Let's recall that the majority of illicit drugs enter this country at points of entry, generally packed in with other cargo; the majority of illegal immigrants entered this country legally and overstayed their visas; and apprehensions at the southern border are at a 17-year low.
So, I suppose point #1 is that the wall won't "fix" the "problem" that its proponents say needs fixing, and the "problem" has gotten significantly better in recent years.
Nonetheless, if someone wants a big concrete and steel symbol to his own xenophobic ego, I suppose all things are worth negotiating. I do a lot of negotiating by virtue of my job, and I notice that you get a real feel for how much someone thinks a thing is worth by how much that person is willing to give up to get it.
Trump has demanded a border wall, and the GOP has stuck by him and echoed the demand. What have they offered for it? They continue to publicly claim that the Democrats aren't negotiating with them. So, on behalf of myself (and perhaps a significant number of liberals), here is my offer to the wall builders:
- WE appropriate your $5,600,000,000 to build your precious wall;
- In exchange:
- YOU repeal last year's tax cuts for everyone making over $500,000/year
- YOU immediately pass Medicare for All
- YOU immediately provide the votes to pass a National Right-to-Organize bill that preempts all state-level Right-to-Work bills
- YOU nominate members of the American Constitution Society to the federal bench, exclusively.
Upon satisfaction of the above conditions, the $5.6B will be appropriated. How's that for a starting point in negotiations?
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