Most Conservatives likely want Fence+ and not "only a fence."
The cost would be ridiculous, it would be tied up with law suit and legal fees out the wazoo because virtually the entire border is privately owned land and there are are water rights issues along with international treaties to deal with.
America is not (was not) a country of excuses, but is (should be) a "Git 'er done" country. If we can build the "intercontinental" railroad in the 1800s, highways, transmission lines, and gas pipelines all across the country, and send men to the moon, why is an above-ground fence such a monumental and insurmountable task??
On top of all that, it is unworkable without patrols. Many stretches of the Texas border are 2..3 hundred miles from anything.
That's 200~300 miles to be exploited by those with nefarious objectives. Why not make it more difficult for them with a fence backed up by surveillance?
Even if we had the fence and we had the manpower we dont have the infrastructure to house the troopers We will have to run electricity, water and roads to the middle of nowhere just so we can build barracks for the troopers.
More lame excuses. We have military bases and remote outposts all over the US and world. Again, is America a "Can do" country or not? Are we going to have homeland security or CYA "blue ribbon" commissions after the next 9/11 with ~20M unknown people wandering our country?
Perry realizes that Arial surveillance is the answer for these remote areas.
Part of the answer, not the only answer, much like "fence only" is not the answer. Let's "Git 'er done" and stop making excuses.
I am not making excuses.
I am assessing realities.
You wouldn’t bid a contract to build a fence without doing so would you?
Perry has made the decision that the cost/benefit ratio and workability of a continuous fence is unworkable.
BTW those proposed fences and barracks in no mans land would not only be vary costy to build because they are in the middle of no where, but there would be no one out there to cross the border.
Israel has the same issues in the Negev desert and their border is tiny.
DO YOU REALIZE THE RIO GRANDE RIVER IS THE BORDER?
Are you suggesting we should cut of the farmers and Ranchers from WATER?