Greg Abbott, the Governor of Texas has pledged to build a wall on the Mexican border amid a record migrant surge. Biden halted construction of the wall in February, which was a reversal of Trump's policies. Will be interesting to see if there is a showdown between Abbott and Biden because of this.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co ... 440317.amp

We tried wasting the Pentagon's money, and it didn't work, so let's try wasting Texas' money instead! Gotta close that boondoggle gap with California somehow.

All this seems to demonstrate is Trump's continued grip on the GOP party. But perhaps Governor Abbott should look to fund some of that money in improving its electrical grid system.

Sounds like a distraction technique to me.

Texas Taxes are going up, or they will cut corners on other programs like education and infrastructure. Going to be fun to see,

casinterest wrote:

Texas Taxes are going up, or they will cut corners on other programs like education and infrastructure. Going to be fun to see,

The last thing America needs is Texans being more poorly educated.

Newark727 wrote:

We tried wasting the Pentagon's money, and it didn't work, so let's try wasting Texas' money instead! Gotta close that boondoggle gap with California somehow.

Even though I believe protecting our borders is more than just a fence I wanna know why you liberals think it's such a bad idea? People put fences around their properties hell we give other nations money to put a wall on their borders. Nancy Pelosi has a wall around her property as well as the coastal elites and progressive Hollywood types but somehow it's ok to have our borders wide open and let anyone and their brother in. I swear to my dying day I will never ever figure out how you progressives think.

From the people that brought you the Winter Outage 2021 killing dozens because of basic cost cutting on infrastructure, we bring you more infrastructure!

You'll know it's failed when you see Rafael skedaddle to Cancun.

stratosphere wrote:

Newark727 wrote:

We tried wasting the Pentagon's money, and it didn't work, so let's try wasting Texas' money instead! Gotta close that boondoggle gap with California somehow.

Even though I believe protecting our borders is more than just a fence I wanna know why you liberals think it's such a bad idea? People put fences around their properties hell we give other nations money to put a wall on their borders. Nancy Pelosi has a wall around her property as well as the coastal elites and progressive Hollywood types but somehow it's ok to have our borders wide open and let anyone and their brother in. I swear to my dying day I will never ever figure out how you progressives think.

People who own homes sometimes have huge walls . sometimes.
However, how many times have you ever seen a farm or ranch with 30 foot walls to keep people out? Most have barbed wire to keep the livestock in. You know why? The maintenance is too high, and it doesn't solve the real problems.

Most people do not get into the US through the Southern border illegally. They overstay on legal visits, because they found someone that would pay them illegally. That is the issue that needs solving.

casinterest wrote:

stratosphere wrote:

Newark727 wrote:

We tried wasting the Pentagon's money, and it didn't work, so let's try wasting Texas' money instead! Gotta close that boondoggle gap with California somehow.

Even though I believe protecting our borders is more than just a fence I wanna know why you liberals think it's such a bad idea? People put fences around their properties hell we give other nations money to put a wall on their borders. Nancy Pelosi has a wall around her property as well as the coastal elites and progressive Hollywood types but somehow it's ok to have our borders wide open and let anyone and their brother in. I swear to my dying day I will never ever figure out how you progressives think.

People who own homes sometimes have huge walls . sometimes.
However, how many times have you ever seen a farm or ranch with 30 foot walls to keep people out? Most have barbed wire to keep the livestock in. You know why? The maintenance is too high, and it doesn't solve the real problems.

Most people do not get into the US through the Southern border illegally. They overstay on legal visits, because they found someone that would pay them illegally. That is the issue that needs solving.

...such as Devin Nunes' family, or literally any farm anywhere in the country

People sure love the cheap labor it provides, even while voting to "build the wall"

stratosphere wrote:

Newark727 wrote:

We tried wasting the Pentagon's money, and it didn't work, so let's try wasting Texas' money instead! Gotta close that boondoggle gap with California somehow.

Even though I believe protecting our borders is more than just a fence I wanna know why you liberals think it's such a bad idea? People put fences around their properties hell we give other nations money to put a wall on their borders. Nancy Pelosi has a wall around her property as well as the coastal elites and progressive Hollywood types but somehow it's ok to have our borders wide open and let anyone and their brother in. I swear to my dying day I will never ever figure out how you progressives think.

It’s a bad idea because it doesn’t work. And it’s environmentally harmful. Lots of folks in West Texas were not happy at all about new wall going up in Big Bend, for instance.

https://www.npr.org/2017/05/03/52661241 ... order-wall

https://api.nationalgeographic.com/dist ... life-water

stratosphere wrote:

Newark727 wrote:

We tried wasting the Pentagon's money, and it didn't work, so let's try wasting Texas' money instead! Gotta close that boondoggle gap with California somehow.

Even though I believe protecting our borders is more than just a fence I wanna know why you liberals think it's such a bad idea? People put fences around their properties hell we give other nations money to put a wall on their borders. Nancy Pelosi has a wall around her property as well as the coastal elites and progressive Hollywood types but somehow it's ok to have our borders wide open and let anyone and their brother in. I swear to my dying day I will never ever figure out how you progressives think.

Have you ever been to the west Texas border area, or even seen pictures of it?

[quote="stratosphere"
Even though I believe protecting our borders is more than just a fence I wanna know why you liberals....[/quote]

Are you using "you liberals" as a slur? Are you assuming anyone who would be against the wall must be "a liberal"?

Is the GOP now so devoid of content and ideas that all they can do to keep their rabid base loyal is to keep repeating the idiotic slogans of its disgraced guru?

You want more border security? Fund the USCBP more. It creates job and does much better at securing borders than a dumb and expensive wall ever could.

Francoflier wrote:

Is the GOP now so devoid of content and ideas that all they can do to keep their rabid base loyal is to keep repeating the idiotic slogans of its disgraced guru?

You want more border security? Fund the USCBP more. It creates job and does much better at securing borders than a dumb and expensive wall ever could.

https://www.borderreport.com/hot-topics ... head-says/
Isn't that wall funded through USCBP too?

c933103 wrote:

Francoflier wrote:

Is the GOP now so devoid of content and ideas that all they can do to keep their rabid base loyal is to keep repeating the idiotic slogans of its disgraced guru?

You want more border security? Fund the USCBP more. It creates job and does much better at securing borders than a dumb and expensive wall ever could.

https://www.borderreport.com/hot-topics ... head-says/
Isn't that wall funded through USCBP too?

Not completely - Congress wouldn't grant full funding for the wall as a dedicated capital project, so the Trump administration grabbed funds from other programs. In any case, all quotes from that article are to be taken with a grain of salt since the 'acting' CBP commissioner has become a fair weather mouthpiece for whoever will keep him relevant.

stratosphere wrote:

Newark727 wrote:

We tried wasting the Pentagon's money, and it didn't work, so let's try wasting Texas' money instead! Gotta close that boondoggle gap with California somehow.

Even though I believe protecting our borders is more than just a fence I wanna know why you liberals think it's such a bad idea?

You righties were frothing at the mouth over pictures of children being dropped over the wall into the United States and blaming "liberals" for not doing anything. After children were dropped over the wall that you want.

Walls alone do not work. That is why "us liberals" think it is a bad idea. We need to hire more people to shut the active tunnels under the wall. We need to hire more people to follow up on expired visas. We need to fine companies that hire illegals to work in the fields. Walls alone do not work. We have been saying this over and over. For some reason, you righties hear it as "liberals want open borders" which is not at all what "walls alone do not work".

stratosphere wrote:

Even though I believe protecting our borders is more than just a fence I wanna know why you liberals think it's such a bad idea? People put fences around their properties hell we give other nations money to put a wall on their borders. Nancy Pelosi has a wall around her property as well as the coastal elites and progressive Hollywood types but somehow it's ok to have our borders wide open and let anyone and their brother in. I swear to my dying day I will never ever figure out how you progressives think.

What I will never understand is why reactionaries seem to be so hell bent on building a wall from one end of the border to the other. I mean, the number of people crossing the southern border has been steadily dropping for the past twenty years. The majority of people here illegally is visa overstays, not from people crossing the US-Mexico border. How is a wall going to fix that?

They seem to think that this border wall was a higher priority over the crumbling infrastructure of this country. What did Trump spend more time talking about? That silly wall or the messed up roads? At least Biden has been able to figure it out.

People can not use their heaters in the winter in Texas because the power grid fails and residents die from exposure. People can not use their cooling systems in the summer in Texas because the power grid fails and residents die from exposure. Solution? Spend billions on a border wall! Who cares if Texans die because they have no heat or cooling. The party of Jesus says so, right Republicans?

Does he have the authority to do this?.

bennett123 wrote:

Does he have the authority to do this?.

If it's federal land he can't touch it. Privately held land he would have to try and buy them out or claim eminent domain. Lets face it, this is nothing but WMD. Weapon of Mass Distraction.

Should make the drive to Mexico a bit more challenging for certain politicians

Abbott never ceases to outdo his previous bad moves. A more astute leader would be aiming to remedy some of the Texas's shortcomings. Its electrical grid failed miserably last winter. Abbott blamed everyone but his one-party rule of Texas. He could shore up the almost non-existent cosntruction code that renders most home construction obsolete in 40 years. Things aren't built to last in Texas. Among the 50 states, Texas ranks rock bottom for percent of population with health insurance. It has one of the highest rates of teen pregnancy. Moving to the environment, the city of Houston, in its unbridled sprawl, has paved over a good chunk of a delicate bayou system that used to self-correct itself and prevent flooding after heavy rains. And if there's one city that comes to mind when someone says "heavy rains" it's Houston. The hurricanes are getting stronger and the paving over continues. Tackling any of these issues would be more beneficial for Texans than an ugly wall.

Yes, but none of that appeals to the simple minds on the right that are so easily frightened by brown people. Gotta get them votes, so keep 'em scared!

When this was first announced, I chuckled at the thought of VP Harris finally going to the border, except it would be to protest this wall!

Drafran wrote:

Yes, but none of that appeals to the simple minds on the right that are so easily frightened by brown people. Gotta get them votes, so keep 'em scared!

That's something I don't get. Maybe I am too educated. I grew up on the West Coast and have read history. I know Spain and Mexico both controlled what is now California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and many citizens of those countries did not leave after land was ceded to the United States. They instead became legal United States citizens. But, Republicans are so afraid of these legal United States citizens to the point where facts don't matter.

From what I've read, even many many-generational Hispanic Americans in Texas and Colorado don't like the new illegal immigrants. It's not different than any other nationality. Once you've assimilated, your prior nationality matters less and less with each generation.

johns624 wrote:

From what I've read, even many many-generational Hispanic Americans in Texas and Colorado don't like the new illegal immigrants. It's not different than any other nationality. Once you've assimilated, your prior nationality matters less and less with each generation.

And that is for them to work out amongst themselves. Gov. Abbott is pandering to the racists in Texas and across the country. Completely different topic. When Abbott and other Republicans use these racist tropes, it effects not only those sneaking into the country through the Southern Border but those who have been here for generations. Look at the Republican dog whistles of covid and the spike in Asian hate crimes. There is a correlation.

Every Democrat will say the same thing: there must be immigration reform. No one but no one is disputing that. These blanket statements by Republicans only add fuel to the racist fires.

Sorry, there is one group disputing that: Republicans who insist that Democrats want "open borders" which has never been a thing...

EDIT:

I was typing when you responded.

My father was the son of an illegal immigrant and an anchor baby. My father hated immigrants. He was white as anything. That was what I meant. I get that legal Latinos in America don't want illegals coming. I get that. They also have to deal with the racism from whites. Luckily, my father didn't have to deal with that and neither do I but still, I kinda get it.

seb146 wrote:

johns624 wrote:

From what I've read, even many many-generational Hispanic Americans in Texas and Colorado don't like the new illegal immigrants. It's not different than any other nationality. Once you've assimilated, your prior nationality matters less and less with each generation.

And that is for them to work out amongst themselves. Gov. Abbott is pandering to the racists in Texas and across the country. Completely different topic.

What do you mean "work out amongst themselves"? The ones who have been here for many generations, just consider themselves Americans. They don't have anything in common with the new illegal immigrants.

Whatever the case with immigrant generations themselves, the important thing is Abbott doesn't have the wide support needed to get this done. It's all just red meat bloviation.

Far too many Texans along the border are opposed to anything resembling further wall construction.

https://www.expressnews.com/news/local/ ... 292263.php

seb146 wrote:

Drafran wrote:

Yes, but none of that appeals to the simple minds on the right that are so easily frightened by brown people. Gotta get them votes, so keep 'em scared!

That's something I don't get. Maybe I am too educated. I grew up on the West Coast and have read history. I know Spain and Mexico both controlled what is now California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and many citizens of those countries did not leave after land was ceded to the United States. They instead became legal United States citizens. But, Republicans are so afraid of these legal United States citizens to the point where facts don't matter.

Logic isn't exactly the forte of the right wing. You'll drive yourself as crazy as Giuliani if you spend too much time trying to figure it out.