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  2. What Would You Spend $1.2 Billion On?

What Would You Spend $1.2 Billion On?

By bcohen on October 26, 2006.

The new Border Fence Law: What a stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid , stupid, stupid, stupid , stupid idea.

Hmmm, a billion bucks or two...

What would I spend it on?
Healthcare?
Education?
Scientific resources?
Critical infrastructure?
Arts funding?
Language classes?
New TiVos?

Me? Not on a border fence, that's where I wouldn't. Not on a technological fix in the worst way, one meant to "fix" an issue that is not even addressed by said fence fix, an issue that remains underspecified and deeply morally problematic, one that is a point of ignorance or is the most recent moment in a longstanding historical trajectory or is some combo of all.

I want to used measured language here to offer my view, so bear with me:

The Border Fence is stupid. It's a bad idea. What a stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid idea. It's asinine. It's beyond asinine. It's horrifically asinine. It's idiotic, pathetic, moronic. It's stupid stupid stupid. It's ill-conceived, inappropriate, and bewilderingly misguided. It's dumb. It's born of ignorance. It's a travesty. It's embarrassing. It's a waste of money, did I say that yet? Then here, it's a waste of money. It's no good, it's a bad idea, it doesn't help, it actually probably hurts. It creates the false impression that we're addressing a cultural, political, and moral issue when in fact we are doing no such thing. In fact we are doing the opposite with a fence. We are instead saying that we're so damn stupid, that we're so dumb to plunk down a mere down payment of $1.2 billion dollars, that we are so intellectually incapable of thinking about what a fence is and does, that we're, that we're saying whoop-de-doo look at us and our hunk of concrete and metal. Yee-haw idiots.

I want to be clear here, laying all my cards on the table. I don't want to hedge on this. I don't want to be indirect. What I actually think is that the border fence is not a good idea. I think it is a bad idea. And I approve this message.

So how's by you?

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We could spraypaint a line along the border. Much cheaper, and if the right people are hired to do the work it would also be much more artistic.

Now, I presume this border fence is only along the mexican border? I agree, its a lot of money to spend on a fence, and a rather stupid idea.

mind you, im not one to speak. My country intercepts illegal "aliens" travelling via boat with warships and warplanes, and sends them off to offshore "processing" camps whilst refugee visas are issued.

By any chance, do you live in that "reality-based community" we've heard so much about?

We here at Halliburton, Inc. would like to know more about this strange place ... before we bid on the contract to fence that off, too.

as a naturalized immigrant who went through all the byzantine legal hoops i think a symbolic nod, but necessary nonetheless.