[Badboo]

Would like to hear some pros and cons. My observations:

Trump is using it as a negotiating ploy to try and create movement on funding, but . . .

If he should do it:

1. Will be tied up in courts forever

2. It lets the racist, regressive fascists off the hook

3. Any further shutdown, while the issue is in the courts, is totally on Trump.

4. It is a way for Trump to give in, end the shutdown, say he is for the wall, but the courts won’t let him. Just like every attempt to tighten immigration.

5. Biggest problem, if it is a national emergency, why now? The flood had been going on for over a decade. No real difference.

Your ideas and vote. Should he? Should he not? I vote no. (like that counts)

[Openurmind]

I think by declaring a National Emergency the President can legally override both the Congress and the Courts. Pretty sure it is within his powers.

But it is a National Emergency... When they invade in mass groups by the thousands it is definitely a threat to our Nation. Just the “idea” is a threat alone.

[Pollster1]

I vote yes.

1. It is a national emergency.
2. President Trump can use the military for a significant part of the building effort.
3. President Trump can even “negotiate” with Mexico for them to fund the Wall: Close the border until the Wall is built unless Mexico sends the money needed to build the Wall. We can afford that economic hit far better than they can.
4. The courts have already given mixed rulings on the question of Trump’s presidential powers. Framed as national security, this could go to the Supreme Court quickly, preventing legalistic delays.

[Flintlock]

Just build the (bleeping) wall, dammit.

IGNORE any ‘court’ opposition. That worked for Lincoln and Jefferson AND Jackson—It’ll work now. What’s the Corps of Engineers FOR, anyway??

[puppypusher]

If taking in millions of unwanted,unneeded illegal alians is not a national emergency,I don’t know what is.

This country simply cannot afford to take in all of these third world people.

Let them migrate somewhere else.Like Antarctica.

[Lowell1775]

Ping

Gotta go to church to pray for the republic.

[Robert DeLong]

Biggest problem, if it is a national emergency, why now? The flood had been going on for over a decade. No real difference.

Really? Apparently you were unaware:

The National Emergencies Act (NEA) authorizes the president to declare a “national emergency.”1 A declaration under NEA triggers emergency authorities contained in other federal statutes. Past NEA declarations have addressed, among other things, the imposition of export controls and limitations on transactions and property from specified nations.2 A national emergency was declared in 2001 after the September 11th terrorist attacks and has been renewed every year since then.

So would the courts even have a say? They have remained silent on the declaration of National Emergency that has been in effect for 17 years and running now.

National Emergencies Act, Sections 201 and 301

[buckalfa]

I think that such an action would hasten the end of the Trump Presidency in that he would lose what little support he has among the Republicans and bureaucracy. A 25th Amendment crisis if you will. While the need is dire and the authority rests with the President, the action would show how pervasive the hatred is of Trump and his agenda is in the Beltway.

[CarmichaelPatriot]

When invaders are massing at the border and our citizens and law enforcement are being killed by illegals, it’s a National Emergency.

That you, or anyone else, need convincing is a National Tragedy.

[central_va]

Newb building a wall under any pretext is good thing. Never let the enemy think you doubt that.

[servantboy777]

This absolutely is a national emergency.
>Diseases that have been long eradicated in the U.S., making a resurgence.
>Tons upon tons of illegal drugs pouring in and causing thousands of deaths in the U.S. along with contributing to urban decay.
>Human trafficking for the sex slave industry, particularly young teenage girls.
>Thugs associated with brutal gangs/cartels that will slit your throat with no regard to human life permeating our society. The cost of crime in our country related to illegal immigration is staggering.
>The cost to American taxpayers would blow your mind. Higher federal/state/local taxes to pay for stressed social programs, education, medical care, policing, incarceration/court proceedings, deportation, housing. Homeowner/auto insurance rates higher to pay for loss due to crime/illegals driving w/o insurance, DUIs.

It is NO wonder these statistics are hidden from the American people by the propaganda media. If all of this was to be presented in such a way as to inform Americans of the real cost to our society (not just monetary), more folks would be outraged to the point they'd gleefully seek funds for the wall.

[central_va]

Ask the parents of these two teenage girls killed by an illegal alien drunk driver on '07 if it is a national emergency.

VIRGINIA BEACH - Two teenagers were killed late Friday when a car plowed into the rear of their vehicle as they waited for a green light at an intersection. The driver of the other car was charged with manslaughter.

"It's tragic is all I can say," said Jimmy Barnes, a police spokesman.

The victims were 17-year Allison Kunhardt of the 700 block of Sir Walter Circle and 16-year-old Tessa Tranchant of the 4500 block of Genoa Circle.

Charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter is Alfredo Ramos, 22, who gave his address to police as the 100 block of Trace Court, Barnes said. That address, just off Virginia Beach Boulevard, is less than two miles from the scene of the collision.

---

Alfredo Ramos was ordered to serve 24 years in prison and then be deported for the drunken driving crash that killed two teenage girls in March.

[Drew68]

4. It is a way for Trump to give in, end the shutdown, say he is for the wall, but the courts won’t let him. Just like every attempt to tighten immigration.

Trump doesn't need to end the shutdown. He's holding all the cards. The people most impacted by the shutdown already hated him.

Pelosi's greatest fear is that if we go too long with "nonessential government workers" not working, people might start thinking, "why did we need them in the first place?"

[BradyLS]

Declare the emergency, build the wall, and say the wall and rigid enforcement of the laws and the borders concludes the 1986 amnesty deal.

[grey_whiskers]

Troll.

[Georgia Girl 2]

The only way the wall will get built is if Trump takes money from the DOD budget and uses the Army Corps of Engineers to build it. He does not need to declare a national emergency as we have been operating under a national security emergency order for 12 mos and Trump just notified Congress of a 12 month extension on that order a week or so ago.

[trebb]

I don't think the courts can override a declared national emergency any more than Congress can stop a military "event" because war hasn't been declared yet.

He's exploring it and letting the chips get knocked loose before he takes any action...he's also underlining the seriousness of the threat due to long term non-action by the Congress and the Dems' penchant for building a comfy nest for the illegals.

Don't forget to seek out the "Donate" buttons while you're second guessing the best President ever....

[BlackAdderess]

I could care less about Democrat peeing contests, this is not “no new taxes” IMO because it doesn’t involve digging further into people’s family budgets, it involves a change in the status quo. Most people are practical. They know he can only do what he can do and are amazed that he has done so much. Our economy is booming. China is FINALLY getting some push-back. Most of us are no longer on the defensive wondering just how insane the courts were going to get on identity politics. If Trump can further secure the border and build more of the metal style of fence I think that would be fantastic. I never was a fan of the concrete one because it seems like it would probably end up causing flooding. I think that much of Trump’s support is among practical people who are not among the ideological weirdos on the left and fringe right. Further, I think this is a total mystery to the ideological weirdos who seem incapable of thinking in terms of the real world. Anyone particularly ideological is firmly in the never-Trump camp from what I have seen. I think Trump has more wiggle room than the talking heads say he does because I think his support is mostly comprised of people who live in the real world who can do math.

Would it be tied up in the courts forever? Yes

Could it wind up producing unfortunate precedent law that would assuredly pose a danger to the country? Absolutely

The border needs securing, and the courts need less activist judges.

[Qiviut]

This article was written about the election in 2016 & the choice between Hillary & Trump.

Excellent read (the Never Trumpers hated it) .... pay particular attention to the paragraphs about immigration.

The Flight 93 Election
https://www.claremont.org/crb/basicpage/the-flight-93-election/

IMO, the ‘wall’, in whatever form it takes, is the hill Trump/America will live or die on. The National Emergency road to building the wall should be a last resort.

[BlackAdderess]

If the border is not secured the public will absolutely blame the Democrats. That may be what Trump is counting on here. He might be doing his due diligence so that he and the Republicans campaigning in 2020 can diffuse that as a Democratic talking point and turn it against them instead. Without Trump there would be no push-back on China, no stellar employment numbers, no push-back on activist judges legislating from the bench.

[wildbill]

Forget about the National Emergency idea, Mr. President.

The Corps of Engineers and the SeaBees need regular training exercises. No court in the land will deny that the President has the right to direct that training be held in difficult environments against hostile forces.