A less expensive alternative.
Posted on 08/05/2015 12:34:43 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Donald Trump is many things, but a deep thinker with a nuanced grasp of the complexities of public policy is not one of them. Yet he stands firmly at the front of the GOP presidential pack largely because of one issue: immigration. And before you dismiss his thoughts on the subject as the rantings of a simple-minded xenophobe, understand that more than any other candidate, he's offering Republican primary voters some actual concrete ideas for how to address this challenge.
That isn't to say that those ideas aren't insane and impractical, because they most certainly are. Trump wants to build a wall over all 1,933 miles of the U.S. border with Mexico, which would of course be the most luxurious, super-classy border wall this side of Monte Carlo (is there enough cubic zirconia in the world?). He also wants to round up and deport the 11 million unauthorized immigrants currently residing in the United States.
Say what you will about that, it's an idea. And that's what Republican voters seem to be responding to. Trump offers something emphatic and understandable, where the other candidates hem and haw and hedge.
Yes, building a 1,933-mile-long wall, through rugged terrain and over land held by lots of private owners, would be absurdly impractical and expensive. And arresting and deporting 11 million people would be a staggering task; the cost estimates range from $200 billion to $600 billion.
Even apart from the cost, how could you find all those people without turning America into a police state? But not to worry, because Trump can do it. "Politicians aren't going to find them because they have no clue. We will find them, we will get them out," he told CNN. "It's feasible if you know how to manage. Politicians don't know how to manage." Then after all 11 million are gone, Trump would let some back in "if they're really good people."
Those are the kinds of answers Trump gives to these questions, and should anyone be surprised at their appeal? After all, Republican voters have been told for decades that the answers are always simple and easy, and that if you trust your gut and show strength you can accomplish anything, whether it's turning around the economy or invading and controlling a Middle Eastern country or two.
And on immigration specifically, they seem to agree with Trump, or at least many of them do. One recent poll showed 65 percent of Republican voters saying they had confidence in Trump to handle the issue. Since he got in the race talking about how Mexican immigrants are racists and drug dealers, he's gone nowhere but up.
What are the other candidates saying? For some time now, Republicans have said some version of the following on the issue: "First, we have to secure the border. Then after the border is secure, we can talk about some kind of path to legalization for the people who are here now." What they almost never do is give any detail on what it means to "secure the border." That may be a way to avoid dealing with the undocumented forever, since you can always say that the border isn't quite secure just yet. Or it may be that they really have no idea what we should do that we're not already doing.
Keep in mind that in recent years, the border has become much more secure by any standard. In the last decade, the Border Patrol's funding has doubled, and the number of border agents has increased by almost as much. As The Washington Post reported a couple of months ago, "As the Department of Homeland Security continues to pour money into border security, evidence is emerging that illegal immigration flows have fallen to their lowest level in at least two decades." Net migration from Mexico has fallen to zero, meaning there are as many people moving to Mexico from the United States as vice-versa.
Given those facts, it's a little hard to see what the candidates can say they want to do, other than: "The same thing as Barack Obama, but, you know, more." Which may be why they only talk in vague generalities.
Except for Trump, that is. Trump's border wall and mass deportations are never going to happen, but every primary voter knows where he stands and what he wants to do. In a primary with 17 candidates, 16 of whom are politicians basically pretending that they have concrete and feasible plans to reform immigration policy, that may be more than enough.
If you don't like the 1800+ mile border, then how about we annex Mexico and build a wall between Mexico and Belize. It's only 156 miles there.
I'm (sort of) joking of course
They will take your house so a crony developer can build a mall, but suddenly they are private property advocates when it comes to protections our border.
Meanwhile they are happy with your border property being overrun by illegals.
Ahh, I take it you can't read? He has a book out that lays out the overall plan. Perhaps there is an audio version that you could listen to instead.
Not a lot of nuance is required.
The fact that we are being destroyed as per the whims of the Elites, and that Americans oppose that, seems to be pretty cut and dry.
What the Trump hatred boils down to is the leftist belief that the American people have no right to determine their future, and to insist otherwise is Rayciss.
“That isn’t to say that those ideas aren’t insane and impractical...”
What is insane and impractical is to allow the United States to be turned into a third-world hell-hole for the rest of time. Any plan should be open to allow enough wiggle room to do WHATEVER it takes to reverse what is going on. Also, this idiot rolls out the 11 million figure again. It amazes me that conservatives will latch on to the same number.
All I had to read was the first sentence to agree with you.
Ditto. Has Trump actually said he wants to “arrest” 11 million illegals. I don’t think so. Turn off the magnet and 50% will self deport in a month or two. More after that.
That's just it. Most things are not that complex. Even without the wall:
No public funds for illegals including welfare, food stamps, public schools, etc.
Large fines for hiring illegals
Immediate deportation from contact with law enforcement
No chance at legal immigration for anyone found here illegally
End anchor babies
Problem solved, not complicated. What else? No government funding for killing babies. Not that nuanced.
That is what got the United States circling the drain in the first place..
You misunderstood.
That was a takeoff on the writer’s rant.
He called Trumps ideas insane.
I just listed the ideas Trump has touched on.
This guy hates them all.
Strangely enough, the public loves them. Not so insane after all huh writer?
A wall is not impenetrable - people build tunnels, find other ways etc etc.
It is one part of the solution - mixed with actually you know, throwing out the illegals that are found, not giving them money, drivers licenses, jobs etc is the only way to eradicate this cancer on your nation, and even then, it is not ‘perfect’ but you will have your country back.
Your politicians are the same as ours, for reasons I cannot understand or explain they are self destructive - I have never been a ‘one worlder’ conspiracy theorist but its hard to think of any other logical explanation for why this has been allowed to happen and my personal opinion is that many thousands of people and enablers in both our countries should be executed for treason for allowing this.
I agree with you.
That 11 million figure is tripe.
I will say this. I think the federal government has been legalizing foreign nationals as fast as they possibly could.
That may be why we only have 11 million undocumented. It means they have already documented 15 to 25 million.
Watch the 2020 Census figures. Expect to see the Hispanic percentage double from 2010. That will be the tip-off right there.
“Yes, building a 1,933-mile-long wall, through rugged terrain and over land held by lots of private owners, would be absurdly impractical and expensive. And arresting and deporting 11 million people would be a staggering task; the cost estimates range from $200 billion to $600 billion.”
fake cough..BS...
Fencing what is clearly impassable is a ridiculous notion that any savvy businessman would understand. Those areas can be managed with cameras, drones, patrols, etc.
$200 to $600 billion for deportation? Eh, not buyin’ that smoulderin’ pile of BS, either. Start rounding them up and shipping them back across the border, anchor babies notwithstanding. Sooner (not later) many will come to understand that they’re better served to leave on their own and make right and proper application to enter the country. And, fedgov has pi$$ed away much more than this on more stupid ideas. Quite honestly, shutting down the EPA, Dept of Education, Dept of Transportation, and Dept of Agriculture would be more than enough to cover the costs.
200 billion to get them out-BS
11 million -BS, more like 25-30 million
I appreciate your links, but I want to make something clear.
The writer called Trump’s ideas insane.
Those lines I wrote left space for this and other writer’s insults. It was not an inference that Trump had no ideas.
At the end of the day, the media’s insults don’t amount to a hill of beans.
Note also that I said..., “...are fine with the public.”
He has ideas. The public likes them.
At the bottom of the post I explained what I think is about to happen to the media.
No complaint here about Trump at all.
I don’t agree with this writer, and I like Trumps ideas. There’s only one entity that is insane in this nation right now. It’s the various Leftists at all levels and stations in life.
Can't be done, eh?
I personally do not know the answer to that question.
I would assume that the government has federalized all such border land, but I do not know.
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