Trump tweets he'd 'shut down' government if Democrats don't fund US-Mexico wall

Posted by mminnick 7 years, 7 months ago to Politics
24 comments | Share | Flag

From the Story:
"President Trump said on Sunday that he would be willing to shut down the federal government if the Democrats do not agree to Republican demands about funding for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.





Trump wrote on Twitter that border security "includes the Wall! Must get rid of Lottery, Catch & Release etc. and finally go to system of Immigration based on MERIT! We need great people coming into our Country!"
"
Many more people [according to polls] want the wall and border security than oppose it. Aside from the political justification for the wall etc there are valid security concerns and issues that would be greatly reduced with the wall. [Terrorist entry and drugs to name two].
All of this may be my politics getting the better of me, but the situation is dangerous and needs to be fixed.

All Comments

  • Posted by freedomforall 7 years, 7 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Propaganda wise, the sight on tv and youtube of scores of "innocent refugees" writhing in pain from an unseen, cruel, heartless "death ray" is just what the Democrats ordered to revitalize their disgusting party. No doubt the media would jump at the chance to twist it publicly.
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  • Posted by $ Thoritsu 7 years, 7 months ago in reply to this comment.
    They were working on a version of it back around 2005. Boeing had a project, called “SBInet” (if I recall correctly). Towers were like 10-20 miles apart. It was cancelled due to lack of support. Not as sophisticated as what I suggest, but it could easily discriminate animals and people.

    We made some of the sensors and were working on the power subsystem.

    Not sure why Trump isn’t pursuing this. It is so much less intrusive (like cell towers), and although it would require action to keep people out, it allows the action to be tailored to the situation and administration. I don’t see how the media can apply the kind of negativity to this that they can with a physical wall, and it can be very effective, even if you just watch.
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  • Posted by freedomforall 7 years, 7 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Thanks for the explanation. I wonder if this has been considered and just not discussed as too complex for people to understand - or not close enough to Trump's platform promise..
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  • Posted by $ Thoritsu 7 years, 7 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I assume you agree that you or I or anyone competent can defeat a physical wall.
    1. What ever we chose. I like EW microwaves. Causes intense pains, but little/no damage. Send a drone. Send people.
    2. Towers can be miles from the controlled area. See #1.
    3. Solar works fine for this. Battery and DG for backup.

    We make these for the Jordan border. They work fine.
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  • Posted by freedomforall 7 years, 7 months ago in reply to this comment.
    What do you (or does the AI) do after detection?
    How do you protect the sensors from destruction?
    How do you power the sensors? What happens when the power fails?
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  • Posted by $ WilliamShipley 7 years, 7 months ago in reply to this comment.
    You can't use a wall of sensors because that means that many people can come across the border. Yes, you can detect them but then they can apply for asylum and we get the big mess of "people in cages", "separating children" etc., all designed to say, "Hey, just let them go."

    You have to KEEP them on the other side of the boarder, not just detect them.
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  • Posted by CircuitGuy 7 years, 7 months ago
    "Many more people [according to polls] want the wall and border security than oppose it."
    Unless I'm completely misinformed, this issue is a political artifice. For the past 30 years, they've been building walls in areas where there are a lot of illegal crossings. It worked, and illegal border crossings have decreased. Now most people here illegally enter legally and overstay. Suddenly it's become this huge political hot button. I remember reading articles about this in the 90s. They were building barriers and putting up detection devices, and they were effective. It only makes sense we'd keep doing it.
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  • Posted by $ Thoritsu 7 years, 7 months ago
    Clearly merit-based immigration is needed. However, merit should include work ethic.

    A physical wall is simply stupid. It will be breached, it will deteriorate and it will be very expensive.

    A virtual wall of sensors would be excellent, far less expensive, a place for us to test new detection technology, a chance to test AI, and a much better, adaptable method of implementation.
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  • Posted by Herb7734 7 years, 7 months ago
    I cannot understand why the left doesn't understand that the main reason that there's a government at all is to protect its people. From the dark ages until now, that has always been the case. That to obstruct the protection of the safety of the people is the worst kind of treason. But no one seems to bring that up. If I were President, I would be totally unelectible because I'd be prone to telling the truth which is a great sin in today's politics.
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  • Posted by NealS 7 years, 7 months ago in reply to this comment.
    And a law to not pay government employees during shutdowns should be instituted. At least a similar tweet should give the media something else to yak about.
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  • Posted by term2 7 years, 7 months ago
    Trump cant "shut down the government". What would shut it down, IF it actually did shut down, is that they have overspent and are running out of money. All Trump has to do is nothing and just refuse to bail it out.

    In addition, the government doesnt shut down, but it only sends the workers home for a paid vacation. THAT should stop. If the government runs out of money, it runs out of money and stops paying wages if it doesnt get work.

    What we have now is a joke
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  • Posted by Solver 7 years, 7 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Like shutting down your car engine with a full tank of gas and finding out that your gas tank is almost empty the next day.
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  • Posted by $ TomB666 7 years, 7 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Yes, that is the sad part. A government shut down means services (such as they are) cease, but employees still get paid.
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  • Posted by $ WilliamShipley 7 years, 7 months ago
    People in government go nuts at the idea of having to pick and choose in order to operate without unlimited borrowing. Those of us in business who have to actually make the money do this all the time.

    When they "shut down the government" under Obama, they spent extra money trying to make sure people were inconvenienced in order to get them to insist on raising the credit limit. The most egregious one I saw was putting cones on the side of the road so that people couldn't pull over to the side at a popular view point -- they shut down the view!
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  • Posted by GaryL 7 years, 7 months ago
    Shut the government down but do it right. They instead pussyfoot around any shut downs and hand pick what is open and closed. It should come as no surprise the democrats will stonewall the wall but what burns my ass is all the RINOs who will do so also. This leaves us all in a very, very bad place. I don't care to ever vote for a democrat or a RINO but by not voting to keep some, most Rinos we risk allowing the dems to retake the majority. Damned if we do and damned if we don't! Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell and a bunch of other Rinos need to be taken out behind the school yard and taught a lesson. Do we work for them or do they work for US?
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  • Posted by Solver 7 years, 7 months ago
    Shutdown: cease (or cause something to cease) business or operation.

    When the government shuts down, the government doesn’t shut down.
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  • Posted by DeangalvinFL 7 years, 7 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Thanks.
    25:40 calls out a key point, why are people more concerned about illegal immigrants than US citizens?
    It baffles me how people can't make the distinction between legal and illegal immigration.
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  • Posted by $ allosaur 7 years, 7 months ago
    As Hannity likes to say, "Let your hearts not be troubled."
    During the Reign of King Barry and that government shutdown Dems effectively managed to blame on a wimpy GOP, the Liar-In-Chief said grandmas wouldn't get her Social Security check but that was not true.
    Stuff shut down like parks and so forth but the mail ran, the US Military remained operational, the Border Patrol patrolled and you can bet your bottom fiat dollar that the IRS kept on doing its make the accused prove their innocence thing.
    To the average citizen the whole thing was no big deal at all.
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  • Posted by DeangalvinFL 7 years, 7 months ago
    Sometimes his all or nothing manner seems foolish to me.
    Why not take $5 billion or $10 billion and expand the already existing walls, fences, etc.
    Let the other side claim a victory by claiming to curtail his WALL while he claims victory for expanding the existing barriers.
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