My friend Joe Weber recently wrote the following letter to the New York Times
Trump appears to have painted himself into a corner with his demand for an expensive, unnecessary and ineffectual wall along our southern border. Perhaps the Democrats can give him a way out by offering to fund a “virtual wall” if he agrees to reopen the government. Such a “wall” using drones, satellites and aircraft to detect intrusions and helicopters and ground patrols to intercept intruders would secure the border more effectively than a physical wall with much less cost and disruption, and without effectively ceding large stretches of the Rio Grande to Mexico.
Of course the Times didn’t publish it, and neither did Joe receive responses to similar letters to Senators Schumer and Gillibrand and Representative Maloney.
However, the idea of building a virtual wall seems to me to be brilliant in two respects: it appears to be the real answer to needed improved security at the Southern border – which both Democrats and Republicans want – and it gives Trump his wall.
Building such a virtual wall could well include enhancement and expansion of the excising fencing along the border in places where the experts deemed it to be the best solution. The key word here is “experts” because, rather than politicians arguing about whether it should be a brick wall, steel slats or fencing, the obvious answer is to have experts in the field develop a detailed plan and budget for developing the most effective solution.
So here is the proposal that I think Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer should make to Trump: “We will agree to funding a study by a panel of experts, selected and agreed to by both sides, that will develop the best possible solution to security along the southern border. This study will consider all elements of a virtual wall, using the most up-to-date technology, as well as enhancement and expansion of existing physical barriers where this is necessary. The result of the study will be a detailed plan and budget for its execution. We will agree to fund the recommended plan.”
By agreeing to this, the nation will get improved security, eight million government workers, and the millions of others impacted by the shutdown, will get back to work, get their paychecks and be able to pay their bills – and Donald Trump will get the wall that he promised.
QED
Gerry Meandering 