On The Young Turks, we explained in two parts how the proposed fence on the border between Mexico and the US is completely useless and helps politicians get more money for their campaigns. First, we explain why there are huge holes in the fence:
You can read more about Ray Hunt's sweet deal here on Think Progress. Then The Texas Observer has even more details on how politicians make money off of the companies that will be building the fence, even though it will be worthless with all the holes in it. Here's quick explanation of how all the people in DC make money while our taxpayer revenue is wasted:
How does this help you if you want the fence built or if you don't want it built? It doesn't. It screws us all because it wastes money for no reason other than to make people with connections even richer. This system is broken. We have to find a way to get the influence of money out of politics, otherwise these people will rob us blind forever.
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How Politicians Get Rich Off the Border Fence
Posted Feb 22nd 2008 11:59PM by Cenk Uygur
Filed under: Politics, Young Turks, Video, Illegal Immigration
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Mo Rocca appears on a bunch of shows, including CBS News Sunday Morning (with the indescribably wonderful Charles Osgood), The Tonight Show on NBC, and NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! He's a sometime judge on Iron Chef and was featured on Telemundo's Amore Descarado. Last year he starred on Broadway in the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. His expose "All the President's Pets" was published by Crown in 2004.
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 3)
1. The Berlin Wall was rathar effective. Very few people got through that.
Strados at 8:05AM on Feb 21st 2008
2. So Cenk, how about these wasteful "Big Government" Democrat, base voter support/buying baby-daddys vote, programs?
Your {Black Muslim Bakery} Tax Dollars at Work!!!
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/11/18/MNR4TCBIN.DTL
http://stlcofcc.wordpress.com/2007/08/08/yes-it-really-is-your-black-muslim-bakery/
BTW: All of you Liberal Apologist want to support these lowlife bastards can do so on a voluntary basis with your own money. Doing so would be commendable. Using the force of Government confiscatory taxation to transfer wealth from honest hardworking Americans into the hands of these scumbag thugs is contemptible.
Paul Sparcello at 8:21AM on Feb 21st 2008
3. Strados: Excellent example. The soviets invested millions of dollars into creating the Berlin wall. Did it stop free movement through the city, sure. It took the soviets to actually be willing to murder people crossing the border to stop it, but it did. Yet despite that over five thousand people successfully crossed over (or dug under) the fence. And what did the soviets actually GET for their money? A headache that had to be policed constantly, a barrier that was horifically expensive to build and maintain, and the international notoriety of being a country that would shoot and kill people seeking freedom and opportunity. And ultimately the great wall failed.
The "border wall" is an albatross around our necks that no one needs. It is wasted money to build, and wasted money to actually enforce. It's a swiss cheese defense, because of numerous holes in it. So guard those holes more stringently? As in pay extra tax payer money to keep the immigrants from crossing golf courses and private land? And then what is to stop "coyotes" from bribing guards at other checkpoints? Oh. Pay the guards more. Making it even more expensive, year after year. This is a croc that no American truly needs.
You want to deal with immigration? Deal with it like it's not the black plague.
Somber at 9:42AM on Feb 21st 2008
4. Hey Big Guy,
The claim is the United States is addicted to oil. Well, we're also addicted to cheap labor.
Here's my 2 cents boss: Corporation's in our country use temporary workers all the time that they find at temp agencies. Set similar temp agencies up along the border and let them do all the screening of workers in accordance will our laws.
Now, when a company needs workers the agency provides them. When the job is done, the workers go home or the agency reassigns them. And as far as benefits go, well it's just like now, it will all depend on the temp agency.
So I say, forget the fence and immigration reform. Give these people what they really came here for....a job. A job that should pay at the pervailing wage for that industry. As far as citizenship goes, if they want to become one, they apply and wait in line like everyone else. In the meantime, they're a temp worker.
Willet at 9:46AM on Feb 21st 2008
5. Conceded, it would be a better solution to, say, make it impossible for illegals to get work here in America. But that would require honest employers. In America.
Strados at 11:44AM on Feb 21st 2008
6. The great leaders in washington and the soon to be new president from either party are telling us that we going to have to learn to speak Spanish and have to like it......... You have been a sleep for the last 50 years in your votes. Nothing has been done nor will it be done except more of the same old stuff.you voted these people in office so stop your moaning and learn to speak Spanish so you can buy some groceries.......
HENRY WILSON at 3:03PM on Feb 21st 2008
7. Kinky Freidman, the candidate for Gov in Texas last year had a good idea. "Mexico has 8 military generals in locations along the border from Texas to Calif., give each general 1 million dollars in an acct. and every time an illegal crosses you deduct a certain amount. Put up more cameras and surveillance equip to monitor each area." This would still save a lot of money every year.
Tim at 1:24PM on Feb 21st 2008
8. Cenk, you are right - let's get rid of the money in politics, and the undue influence money has over the government. I've been thinking about this for a long time. What is the money used for, besides buying votes and influence, junket trips, etc.? OK, the legitimate uses are mainly for the candidates' travel and advertising.
Require all newspapers, online news sources, radio and television stations to run public service advertising. 15-30 second ads (or 1/4 page), equal for each legitimate candidate. The ads must only talk about the candidate and what he will do if elected - no slamming the other candidates with false information (no "swiftboating"). No more negative campaigning! News programs allow the candidates to talk and debate the issues as usual.
Clean out K Street - lobbying is now outlawed. PACs and corporations should have no influence on a vote, only the voters matter. I'm sick and tired of Halliburton making all the decisions.
Election campaign funds can only be received by registered voters over the age of 18, with a limit of $500 per person.
Make the legislators work for their money by requiring a yes or no vote on every piece of legislation and it's funding (no more earmarks).
Yes, these would be radical, but necessary changes if we are to get the corruption out of government. Money, power and influence corrupts even the cleanest heart. Let's take money out of the equation.
Sarah at 1:27PM on Feb 21st 2008
9. For that matter, let's talk about income tax. Where the hell does that money go? Our country ran just fine and dandy for OVER A HUNDRED YEARS without income tax...why do we need it now? Government wants money.
I really, really wish citizens back then hadn't agreed to it, but they were trusting, and they were duped. Now we pay millions in income tax, to what? To go where? Where is the accountability?
Strados at 2:03PM on Feb 21st 2008
10. As John McCain recently said, the Republicans lost big in the 2004 elections due to 1)corruption and 2)arrogance. Bob
Bob at 2:08PM on Feb 21st 2008
11. The $25,000.00 Soloution
Email your three Federal Representatives and Governors with the following demand:
1) A law that makes it illegal to employ any illegal alien.
2) A fine of $25,000.00 for each illegal worker that is hired.
3) A reward of $5,000.00 per worker for the information that is provided by American Citizens and legal aliens.
Now if the local meat packing plant or lettuce farm gets busted with a total of 50 illegal aliens in their employ, you would get a check for $250,000.00 for providing the information to ICE.
Paul Sparcello at 6:03PM on Feb 21st 2008
12. I agree with Paul Sparcello about rewarding Americans for turning in illegal mexicans. Also, instead of some fence that probably won't stop many illegal mexicans at all, it's time to stop worrying about being politically correct pansies caving in to ACLU and SPLC Commies. Put the army on the mexican border with orders to shoot to kill illegal mexicans coming across!!!! And deport the ones who are already here!!!!!
Robert Wayne at 6:19PM on Feb 21st 2008
13. Henry Wilson...What gets me so mad is that I'm not one of the ones voting for pro amnesty traitors like Obama, Clinton or McCain. If Americans would start doing a little digging and finding out what these politicians are for and against, the only ones voting for Obama would be urban blacks and nobody in their right mind would be voting for Clinton or McCain.
Robert Wayne at 6:23PM on Feb 21st 2008
14. 1. The Berlin Wall was rathar effective. Very few people got through that.
Strados at 8:05AM on Feb 21st 2008
xxx
how long was it? How long is our border? How long is our Northern border?
repeat after me: duh
I love reading guys like this robert wayne. You're stuck - no matter who wins, you'll be apoplectic for at least four if not eight years. Enjoy!
Clif Kuplen at 11:45AM on Feb 22nd 2008
15. Lets give Paul (#11) some credit here. He presented a good idea.
As our corporations have a great need for people willing to accept low wages, they will push for expansions of legal worker programs. By screening the incoming guest workers, national security might improve. The low wages will not resolve the issues of taking jobs away from Americans or the costs of necessary social services. One issue at a time.
As for Robert Wayne (#12 & #13) - Are you concerned only with Mexicans who are here illegally? Any issues with those who have the appropriate paperwork? Why do you limit yourselves to Mexicans? Are paper-less Guatemalans OK? Irish?
I presume you must be an atheist as Jesus would never condone murder.
alan at 2:48PM on Feb 22nd 2008