I have a question for those of you that dont support a wall because it wont stop all of the illegal entry.
Do you do anything in life to make things better, that you know wont be perfect?
Do you try to funnel deer by cutting trees, even though you know some deer will still get through your funneling?
Do you plant food plots to help habitat, even though you know some creatures wont benefit ?
If you left your kitchen faucet on, and the drain was plugged, and water was pouring onto the floor, what would be your first step to improve the situation?
Would you try to clean the drain so the water can go down the drain first?
Would you start wiping the water off the floor first?
Or would the smartest thing be to shut the water off, so the source of the water/mess is stopped, or slowed before trying to clean up the mess?
To people 5 billion dollars is a lot of money, but to the US government it is peanuts, and the fight over the 5 billion isnt worth the stress. This 5 billion has divided our government, it has sent many people home without a job for the past couple of weeks, with no real end in sight. I say take the 5 billion, seal up the worst spots so the flow of illegals is funneled into certain areas, that can be manned easier. Just my thoughts, which arent worth much!
I think asking questions is a good way to explore issues. I also like the passion surrounding the issues of illegal immigration as hopefully this passion leads to results.
They have built 600 miles of fence along some of the easiest portion of the border. The cost averaged $2,000,000 a mile. I do not know if that is just fence cost or included expropriation and other related costs as well. I'm rather sure it does not include extra manpower and all other expenses to maker the fence work. There is another 1900 miles to go.That should create a framework for the money required to build a fence not including ongoing support and other unaccounted for expenses.
So a few more questions:
Is there a more effective way to spend said money [ or drastically less] to stop illegal immigration? Is anyone having that discussion?
If we know where , when, and how illegals are crossing the border now and could stop it today with resources already available why aren't we ? If it is a question of additional manpower couldn't that be addressed now? Much more cost effectively?
How are the illegals gaining access to the U.S. transporting from the border to wherever they are going? And why cant they be stopped there now?
If politics is the reason why we aren't dealing with the problem today then why do we think politics won't thwart the wall be successful even if it is built? Do we all agree that even with a wall it will still take significant additional resources to control the problem?
If the penalty for hiring illegal immigrants was stiff enough to eliminate the incentive to hire how does that effect the problem? what does it cost to implement and manage that?
DO we really think drug smugglers give a flip about a wall?
How are we going to build a wall thru the cities that lie along the border?
Certainly illegals wouldn't try to cross a skinny river flowing thru a city? Would they? { I see them swimming and playing in the Rio Grande crossing at Eagle Pass all the time}
Have we done any research to see if the wall in place is working?
Enough for now but I could go on. Is it worth starting a dialogue about solving the problem...controlling illegal immigration effectively along the U.S / Mexican border rather than debating the political fight about building a wall?
