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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhy doesn't Trump have his border wall?
Donald Trump wanted to build a 2,000 mile, 30 foot high, concrete wall the length of the Southern Border. Putting aside, for the moment, that Mexico was going to pay for it, why didn't the legislation pass for his dream wall?
Answer, because he never had the votes or the Republicans didn't have the will. In the first two years, Trump needed 60 Senators to break a filibuster, even though the Republicans controlled the House and the Senate. Of course, the Republicans could have passed wall funding during reconciliation, just as they passed their tax cuts for the rich plan. They just didn't have the will. Or, they could have waved the cloture rules with a simple majority and then pass wall funding with 50 votes. However, as many as 7 Republican Senators refused to use the "nuclear option" for Trump's precious wall.
So, the reason there is no wall, is because the Republicans lacked the will or the votes for Trump's first two years, and now they lack the House.
Trump doesn't have his wall because he doesn't have the votes. Closing the government is absolutely political "hostage taking".
Not having the votes to pass his legislation is the consequence of the Democrats winning the House in the most recent election cycle. What the Republicans have to learn is that elections have consequences not only when they win, but when we win, too.
dalton99a
(81,708 posts)Iliyah
(25,111 posts)to do so, and they did not. Now all of a sudden it's imperative?
I think they are covering up their collective asses from on going criminal investigations.
riversedge
(70,464 posts)Wounded Bear
(58,792 posts)Traildogbob
(8,900 posts)keithbvadu2
(37,051 posts)Republicans are desperate to co-opt the democrats in funding Trumps wall.
The GOP absolutely does not want complete credit for such funding.
According to Trump, there are/have been two ways for republicans to approve the wall without votes from the democrats.
He requested that Mitch McConnell use the nuclear option which would have allowed the Senate republicans to pass the $5billion plus that he wants. Mitch refused.
Now, he says he can declare a National Emergency to get the money he wants.
Currently Trump is holding our country hostage with his proud shutdown and falsely blaming the democrats.
He has had two years to get his republican majority Congress to do it under his leadership.
There is no legitimate reason for the American taxpayer to pay for Trump's wall.
One of his foreign policy points is that other countries are taking advantage of America and we are overpaying. .
Now he wants the American taxpayer to pay for Mexico's obligation; 'Mexico will pay for the wall'.
bdamomma
(63,974 posts)got their tax cuts, they made damn sure of that. The wall is just all smoke.
watoos
(7,142 posts)Why can't we ever talk about a wall realistically?
First of all it is impossible to build a wall the entire length of our southern border, the terrain won't allow it.
Second, 1/4 of the border is the Rio Grande river which causes significant problems too numerous to list here.
Third, remember back when Shrub pushed for the wall, the land owners fought him for years in court. Most of the land owners along the border don't want a wall.
Fourth, even GOP/Trump politicians along the border don't want a wall.
The idea of building a wall is one of the dumbest ideas ever conceived.
Finally, "Fixed fortifications are monuments to man's stupidity." General George Patton. He went on to say that man has crossed oceans, climbed mountains, traversed swamps, so a fixed fortification is a waste of time.
Delmette2.0
(4,178 posts)The practical reasons against the wall are ignored too much. Along with the environmental, damage to wildlife and long term maintance.
Proud Liberal Dem
(24,460 posts)By the time things even start to get going on the project Trump will (likely) be out of office, either due to impeachment or defeat in 2020. Not even to mention that we shouldn't be normalizing hostage tactics for Presidents/MOC to be able to achieve what they want OUTSIDE of the normal political process. There's a reason we have a legislative branch and if politicians want something but can't muster up the votes for something, it just doesn't happen.
treestar
(82,383 posts)Proud Liberal Dem
(24,460 posts)MOC=Members of Congress
treestar
(82,383 posts)Dave Starsky
(5,914 posts)The very idea is absolutely preposterous. Once--just once!--I'd like to hear some network talking head ask some Trumper if they've never heard of ladders, shovels, or rope. You know, technology developed since the 4th Century B.C. to which even Mexicans have access.
ginnyinWI
(17,276 posts)I've always thought that they want to keep the abortion issue alive so that they can trot it out for every election cycle. There are many conservative Evangelicals for which this is the only thing deciding their vote: a promise that they will overthrow Roe (and of course they never, ever will. It's too good for winning elections).
So here is another one: build that wall! If they actually could get a wall and ensure southern border security, then they could not campaign on it. Trump's people poll tested it as the number one issue getting a response from his base. Of course he wants to do it because it is a campaign promise. But if he can blame someone else for not getting it it amounts to the same thing.
Now that they have 5 votes on the court (unless Roberts is sane, like he sometimes is) what are they going to campaign on? What will they use next?
Laura PourMeADrink
(42,770 posts)Isn't that why the low info wingnuts picked him to begin with? They were sick and tired of hearing the promises over years and years, like to end abortion, with nothing happening, that the were going rogue.
Just like we are accused of the same thing, promising things will get better for the downtrodden
Bengus81
(6,939 posts)So they could just go along and pick and choose for four years what to destroy or rape and pillage and do them in a certain order. Getting his rich buddies in Corporate Murica their FAT 14% tax cut was a HUGE priority as was killing off that Guberment health care that the black guy started.
Progressive dog
(6,933 posts)many of his ignorant followers to blame Democrats for obstructing the magical wall.
Soxfan58
(3,479 posts)He wants the issue. He feels its a winning strategy. Even after the mid-terms proved him wrong.
Laura PourMeADrink
(42,770 posts)Shiny tower that is taller than everything else and has my name on it, make it happen"
Doesn't translate to government and processes to make something happen. If he had worked at making a more incremental, organized and scientific approach, he probably could have gotten it started. For instance, "according to law enforcement statistics, the highest crime is on the border between point A and point B, I propose we install a wall there, made of x material. Open vendor bids. There are 10 landowners involved. Etc etc.". "then we will see if crime goes down."
I suspect the pushback is with southern border repukes. Their constituent ranchers and businesses hire them. And a wall would curtail that.
Fla Dem
(23,887 posts)Perseus
(4,341 posts)Something we should be convinced about is that repubs are lemmings, they will follow the leader all the way to the cliff, so he would have had the votes.
He was not interested, and still is not interested in the wall. I believe he didn't ask for the wall when there was a repubs majority in both houses for fear that it would actually pass. The wall is leverage to weaken the government and the country, I feel Putin and some repubs are handling this and giving orders to the orange buffoon.
Another thing is that he is using the wall to impose the shutdown, some of the departments that are being affected by the shutdown include the DOJ, and the intelligence agencies as well. I doubt that the orange buffoon has thought of any of it, I have to think that some repubs in conspiracy with Russia have crafted this diabolic plan, and unless something drastic happens, this is going to go for a long time.
There must be a time when the military decides it needs to protect the country from both foreign and domestic enemies because that is what we have right now.
90-percent
(6,834 posts)I wonder what sorts of rewards "the Trump Family Evil Empire" Pooty-poot will lavish upon them? This grifter-clan has done more to destroy the United States in the last two years than 73 years of the cold war. Russian Mission Accomplished! Hang that banner on your aircraft carrier and smoke it!
-90% Jimmy
chwaliszewski
(1,514 posts)That is exactly the reason.
ffr
(22,681 posts)Then indicted. Then arrested and publicly humiliated. Then imprisoned.
LudwigPastorius
(9,262 posts)Simple answer:
Cutting off the below-subsistence-wage labor provide by illegal immigration would impinge on the profits of the GOP's corporate masters.
Sure, they need the votes from their drooling, xenophobic base that the "Build The Wall!" rhetoric gins up. But, the Republican Party is ultimately beholden to those who pay for their campaigns. Hence, their cry of "it's the Democrats fault", when they have had control of Congress and the White House, and the ability to build a wall, for the past two years.
Initech
(100,149 posts)So you could say that the wall got Art Of The Deal'd.
Blue Owl
(50,596 posts)n/t