Trump's wall is a 12th-century solution to 21st-century problem
SAN DIEGO -- President Trump only spent about three hours in America's Finest City last week.
It was barely enough time to get a cup of coffee. Or -- since San Diego was founded by the Spanish in 1769, and today hums along due in large part to the productivity of Mexicans and Mexican-Americans -- maybe a cafe con leche.
From the tone of his remarks, Trump could've been in town to promote a new book titled "Border Security for Dummies -- 12th-Century Solutions for 21st-Century Problems."
That's because, however brief, the visit gave Trump a chance to inspect prototypes for his "big beautiful wall" on the U.S.-Mexico border, which could cost as much as $25 billion.
You remember, the wall that Mexico was supposed to pay for. Our neighbor essentially told Trump: "No way, Jose." Just as well, because -- even if Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto had cut a check -- there was no time for Trump to dash across the border and pick it up. We really need to look into direct deposit.
There are some things in life that look better close-up than they do from far away. The border wall is the opposite. The farther you live from the border, and thus the less you know about Mexico and immigration, the better the idea sounds.
I bet there are bumper stickers on cars in Cleveland or Pittsburgh or Milwaukee that read: "Build the Wall." Well, in this border city, folks know that any solution to a vexing policy issue that fits on a bumper sticker is probably not the best idea since Google.
Besides, let's not get ahead of ourselves. The Trump Wall will probably never materialize. And even if it does, it will be neither big nor beautiful. Trump will be lucky to break ground on a few hundred miles along a border that spans 1,954 miles. And, since it is likely to rely at some points on fencing and sensors, it certainly won't be a solid structure made of steel and aluminum.
Have you seen the price of steel and aluminum these days? It might be cheaper for Trump to use silver.
And speaking of silver, plenty of it is about to rain down on the arch-enemies of the U.S. Border Patrol -- the ruthless, multimillion dollar human-smuggling cartels that welcome any talk of building walls because it lets them double their prices.
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