From the San Antonio Express-News:
LAREDO: In response to the Department of Homeland Security’s plans to construct hundreds of miles of fencing along the border with Mexico, the McAllen Chamber of Commerce started a campaign of their own: build a wall around Washington, D.C.
Steve Ahlenius, president and CEO of the chamber, inaugurated the tongue-in-cheek campaign through a news release Tuesday.
“It’s frustrating to no end that Washington, which has no idea of what’s happening here and along the border with Mexico, is proposing to build a wall,” Ahlenius said by phone. “My response is: Why don’t we just build around Washington, D.C.? It can protect us from some bad characters, some bad legislation and bad ideas.”
Additional materials related to the campaign will be forthcoming, he said.
Read more here.
Gee, how do we stem the flow of illegal immigrants into this country from Mexico? Hmmm, I know. Cater to xenophobes! Let’s throw up a wall! Never mind that anybody determined enough to get into the US will invariably find a way around, under, over, or even through it.
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How about we find ways to fairly develop the Mexican economy near the border and drive up the standard of living there? Then they won’t want to leave.
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At the same time, how about we make American jobs more accessible and attractive to Americans?
You’ll love the border wall!
…along the US-Mexican border. Apparently they don’t learn from history. Not only was the Maginot Line ineffectual (the Germans went around it through the Low Countries) but also the Great Wall of China did nothing.
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As I’ve explained at length on wingnut web sites, even if you build a wall all along the land border, people will go around it via a water route. It’s quite simple. The Europeans are seeing it now first hand. Several years ago, boat people from Africa would make a water crossing to the Canaries and the Azores (both Spanish territory). The EU tried to interdict that, so boat people went across the Mediterranean. A water route is a little more difficult than a land crossing, but it won’t stop it.
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The only way to stem illegal immigration is for the rich countries to try to build up the economies of the third world. The rich countries not only aren’t interested in doing so, they are actively engaged in destroying the economies of third world countries, by dumping government subsidized agricultural products into the third world.
the roads through the fence would be sold. Oh boy I like the idea of being sealed in the USA by Dubai and Halliburton.
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I looked at brief summaries of the immigration bill. It seems that there is just something in there to please/appease/piss off everyone. More professional VIsas, a fence, and automatic citizenship for military.
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All have potential for mischief. I gave kudos to the Senators that worked on this but I would like to see it die (that said from gut feeling without reading it).
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You know that Bush will implement what he wants and snub the rest.
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It’s a win – win for the republicans because they can run against the bill–thereby gracefully separating themselves from Bush.
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Skip it. Take it up again in 2009.
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I want him to run for higher office. Anyone else find him refreshing? Bad characters, bad legislation, and bad ideas. I’m in love. Thanks, Michael, for finding this and posting it.
walls, not money, are the root of all evil.