In his 2016 electioneering, Mr. Trump promised to build an impregnable wall on our Southern border which would stop territorial incursions by undesirables and improve our security. He promised to make Mexico pay for the wall. Two years later there has been no study of the cost or the necessity for such an undertaking. But a commission ought to be formed to study the design, appearance, efficiency, and ecological impact of the wall.
Because China has the most expertise in wall-building, perhaps China could serve in an advisory capacity. It could be a great cooperative endeavor between the world’s two largest economies. But there are several factors to examine with respect to China’s experience in wall-building.
First is the time factor. China started its wall in 220 BC and finished it in 1644 AD. Such a length of time would far exceed Mr. Trump’s tenure in office. More than a million Chinese workers died building the wall. Worker safety must be a consideration.
Second is the efficacy. China built its wall to prevent incursion of marauding hordes of Mongols. But the great wall did not live up to its expectations, and it also required large military deployments.
Third is the cost. China’s wall still stands as one of the world’s most expensive construction projects. There have been no cost estimates for Trump’s wall. Outsourcing is unlikely to produce savings. The lowest bidder for repairs of the Golden Gate Bridge was China. But in the end, California realized no savings.
Finally, there is quality control. X-rays of the new weld-joints on the Golden Gate Bridge revealed cracks which had to be repaired to restore structural integrity. The Chinese contractor had never worked on bridge building and reportedly lacked the necessary skills to begin with.
Once built, Trump’s wall would become his legacy. Being of questionable utility and uncertain effectiveness, it would be America’s white elephant and a blight on the land. Unlike the libraries of previous presidents, the wall would be unsightly, not likely to become a tourist attraction, and could only be called “The Wall of Shame.”
Trump’s zeal to build the wall is not rooted in making America safe. Running for office, he made a myopic promise to political factions. Now he feels obligated to keep that promise as he translates a humanitarian crisis into a contrived national security issue.
Since Mexico chose to decline Trump’s “invitation” to finance America’s effort to secure her sovereign space, the president plans to shift the burden of cost to our taxpayers. He disguises the wall as “border security” and would make its cost a part of the defense budget. Maintenance and upkeep of the edifice would be considerable, which would become a permanent financial load for our taxpayers.
If built, the wall would be the antithesis of Lady Liberty’s compassionate outcry, “Give me your poor, your huddled masses …”
With insufficient number of votes in Congress to secure funding for his impulsive folly, Trump shut down the government at Christmas. The good news is that government that is shut down cannot finance Trump’s swindle. In truth, America’s borders can be secured without a wall of shame.
Fred Natkevi is a longtime Oak Park resident.