A " Smart " Surveillance Wall Would Be Worse Than Trump ' s " Big, Beautiful " Wall

Last week President Trump lost his game of chicken with Congressional Democrats and signed a bill that will keep the government open until February 15th. The fight over the recent government shutdown centered on border security, with the president insisting that Congress provide funds for a border wall. Congress didn ’t provide the funds, and Democrats in Congress have been celebrating their victory over the president. Preventing the president from building the border wall is a clear political victory for Democrats. However, the border security legislation lawmakers in Congress eventually negotiate could inclu de the increased deployment of border surveillance technology, an outcome worse than the physical barrier Trump wants.The president ’s“big, beautiful” Mexico-funded wall was a staple of his presidential campaign. Once he moved into the White House reality set in, and even with both houses of Congress under Republican control Trump was unable to get the funds for his wall. He was alsounable to persuade Mexico ’s president to cough up the cash for the project.This isn ’t surprising. The wall would be anexpensive and ineffective way to stop illegal immigrants from crossing into the U.S., and governments are generally reluctant to fund other country ’s infrastructure projects predicated on xenophobia. Construction of the wall would also infringe on private property, with the government exercising its power of eminent domain. Fortunately, prospects for border w...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - Category: American Health Authors: Source Type: blogs