BORDER MONEY: BACK SEN. CORNYN'S PLAN

It's with an "it's about time" we laud our two U.S. senators for
pushing the federal government toward proper funding and managing
border security. And we think it should be accomplished using
technology at hand.

We've been saying that's the way to go for more than two years. So has
Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who became so frustrated with federal
inactivity that he's been sending down the state's money to do the
feds' job.

We hope Sen. John Cornyn, with backing from Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison,
can convince the Obama administration and Congress that Cornyn's $300
million southern border plan is what's needed. Both Democrats and
Republicans agree that we need a secure border.

Border law-enforcement agencies -- federal, state and local -- would
get more monitoring equipment, communications technologies, night-view
cameras, laptops, vehicles, drones and helicopters.

The list goes on, and all are needed: More personnel to prosecute drug
cases, more judges to hear the cases ... dispatchers, jailers and
money to cover overtime.

As Cornyn pointed out, the federal government has five drones on our
borders, but three of them are on our border with Canada.

As Perry has pointed out, neither of the two southern-border drones is
for use in Texas.

Cornyn points out, rightfully so, that we should shy away from sharing
U.S. military technology with Mexico because it's feared the drug
cartels have already infiltrated government agencies.

Another Cornyn initiative we think has merit is seriously looking into
the feasibility on whether the Air Force-Army JSTARS can be deployed
to help the Mexican government fight the Mexican drug cartels.

Day by day, the situation along our southern border is getting more
and more intense. Mexico does not look to be winning the war against
the cartels. The cartels have some 100,000 members, outnumbering the
size of the Mexican military. They have plenty of money through the
sale of illegal drugs. They are fully armed.

We can't afford any weaknesses along our border.

President Obama and Congress should approve Cornyn's $300 million
Border Security Assistance Act.