Protecting Jobs Americans Don't Want and Outsourcing Jobs Americans DO Want?

What interesting times we live in. In 2017 serious debate takes place about a wall stretching literally more than a thousand miles along the U.S. and Mexico. The main reasons expressed by proponents of the wall is to keep America safe from illegal immigrants. These reasons entail protecting American jobs and protecting the U.S. against terrorism.

This wall will cost billions of dollars to  build and billions of dollars to maintain. I have some comments for proponents:

1. I live in California. For at least several years more people are leaving California (not unique to State) to return to Mexico than coming into California from Mexico. Most people in this state don't see a big threat from illegal immigration and many people believe if there is a problem as suggested more agents along the border would be more effective than any wall. Ask China how their great wall is doing. Part of it is great for tourists, but the rest of it crumbles.


2. It's all about jobs, jobs, jobs is another reason proponents want a wall. Why are proponents so concerned about immigrants taking jobs most Americans won't take on? I don't see these proponents getting in an uproar over good paying jobs that have been outsourced in the technology area. These are actually jobs Americans want. So we don't want immigrants to steal service industry or agricultural jobs, but it's ok for high paying jobs in technology and other sectors to go overseas? This makes no economic sense.  What if this wall is built and it keeps immigrants in the U.S. instead of keeping them out? Many workers from agriculture go back and forth from the U.S. and Mexico. A wall and the threat of not being able to return to the U.S. may discourage workers from going home after their agricultural jobs end.


3. The San Francisco Bay area ranks last in the U.S. for the condition of roads, bridges and highways. After heavy rains our infrastructure including dams and levies are in serious need of repairing and upgrading. Many of us would rather see funds spent on these projects and in plain language to hell with a wall. Projects to maintain and build infrastructure will do more for our economy in the short and long run than any stupid wall. I suspect infrastructure is not perfect in other states and most states would love to have billions of dollars that would be spent on this wall to build and maintain the infrastructure needed to keep their economies humming.


4. My message to leaders in both parties is to lead us by building projects that will move us forward. Please, please, please no more distractions about phones being tapped and other silly things that are more fantasy than reality. The real threat to America is crumbling infrastructure not illegal immigration. Focus on the real issues instead of the distractions. The wall is clearly more a distraction than an actual need.