“The American people sent a strong message last November that they want a Congress that works for the people – not more partisan games. President Trump has forgotten that his responsibility is to the American people – including the federal employees who are struggling to make ends meet without their paychecks – not to talk show hosts. Democrats and Republicans alike agree that we need strong border security. But Trump’s border wall is an expensive and ineffective waste of the taxpayers’ money, and this fight is a distraction from the real problems that we were sent to Washington to address.
“President Trump should immediately end this dangerous and unnecessary shutdown, and let us get back to work for the American people.”
Oh good grief! So glad I didn’t vote for you.
545 of you have chosen to keep Americans hostage. Man up women up grow up this is not about you. Get this done. Stop blaming the President because you chose to be a butt head
Two people are holding America hostage: Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump. The House passed legislation that is nearly identical to legislation already passed in the Senate, minus the wall funding, but McConnell will not bring it up for a vote, because he says Trump will not sign it. Put the blame where it belongs.
NON essential employees have been laid off….they will receive unemployment in the meantime….and they get retro active pay with they go back to work.
Cox — President Trump has forgotten that his responsibility is to the American people…..and what does your oath of office state sir!
Valley Voice, why don’t you do an article on the Angel Mom’s and Dad’s….
How about talking to Rocky’s family!
The ugly genius of Trump is his ability to manipulate deep, primal emotions — namely fear and hate. He, along with Fox News, have convinced his base that they are in “extreme danger” from immigrants and only a wall will make them “safe.” Unfortunately, the need to “feel” safe is much stronger than the will to grapple with a complex, multi-faceted problem.
Walls don’t work. Illegal immigrants have tunneled underneath and/or erected ramps up and down walls to simply drive over them. People find a way.
Most illegal immigrants are “overstayers.” They come to the US legally — for vacations, business, to study, etc. — and then STAY past their visas. A wall is meaningless here!
Walls have little impact on drugs being brought in to the US. According to the DEA, almost all drugs come in through legal points of entry, hidden in secret containers and/or among legit goods in tractor-trailers.
A wall will have little to no impact on the influx of drugs into our country. Besides, no wall will ever deter Americans from their use of illegal drugs.
A wall would forces the U.S. government to take land from private citizens in eminent domain battles. Private citizens own much of the land slated for the wall. The costs of the government snatching private land — and the legal battles that would ensue — are incalculable.
Border patrol agents don’t like concrete or steel walls because they block surveillance capabilities and also say that “walls are meaningless without agents and technology to back them up.” Are we prepared to pour countless billions annually — after the wall is built — to create a nearly 2,000 mile, militarized 24-hour surveillance border operation? Are we seriously going to model ourselves on East Germany and their wall?
Where walls have been built, there was “no discernable impact on the influx of unauthorized aliens.” In other words, they came in elsewhere, primarily where natural barriers such as water or mountainous regions precluded a wall.
According to MIT engineers, the wall would cost $31.2 billion. Homeland Security estimates it at $22 billion. Given the pattern of spending mentioned in number 10 (plus Murphy’s Law), that means we’re really talking about pouring endless billions into something that doesn’t even work. And, of course, we taxpayers will be footing the bill, not Mexico.
Very well said.