About That Wall

Some time ago, I used to argue that the Right’s focus on illegals was misplaced (to put it mildly). Of course, that fell on deaf ears – nothing seemed to wind GOPers up more than the illegal “problem,” and I eventually gave up (mostly) spitting into that windstorm.

One of the arguments made, then and now, against illegals was that they were “stealing American jobs.” I had pointed out, repeatedly, that, back in 2006, when there were more illegals in the country, we had full employment. That was usually met with cricket chirps.

Today, we are again at full employment, and then some. This, without building a wall, without mass deportations, and with a decrease in the illegal population of less than a million from its peak.

Back then, I argued that the employment question was far better addressed via economic liberty.

Voila! Roll back government a bit, and success is achieved. No need for a wall, no need for trampling on our rights, liberties, and privacy, no need for new and drastic deportation measures (indeed, Obama deported more illegals than Trump has, and yet it’s only under the Trump economy that employment has recovered).

So much for the jobs argument. But, do I expect that support for the wall will abate, now that one of the biggest bugaboos has been debunked?

Hardly.

It’s certain that the other arguments, includling crime and welfare sponging, will continue. But, those arguments didn’t stand up to facts or logic even when they were first presented (one telltale is the ubiquitous presentation by anecdote rather than statistics), and, despite their popularity on the nativist Right, still don’t add up.

The wall has become a cri de coeur for Trump loyalists, a gross oversimplification of the grossly overwrought concern about illegal immigrants.

• About the Author

About Peter Venetoklis

I am twice-retired, a former rocket engineer and a former small business owner. At the very least, it makes for interesting party conversation. I'm also a life-long libertarian, I engage in an expanse of entertainments, and I squabble for sport.

Nowadays, I spend a good bit of my time arguing politics and editing this website.

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