700 Mi. long 'Great Wall of America' to cost, oh, about 6 BILLION

[Philosoraptor]

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061024/NEWS07/610240353/1009

WASHINGTON -- A bill to build a 700-mile fence along the U.S.-Mexican border is poised to become law just in time for next month's elections.

Value of the fence unclear

Whether the fence will help stop undocumented immigrants is unclear. Congress has paid for only about 150 miles of fencing in separate legislation Bush has already signed. The fence can also be replaced by cameras and sensors if the Department of Homeland Security decides that makes more sense.

Building the entire fence could cost more than $6 billion, lawmakers' estimate.

"The whole Secure Fence Act was an election-year gimmick," said Michele Waslin, director of immigration policy research at the National Council of La Raza, the largest Latino civil rights group in the country. "It's an attempt to look tough without really doing anything."

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I see, 2,000 mile long border, 700 mile fence, election year, 6 billion dollars, it all makes perfect sense.

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Just put it on "The Tab" . . . . n/t

[kurth]

2. $1,623 per foot?

Heckuva contract for a fence.

[Selatius]

13. Who's gonna get the contract? Halliburton? Bechtel?

Gee, they make boatloads with war contracts for "reconstruction." Why not throw even more money their way and bankrupt ourselves some more? :sarcasm:

[Norquist Nemesis]

3. Either way, China is sitting back

*cha-ching!*

[NotGivingUp]

4. We've got to put an end to this madness!

[asjr]

5. Has Halliburton already been engaged

to build it? I still think building that fence is equivalent to putting a band-aid on a broken leg.

[radfringe]

6. won't get built

bush doesn't like the idea, the only reason there was a signing ceremony is because GOPers are hoping it pulls their butts out of the election fire.

bush will issue a signing statement which will pretty much neuter the bill

[raccoon]

7. I hope you're right. This is a boondoggle if there ever was one. nt

[radfringe]

15. he only signed it at the

insistence of the repubs who are in big trouble with their constituents - otherwise he would have pocket vetoed it..

[OzarkDem]

28. but the money will still be spent

probably on the KBR consultants who will study a design for the fence.

[ProfessorGAC]

8. It'll Cost At Least Twice That When It's Done

Remember this is an estimate from the same geniuses who told us the Iraq adventure would be covered by the oil revenues. They were only wrong by about $200 billion in borrowed money.

If they say $6 billion, it will cost at least $12 billion.
The Professor

[porphyrian]

9. Yeah, that'll make us secure...

:eyes:

I guess it's OK to be stupid if you're scared.

[Tikki]

10. Maybe environmental artist Cristo should...

design and build this WALL and then Boosh-t* could charge folks a fee to
come look at it and then they could use the funds to help finance ARTS programs in Mexico and the U.S. :crazy:


Tikki

[TahitiNut]

11. That's a drop in the bucket compared to the cost of freeway walls ...

... built adjacent to freeways and expressways all over this nation allegedly to cut down on noise and "visual pollution." Those walls cost, on average, $1 million/mile! There are THOUSANDS of miles of such walls in California alone.

[Jed Dilligan]

18. Are you saying

Freeways should just plow through neighborhoods without soundproofing or visual separation? Have you ever lived in a place like that? I have--and I would have welcomed the wall and the oleander bushes.

[TahitiNut]

22. I regard it as uncivil and rude when folks mischaracterize my words.

If you want to have an argument with your own strawman, please do so without involving me.

[Jed Dilligan]

25. I don't know why

you would compare a useless border fence to something intrinsic to many people's quality of life.

Your snippy answer only indicates to me that you know you are wrong and don't want to admit it.

[TahitiNut]

27. You "don't know"? Yep. The ignorance is obvious.

Since you can't comply with a polite request, try sticking that strawman where the sun don't shine. :shrug:

[Jed Dilligan]

29. Whatever, bud.

Sometimes you're interesting, today you are not.

[JitterbugPerfume]

12. will it wall them out

or wall us in?

Is there a difference?

Personally , I think it is all about November, and it will never be funded.

[mediacenter]

14. Isn't

...it actually 3 fences? Besides a 700 mile fence on a 2000 mile border is not a fence, it's a funnel.....

[wholetruth00]

16. How about 6 billion to help create an economy in Mexico to keep

Mexicans there to work? Or use the 6 billion to lock up and fine US employers of illegal workers and the rest of the 6 billion to put back the police force in major crime districts/

[Philosoraptor]

24. that would make a lot more sense

silly as it sounds, it's no sillier than a fence.

[Fovea]

17. The maginot line -- the berlin wall -- the great wall of China

this plan is far to clever too fail again.

[stanwyck]

19. America just jumped the shark

we're going to get a castle wall. Back to the Middle Ages. All hail the king.

[Poiuyt]

20. Build a 10' fence and you'll increase the sales of 11' ladders

$6 billion would pay for a lot of border patrols

[DoYouEverWonder]

21. Wouldn't it be easier just to let everyone come and go

as long as they have proper ID?

For 6 billion we could pay the Mexicans to stay home instead.

[originalpckelly]

23. It isn't a wall, it's a virtual wall.

In other words they are probably using high cost equipment to patrol the border. No real fence.

I am not for a wall, even though I am against illegal immigration. I just want to help Mexico's economy, so that their poor enjoy a better quality of life without sucking money out of America.

[Rocknrule]

26. "Goddamn Mongorians!"

[L84TEA]

30. forget about struggling falling down SCHOOLS ...

I mean... walls are much more important...sheesh...
Oh and don't forget about the VA hospitals... I mean WHO NEEDS EM? ...
Walls are soo much more important.. BESIDES, I AM GONNA NEED THE EXCERCISE climbing it every day to find WORK after my job goes there! ...
only in America...