In case you wondered who'll make money building Trump's wall, if it's ever built...

[highplainsdem]

According to a story that came out on the 31st, that didn't get much attention here, Trump made one of the first, if not the first, offers to get a government contract to build that wall to a Miami real estate tycoon, a friend of his who's built Trump towers:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-01-31/miami-billionaire-perez-rejects-his-friend-trump-s-wall-overture

Perez, a billionaire who has built Trump-branded towers in South Florida, said the president e-mailed him after the inauguration with plans for the wall and asked if he’d be interested in working on it.

-snip-

Perez, known in Miami as the “Condo King” for redefining the city’s skyline, is a longtime friend and partner of Trump’s. The president wrote the introduction to the Florida developer’s 2008 book, “Powerhouse Principles.” Perez said in the interview that he holds Trump in high regard as a businessman and marketer, and praised his successful presidential campaign.

Perez said he was approached about a potential position as undersecretary of housing and urban development under Ben Carson, but he declined to be considered.

Perez declined both that and the offer to build the wall because he thinks it's an idiotic idea:

In an interview at the offices of his company, Related Group, the Argentine-born developer said he politely declined and joked about which side of the barrier he would end up on.

He spoke in stronger terms in Monday’s interview. Financing the wall with a border tax on imports would mean the cost will ultimately be passed on to U.S. consumers, and protectionism could risk triggering a trade war with Mexico, Perez said.

“The wall is the most idiotic thing I’ve ever seen or heard in my life,” said Perez, who was raised in Colombia by Cuban parents. “A wall for what? You think a wall is going to stop people that are hungry? Good employment in Mexico, economic growth in Mexico, equality is going to stop people from coming over the border.”

-snip-

If Trump persists in trying to make Mexico pay for the wall, it could hurt relations between the two countries and damage both economies, Perez said.

“No self-respecting country will say, ‘Yes, build the wall not to allow the free flow of people between two countries -- and we’re going to pay for it,” he said. “Any Mexican that would say that wouldn’t get elected dog catcher.”

-snip-

He said he’s “dramatically opposed” to parts of Trump’s immigration and trade policies.

So -- not surprisingly -- Trump's approach to building a wall using what will obviously have to be taxpayers' money is Croney Capitalism 101.

We heard about this offer because Trump was too stupid to sound out his friend's feelings about the wall before the offer was made.

We can expect others who'll be invited to make money off the wall to also be friends of Trump's, but we won't be as likely to hear about them as quickly.

[malaise]

1. Off to the greatest page for thee

Rec

[liberal N proud]

2. He has plans to make all his billionaire friends richer

They want it all and they want it now.

[Wounded Bear]

3. Never really wondered at all....

It was pretty obvious.

[politicaljunkie41910]

4. That's not how the federal government's contracting system works.

A government agency, probably Dept of Homeland Security or the Border Patrol will solicit bids for the project. Now I know that Trump has said that he was going to build a great wall and it's going to be great. But for something like a fence/wall, the government would draw up the specifications for the wall based on specific criteria, materials, etc and open it up for bids with the awarded contract going to either the lowest responsible bidder or the 'best value' based on pre-established criteria set forth prior to the solicitation being released to the public for bidding.

The funny thing about it is that criteria would certainly eliminate Trump and his family anyway. A qualifying bidder must be deemed 'responsible' in that they have a proven track record of paying their bills, vendors and subcontractor's, something our current President doesn't do. Trump would also not be allowed to handpick the contractor who is awarded the contract. The solicitation process would be clearly defined and open to all qualified, responsible bidders. Procurement personnel can go to jail for violating procurement policies and procedures particularly as it pertains to nepotism, and not abiding by the pre-established source selection criteria.