Posted on 05/23/2017 10:46:56 AM PDT by Rusty0604
President Donald Trump is asking Congress for $1.6 billion to begin building a wall along the border with Mexico, far short of the amount needed for a project sharply criticized by Democrats and even some conservative Republicans.
An internal Department of Homeland Security (DHS) plan in February estimated the total cost for the wall at $21.6 billion, but the White House's budget proposal for 2018, released in full on Tuesday, included a request for just $1.6 billion.
Two Republican aides in Congress said the modest request is an acknowledgement from the White House that full funding is not realistic given opposition from Freedom Caucus conservatives in the House of Representatives as well as Democrats in the House and the Senate.
Unless Trump is able to rally broader support and win more funding for construction in another fiscal year, his plans for a "big beautiful wall" that he promised during his election campaign last year may not be realized, the aides said.
The budget, which includes 10-year projections for spending for most areas of the government, did not include a 10-year plan for funding wall construction. "We are absolutely dead serious about the wall," White House budget director Mick Mulvaney told reporters on Tuesday.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
“opposition from Freedom Caucus conservatives in the House of Representatives”
Really?
Trump’s expressed plan for paying for the wall: Mexico will pay.
Not gonna happen.
Trump’s implicit plan for paying for the wall: America will pay, but will benefit from the protection and will absorb the cost because of the greater wealth derived from Trump’s economic plan.
It’s happening.
Just wish he’d been straightforward about these implied ways of paying for the wall from the beginning.
$1.6B is not going to do it. This is very disappointing.
I don’t think any of this is what is happening, but this is just my opinion. No evidence from Team Trump.
1) Saudis have already pledged $20b in infrastructure.
2) In prior agreement with Gov. Abbot of TX, Saudis make $10b (or some fixed amount of that) into a direct grant to the STATE OF TEXAS for the sole purpose of building the wall, in accordance with Fed specs.
3) This money COULD NOT be touched or reduced by Congress.
It is the perfect end run and screw you to Congress.
Republicans will lose Congress because no one needs them to oppose the president. We have democrats for that.
He has to build the wall.
He has to restore the rule law.
That is what got him elected.
That is what will get him re-elected.
Come on. It looks like the wall is dead. Now we have to decide whether to ditch the GOP altogether or hang with them. I am leaning towards ditching them. What the hell is the point.
The fear of most but not all Trumper's. Has anyone noticed that Tillerson claims that Trump is modifying (wising up) his Muslim position.
How can Trump run for re-election without serious wall progress? How brazen is he? I mean it would be embarrassing for everyone. No wall then the GOP will be done for.
So you must think you can do better with the Dems?
No, not at all. I’m pretty certain they are going to divert the Saudi infrastructure money in the way I’ve suggested. I think they’re done playing with Congress and they’re gonna do it themselves.
Just watch.
So far, Trump has gone over, around, and under Congress at every turn except for the health care bill.
Let’s look at reality.....Border jumping is down 65%.
There are many ways to make Mexico pay. People (and countries) pay for things every day that they don’t want to pay for. Anyone with even a vague comprehension of Mexico did not think Mexico would simply hand over the money for the wall.
I always believed we would build the wall and then through negotiations of trade or through other ways Mexico would end up paying.
Folks, please man up.
This is Reuters.
They are going to game us every chance they get. Don’t fall for it every single time.
Please.
Having said that, Trump would get more done by dealing with the Democrats then being stone walled by the Republicans.
I am going to have to dropout of politics to keep my sanity. A self defense move.
You may be right but it doesn’t hurt to speculate. There is no reason now to think the wall will be funded properly with the current GOP leadership.
The reality is that Trump and Sessions will not be there forever. The wall would be.
More crap Fake News from the left.
The Wall WILL be built!
Wonder who Rusty is and why he is posting this here. More disinformation to undermine Trump.
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