Does the United States need a moat?

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

In his speech today about immigration reform, Obama asserted that he had addressed the call for more border security before tackling immigration reform. He then said: "But even though we've answered these concerns, I suspect there will be those who will try to move the goal posts one more time... Maybe they'll say we need a moat. Or alligators in the moat."

I think he was trying for humor, but who knows, maybe some people here will think it is a serious policy option to be considered.

[memphis]

Screw gators. I want fire-breathing dragons. That would show the Mexicans who's boss.

[President Mitt]

Alligators? Are you out of your mind Ernest? In these crazy economic times, we can't afford to give all the jobs to Reptiles. We have to get rid of the myth that Reptiles only do jobs that Mammals don't want to do. Instead, place giant apes near the border, so we can ensure more employment for our mammal population.

[Cincinnatus]

Somehow the reproductive ability of the alligators is more appealing then paying the high wages those mammals demand.

[JewCon]

Put alligators in the Rio Grande

[specific_name]

Alligators in the Rio Grande. It would be a more fiscally conservative solution than a moat and surely it would swing TX to Obama in a close election. The tourism industry has been hurting ever since the "Get Abducted by Mexican Druglords" ad campaign failed to draw the weekender demographic.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Screw gators. I want fire-breathing dragons. That would show the Mexicans who's boss.

CARL?   

[Torie]

Our president is being disingenuous. He has dragged his feet on building the fence where it was planned, it is not completed, and the inflow continues. Obama seems to campaigning 24/7 these days, and not doing much governing or leading, not on this issue, and certainly not on educating the public that we need to curb entitlements, and means test them more rigorously, which is the only way out of the box. I am very disappointed in the man these days. The end.

[opebo]

A moat to drown the rich in, yes.  But immigrants are irrelevant to our troubles.

[they don't love you like i love you]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-GGSRmJ0NY

[Stranger in a strange land]

The Rio Grande shows how effective a moat would be.

[Insula Dei]

The idea isn't mucj more ridiculous than a fence. I say you should execute anyone trying to get into the country on the place. perhaps also randomly exterminate some Arizona towns so them Mexicans see it isn't all kittens and love in the US either. I call this the Northern Korean way to tackle immigration.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

The idea isn't mucj more ridiculous than a fence. I say you should execute anyone trying to get into the country on the place. perhaps also randomly exterminate some Arizona towns so them Mexicans see it isn't all kittens and love in the US either. I call this the Northern Korean way to tackle immigration.

But no one wants to enter North Korea........ever. 

[Franzl]

The idea isn't mucj more ridiculous than a fence. I say you should execute anyone trying to get into the country on the place. perhaps also randomly exterminate some Arizona towns so them Mexicans see it isn't all kittens and love in the US either. I call this the Northern Korean way to tackle immigration.

So what's your solution? Welcome bureau at the border for illegals that have successfully made the journey?

[minionofmidas]

Not nearly enough. Just send the US to outer space. No one will ever attempt to enter it again.

[Roemerista]

A moat to drown the rich in, yes.  But immigrants are irrelevant to our troubles.

Racial tension is troublesome, and quite tied to immigration...

[anvi]

As far as the physical fence is concerned, most of it has been put up, and parts that were long not completed were held up in Texas courts mostly because they created property problems in various places.  The fence is legally questionable too, as its construction is not subject to any laws, and renders any decisions deemed necessary for its construction by the HS director not subject to judicial review.  On top of all this, even with a completed fence, migrants will just try to push themselves through the Sonoran or other remote and dangerous areas, where they either die (which is I suppose inconsequential to fence advocates, since many of these, like Butch Otter above, consider non-American citizens, and most apparently the ones who live south of us, also non-persons and thus non-bearers of human rights) or cost American taxpayers lots more money to apprehend and return than those found trying to cross into urban areas.  So, that means we have to build and man a 2,000 mile physical/virtual fence, no?

Obama killed funding for the "virtual fence" in March, 2010 because SBINet was making a hash of the work and over-billing the government for it.  $700 million for detection equipment that covers about 60 miles of terrain, and this net is supposed to be laid across the whole 2,000 mile border?  Thanks, but as a taxpayer, I'll pass.  Developing better technology, which takes time, and finding better firms to set it up doesn't strike me as a bad idea in comparison.

Wanna cut back on illegal immigration and help drive up both job availability and wages for unemployed and working Americans?  Well, how about we start by telling Wallyworld, Tyson, Gebbens and all their many, many corporate buddies to stop hiring undocumented workers.  And telling them in much stronger terms than fines they can afford anyway.  Oh, but we run into a problem there, because that would violate the economic principles of the "spreadsheet brigades" running the American marketplace!  Ok, everyone, back on your posts, lock and load!  

  

[Grumpier Than Thou]

Put alligators in the mother f***ing Rio Grande.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Our president is being disingenuous. He has dragged his feet on building the fence where it was planned, it is not completed, and the inflow continues. Obama seems to campaigning 24/7 these days, and not doing much governing or leading, not on this issue, and certainly not on educating the public that we need to curb entitlements, and means test them more rigorously, which is the only way out of the box. I am very disappointed in the man these days. The end.

AARP is running ads making the generic "cut wasteful spending" pitch as the alternative to cutting Grandma's benefit.

The days of the sane, responsible statesmen coming together to make tough decisions for the good of the country is gone, with political expediency taking primary billing in terms of importance. "Who cares about educating the public, 2012 is too close, we need to get reelected."

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Put alligators in the mother f***ing Rio Grande.

[Joe Republic]

At least one Arizona man, who may very well be CARLHAYDEN, believes we do:

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link

[King]

Alligators don't chase prey for longer than 5-10 feet.  They are just ineffective as border patrol.

Piranhas on the other hand...

[phk]

Guest-Worker Program + Great Wall of Mexico. No other solution.

[SmokingCricket]

Considering the US has a de facto moat called the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean to the east and west, I suppose we could finish the job to the north and south. We do not need those cheap Mexican workers who take all of our valuable landscaping and dishwashing jobs, and we do not need that cheap Canadian medicine flooding our markets either.

[JewCon]

A moat to drown the rich in, yes.  But immigrants are irrelevant to our troubles.

"our"? Dont you live in Southeast Asia? How is that your problem if your dont live in America?