[roamer_1]

As far as the border fence goes, it was explained that the border is river, and to put the fence all the way across the state would wall off Texas ranches so they couldn't water their stock. Not to practical in some places.

As a very outspoken border fence advocate, as much as I hate to admit it, this is a salient point. It is a terrible desert, and cows need water (not to mention wildlife). But how do we guarantee ongoing defense without it? electronic surveillance is wiped out by defunding it... the stroke of a pen and it is gone. Boots on the ground - same thing... been there done that.

Maybe I would trust them more if 'boots on the ground' included a few bases - Once installed, there is a certain economy around bases which cause them to be hard to close... Move the desert warfare guys down there permanently... Maybe then there would be lasting boots on the ground.

[Beagle8U]

Michigan has a border with Canada that is also a river, right down the middle of the river. There is no way you could put up a fence there.

Neither side would want to wall themselves off from river access and put it on their side, and there is no way to put one down the middle of a river.

Now, Canada isn't Mexico, but it is still the same problem of a river border.

[Atlas Sneezed]

As a very outspoken border fence advocate, as much as I hate to admit it, this is a salient point. It is a terrible desert, and cows need water (not to mention wildlife). But how do we guarantee ongoing defense without it? electronic surveillance is wiped out by defunding it... the stroke of a pen and it is gone. Boots on the ground - same thing... been there done that.

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If we can afford billions for a fence, let’s not anguish over a couple million to buy out grazing rights under the appropriate use of eminent domain.