The Cost of Immigration

by with No Comment FeaturedPoliticsSocial Issues

It seems as if America is trying to make up for the abandonment of the values and principles for which it stands. The treatment of immigrants seeking asylum from countries such as Haiti and Central America has been deplorable. Separation of children from their families, using horses and lassos to gather people and keeping them from entering the US are just some of the issues surrounding the border crisis that have left us wondering if there is a better way to rectify the issues regarding US immigration policy. 

The Biden Administration is now discussing payments of $450,000 per person to immigrant families who were separated at the southern border during the Trump Administration. This could become very problematic, leading to countless questions; questions not even the current Administration can answer. Why are the payments to the families so large? Why is this the only solution? Are there any other alternatives? Is there no other form of support? What about everyone else? There are past atrocities yet to be resolved in its entirety.

The half a million-price tag discussion comes as the result of various lawsuits filed due to the physical and emotional trauma of separating children and their families. This solution sends several messages. America does not care about those who have immigrated legally and work in this country. Given that our economy has not fully recovered from the pandemic, inflation in gas prices, supply chain shortages, and millions still struggling financially, the message is clear; That America does not take care of its own. That message alone will not serve the current administration well, especially considering Trump will likely run again in 2024.

To me it is noticeably clear that they are attempting to take some course of action to rectify the mistakes of the Trump Administration. While I applaud the merits of the government attempting to make atonement for the ill treatment of illegal immigrants, but as an African American woman who lives in a country that is primarily comprised of immigrants, it leaves me begging to ask, what about the atrocities of the past; of those who were enslaved, brought to America, and built this country with their hands? What about the trauma that has lasted hundreds of years where the remnants of that trauma can still be seen today? There are just too many questions with no answers whatsoever.

President Biden has not had much to say regarding these payments, dodging the question, “Is it true we’re going to give $450,000 to border crossers who are separated?” by turning away and ignoring the question when asked directly. Honestly, I can’t blame him for turning his head… because how do you justify to the American people such large payments? How does he justify supporting reparations for African Americans yet still extraordinarily little headway has been made?

Once again, we need the United States to just be better. We need the Biden Administration to do something that would be beneficial for the immigrants coming into the US; better policies and infrastructure so there are no issues with processing individuals and families. Find additional ways to support those coming in while they go through the process and if monetary compensation is needed, then is should be within reason. The Administration needs to address their support of reparations as he once stated during his campaign for presidency. US citizens deserve full transparency and unfortunately, we will not get it… wondering what the full cost of immigration is.

Similar Read: The Myth of the Line: The Dog Whistle in the Immigration Debate

America, What Are You Doing?

by with No Comment FeaturedGlobalPoliticsRace Relations

America abandoned its values over the weekend; however, if I am being honest, it seems as if America began this abandonment long before this past weekend. The images of Haitians being stopped by U.S. Border Patrol with the use of horses and what appears to be a lasso, a lariat, or whip, made me ashamed to be from this country. 

Thousands of Haitians, men, women, and children seeking protection as deportation was not the answer for them. Deportation back to their homeland would not seem to be the right solution at this time. Haitians have been in a state of peril since the July 7th assassination of their president, Jovenel Moïse. In the aftermath of his death, violence and civil unrest became commonplace. A 7.2 earthquake on August 14th, leaving over 2,000 Haitians dead and more than half a million who would need assistance. They have suffered enough. To make the dangerous journey to seek safety in the United States only to be met with border agents telling them, “This is why your country is shit.”?

Where is the compassion? Where is the humanity? What does it say about America?

It says America has no heart and the evidence of that has been displayed throughout this country’s history, particularly against immigrants. It seems contradictory considering that America is made of all immigrants. The images pain me to know that in people’s greatest hour of need, we kick them down. 

While I do understand there are many other factors that go into immigrants seeking asylum, Haitians can still be treated with respect. It upsets me, it angers me to my core. What if the roles were reversed? At any time, disaster could strike us and where would Americans turn to? Who would want to even lend a helping hand considering we have demonstrated that we do not give a damn about others. We have become increasingly so more self-centered. 

Returning thousands of Haitians to their homeland, in the current state it is in, is not the best idea. Their own country is not even prepared to handle the return of those who had already made the dangerous trek to leave. 

I do not know if deportation is the best solution; however, I do know that if it is right now the only solution, then there must be a better way to solve this issue. If sending the Haitians back to their homeland is the best option, in what other capacity is the U.S. doing to provide additional support?

The proper support was given to the Afghan Nationals who were fleeing for their lives after the Taliban had taken over control of Kabul. If I am going to be honest, the statement by the Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, stating that, “Those two processes are quite different,”  is the definition of pretense. How? Mayorkas states that the Afghan Nationals were being, “Brought in by air … they have been screened and vetted. That is a safe, orderly, and humane process,” he said. “That is quite different than illegal entry in between ports of entry in a time of pandemic when we have been quite clear, explicit, for months now that that is not the way to reach the United States,” he concluded.

Correct me if I am wrong, but the Afghan Nationals were brought in due to the state of their country because it is not safe. Haitians have made the journey because it is not safe. Yet the processes are different, both are not humane? Why is that? Despite the pandemic, Border Patrol has been clear and explicit for months; but still, the Afghan Nationals are safe to start to rebuild their lives and pick up the pieces, yet Haitians are not. The U.S. has been clear, but in those months of making those clear statements; however, it was during those months the journey was being made to the land where people are given a chance. People risked their lives only to be met with disappointment. 

The Biden-Harris Administration has not had much to say about the circulating images and the behavior displayed by Border Patrol and their methods other than Vice President Kamala Harris expressing her outrage for the actions taken against these immigrants. Madam Vice President, your outrage is felt by us all. Madam Vice President, we agree with you when you say, “We’ve got to support some very basic needs that the people of Haiti have.” It is going to take more than just statements about how we must support the basic needs of the people. We need more than statements about how horrific it is to see people treated in such a manner. We need the Biden-Harris administration to do something that would be conducive and beneficial for the people who are simply trying to make a better life after the turmoil they have experienced so far. I know it will not be an easy task, but the United States must do a better job with this challenging situation. If we cannot find another way, or just simply refuse to find another alternative, the only question that remains… America, what are you doing? 

Similar Read: Citizens vs. Government: The Crisis in Haiti

Musings of one random New Yorker

by with No Comment CultureFeatured

“Go back to your country,” 

“Go back to where you came from!” 

“Curry lover.” 

“look at that big red dot on your forehead!” 

I’ve heard it all. Which, as a U.S. born Citizen… feels surreal. Out of my entire family, I am the first to be born in the United States, though my heritage and ancestry span continents. 

Originally, my ancestors are from India’s northernmost region, Punjab, to be exact, but the story does not start from there, though. 

No, the story begins with my ancestors integrating with the Greeks, the Romans, the Persians, the Afghanis, the Mongols, and essentially the multitudes of other ethnicities that dreamt of India’s wonders and sought to conquer, trade in it, or subjugate it.

With each new group, with each new conquest, and with each new age, my ancestors survived, thrived, and grew. In a time where there were no universal laws or rules, my bloodline prevailed. And through all this time, they paved the course of my path, the purpose of my being, to one day be here, sitting in this very chair, typing these words out for anyone to read and digest. 

Through famine, war, disease, political intrigue, migration, poverty, wealth, my ancestors ensured I would be here one day. 

In a land that would be alien to them, but to me, it is all I have ever known to be home. 

Here in this nation – 

I scraped my knees for the first time, rollerblading. 

I played handball in the public parks against the bigger boys.

I saw scobby-doo and sang along to its theme song E.V.E.R.Y. T.I.M.E.

I enjoyed my first pop-song – NSYNC

I had my first school detention

My first beat up after school.

My first fish, turtle, bird, dog, and now cat pet

My first best friend

My first kiss

My first love

My first heartbreak

My first Slurpee (My first brain freeze)

My first pizza 

My first BaconEgg&Cheese

My first educational degree (Then my second first master’s degree)

My first credit card

My first job

My first paycheck

My first exposure to death

My first breakdown

My first sense of accomplishment…

You see, this country was my first for everything, as I was the first of my family to be born here. So when you tell me to go back to where I came from, where do you think that place is?

How could you know what it took, the sacrifices, the pain, the defeats, the victories, and the resilience and determination it took to ensure that I would be here one day?

They couldn’t know, but you, dear reader, you now know. 

The next time someone decides to tell you to go back to where you came from, take a moment and realize you are everything your ancestors hoped, prayed, traveled, worked, fought, and died for to be here. 

You are your bloodline’s greatest achievement. 

And just like you, I am here to stay, to grow, to achieve, and to inspire.

What are your detractors here to do? 

Similar Read: The 37th Best Place to Live in America

An Icon on the Hill & Beyond

by with No Comment CultureFeaturedPolitics

Georgia Representative John Lewis was labeled as the humble giant on the Hill. However, his colleagues referred to him as the Conciseness of Congress. He’ll be remembered for his continuous fight for Voter’s Right, his lifetime fight for all people. 

At the 1963 March on Washington where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” address, Civil Rights leaders asked John Lewis to tone his speech down afraid that it would be too much and would cause controversy. Lewis was the last living speaker at the march on Washington.

On October 8, 2013, Lewis was arrested outside on Capitol Hill for civil disobedience while he was standing up with protestors for Immigration reform. Nothing new for Lewis… he had been arrested 40+ times for peacefully protesting when the stakes were just as high. On October June 12, 2016, the nation was shocked by another shooting. This time it was the Pulse Night Club, a gay night club that was personally targeted in Orlando, Florida. On June 22, Rep. Lewis held a floor sit-in on the floor of The US House of Representatives just ten days after the Shooting. The sit-in protest, which was to fight specifically for gun control, lasted for more than 12 hours with roughly 40 Democratic House Representatives by his side. 

Lewis was not just an icon on the Hill, but beyond. In fact, he was mainly known for his work and legacy off the Hill. He was born the son of sharecroppers on February 21, 1940, outside of Troy, Alabama. He was inspired by the activism surrounding the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the words of the late Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., which he heard on radio broadcasts. He made a decision at a very young age to become a part of the Civil Rights Movement. While a student at Fisk University, John Lewis organized sit-in demonstrations at segregated lunch counters in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1961, he volunteered to participate in the Freedom Rides, which challenged segregation at interstate bus terminals in the Deep South.

From 1963 to 1966, Lewis was named Chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), which he helped form. John Lewis led over 600 peaceful, orderly protestors across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama on March 7, 1965. The marchers were attacked on that bridge by Alabama state troopers in a brutal confrontation that became known as “Bloody Sunday.” He suffered a skull fracture and was one of 58 people treated for injuries at the local hospital. Despite more than 40 arrests, physical attacks and serious injuries, Lewis remained a devoted advocate of the nonviolence philosophy.

In 1981, he was elected to the Atlanta City Council. And in November 1986, he was elected to Congress and served as U.S. Representative of Georgia’s Fifth Congressional District since then. Earlier this year, Lewis attended the 55th-anniversary of the march in Selma, which was a surprise appearance considering his illness. One of his last public appearances was in DC on Black Lives Matter Plaza (16th Street) with Mayor Muriel Bowser. He not only was there to see the name change of 16th Street, but also to witness in person the large display of Black Lives Matter painted in yellow. Such an iconic moment for one of the original fathers of the Black Lives Matter movement to witness. 

In December 2019, Lewis presided over the House vote to restore voter’s rights. The House voted and passed this bill. The Senate never even brought the bill to the floor for a vote. That bill still remains on Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell‘s desk still today. Lewis made his transition from this earth on Friday, July 17, 2020, after his battle with pancreatic cancer. Whenever I now hear the sound of the thunder it will remind me of his thunderous voice of advocacy. His legacy will live on.

Similar Read: You Are NOT Your Ancestors!

ENTANGLEMENT with DONALD

by with One Comment CultureFeaturedPolitics

Merriam-Webster defines Entanglement as 1a: the action of entangling : the state of being entangled b: something that entangles, confuses, or ensnares 2: the condition of being deeply involved. 

The word entanglement has recently resurfaced due to allegations regarding the famous entertainment couple, Will and Jada Pinkett Smith. Jada alleging stepped out on Will. “I was an entanglement with August.” She is speaking of an alleged romantic relationship with R&B and Hip-Hop Soul Artist August Alsina. Whether Jada was involved in an entanglement or non-entanglement makes no difference to me because their personal life does not affect me or my and well-being. So that is not what I am talking about here.

The Entanglement we are all involved in is with the man I call 45, many call him the President of the United States. This is one of the worst entanglements I’ve seen in my lifetime… we’ve allowed this man, a narcissist, to become the most powerful man in the world. I’m not a doctor or therapist, but it seems clear to me that we have given power to a man who not only is a narcissist but also has daddy issues and never felt loved.  

That power, which was given to him when we chose to vote or not vote, allows him to appoint federal judges. He’s appointed far-right federal judges young enough to be on the bench for 40 years… that’s a lifetime to stop or prevent true social justice. That can’t be understated. With the help of Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell, they’ve put judges on the bench that will cause issues for women, Black and Brown, and LGBTQ communities for decades.

This man refuses to obey the law of the land and Republicans gave him a license to kill… 

Children are still in cages being separated from their families. Families are being deported. Food Assistance is being cut and recipients are currently only getting an average of $17 a month. He is trying to take away health care during a pandemic. Send children back to school without a plan and finances to help these schools, educators, and students. He is pardoning his friends out of prison so they won’t testify against him while others who need to be released are ignored because of their race, socioeconomic status, or political affiliation. He is not the cause of COVID-19 in America, but he is responsible for the rise in cases and unfortunate deaths… 138,000 deaths at the time I wrote this article. American has ¼ of all COVID-19 cases in the entire world due to his bad leadership. He has sold the country out many times by asking foreign governments to get involved in our elections on numerous occasions. A Russian bounty to kill US troops was recently exposed and he did nothing. And he always blames someone else for his constant failures as a leader.

I understand this is a challenging election year. But we as a nation are caught in the entanglement spider web of a mentally-ill, narcissistic, 74-year-old, racist man with daddy issues. Sadly, this election may not bring us the best alternative choice. But I’m hopeful it will give us the chance to get untangled from this leader so that we can begin to address racial injustice, and so many other problems in our society.

Similar Read: 2016 Is About To Happen Again

Don’t Steal My Dreams

by with No Comment FeaturedPolitics

A few nights ago I had a conversation with a family whose history is as complex and colorful as many of ours. Their parents came to this country with nothing to their names and built a life that allowed their children to achieve more than their parents could ever imagine. So as I sat in their lovely living room drinking a glass of wine discussing my own history and learning about theirs, the topic of DACA came up, most specifically, the decision that was made by the Supreme court on June 18th, 2020.

Before diving into the decision that was made on June 18th, let us understand how did this program become a focal point of divide between the Democrats and Republicans, and what exactly is DACA and who are the Dreamers.

When did this battle for the dreamers take place

On September 5, 2017, President Trump ordered an end to the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. This program protected a percentage of young undocumented immigrants —who usually arrived at a very young age in situations and circumstances beyond their control—from deportation. Going back even further, In 2012, President Obama issued the DACA executive order after the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act failed to pass in Congress continually. The young people impacted by DACA and the DREAM Act are often referred to as “Dreamers.”

In making the announcement, the then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions proclaimed that the Trump administration was ending the DACA program. This decision meant that over a period of time, 800,000 young adults brought to the U.S. as children who qualified for the program, would become eligible for deportation and lose access to education and work visas. 

Attorney General Jeff Sessions argued that “the executive branch, through DACA, deliberately pursued to achieve what the legislative branch specifically refused to authorize on multiple occasions. His logic stated that such an open-ended circumvention of immigration laws was an unconstitutional exercise of authority by the Executive Branch.”

After the Trump administration ordered an end to DACA in 2017, a large number of lawsuits were filed against the termination of DACA. At this time, two federal appellate courts ruled against the administration, allowing previous DACA recipients to renew their deferred action, and the Supreme Court agreed to review the legal challenges.

What is DACA and who are the Dreamers?

DACA or Deferred Action on Child Arrivals is a program that allows young people who may have been born here by illegal parents or came here to the United States under illegal means to remain here and grow up as Americans without the fear of being sent back to a country they hold no allegiance to. These are individuals who have grown up American, speak English, and have no memory of any other place besides the United States. 

Many of these individuals do not even know they were unauthorized immigrants until they were teenagers… Usually when they cannot get a driver’s license or receive financial aid because they do not have Social Security numbers. The dream act is meant to provide these individuals with a pathway to U.S. citizenship who are or wish to go to college or the military and have a clean record. 

Just to be clear, the program is by no stretch of the imagination easy to get into or to be accepted. DACA enables certain people who came to the U.S. as children and are successful in meeting several key guidelines to request consideration for deferred action. It allows non-U.S. citizens who qualify to remain in the country for two years, which is then subject to renewal. When accepted, recipients are eligible for work authorization and other benefits and are shielded from deportation. The fee to request DACA is $495 every two years.

What happened on June 18th, 2020?

On June 18, 2020, the Supreme Court blocked Trump’s administration’s attempt to end DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) in a 5-4 ruling. The ruling stabilizes the program and allows DACA recipients to renew membership, which offers them work authorization and temporary protection from deportation. Unfortunately, the ruling creates the possibility that the Administration could still remove DACA in the future if they provide a more comprehensive justification.

Statistics on DACA as it stands

  • Since its inception, DACA has approved 787,580 individuals for its program
  • 91% of DACA recipients are employed
  • The average hourly wage for a DACA recipient is $17.46
  • 45% of DACA recipients are currently enrolled in school
  • 72% of those recipients who are enrolled in school are currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree. 
  • The average age of a DACA recipient is 24 years old

In conclusion

For a recipient who is a dreamer, all they have ever known is what surrounds them in this country. They are American through and through, and their allegiance lies in the very environment that has raised them and cultivated their mindsets and characteristics. 

Isn’t that what this nation was founded on? A place where you can leave the old paradigms behind and reinvent yourself? To follow what gives you purpose, what makes you successful, safe, and happy? At the end of it all, isn’t that exactly what we all are trying to pursue? Purpose and contentment? Why can’t we provide those liberties to all and not just a select group of the privileged? 

The moment we start to believe that our freedom and right to pursue our dreams is unique to only a select few is the day we stop being American.

Similar Read: [2017 In Review] Reactionary Policy Kills Dreams (DACA)

The Trump Doctrine: What Ukraine Says About Trump’s Foreign Policy

by with 5 Comments FeaturedGlobalPolitics

One of the biggest stories of 2019…  

In the latest episode of The D.C. Apprentice reality show, we unpeeled another layer of the onion that is the Trump Doctrine. Whether it’s Brexit, Afghanistan, Jamal Khashoggi, summits with North Korea, tariffs and trade deals, Putin, and now, Ukraine, we bear witness to a convoluted set of policies without specific details and a heavy emphasis on maximizing publicity and attention. Trump’s foreign policy is based on minimizing or eliminating long-term military engagements, renegotiating agreements that play into his deal-making reputation, and provoking diplomatic altercations that further establish Trump as the Commander-in-Chief of Red State America.

Trump vocally embraces the paleoconservative philosophy championed by Patrick Buchanan, Steve Bannon, Lou Dobbs, and numerous contributors to Fox News and Breitbart News. It embraces traditional social positions and nationalism while strongly opposing trade agreements, immigration, and international organizations. It also has a strong isolationist influence that opposes military interventions. Between the trade wars, ICE raids, border wall funding, immigration and asylum reductions, NATO criticisms, and troop withdrawals in Afghanistan, Trump is reliably committed to Paleoconservative orthodoxies. 

Trump’s reputation as a deal-making businessman from his real estate business in New York to his TV show to his book, ‘The Art of the Deal,’ is built on maximizing publicity by making grandiose, must-see-tv gestures that consumes all oxygen from other competitors. Whether it’s the summits with the North Korean dictator, renegotiating NAFTA, and imposing tariffs on trading partners like China, Trump uses each opportunity and/or manufactured diplomatic crisis to further burnish his perceived deal-making reputation. 

Perhaps most importantly, Trump’s foreign policy is dependent on cementing his status as the Commander-in-Chief of red-state America. The President has gone all-in on being the war-time commander in the new cold war between red and blue America. Withdrawing from the Paris climate treaty is the perfect example. The trade wars with Mexico and China appeals to the rural working-class voters in Midwest and Southern states who see their manufacturing tradition threatened by globalization. Trump’s coalition swapped out college-educated middle-class voters in suburban counties for working-class voters in rural areas. He relishes any attack from blue-state America because it further establishes his war-time credentials with red-state America. Therefore, the Ukraine news only solidifies his support from his fans. In the mind of his supporters, they are at war, and all is fair in love and war. That might seem drastic, but his supporters love that there is no line he won’t cross to defend them against their enemy. Trump has nearly 3 years of history proving himself to his supporters that he will fight every fight that they believe his predecessors were too weak to engage, and this is no different.

This article was originally published on 27 September 2019.

The Conservative Argument AGAINST Trump’s Border Wall

by with 5 Comments FeaturedPolitics

One of the biggest stories of 2019… 

There is no political topic that captures the imagination of today’s voter like Trump’s proposed border wall.  This issue encapsulates national security, humanitarian, economic concerns, and it exploits the hyperpolarization of the rank and file members of both political parties. This issue is THE reason for the longest government shutdown in US history, and at the time of this writing, there is no compromise in sight. In this political stalemate, the only way to move the needle is to look deeper into the issue to see what the actual issue is, and if the taken positions are consistent with the fundamental principles of their ideology and party affiliation. As a lifelong Republican with an engineering background, after crunching the numbers and taking into perspective the number of diversions from bedrock conservative ideals, this border wall and the process it includes is the antithesis of sound conservative policy. The proposed wall is not fiscally responsible, infringes on private property rights through eminent domain, and does not significantly improve national security.

Using my professional background, and my background in engineering costs, I identified these significant expenses: 1. Property value of acquired land… 2. Legal fees for obtaining land through eminent domain… 3. Material costs for a 25 ft steel wall… 4. 2 ft foundation… 5. Labor costs… 6. Permitting fees… 7… Installation of service road for construction, maintenance, and transportation of border patrol vehicles and equipment… 8. Engineering fees, and… 9. Miscellaneous fees and expenses. While there are other expenses like water rights for farmers along the Rio Grande River, and potential litigation issues from a treaty with Mexico regarding these water rights, I am keeping my focus on these items because the process time and costs are significant.

  1. Property Values: Most land along the border is private property. I will assume 75% of the land is private property, a cost of $3,000 per acre (value is likely higher, but once land is condemned for seizure, the value drops significantly), and a 150 ft-wide right-of-way to hold the wall, service road, and any other facilities. Roadway right-of-way varies on size of the road. Typically, it is in the 60-80’ range (300+ for interstates and major highways), but since there will be utility and drainage installations in this right-of-way in lieu of additional easements, I am combining it into one. Total Cost = $75 billion. Total Time to Acquire = 12-18 months to notify property owner & 3-10 years to resolve through federal courts.
  2. Legal fees: This is roughly a third of the total property value based on other federal eminent domain cases. Total Cost = $25 billion. Time to Resolve = 3-10 years.
  3. Material Costs for 25 ft steel wall: Trump has signaled he is willing to compromise from concrete to steel. Assuming the wall height is 25 feet and a unit cost of $7/SF, the Total Cost = $2 billion. Time to Build = 125 miles/year or 14 years.
  4. Foundation Costs for a 2 ft foundation: Assuming a foundation height of 2 ft (typical for a structure of this height) and a unit cost of $10/SF, the Total Cost = $170 million. 
  5. Labor Costs: Labor costs tend to be 40-60% of total expense when combined with materials. Total Cost = $2 billion. 
  6. Permitting Fees: Permitting expenses tend to be 2-3% of total construction costs, depending on location. Permit fees within city limits could be significantly higher because fees are likely based on the total value of the property’s or structure’s value, but for this exercise, we will keep it to materials and labor costs. Total Cost = $100 million. 
  7. Service Road Installation: Service roadways will need to be installed to transport contractors and materials to install the wall. These roadways will be used by maintenance crews as well as transportation means for border patrol agents on duty. Typical costs for 2 lane roads is $3 million per mile. Total cost = $5 billion.
  8. Engineering Fees: typical 2.5-3% of total costs, including property acquisitions. Total cost = $3 billion. 
  9. Miscellaneous fees: On most engineering cost estimates, there is a 10% contingency item that covers additional engineering fees, change order requests, and any other expenses that are anticipated, but the final cost is not known. Total Cost = $10 billion.

When you include a 10% contingency fee to account for miscellaneous or unforeseen expenses, which is custom in most engineering cost estimates, the total cost for this wall, assuming a best-case scenario, is in the $120-125 billion range with a likely completion date in 2029. Trump’s request for $5.7 billion is a small down payment on a costly construction project.

The most expensive part of this endeavor will be the seizure of privately-owned lands through eminent domain. Will Hurd, a former CIA security officer and Congressman of the district with the longest stretch of border in the country, stated there are approximately 1,000 private property owners with land along the border in Texas alone. These properties have been owned by families for multiple generations that will be forcibly taken from them by the federal government at a rate the government arbitrarily sets against their wishes. Historically, eminent domain, particularly the excessive use of it, has been a galvanizing issue for Conservatives. Taking one’s property against their will, particularly after the 2005 Kelo vs City of New London Supreme Court Case, prompted state legislatures in red states to pass legislation to reign in or outright prohibit the use of eminent domain in all or rare cases. The number of potential court cases that will occur could effectively shut down federal courts in District 5 (Texas), 9 (Arizona and California) and 10 (New Mexico).

The central argument made for the wall is the impact it will have on national security. This structure is supposed to make significant reductions in the number of illegal immigrants in our country. This week, the Center for Migration Studies released a study analyzing the numbers reported by the federal government and found that 62% of illegal immigrants are people who came here legally and overstayed their temporary or student visas. This has been the trend for the past seven years. Most illegal crossings occur at busy checkpoints or ports, not in isolated locations because there are not means of transportation available. Cartels have perfected the art of smuggling through these checkpoints and have made them a focus of their operations. They have also built numerous tunnels under the border that a wall would not impede. This means the people our national security departments are most concerned about will not be impacted by this wall. Creating the illusion of security is not the same as actual security.

This wall requires supporters to embrace a fiscally irresponsible purchase and revoke their bedrock defense of private property rights for a physical structure that has negligible benefit for national security. Wall supporters might have other, some might say sinister, reasons for supporting this issue, but it is not a conservative one.

This article was originally published on 22 January 2019.

Similar Read: The Delicate Art of Compromise

 

The Demise of Kamala Harris – the Good, the Bad, and What’s Next

by with 3 Comments FeaturedPolitics

Kamala Harris suspended her campaign (12/3) just weeks before the Iowa caucuses. The New York Times ironically wrote a devastating article about her campaign just a few days before she made the disappointing announcement to drop out of the race. To add insult to injury, one of her former aides, Kelly Mehlanbacker wrote a damning resignation letter than somehow leaked to the media. Mehlanbacher mentioned that “while she no longer had confidence in the campaign or its leadership,” she still felt that Senator Harris was the strongest candidate to win the General Election 2020. So strong that she ended up joining Bloomberg’s campaign right around the time her letter leaked. Hardly a coincidence. 

How did we get here?

When a Black woman makes the decision to run for any political office in America I believe she does so with a certain level of understanding that is unique and quite different than her White counterparts. Kamala Harris had never lost a race – only the second Black woman in US history to be elected to the US Senate. It’s fair to say she has successfully calculated political and personal risk time and time again, faced immeasurable odds, and won.

But ask any presidential historian, and they’ll quickly tell you that nothing can prepare you for a presidential run.

Did Senator Harris have to deal with racism AND sexism? Of course. Could she have also run a better campaign? The answer to that question, unfortunately, is YES as well. However, that second question quasi-argument, which seems to be of major debate amongst liberals, becomes a moot point when you consider the fact that EVERY candidate in the race has also made strategy mistakes in regard to their campaign, especially the front runners, Biden, Warren, Sanders, and Buttigieg. (If we agree with that, then why was she being held to a different standard and penalized more than them?)

Factor in the mainstream media and it’s inevitable huge role in national elections… they purposely erased her from polls, allowed other campaigns to steal her slogans AND data without holding them accountable, refused to interview her in primetime slots on issues relative to 2020 (healthcare, immigration, trade, etc), and wrote article after article focusing solely on controversies, hearsay, and the negatives of her career as an elected official. Such attacks are hard to counter, and eventually, it’s too much and you’re left with no other decision but to exit the race.

The Good: While Kamala Harris is suspending her campaign, it’s plausible to accept the moral argument that she picked up the torch Shirley Chisholm (1972) and Carol Moseley Braun (2004) dropped and carried it further down the political path for Black women who will come after her and run for Commander-in-Chief. That’s important and should not be overlooked. While this is the first time she’s ever lost a race, she is still politically young. If she chooses to run for president again, she has the time and now the experience to tweak her strategy and message. Hillary Clinton, Biden, Romney, as well as most presidential candidates, also lost their first bid for the White House. While her supporters might not be in favor of her taking a cabinet position for Biden, I mean whoever the presumptive Democrat nominee is, maybe Vice President, AG, or Secretary of State, it’ll give her the inevitable experience and exposure needed in case she does plan to run for president in the future.

The Bad: The critiques for Senator Harris were many, and came from all directions. Many point to her initial statements and mishaps on her healthcare plan, her record as a DA in California, even allegations of her having an affair with Willie Brown, the Democratic speaker of the California State Assembly at the time when she was 30 and he was 60. While many applauded her brilliant performance in the second debate, they cringed at her not so good performance in the next debate highlighted by Tulsi Gabbard attacking her criminal justice record in California. Gabbard telegraphed her attack a week prior to the debate and Senator Harris was still not prepared. Rumblings of strategy missteps, turmoil within, and inconsistent messaging didn’t help her campaign.

What’s Next: With Kamala dropping out of the race, and neither Corey Booker or Julian Castro having qualified for the next debate, there will be no people of color on the Democratic debate stage next week. For a party that can’t do anything without the support and backing of their diverse base, that says a lot. You’ll have mumbling Joe Biden, whose latest gaffe includes talking about kids touching his hairy legs in a pool, Pete Buttigieg, who literally drops the ball every time he’s asked about race and is currently polling at 0% with Black voters, and Bernie Sanders, who thinks that if Black men just respected the police they wouldn’t get shot in the head. All of these men have been given the benefit of the doubt, time and time again. No obituary articles and plenty of primetime interviews with softball questions. A spade is a spade, Kamala wasn’t afforded the same luxury or grace.

Against all odds, campaigns are tough and candidates make mistakes… let’s see how she does the next time around, I’m sure she’ll be back.

Similar Read: Kamala or Bust?

What the 2019 Election Results Say about 2020

by with One Comment FeaturedPolitics

Tuesday night’s election results have been spun by every pundit to project onto the 2020 presidential race. When put in context, some of the highlights are relatively meaningless. Matt Bevin’s loss in the KY governor’s race is not an accurate representation of the political dynamics in Kentucky. Bevin has repeatedly appeared on the list of the most unpopular governors in the country. It says something about the strength of the KY GOP to nearly carry an incumbent with a 2:1 unfavorable rating to a near tie with the setting Attorney General who is the son of a popular former governor. It also says something that the GOP swept the rest of the statewide races by landslide margins, including the election of the states first Republican (and African-American) Attorney General. In Mississippi, the Lt Governor defeated a popular 4-term Attorney General. People can quibble about the margins in these races, but the real story is not what happened in Mississippi or Kentucky. The election results that matter occurred in Virginia. 

For the first time in nearly 3 decades, Democrats control every statewide office and the state legislature. The political trend in Virginia has benefitted Democrats, but it is a similar trend in other states. George W Bush carried this state by 8 points in both of his elections. Before the 2006 election, the GOP had large majorities in the state legislature, both senate seats, and 2 of the 3 state constitutional offices. The growth of the DC metropolitan area in northern Virginia has fueled the blue resurgence, but the tide in suburban areas is a growing threat to Republican electoral prospects.

In the initial post-mortems of the 2016 elections, the media focused on the rural midwestern counties and communities that flipped from Obama to Trump, but they overlooked the counties and communities that flipped from Romney to Clinton. For all of the blue-collar working-class White voters that broke the Blue Wall of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, there were just as many college-educated middle-class Whites and Latino voters in suburban districts that stayed just beneath the media radar because it did not flip a Romney state to Clinton. While Trump’s margins in working-class states across the Deep South and Midwest were incremental improvements over Romney, he did significantly worse in Texas, Georgia, Arizona, Colorado, and Nevada. 

We are witnessing a seismic political reorganization around new issues that shatter the red/blue narrative that has lingered since the 2000 election. Some issues like abortion and guns will not be affected by this shift, but others like immigration, trade, and global relationships/competition will become the new litmus tests. States with a heavy reliance on international commerce and immigrant labor like Texas and Arizona will continue their transition into purple states, while rustbelt states with a skepticism of global influences like Kentucky, Iowa, and West Virginia will continue become more red. 

John Edwards spoke of ‘Two Americas,’ and while he was technically right, his analysis for why this exists is not. The ‘Two Americas’ are not necessarily the right vs poor, it is urban/suburban vs rural and old vs young. States with growing senior populations and states that have fallen behind in the technology revolution of the last decade are the real base for Trump’s political party. As the percentage of college grads increases, Trump’s grip on the state decreases. This trend started under Obama, but Trump has accelerated it. It also means Trump’s coalition cannot win a national election, but like 2016, it is possible for his opponent to lose it. 

Similar Read: The Trump Doctrine: What Ukraine Says About Trump’s Foreign Policy