Not one of Trump’s better efforts. It had the dreary feel of a compromise speech put together by a gaggle of advisors. Trump’s instincts I am certain would have been to declare a national emergency, order the Army Corps of Engineers to build the Wall, impound the funds necessary to do so from the military budget, and dare the Democrats to stop him. This would end up as a battle royal in court, and unlike other commenters who have opined on this, I think the outcome in the Supreme Court would be uncertain. It may still come to that. As usual I think Trump’s political instincts were correct with his initial thought to declare a national emergency. Trump simply is not a conventional politician and what works for him would be death for a conventional politician. There are good policy grounds to oppose taking such action, but if Trump backs down now, the Democrats in the House will obstruct every move he makes.
On substance of course Trump is absolutely correct. The Democrats lie when they say they oppose the Wall because it would be ineffective. They fear it would be all too effective in cutting off the hordes of illegal aliens from the south who have transformed several states into one party Democrat fiefdoms. The smarter Democrats are also beginning to notice something: the longer Hispanics are in this country, intermarry and advance materially, the less likely they are to vote Democrat. Hence the need to add additional waves regularly of poverty stricken illegal aliens to become dependent on welfare and give the Democrats additional voting strength, as the Democrats demonize poor whites who are displaced and dare to complain. This is a despicable political strategy and the President missed a golden opportunity last night to call the Democrats on it.
They are not against the wall. They want Trump to fail so they can win in 2020.
I’m surprised that evidence for the effectiveness of a Wall, as used in the West Bank of Israel, has not been cited more frequently by proponents.
This entire kerfuffle is simply the latest piece of evidence that America suffers under the worst political class in History. More problematic is that the worst is yet to come.
OT a book recommendation. Valley Forge By Bob Drury & Tom Clavin. Excellent, informative. Read Chapter 34, then read it again. Every American, first-born male should be Christened “George Washington.”
Not one of Trump’s better efforts.
Roger Kimball liked it.
I can’t help myself. I just have to see how the other side is reacting…
And it keeps going on from there.
This is going to be global warming all over again with the sides reversed isn’t it? *sigh* I’m starting to feel too old for this.
I posted this on my FB page:
Amici, Americani, Compatriotae,
I did not watch nor listen to President’s Trump speech on the crisis at our southern border last night, nor of course that of his detractors, Senator Schumer and Representative Pelosi. I avoid listening to any political speeches any longer, a practice that started with President Obama (I just cannot stand to listen to any politician whether left or right of spectrum). However, I do read speeches; therefore, the text of the President’s speech is provided at the link below:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/president-donald-j-trumps-address-nation-crisis-border/
The President’s detractors have (before this Administration) supported the construction of a wall (or barrier or fence or barricade whatever) at our southern border. That they now maintain a position opposite to what they held previously is hypocrisy. Walls work as demonstrated by:
Israel’s current West Bank Barrier
God’s command to Nehemiah in 445 BC to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls.
Furthermore, walls are feasible. This is confirmed by the 5500 mile long Great Wall of China built long before the advent of modern engineering and technology.
As for the morality of walls, Ezekiel 22:30-31 states:
“…And I [the Lord] sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found none. Therefore I have poured out my indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath; their way have I requited upon their heads, says the Lord God.”
In the end it matters only what God says, NOT man; and God is crystal clear about this issue. Drug lords, terrorists, and sex slave traffickers must be stopped. Otherwise God can (and will) use them to purify us with the punishment that we so richly deserve for our decadence, indolence, idolatry and immorality. He did it to the ancient Israelites and inhabitants of Judah when He allowed King Sennacherib of Assyria and King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon to deport them into captivity. Don’t think God is going to do something different now. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Therefore, let us repent and build the wall!
LQC wrote, “This is confirmed by the 5500 mile long Great Wall of China built long before the advent of modern engineering and technology”
But it utterly failed to stop the Manchu invading and deposing the Ming dynasty.
MPS, I doubt any wall would stop a determined professional army. But a wall will stop the flood of illegal immigrants across the southern border.
“Fences (borders, walls, slats) make good neighbors..”, but make poor politics for the Democrats who care not for their country.
I’m surprised that evidence for the effectiveness of a Wall, as used in the West Bank of Israel, has not been cited more frequently by proponents.
Recognition that it would turn some of the twits against the wall– the BDS/Israel Has Cooties movement is surprisingly influential among the Dems.
The El Paso wall would be a better example– crime dropped like a rock when they finished it, and our neighbor has been here 20-some years. This was a bad neighborhood back then. They built the wall, and it cleaned up because the criminals couldn’t just walk across.
****************
But it utterly failed to stop the Manchu invading and deposing the Ming dynasty.
I wouldn’t call holding captured Mongolian territory for several hundred years much of a failure, myself– mid-15th to mid-17th century is hardly a failure, even if the Manchurian invasion wasn’t eternally stopped.
Mark who?’s major malfunction is not that he knows nothing; it’s that everything he “knows” is wrong.
If I ran a Mexican drug cartel, I’d be using a portion of my
stacks of ill-gotten cash to buy American politicians. A wall
would be bad for my drug-and-human-trafficking business.,
and I’d lean on my freshly-purchased Democrat friends to
block that wall’s construction. Anyone think that’s not part
of what we’re seeing with the left’s defiance of common sense
and the clearly expressed wishes of the overwhelming majority
of the American people?
Well, Trump decided that the “Compromise means the Dems get what they want, right now, and maybe we’ll think about considering what you want at a later point” was a non-starter and left the meeting.
Lesson Learned: President Trump is following a primary rule of interpersonal relations: Never negotiate with dishonest, evil people who refuse to act in good faith.
Walking out on people who refuse to act in good faith makes Trump smarter than 90% of elected Republicans.
May they all profit from his example.
By Jove, Clinton, I think you’ve got it. The cartels obviously don’t have registered lobbyists, but there probably are circuitous money trails leading to certain Dem pols or even their national party.
Hold on Mr. President.
One Dem is caving in and pleading for Pelosi to do the same;
https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/cher-demands-pelosi-end-partial-government-shutdown-fund-border-wall-dont-die-on-this-hill
Trump should order the wall built now. This is a national emergency. The emergency is that the Democrats are destroying the country by inciting an alien invasion,
Nothing to stop the cartels from funding activist groups. It would explain how, say, La Raza gets money, and other less obvious twits. Drug legalization/normalization pushes, too.
from: magno et malo lupo with permission
Breaking News from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Densest known element in the universe has been found:
Pelosium MIT has just announced the discovery of the densest element yet known to science. The new element has been named Pelosium. Pelosium has 1 neutron, 12 assistant neutrons, 75 deputy neutrons and 233 assistant deputy neutrons giving it an atomic weight of 311.
These particles are held together by a dense force called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons.
The Periodic table symbol is PU
Pelosium’s mass actually increases over time as morons randomly interact with various elements in the atmosphere and become assistant deputy neutrons within the Pelosium molecule leading to the formation of idiotopes.
The characteristic of moron-promotion leads some scientists to believe that Pelosium is formed whenever morons reach a certain density of concentration.
Mary De Voe.
Perfect timing!!
Thank you So Much.
I needed that. 🙂
Philip:
Force Recon
Former Lt.Col USMC Force Recon Battalion Commander
4 Purple Hearts. Rescued 16 downed pilots from behind enemy lines in Viet Nam. Thank God
Mary De Voe.
What a force indeed. Force Recon.
Thank God is right.
Did your MIT bit originate from Force Recon?
Absolutely with permission. Escaped from Nazi Germany with parents, worked in the French Resistance, emigrated to America, became a citizen, an engineer, a Marine, speaking several languages became a spy, teaches women how to handle a gun. A blessing from God. Prayers
Prayers Mary.
Peace