Wall seen as ominous U.S. symbol (Miami Herald)

Miami Herald ^ | 02/26/2006 | HECTOR TOBAR

[houeto]

Build it bump.

[raybbr]

To which side does the flag face? It appears that to many here in the U.S. they have forgotten what it looks like and what it stands for.

[afnamvet]

The ominous symbol will hopefully become an ominous reality. Build the wall NOW!

[raybbr]

Well, we are preparing to pay $31 million per mile for roads in Texas. How much can the wall really cost?

Economic Costs: Based on the estimated construction cost of $31.4 million per mile, the 4,000-mile Texas sections of the NAFTA corridors will cost $125.5 billion, not including right-of-way and miscellaneous costs. Adding in right-of-way costs of $11.7–$38 billion and miscellaneous costs of $8–$20 billion, the estimated total outlay for the NAFTA corridors in Texas ranges from $145.2 billion to $183.5 billion. Cost estimates for the entire NAFTA corridor system have not been disclosed but could double those figures. Public return on this massive investment will be minimal because, even though the NAFTA corridors will be toll roads, most of the profits will flow to private entities under exclusive development agreements with the various state governments. This move to privatize highways contrasts sharply with the U.S. Interstate Highway System that was built with public money and benefited the nation at large.

Thirty-one million dollars a mile!!!!!!

[N3WBI3]

LOL!

[exit82]

My, you have a way with letters.

Hyperbolic in front of M.F. is hysterical--thanks....

[John O]

''It seems to us a real affront that a government that calls itself a friend and regional partner only wants our money and our products . . . treats our people as if they were a plague,'' Stein said.

That's because the people (and I use the term very loosely) who come here illegally ARE a plague.

[WKUHilltopper]

These writing idiots ought to study history before they make historical comparisons to the Berlin Wall. Man, these people are ignorant! The Berlin Wall was basically a prison wall--trying to keep you from LEAVING Berlin!

[furquhart]

I've often thought that's what we should do... but then we would have to give all the conquered mexicans welfare.

Screw that. We'll deport the residents of the territory we conquer. I've long said that there's no reason we should have to use our land to build a border fence.

[Jeremiah2911]

Yikes! So illegals get a nice, comfy (re: Autobahn) ride before they cross over.

[Max in Utah]

The president of Mexico's National Commission for Human Rights, Jose Luis Soberanes, called the proposal an act of ``idiocy.''

You don't suppose there's some shame in the background of all this, that so many latinos would rather be here than in their own countries? That millions feel driven to come here for jobs and medical care?

Naw.

[reagan_fanatic]

The president of Mexico's National Commission for Human Rights, Jose Luis Soberanes, called the proposal an act of ``idiocy.''

No, you moron - the idiocy is allowing millions upon millions of illegal aliens into your country in what amounts to a defacto invasion.

[BJClinton]

Why invade? Offer jobs, welfare and Medicare and a majority would be willing to be annexed. But why stop at the Guatemalan border? Let's get that canal we built back.

[Jeremiah2911]

FYI

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/02/26/BORDERFENCE.TMP

$2.2 billion / 700 miles

=

$3142857.14 / mile

[Ron H.]

..... ominous new symbol of America's unchecked power.

[raybbr]

Yikes! So illegals get a nice, comfy (re: Autobahn) ride before they cross over.

Illegals? You mean "new Americans" don't you?

We are now one of the largest Spanish-speaking nations in the world. We're a major source of Latin music, journalism and culture.

Just go to Miami, or San Antonio, Los Angeles, Chicago or West New York, New Jersey ... and close your eyes and listen. You could just as easily be in Santo Domingo or Santiago, or San Miguel de Allende.

For years our nation has debated this change -- some have praised it and others have resented it. By nominating me, my party has made a choice to welcome the new America.

As I speak, we are celebrating the success of democracy in Mexico.

George Bush from a campaign speech in Miami, August 2000.

You can read the speech here.

Here is an excerpt of a good critique of that speech:

In equating our intimate historic bonds to our mother country and to Canada with our ties to Mexico, W. shows a staggering ignorance of the civilizational facts of life. The reason we are so close to Britain and Canada is that we share with them a common historical culture, language, literature, and legal system, as well as similar standards of behavior, expectations of public officials, and so on. My Bush Epiphany By Lawrence Auster

[R. Scott]

''The wall'' does not yet exist, and it might never be built, but already its 700 miles of fencing and electric sensors loom like a new Berlin Wall in the Latin American imagination.

Hey Hector – The Berlin wall was built to keep people in. The proposed Mexican border wall is intended to keep people out.
Big difference.

[Cvengr]

2 lane 2-lift, 4" asphalt over 12" scarified and 8" aggregate base highway on unimproved real estate runs about $1 million in 2000 without land acquisition cost. Today that might be $2 million. Tack on another million for bureacracy and a million for real estate and the $31 mil still reads at about an order of magnitude greater than actual cost.

[raybbr]

2 lane 2-lift, 4" asphalt over 12" scarified and 8" aggregate base highway on unimproved real estate runs about $1 million in 2000 without land acquisition cost. Today that might be $2 million. Tack on another million for bureacracy and a million for real estate and the $31 mil still reads at about an order of magnitude greater than actual cost.

It's a lot bigger than that. Five lanes each way and three rail lines in the middle. However, it seems a bit ridiculous unless they plan to close our ports and ship every single container to the U.S. via mexico.

The article doesn't make it clear who will pay for it. It is clear that Americans will lose jobs due to it.

[John Jorsett]

''It seems to us a real affront that a government that calls itself a friend and regional partner only wants our money and our products . . . treats our people as if they were a plague,'' Stein said.

You're absolutely right, we don't deserve you guys. Teach us a lesson by shunning us and not coming here.