California - the land of extreme contrasts......

[Value Buy]

Hollywood activists throw a fund raiser for Hillary Clinton and charge upwards of 253,000 a couple to be there, raising 15 million for her campaign. George Clooney admits it is an obscene amount of money.

Gene Simmons and two old members of KISS don costumes and make up, to perform with other artists to raise money for  the annual Race to erase MS fundraising.
They raised $250,000

Ouch.
Priorities people, priorities...............

[Deleted]

And yet what avenues of MS research close if Cruz gets control of the courts...

[gregintenn]

Apr 17, 2016 22:11:39 GMT -5 oped said:

And yet what avenues of MS research close if Cruz gets control of the courts...

You think he'll ban fund raisers?

[ken a.k.a OMK]

The rich can do anything they want with their money. So can you and I. 

[mroped]

Apr 18, 2016 15:13:22 GMT -5 gregintenn said:

Apr 17, 2016 22:11:39 GMT -5 oped said:

And yet what avenues of MS research close if Cruz gets control of the courts...

You think he'll ban fund raisers?

I don't believe he will ban fundraisers but he will cut government funding for the research since it doesn't fit in the Bible!

[Opti]

Priorities or comparing things that are totally different?

The event raised more than $250,000 toward finding a cure for the nervous system disorder.

Watch a video of the band performing "Cold Gin" and "Rock and Roll All Nite" at Friday night's show below.

www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/7334116/kiss-without-paul-stanley-shoulder-surgery-benefit-show

(video of the performance available on link)

FWIW-

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society
has committed another $25.3 million to
support an expected 60 new MS research
projects and training awards. This financial commitment is the latest
in the Society’s relentless research effort to
expand investments and worldwide collaboration
to accelerate research, investing a
projected $54 million in 2016 alone to support
over 380 new and ongoing studies
around the world.

www.nationalmssociety.org/NationalMSSociety/media/MSNationalFiles/Research/New-Research-Spring-2016.pdf

Or possibly hanging out with Hillary and George Clooney at Clooney's house.

www.politifact.com/punditfact/statements/2016/apr/17/george-clooney/george-clooney-decries-big-money-politics-says-mos/

Clooney said, "The overwhelming amount of the money that we're raising, is not going to Hillary to run for president. ... It's going to the congressmen and senators to try to take back Congress."

In cases like this, where large amounts are collected from individual donors and tickets cost over $30,000, Clinton's direct share is going to be small, as Clooney said.

But it should be noted that this isn't typical, and for most people donating to her Victory Fund, the Clinton campaign is going to get the lion's share of the money.

Because Clooney's statement is accurate but needs clarification or additional information, we rate it Mostly True.

[gregintenn]

Apr 18, 2016 16:54:22 GMT -5 mroped said:

Apr 18, 2016 15:13:22 GMT -5 gregintenn said:

You think he'll ban fund raisers?

I don't believe he will ban fundraisers but he will cut government funding for the research since it doesn't fit in the Bible!

What part of our constitution allows for government medical research?

What good has come from government medical research?

This is one of a myriad of things that should be handled by the private sector, just as it was being done in the stated article.

[mroped]

It is handled by the private sector Greg but the funding comes from the government in many cases.
The same goes for anything else that does research. Who do you think paid the R& for those fight jets that cost a piece more than some countries GDP?
Did you know that the DOD spent $125 billion on the research alone?

[Artemis Windsong]

Elitist democrates.

[Value Buy]

Apr 18, 2016 17:02:00 GMT -5 Opti said:

Priorities or comparing things that are totally different?

The event raised more than $250,000 toward finding a cure for the nervous system disorder.

Watch a video of the band performing "Cold Gin" and "Rock and Roll All Nite" at Friday night's show below.

www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/7334116/kiss-without-paul-stanley-shoulder-surgery-benefit-show

(video of the performance available on link)

FWIW-

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society
has committed another $25.3 million to
support an expected 60 new MS research
projects and training awards. This financial commitment is the latest
in the Society’s relentless research effort to
expand investments and worldwide collaboration
to accelerate research, investing a
projected $54 million in 2016 alone to support
over 380 new and ongoing studies
around the world.

www.nationalmssociety.org/NationalMSSociety/media/MSNationalFiles/Research/New-Research-Spring-2016.pdf

Or possibly hanging out with Hillary and George Clooney at Clooney's house.

www.politifact.com/punditfact/statements/2016/apr/17/george-clooney/george-clooney-decries-big-money-politics-says-mos/

Clooney said, "The overwhelming amount of the money that we're raising, is not going to Hillary to run for president. ... It's going to the congressmen and senators to try to take back Congress."

In cases like this, where large amounts are collected from individual donors and tickets cost over $30,000, Clinton's direct share is going to be small, as Clooney said.

But it should be noted that this isn't typical, and for most people donating to her Victory Fund, the Clinton campaign is going to get the lion's share of the money.

Because Clooney's statement is accurate but needs clarification or additional information, we rate it Mostly True.

From the article.
Since most of the donors have already donated the $2,700 to her campaign, it limits what she gets, but it still comes her way.....

The Clinton campaign gets the lion's share of the money collected by the Victory Fund, said Clinton spokesman Josh Schwerin, because most of the donors give much smaller amounts, and everything up to $2,700 per person is earmarked to go to Hillary for America first.



It's only when a donor exceeds that limit does the excess spill over to benefit the national and state Democratic committees.



In the case of the California fundraisers, Schwerin said, "Because the vast majority of guests at these events had already contributed $2,700 to Hillary for America, only about 1 percent of the proceeds for these events ended up being allocated to HFA. The rest go to the DNC and 32 state parties across the country to help elect Democrats up and down the ballot, including local and statewide candidates."



The campaign also told us that the individual committees that make up the fund each pay a share of the expenses prior to money being transferred out. The costs are allocated at the same ratio as the money that comes in for each entity.



To put this in perspective, the Clinton campaign isn't required to set things up this way. Bernie Sanders, who has been out-collecting Clinton in fundraising using small donations, has come under fire from some Democrats for not doing enough to help raise money for the party. Sanders became a Democrat to run for president.



Our ruling



Clooney said, "The overwhelming amount of the money that we're raising, is not going to Hillary to run for president. ... It's going to the congressmen and senators to try to take back Congress."



In cases like this, where large amounts are collected from individual donors and tickets cost over $30,000, Clinton's direct share is going to be small, as Clooney said.



But it should be noted that this isn't typical, and for most people donating to her Victory Fund, the Clinton campaign is going to get the lion's share of the money.



Because Clooney's statement is accurate but needs clarification or additional information, we rate it Mostly True.



Share The Facts

[Value Buy]

Like I stated in the original post, priorities, people, priorities.
Bernie goes to Rome Italy to see the Pope and promote world problem(s) solving.
Hillary goes to Hollywood to raise money she will never have to even spend because she already has the amount needed.

[Tennesseer]

Apr 19, 2016 9:29:52 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

Like I stated in the original post, priorities, people, priorities.
Bernie goes to Rome Italy to see the Pope and promote world problem(s) solving.
Hillary goes to Hollywood to raise money she will never have to even spend because she already has the amount needed.

Compare that to how the pope described their meeting to reporters on the flight to Greece:

"This morning when I was leaving, Sen. Sanders was there, he had come to the convention," the pope said. "He knew I was leaving at that time and he had the courtesy to greet me. I greeted him, his wife, and another couple who were there and were sleeping in Santa Martha," the hostel where Francis also lives. "When I came down, I greeted him, I shook his hand, and nothing more. This is called good manners and it is not getting involved in politics.... If anyone thinks that greeting someone is getting involved in politics, I recommend that he look for a psychiatrist."

That's awkward.

Bernie Sanders' awkward Vatican junket

[Value Buy]

I think we all know Bernie is a little awkward.
I am not his fan.
I would never vote for him as President.

Do you feel his moment in Rome is not a better move morally than Hillary going to Hollywood to raise money she does not need?
I am keeping religion out of the question. I am not Catholic or of the Jewish faith, and just want an agnostic answer

Matter of fact, national cable news kept asking the question, why was he going there with the political race in New York going on at the same time.
Some things are just more important in the grand scheme of things than politics.
Some politicians get it, some do not.

[Tennesseer]

From the same link I provided"

"Set aside the weirdness of Sanders using his campaign funds to charter a 200-seat Boeing 767-300 to fly 8,500 miles to Rome with his family and a small Secret Service detail so he could briefly talk about income inequality and climate change..."

So he charters a 767-300 for his small family and small Secret Service detail to speak about climate change.  A 767-300, depending upon the number of classes of service configured into the aircraft (1 to 3 types of service depending upon the airline) can hold anywhere from 218 to 328 passengers.  Yet Sanders chartered it for his small group and no one else on board but two pilots and a small cabin crew.  Think of the additional gases emitted by the almost empty aircraft. 

Why not fly commercial in a fully loaded aircraft instead of an almost empty charter?  Two jets emmitting fuel fumes into the atmosphere instead of one aircraft and  potentially adding to climate change while Sanders flies to Rome for a climate change meeting.

No moral issue here to discuss.  It's politics on both sides.

[Tennesseer]

Apr 19, 2016 9:49:31 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

I think we all know Bernie is a little awkward.
I am not his fan.
I would never vote for him as President.

Do you feel his moment in Rome is not a better move morally than Hillary going to Hollywood to raise money she does not need?
I am keeping religion out of the question. I am not Catholic or of the Jewish faith, and just want an agnostic answer

Matter of fact, national cable news kept asking the question, why was he going there with the political race in New York going on at the same time.
Some things are just more important in the grand scheme of things than politics.
Some politicians get it, some do not.

Why you felt the need to even mention my religious beliefs, I simply don't know because it has nothing to do with Clinton or Sanders.

[Opti]

Apr 19, 2016 9:29:52 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

Like I stated in the original post, priorities, people, priorities.
Bernie goes to Rome Italy to see the Pope and promote world problem(s) solving.
Hillary goes to Hollywood to raise money she will never have to even spend because she already has the amount needed.

Both Hillary and Bernie have done some serious fund raising. Bernie gets mostly from small donors so almost nothing he has done has helped the Democratic party as a whole. I don't know why Hillary chose to do what she did, but using your example of the $250,000 donation, only $30,000 max could go to Hillary's campaign if the couple never donated. $15 million was raised. Whether Hillary got $7 million and the democrats got $8 million, we won't know until later.

Speaking of priorities, why nothing on the guy who is abusing folks again for his own gain?

nypost.com/2016/04/18/donald-trumps-big-abusive-mouth-might-cost-him-4m/

The billionaire businessman’s tweets, calling strategist Cheri Jacobus “a real dummy” and a “major loser,” incited a “virtual mob against her,” with Trump’s Twitter followers calling the political operative “a whore” and posting graphic photo illustrations of her naked and being raped from behind, the suit says.

[Opti]

Apr 19, 2016 9:27:16 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

Apr 18, 2016 17:02:00 GMT -5 Opti said:

Priorities or comparing things that are totally different?

The event raised more than $250,000 toward finding a cure for the nervous system disorder.

Watch a video of the band performing "Cold Gin" and "Rock and Roll All Nite" at Friday night's show below.

www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/7334116/kiss-without-paul-stanley-shoulder-surgery-benefit-show

(video of the performance available on link)

FWIW-

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society
has committed another $25.3 million to
support an expected 60 new MS research
projects and training awards. This financial commitment is the latest
in the Society’s relentless research effort to
expand investments and worldwide collaboration
to accelerate research, investing a
projected $54 million in 2016 alone to support
over 380 new and ongoing studies
around the world.

www.nationalmssociety.org/NationalMSSociety/media/MSNationalFiles/Research/New-Research-Spring-2016.pdf

Or possibly hanging out with Hillary and George Clooney at Clooney's house.

www.politifact.com/punditfact/statements/2016/apr/17/george-clooney/george-clooney-decries-big-money-politics-says-mos/

Clooney said, "The overwhelming amount of the money that we're raising, is not going to Hillary to run for president. ... It's going to the congressmen and senators to try to take back Congress."

In cases like this, where large amounts are collected from individual donors and tickets cost over $30,000, Clinton's direct share is going to be small, as Clooney said.

But it should be noted that this isn't typical, and for most people donating to her Victory Fund, the Clinton campaign is going to get the lion's share of the money.

Because Clooney's statement is accurate but needs clarification or additional information, we rate it Mostly True.

From the article.
Since most of the donors have already donated the $2,700 to her campaign, it limits what she gets, but it still comes her way.....

The Clinton campaign gets the lion's share of the money collected by the Victory Fund, said Clinton spokesman Josh Schwerin, because most of the donors give much smaller amounts, and everything up to $2,700 per person is earmarked to go to Hillary for America first.



It's only when a donor exceeds that limit does the excess spill over to benefit the national and state Democratic committees.



In the case of the California fundraisers, Schwerin said, "Because the vast majority of guests at these events had already contributed $2,700 to Hillary for America, only about 1 percent of the proceeds for these events ended up being allocated to HFA. The rest go to the DNC and 32 state parties across the country to help elect Democrats up and down the ballot, including local and statewide candidates."



The campaign also told us that the individual committees that make up the fund each pay a share of the expenses prior to money being transferred out. The costs are allocated at the same ratio as the money that comes in for each entity.



To put this in perspective, the Clinton campaign isn't required to set things up this way. Bernie Sanders, who has been out-collecting Clinton in fundraising using small donations, has come under fire from some Democrats for not doing enough to help raise money for the party. Sanders became a Democrat to run for president.



Our ruling



Clooney said, "The overwhelming amount of the money that we're raising, is not going to Hillary to run for president. ... It's going to the congressmen and senators to try to take back Congress."



In cases like this, where large amounts are collected from individual donors and tickets cost over $30,000, Clinton's direct share is going to be small, as Clooney said.



But it should be noted that this isn't typical, and for most people donating to her Victory Fund, the Clinton campaign is going to get the lion's share of the money.



Because Clooney's statement is accurate but needs clarification or additional information, we rate it Mostly True.



Share The Facts

So potentially Hillary might get as little as $150,000 from this fund raiser.   One thing is certain though, she won't get $15 Million.

[Tennesseer]

Ryan fundraiser sells $50K tickets
1/26/2016

Speaker Paul Ryan will be in Chicago Wednesday evening for a fundraiser where tickets cost up to $50,000, according to an invitation.

The event — hosted by Ryan (R-Wis.), National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Greg Walden of Oregon and the rest of the Illinois GOP congressional delegation — includes a "VIP photo reception," "general reception" and "private dinner." Lower-priced tickets are available.

Ryan has been candid about his wariness of too much travel for fundraising, But this event and its big-dollar ticket price provides some more evidence about how the speaker will raise money as speaker. Instead of the lengthy trips John Boehner took, where he mixed fundraising with golf and schmoozing, Ryan can command tens of thousands of dollars from a couple in one fell swoop.

A $50,000 donation lands a contributor on the "speaker's council." That group of elite donors includes Craig Duchossois, the CEO of a Chicago-based private equity fund; Todd Ricketts, who co-owns the Chicago Cubs; Ken Griffin, the billionaire hedge-fund manager; and Muneer Satter, a prolific GOP donor.

Ryan fundraiser sells $50K tickets



As for the $253,000 mentioned in the OP, it was for one couple only and that was for two people to sit at the head table with Clinton and the Clooneys.   And it was $353,400 for the couple to sit at the head table if one want to get all moralistic about it. 

For two seats at the head table with Clinton, George Clooney and his wife, attorney Amal Clooney, at an April 15 fundraiser, a couple must contribute or raise a whopping $353,400 — a huge ticket price for a hard-dollar fundraiser.

The Bay Area fundraiser, hosted at the home of venture capitalist Shervin Pishevar, is one of two events starring the Clooneys. On April 16, Clinton and the Clooneys will reunite at the Clooney Los Angeles mansion, where tickets cost $33,400 per person to dine at the table with one of Hollywood’s most glamorous couples.

Both events raise money for the Hillary Victory Fund. While the maximum donation to a presidential campaign is $2,700 for the primary elections (plus another $2,700 for the general), the Hillary Victory Fund can accept much larger contributions because it is a so-called joint fundraising committee that is comprised of multiple committees.

In addition to Hillary for America, which is Clinton’s main campaign committee, the Hillary Victory Fund also includes the Democratic National Committee and 32 state party committees.

Clinton asks for $353K to sit with the Clooneys

[Value Buy]

Apr 19, 2016 10:40:17 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Apr 19, 2016 9:49:31 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

I think we all know Bernie is a little awkward.
I am not his fan.
I would never vote for him as President.

Do you feel his moment in Rome is not a better move morally than Hillary going to Hollywood to raise money she does not need?
I am keeping religion out of the question. I am not Catholic or of the Jewish faith, and just want an agnostic answer

Matter of fact, national cable news kept asking the question, why was he going there with the political race in New York going on at the same time.
Some things are just more important in the grand scheme of things than politics.
Some politicians get it, some do not.

Why you felt the need to even mention my religious beliefs, I simply don't know because it has nothing to do with Clinton or Sanders.

fyi, I was mentioning Catholic, only because he was at the Vatican.
I mentioned Jewish faith, only because Sanders is of the Jewish faith, although it is my understanding, not a strong practicing one.
I said agnostic answer, because I did not want to go into a religious discussion, and I wanted an answer that is not tainted from a religious perspective.
In all honesty, Sanders, after the last debate saying Israel was overly responding to Hamas, he could have done himself a large favor by going to Israel to repair fences with the NYC Jewish voters, but that would have been as political as Hillary going to Hollywood for a fund raiser.
I did not quote you specifically because I was responding to the entire board rather than you on the premise of the thread.
If you felt I was going after your religion in a personal manner, I apoligize. 
That was not the intent, and I know it does not matter.

[Deleted]

Apr 17, 2016 22:06:36 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

Hollywood activists throw a fund raiser for Hillary Clinton and charge upwards of 253,000 a couple to be there, raising 15 million for her campaign. George Clooney admits it is an obscene amount of money.

Gene Simmons and two old members of KISS don costumes and make up, to perform with other artists to raise money for  the annual Race to erase MS fundraising.
They raised $250,000

Ouch.
Priorities people, priorities...............

But Hilary's worth it ! 

[Value Buy]

Apr 17, 2016 22:11:39 GMT -5 oped said:

And yet what avenues of MS research close if Cruz gets control of the courts...

Regardless of mass media hysteria, Cruz will  not be President let alone win the Republican nomination.
He will not be Trump's VP either.
Donald would have to watch his back for the dagger from Cruz, ala Caesar

[Tennesseer]

Apr 19, 2016 14:45:47 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

Apr 17, 2016 22:11:39 GMT -5 oped said:

And yet what avenues of MS research close if Cruz gets control of the courts...

Regardless of mass media hysteria, Cruz will  not be President let alone win the Republican nomination.
He will not be Trump's VP either.
Donald would have to watch his back for the dagger from Cruz, ala Caesar

The Ides of March have come and gone. Trump still lives.

[tallguy]

Apr 19, 2016 16:28:19 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Apr 19, 2016 14:45:47 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

Regardless of mass media hysteria, Cruz will  not be President let alone win the Republican nomination.
He will not be Trump's VP either.
Donald would have to watch his back for the dagger from Cruz, ala Caesar

The Ides of March have come and gone. Trump still lives.

But next year, when his treachery would bear fruit....   

[jkapp]

Apr 19, 2016 9:40:02 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Apr 19, 2016 9:29:52 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

Like I stated in the original post, priorities, people, priorities.
Bernie goes to Rome Italy to see the Pope and promote world problem(s) solving.
Hillary goes to Hollywood to raise money she will never have to even spend because she already has the amount needed.

Compare that to how the pope described their meeting to reporters on the flight to Greece:

"This morning when I was leaving, Sen. Sanders was there, he had come to the convention," the pope said. "He knew I was leaving at that time and he had the courtesy to greet me. I greeted him, his wife, and another couple who were there and were sleeping in Santa Martha," the hostel where Francis also lives. "When I came down, I greeted him, I shook his hand, and nothing more. This is called good manners and it is not getting involved in politics.... If anyone thinks that greeting someone is getting involved in politics, I recommend that he look for a psychiatrist."

That's awkward.

Bernie Sanders' awkward Vatican junket

And Bernie missed a golden opportunity to ask the Pope:  Isn't it hypocritical for you to speak out against America building a wall on their southern border when you live in Vatican City - a city with a large WALL around it?

[Tennesseer]

Apr 19, 2016 21:01:20 GMT -5 jkapp said:

Apr 19, 2016 9:40:02 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Bernie Sanders' awkward Vatican junket

And Bernie missed a golden opportunity to ask the Pope:  Isn't it hypocritical for you to speak out against America building a wall on their southern border when you live in Vatican City - a city with a large WALL around it?

Well Bernie would be wrong about a wall around Vatican City.

Having been to Rome and the Vatican myself, the entrance to Vatican City is not walled in. Additionally, the walls were there before the pope, Bernie, you or I were born. The walls were there before George Wasington was born and up for 600 years before Columbus discovered America. Lothar I was the Holy Roman Emperor at the time when the walls were being built at what is now called Vatican City.

And while it is true the walls were originally ordered built by Pope Leo IV (b 790 - d 855) to stop invading barbarians, the front entrance has been open for many, many, years now.



The open entrance is by the top of the picture by the cross bridge. Beautiful architecture, including its walls, if you have never been to Rome and Vatican City.

Trump's wall would be an aesthetic nightmare and most likely not work too.

[jkapp]

Apr 19, 2016 21:37:38 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Apr 19, 2016 21:01:20 GMT -5 jkapp said:

And Bernie missed a golden opportunity to ask the Pope:  Isn't it hypocritical for you to speak out against America building a wall on their southern border when you live in Vatican City - a city with a large WALL around it?

Well Bernie would be wrong about a wall around Vatican City.

Having been to Rome and the Vatican myself, the entrance to Vatican City is not walled in. Additionally, the walls were there before the pope, Bernie, you or I were born. The walls were there before George Wasington was born and up for 600 years before Columbus discovered America. Lothar I was the Holy Roman Emperor at the time when the walls were being built at what is now called Vatican City.

And while it is true the walls were originally ordered built by Pope Leo IV (b 790 - d 855) to stop invading barbarians, the front entrance has been open for many, many, years now.



The open entrance is by the top of the picture by the cross bridge. Beautiful architecture, including its walls, if you have never been to Rome and Vatican City.

Trump's wall would be an aesthetic nightmare and most likely not work too.

There would be openings in the border wall as well, with armed security checkpoints, just like Vatican City

But, yes, the border wall would be big and ugly - but that matches the asthetics of the surrounding architecture and landscape

[Tennesseer]

Apr 20, 2016 8:37:03 GMT -5 jkapp said:

Apr 19, 2016 21:37:38 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Well Bernie would be wrong about a wall around Vatican City.

Having been to Rome and the Vatican myself, the entrance to Vatican City is not walled in. Additionally, the walls were there before the pope, Bernie, you or I were born. The walls were there before George Wasington was born and up for 600 years before Columbus discovered America. Lothar I was the Holy Roman Emperor at the time when the walls were being built at what is now called Vatican City.

And while it is true the walls were originally ordered built by Pope Leo IV (b 790 - d 855) to stop invading barbarians, the front entrance has been open for many, many, years now.



The open entrance is by the top of the picture by the cross bridge. Beautiful architecture, including its walls, if you have never been to Rome and Vatican City.

Trump's wall would be an aesthetic nightmare and most likely not work too.

There would be openings in the border wall as well, with armed security checkpoints, just like Vatican City

But, yes, the border wall would be big and ugly - but that matches the asthetics of the surrounding architecture and landscape

But no passports, visas, or green cards are required to enter Vatican City.

Even the Vatican walls are scaleable as would be a border wall with Mexico.

[Opti]

Apr 19, 2016 21:01:20 GMT -5 jkapp said:

Apr 19, 2016 9:40:02 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Bernie Sanders' awkward Vatican junket

And Bernie missed a golden opportunity to ask the Pope:  Isn't it hypocritical for you to speak out against America building a wall on their southern border when you live in Vatican City - a city with a large WALL around it?

Weird that you confused Bernie with Trump.

feelthebern.org/bernie-sanders-on-immigration/

What are Bernie’s views on securing the border?

Bernie sees the importance of securing the border, but is opposed to building a fence to do so, and has voted repeatedly against legislation that would build such a barrier.