Drew Griffin and Kathleen Johnston
CNN Special Investigations Unit
Program Note: Watch Drew Griffin's report on these remote border crossings tonight on A360° at 10pm EST.
We were driving through some of the most remote country in the United States, chasing a story that seemed hard to believe.
The Department of Homeland Security had announced it was spending $31 million to enhance and upgrade two remote border crossings - just 12 miles apart - on the border between Montana and the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The spending was lauded by Montana's two senators, even though only an average of 22 cars a day traveled through these border posts.
| Amazing |
September 17th, 2009 7:22 pm ET And they wonder why the Tea party protesters are so pissed off!! The waste of this administration is astounding and yet people can't understand why the tax payers are angry that they spend and we have to pay for it. |
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| Annie Kate |
September 17th, 2009 7:39 pm ET This is as ludicrous as the bridge to nowhere and the airport upgrades to the little airport in the south that gets only a few planes a day. Whoever does these allocations certainly seems to have survived the take-over by the new Obama adminstration from the old Bush regime. This money needs to go on legitimate problems which have a chance of completion given more money and time. Not on upgrading 2 border crossings where there is only 2 people a day, if that, trying to go across the border in Montana. |
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| Ross Chapman |
September 17th, 2009 7:57 pm ET I grew up just a few miles from these border crossings and my brother still owns the family farm there–six miles from the Canadian border. I'm not sure the border crossings need $31 million but don't underestimate the importance of that border. Because there isn't a lot of traffic, it is a tempting place for those who would do harm to the United States. There was a person that crossed just north of our farm that caused several border patrol officers to intercept him. Not sure of all the details but it was a reminder that it would be so easy for terrorists to cross into the United States in that area. We ignore that area at our peril. |
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| Garth |
September 17th, 2009 8:13 pm ET Fantastic article! |
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| Ron B |
September 17th, 2009 9:02 pm ET The senators should realize spending money so ineffectively actually weakens us all. |
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| Remby |
September 17th, 2009 9:17 pm ET WASTE OF MONEY !!! Simple as that. |
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| Henya,From CA |
September 17th, 2009 9:22 pm ET All our borders should be very secured, and I totally agree with Ross |
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