"Perhaps the wall is also an effort to restrict Americans crossing the border for the purpose of cheap Mexican prescription drugs."
You must be the only one in the country who hasn't heard that Walmart, the best example of capitalism in the US today, will be providing thousands of drugs for $4 a pop in '07. Why in the world would anyone go to the expense of traveling to Mexico for prescriptions when they will be cheaper than a six-pack of beer at the Walmart down the street?
I did not know that Mexican drugs were "prescription" type.
I have heard of Wal Mart's plans. I think they're excellent.
But constructing a wall along the southern border can be used to keep Americans in just as much as it can be used to keep Mexicans out. I do not have the same naive faith in government "solutions." Government is opportunistic. Whatever is done to benefit the general welfare of the nation is only done because it benefits the government as well, i.e., the government's power and control are increased.
Now I wouldn't have a problem with constructing walls along private land. (The federal government owns most of the land along the border however.) But ridiculous boondoggles such as this effort to construct a wall along the border are the anti-thesis of capitalism.