Your take-away, based on facts and logic, is very encouraging - We have lots of leverage in trade and remittances, We can easily have Mexico pay for the costs of the wall if we have the political will to do so.
Mexico would certainly balk at any proposal that required it to pay for the entire cost of a wall; thus, a formula based on monetary factors that provides an incentive for an appropriate amount of action by Mexico clearly remains the best answer.
Federal politicians from both sides of the aisle with their welcoming gifts at the border and their express or implied approval of sanctuary cities have obviously failed us. It appears we need a proven deal-maker that can keep our nation's best interests as the bottom line.
There is such a figure currently on the national scene, of course, and he claims he has the will to make such a deal.
There are plenty of ways to get Mexico to pay for the wall without getting their agreement to do so.
Yes Mexico can be leveraged to pay for the wall. It is true we don’t give Mexico much in traditional foreign aid. We do intermittently give them large sums of money for their assistance against drug smuggling and border security. How has that worked out for us so far? We can use that money to secure the border ourselves.
We have trade leverage as another poster pointed out.
The savings to us after the border is secured and illegals are deported will be astronomical.
Vote Trump!