Help me out here. Hurl more reasons at me. Reasons why we should not build Donald Trump’s infamous wall. Here are the most popular reasons I have seen to date:
“No other countries build walls to keep people out.” Not true. Mexico did. So did Israel. So did several others. And many countries plan to build walls.
“It would be evil, like the Berlin Wall.” Sorry, but that wall was to keep people in. East Berlin was a prison.
“It won’t work.” Hmmm. Others do. The Berlin wall did. And if it won’t work, why worry? You want open borders? An unworkable wall will continue to give you open borders.
“We should not keep people from coming to America. We are a nation of immigrants.” This would suggest you want no border. No border means no country. And how many people are you prepared to allow to enter illegally? Ten million? Thirty? One-hundred million? Do you have a magic number? And once we reach that, how do we turn off the tap? Do we put up signs? THIS IS THE U.S. BORDER. SORRY. NO MAS. If illegals ignore the signs, what then?
“Our border is pretty secure now. One-third is walled or fenced. And our 21,000 border agents patrol the rest.” Uhhhh. Why do you suppose we walled off one-third of our border? Why do you suppose we have so many border agents? They cost us $4 billion per year. Do you think it is maybe because people stream across our un-walled border?
“It would cost too many billions.” Its cost is a drop in the bucket we call our national budget. Especially when it is spread over several years. Which it would take to build the wall.
“With the same money we could build thousands of homes for the poor. Or feed all starving Haitians.” Well, we could do that with the money we blow on various wasteful government programs. Our government cannot tell us how many cars and buildings it owns. One department mis-placed $800 million last year. Still hasn’t found it. If you see it, speak up.
“We are being heartless to millions of people who want to come here.” I dunno. Consider how many live here. Consider that they send over $70 billion per year to their families. Consider we have been allowing over 1 million legal immigrants per year into the U.S. And no one knows how many illegals. Does this seem heartless?
“Mexico won’t pay.” Granted, it is a silly boast. But there are countless ways that Mexico can be made to pay for a wall without even knowing about it. And if the wall works well, we could cut our border agent numbers by 75 percent. That would save $3 billion per year. A few years of that and we have paid for the wall.
“The number of people trying to enter illegally has already declined.” Uhhh, perhaps it was the doubling of the number of agents? Perhaps people have got the message that the border is tightening?
Here are a few questions for those who want no wall: If you don’t want a wall, why have any agents? Why? They both stop people from entering illegally. How can you justify one without the other?
Why would Mexico oppose it so vehemently? Why? Former Mexican Presidente Vincente Fox foams at the mouth over the wall. What possible logical reason could he and other Mexicans have to oppose a wall? Do you think maybe the reason is simple? That they want more of their people to move to our country?
Another question: Do you know of any other country that feels it is okay if you and I walk in?
A final question: Why do you suppose several of the politicians who now rail and screech against the wall used to support one? In 2006 Senator Barrack Obama voted for major border double-fencing. As did Senator Hillary Clinton. And Joe Biden. And Charles Schumer. These days they say that fence was less ambitious than a wall. Right. Monstrous wire double fences? They were designed to only keep out Chihuahuas?
Am I right in thinking the real reason people don’t want a wall is that Trump wants one? That’s it, maybe?
If only both sides were more creative. Imagine skateboard slopes on both sides. Imagine water slides here and there. Imagine solar panels along the wall. And all the cheap power they would generate.
Imagine selling it to The Donald! He would paint TRUMP WALL the length of it. Astronauts would video his miles of neon TRUMP signing. He would add bars and restaurants, hotels and condos to it. He would charge tourists to stroll it.
The Chinese rake in billions every year from tourists who just have to visit their Great Wall. Imagine how much Trump could make from ours. “Come to Trump Wall. Take home a free Chihuahua.
From Tom…as in Morgan.
Find Tom on Facebook. You can write to Tom at tomasinmorgan@yahoo.com.