Weekly Comments Archive
Archived Issue
Sunday, December 30, 2018
ISSUE #957
The Wall? What wall?
(This is longer than usual because of the topic. “The Wall” vs. “open borders.”   I’m expressing my opinion below; if you have an opposite opinion write your own column. If you hate the idea of a fence/barrier/wall to discourage illegal border crossings, then stop reading, because nothing below will likely change your mind. Oddly, however, most Democrat leaders have changed their minds from 10 or 12 years ago.)

COLUMBUS: You probably know that Will Rogers said, “I’m not a member of any organized political party… I’m a Democrat.”  Will also made it clear he was neutral in his political commentary. Common horse sense was the most important factor. Yes, humor and some silliness came into play.

Let’s start today with the silly. Nancy Pelosi offered a 3-point “Pelosi Plan” instead of “The Wall.” 1. Build a Beaded Curtain (not to be confused with an Iron Curtain.) 2. Hire 10,000 cowboys on horseback to corral any immigrant who figures out how to break through the beads. Will the cowboys be armed? No, no, no. Only lassos.   3. Hire 50,000 other folks, as follows: 10,000 judges to rule on asylum claims; 10,000 lawyers to prosecute the cases; 10,000 lawyers to represent the immigrants; 10,000 wranglers to care for the horses; and 10,000 to repair and replace beads.

The Pelosi Plan for border security is intended to have the same result as the border security plans in place for the last 30 years.

Nancy Pelosi should be out of the picture, at least until January 3. The House already voted for a budget bill with $5 Billion for the wall. But the Senate needs 60 votes, not just the 51 Republicans, to pass the budget bill. So, nine Democrats would have to agree with Republicans that we need a secure border to minimize illegal immigration. Chuck Schumer has controlled his Democrat Senators with an iron fist; no one has dared to cross him, including two from West Virginia and Indiana who won re-election in November by saying they would support Trump’s border wall. With the urgency of the government shutdown, the Senate should be called back in session for a vote January 2. Then we will  know who favors border security and who wants to continue the shutdown.

By the way, Schumer was for a border wall before he was against it. Does that sound like common sense?

Democrats do make a valid point. They claim it is unreasonable to build a wall on the entire 1954-mile border. There are mountains, cliffs, canyons, the Rio Grande River, and other geological features where construction would be nearly impossible. So for that reason, they say no portion of a Wall should be built because it is immoral. How about if we build a Wall where the immigrants like to cross? Common sense says let’s put up a wall or fence where immigrants find it easiest to sneak in. This will deter many. Others will look for other spots to sneak in. So that’s where the next sections will be built. What about the ones who tunnel under it, or climb over it? If the wall itself is nearly impenetrable then our officers can spend their time finding the few who do somehow get across.

Why doesn’t Mexico pay for the wall? They will, indirectly. The total annual net cost of folks here illegally is at least $25 Billion. This includes law enforcement, education, medical, and social services. A Wall won’t eliminate that total cost, but the investment in a complete “secure border” should pay off quickly.

What about the 40% who come by other means and overstay their Visas? Once we stop the 60%, those will be much easier to control. We know who they are, and where they entered. Technology can be used to track them down.

There are other issues including businesses that hire illegal immigrants at low wages, “social activists” who encourage immigration by any means possible, and politicians who expect to gain votes.

If you think Will Rogers would support unlimited immigration, think again. The Cherokees and all other Indian tribes in Indian Territory (now Oklahoma) would have voted for a wall along their border with Kansas on the north and Missouri and Arkansas to the east to keep out “Intruders.” The Indians petitioned Congress for support to protect their border. After much debate, in 1898 Congress came down firmly on the side of the Intruders. Will 2019 be any different?

 

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