we are a nation of laws, yes, it is about the laws.
We have far too many unskilled laborers coming across the border. If we need them, enact legislation allowing the necessary number to enter.
The Dems hold the house, the senate and the oval office, yet they have proposed zero legislation to deal with the immigration crisis on the southern border.
We’re talking about the Southern Border right now, not other means of entry.
Andrew — The “severe” worker shortage is indeed partly due to Biden’s removal of the work requirements for welfare benefits — thus destroying Clinton’s reasonable pledge to “end welfare as we know it” in the 90’s. Bet you did not know that welfare had again become a program rife with abuse.
That is why some, but by any means not all, of those who receive benefits are not looking for a job for at the end of the day, there is not much of a difference between minimum wage pay after taxes and all that you can get on public assistance.
Moreover, why do you think that many communities do not want illegal migrants residing within their jurisdictions?
Educating illegal children is expensive and is a local matter and where pray tell do most jurisdictions find the funding for such and expense? Property taxes!!
Yes, the over-taxed liberals who are lucky enough to have bought a dwelling on Marth’s Vineyard do not want to see those taxes raised even more!
Further, unreimbursed hospital expenses — which occurs when you treat uninsured Americans and all illegal immigrants are also a drain on local budgets, although some of this is reimbursed as a Federal grant to hospitals.
I’m a non-white conservative. Not all conservatives are white nationalists. Just like not all democrats are racist. You should delete that
Nobody ever talks about the enormous costs the taxpayers bear for free housing, education, healthcare and food that comes with this.
What kind of country do you want? Why not come through the legal process?
This will bring us all down. What an evil monster is Biden far worse in corruption than anything you could pin on Trump. These people were invited in. They know the consquences. They are not seeking asylum as is the popular excuse now. Try going to Mexico? You wont go on government assistance. We can barely take care of who we have now and for this monster to invite these people in right on the heels of a Covid lockdown is a blatant piss on America. He stated he does not believe in an America first. But this is a blatant break of the oath he took after stealing the election. The suffering of these people is placed at this scum bags feet!
Why do people write about the new migrants as being stupid, easily duped, and compare them to kids being lured by candy? These are humans who survived a long trip with challenges, and made deliberate choices while weighing the risks and chances they would be allowed to stay when they crossed the border. Maybe they should be given the respect that they think they made a choice good for them – transportation to another part of the country that allows freedom of movement. It sounds racist to describe them as unable to make decisions for themselves simply because they are from a foreign country.
As a Texan I agree. Texas is full and cannot continue to support millions of people who come to the U.S. illegally. There is a legal way to come to the U.S.
@John C writes “Texas is full”
Population density of Texas: 43 persons per square kilometer
Population density of Tokyo: 6,158 persons per square kilometer
“Interesting that some posters herein and so f—-ing dumb that they don’t even bother to read the source material for the article (whether fake or not)!!!
Mate, the linked leaflet is in both English and Spanish….;)”
To Platy,
The front page of the brochure, only has a small Spanish section stating “Benefits for Refugees”, and that is it. I DID look at the brochure in which 99% is in English.
@platy
@Ray
The gop is the party of rational policies and thinkers. The Democrats have always been the oath of racists. The gop once again is proving what kind of scumbags democrats and lefties are.
On today’s episode of View from The Ivory Tower…
Gary Leff- seriously?? Have you not read all the comments for this post? A large number of the posts are pleading with you to NOT post political garbage like this and instead, keep it travel-related. This post is nothing remotely travel-related. Then you chime in at 11:57 a.m. with your Texas comment – just adding fuel to the fire. Enough already!! I am now officially done with you and this blog!! If you want to talk politics, open a political blog and do everyone a favor and keep it off this blog. I truly stared reading your blog a few years back to become a smarter and more educated TRAVELER. Wow – have things changed!! BYE!
Texas is not full, but to compare the average population of a city to the average population of a (rather dry) state is, well, meaningless.
“It is known that there are an infinite number of worlds, simply because there is an infinite amount of space for them to be in. However, not every one of them is inhabited. Therefore, there must be a finite number of inhabited worlds. Any finite number divided by infinity is as near to nothing as makes no odds, so the average population of all the planets in the Universe can be said to be zero. From this it follows that the population of the whole Universe is also zero, and that any people you may meet from time to time are merely the products of a deranged imagination.” – Doulas Adams
Given all the “hiring now” signs in the destinations of choice for the governors of Florida, Texas and Arizona doing this human trafficking game, the destination states should say thank you to them for helping to reduce inflationary pressure in the destination states.
Whatever this content is, it is not “political garbage”. He made solid points about what was nothing but cheap, political stunts by governors throwing red meat to their snarling base. I don’t always agree with Gary but he owns this blog and can certainly post on whatever social issues he chooses. The vast majority of his posts are about travel issues for the general public. I also don’t believe for one minute that the right-wingers fuming about this post will really stop reading this blog. As if!
Comparing Texas to Singapore Gary Leff? Really?
Monaco population density is 19,361/KM. Even if we pack the entire world population in the US, we will still not have a population density as much as Monaco.
The total value of world income is closing in on $70 trillion per year, and there are seven billion people in the world, so the average income is heading towards $10,000 per person per year.
Should we take the excess and distribute to those who make less?
Good for De Santis. Nice to see a true conservative standing up to these woke liberal hypocrites. Maybe Biden will get off his ass and secure our border like every other developed nation. What a joke.
If Texas isn’t full, Gary, then how many are you housing at your casa?
The irony of all of this is that Biden has turned Hispanics as a formerly reliable Democratic voting bloc into more Republican voters than ever.
Doing something with the expectation of screwing someone else always backfires and hurts yourself. That is just the way life works.
@ Donald L. Smith
Mate, the section as shown is in English for the benefit of the English speakers on twitter and to debunk the claims that the illegal migrants did not know what was going on.
The other side is clearly written in SPANISH and states what the rest of the brochure says in English.
We in the USA have mastered the art of printing on both sides of a piece of paper.
‘
Apparently, such a thing is not known among the UK and its Dominion/Commonwealth.
@ GU — The only one who is aiding and abetting human trafficking is Biden who has empowered the criminal cartels and gangs to expand their illegal narcotics business to now include the aforementioned. Shame on the Dems, but their history is one of forced labor/bondage for lest we forget, the Confederacy was made up and led by the Democrat party and is functionaries.
@ DLF — The only snarling I have ever seen was by college students who attempt and frequently are successful at shutting down conservative speakers.
I only see one side with the small amount of Spanish on it. The other side is all in English, so if I am missing something I apologize, but it is all I see.