tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25554442.post114840140102112461..comments2024-03-27T02:10:46.586-04:00Comments on The Influence Peddler: Arguing Against a WallThe Editor at IPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07271471626482554372noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25554442.post-12299863502485833122007-10-22T10:45:00.000-04:002007-10-22T10:45:00.000-04:00Watch "Penn & Tellers BullShit" The one on imagrat...Watch "Penn & Tellers BullShit" The one on imagration. Just give me a pare of shear cutters and 5 minutes. By the way, the "Great wall of China" didn't work.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25554442.post-1148422114358183812006-05-23T18:08:00.000-04:002006-05-23T18:08:00.000-04:00Walls would work to create what the military calls...Walls would work to create what the military calls a "golden road" - they simply channel people to where you want them. Makes them much easier to watch and catch and you can have electronic and other "eyes" on the barriers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25554442.post-1148417735163015612006-05-23T16:55:00.000-04:002006-05-23T16:55:00.000-04:00I fancy myself a pragmatist and find the wall unwo...I fancy myself a pragmatist and find the wall unworkable. I'll pick the movie quote: 'life finds a way'. Remember the continental 48 has a ~6000 mile land boarder and interestingly nearly a 6000 mile coastline. Dear wall builders---It won't work. (assuming we don't want to spend $Billions in taxes. A bill I don't personally want to foot.) <BR/><BR/>To matthew schiros: walls work when the Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25554442.post-1148415271389168792006-05-23T16:14:00.000-04:002006-05-23T16:14:00.000-04:00Nanman,Sorry dude, but you're way off base. "Even ...Nanman,<BR/><BR/>Sorry dude, but you're way off base. "Even if the wall reduces illegal immigration dramatically... " Reducing illegal immigration dramatically qualifies as the wall working. It is certainly not a stand-alone answer to the problem. It's a necessary element of any effort to end illegal immigration from the south, along with penalties for employers who break the law, sanctions forAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25554442.post-1148414741663528812006-05-23T16:05:00.000-04:002006-05-23T16:05:00.000-04:00Marc,Don't think of yourself as Canadian, just thi...Marc,<BR/><BR/>Don't think of yourself as Canadian, just think of yourself a as a future citizen of Greater America. :-)<BR/><BR/>- MikeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25554442.post-1148414221592134572006-05-23T15:57:00.000-04:002006-05-23T15:57:00.000-04:00If visa overstays are a problem, that's easy enoug...If visa overstays are a problem, that's easy enough to deal with. Require anyone who wants a visa to post a $2000 bond as part of the application. Bond should be refunded fully when the tourist leaves as scheduled, or otherwise if he is detained for a good reason (health, etc.). If he fails to leave on time, part or all of the bond will be forfeit.<BR/><BR/>This will cut out the most Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25554442.post-1148410748720541482006-05-23T14:59:00.000-04:002006-05-23T14:59:00.000-04:00MikeDActually, as a Canadian, I look with great am...MikeD<BR/><BR/>Actually, as a Canadian, I look with great amusement on the gradual transformation of the United States into a bilingual, bicultural nation. Just wait until all your federal political leaders and your bureaucrats are expected to be fluent in both languages; hispanic groups insist on equality with anglophone groups in national affairs; and of course the inevitable secessionist Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25554442.post-1148410717408742392006-05-23T14:58:00.000-04:002006-05-23T14:58:00.000-04:00Thanks for all the comments.We may be arguing sema...Thanks for all the comments.<BR/><BR/>We may be arguing semantics, but I'd say that walls don't work if you can get through them or around them. The walls the US has built along the border haven't 'worked;' they've pushed people to cross in other places. As long as there are ways around the wall, people will try them. Even if the wall reduces illegal immigration dramatically, you'll still haveThe Editor at IPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07271471626482554372noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25554442.post-1148406523004142872006-05-23T13:48:00.000-04:002006-05-23T13:48:00.000-04:00Wall or no wall, too many people are missing this ...Wall or no wall, too many people are missing this point, or are reluctant to address it: It's not quantity, but quality. If the millions of illegals were predominantly skilled workers, or even highly educated potential skilled workers, this so-called crisis would not exist. There is an enormous capacity in this economy to absorb skilled workers who immediately become net contributors to the Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25554442.post-1148406436192187722006-05-23T13:47:00.000-04:002006-05-23T13:47:00.000-04:00Your piece makes me even more fond of a wall. If...Your piece makes me even more fond of a wall. If it pushes the illegals through Canada, that will act as a filter to a certain extent. Some of the riff-raff will just stay up there to enjoy the generous Canadian safety net. Second, funneling a significant amount of Spanish-speakers into Canada, over-time, will exacerbate ethnic tensions, speed the eventual break-up of Canada, and accelerate Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25554442.post-1148404738092508562006-05-23T13:18:00.000-04:002006-05-23T13:18:00.000-04:00It's currently estimated that 40% of the illegal i...<I>It's currently estimated that 40% of the illegal immigrant population (4-5 million people) entered the US on a visa and overstayed (check here and here, for example). If you were to build a wall, you would continue to have a flow of illegal immigrants from visa overstays. All things being equal, these would tend to increase - as would-be illegal immigrants would now try to come here on visas. Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13857229779707704378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25554442.post-1148404034049237612006-05-23T13:07:00.000-04:002006-05-23T13:07:00.000-04:00You make some good points, but they are refutable....You make some good points, but they are refutable.<BR/><BR/>The illegals who come across the Southern border tend to be the ones who cannot afford other means of travel, or can't otherwise get a Visa. The argument that some would find a different way to break the law is not a counter argument for building a wall.<BR/><BR/>Of course someone can travel from Mexico to Canada, but you are presuming Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25554442.post-1148402740316434552006-05-23T12:45:00.000-04:002006-05-23T12:45:00.000-04:00Nobody explains why the wall would work for one si...Nobody explains why the wall would work for one simple reason: walls have _always_ worked. It worked in Berlin, it's currently working in Israel, and it would work here as well. That it wouldn't solve 100% of the problem is not an indictment of walls, but an argument for _additional_ enforcement. Walls would also stop the abuse of the birthright citizenship to an extent, since pregnant Matthew Schiroshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12563418221880579129noreply@blogger.com