McCain: We’ll make border with Mexico look like ‘the Berlin Wall’

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Raw Story

McCain: We’ll make border with Mexico look like ‘the Berlin Wall’
By David Ferguson
Tuesday, June 25, 2013 15:38 EDT

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said Tuesday that the Senate should include an amendment for increased border security in its new bipartisan immigration reform bill. In video featured by Talking Points Memo, McCain said that the amendment, proposed by Sens. Bob Corker (R-TN) and John Hoeven (R-ND) would make the border between Mexico and the U.S. into “most militarized border since the fall of the Berlin Wall.”

McCain said of the amendment, which passed Monday, to CNN, “I think that, first of all, the legislation concerning beefed up border security removes any validity to the argument that border security is not sufficient. I mean, this is not only sufficient, it is well over sufficient. We’ll be the most militarized border since the fall of the Berlin Wall so that’s why I think this amendment was very important.”

In fact, rates of undocumented immigration from Mexico to the U.S. have fallen steeply in recent years reaching a net of zero just over one year ago. Currently the rate of unemployment in Mexico is at 4.9 percent for May of 2013, whereas the U.S. unemployment rate is currently at for May was 7.6 percent.

McCain has sparred with tea party favorites like Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) on immigration and other topics. McCain survived a primary challenge from the far right in 2010 only to be lambasted in the Senate as too moderate.


Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/06/25/mccain-well-make-border-with-mexico-look-like-the-berlin-wall/

[Ken Burch]

1. I thought Republicans didn't LIKE the Berlin Wall.

And WHICH Germany would we be, in that scenario?

[MsPithy]

39. "And WHICH Germany would we be, in that scenario?"

This is such an excellent point, it needed to be repeated!

Actually, it is a devastating comparison.

[Ken Burch]

49. And you'd think an old Cold Warrior like McCain would remember

that the Berlin Wall was built to keep people IN...not keep them out.

[HumansAndResources]

78. As if the 'wall' was the solution to the stated 'problem' ...

... more like a nice handout to buddies who will build it - with a cost far beyond any reasonable estimate.

If they REALLY wanted to "stop illegal immigration," they would pass a law to make it 6 months in jail - minimum sentence - to hire a non-citizen. You know, act like every other nation in the world does - including Mexico. That law would be a lot cheaper than the wall, and the pilot-project for verifying Social Security cards online was operational over a decade ago.

The pre-DLC dems would NEVER have allowed our unions and high-wages in fields like construction and food-packing be demolished by millions of foreign workers. It took Koch buying out our party by selecting then-governor Bill Clinton as the director of the DLC, an organization they created and funded, to accomplish the impoverishment of millions of American workers.

If such a law were passed, wages in these fields would double - to where they were 20 years ago (in constant dollars), and unemployment would diminish to a couple percent. Add in a wage-neutralizing tariff on imports - and our problems are solved - high wages and a positive balance of trade would quickly return to the USA. But that isn't the goal - the goal is the "Indonesi-a-tion" of the USA - the dependence of all nations on Transnational products combined with low, low, wages and maximized "efficiency" for profits / shareholder-returns.

The transnational corporations would see big losses if we went back to the previous model - and lord-knows they weren't making any money before (sic); so, as long as they call the shots in our government, no point holding our breath.

[KamaAina]

2. More militarized than North/South Korea?!

[KamaAina]

3. Only one of the two senators is from a border state

and Hoeven seems apathetic about the need for a giant wall to keep out Canadians in search of our unaffordable health care, high crime rate, and so on.

[RiverNoord]

36. I was born and raised in ND and

currently live in Fargo - I have no clue what a ND Senator is doing sponsoring a bill concerning the nation's southern border. It must have been worked out behind closed doors that the dialog could be spun as 'see - it's got to be a major problem if a Senator from a state that is nowhere near the border co-sponsors the bill...

Freakin' nuts.

[alp227]

60. Did you live in ND when Hoeven was governor? N/t

[RiverNoord]

74. Yes, for a couple of years after he was elected,

and then again since late 2008. He probably wouldn't have been elected if Heitkamp hadn't been diagnosed with breast cancer mid-way through the campaign.

The really interesting thing that I recall about that campaign is that both sides kept their ads clean. There was very, very little negative advertising on either side - comparing that to the Berg/Heitkamp campaign for Senate in 2012 - well, yuck.

He was a very popular ND gov, primarily because he didn't do or say much to rock many boats and showed up at all the proper photo ops - then came the oil patch, and, of course, he must have had something to do with that, right?...

I would be much more critical regarding the SOB if it wasn't for the fact that Heitkamp turned out to be bought by the NRA. Even my very conservative parents were miffed by the failure of even minimal assault weapon/high capacity magazine restrictions.

[Ken Burch]

46. Y'mean. Hoeven don't care about them "icebacks"?

[KamaAina]

48. I've actually heard them called "frostbacks"

by Gregg Easterbrook, who used to write a football column for Slate.

[blackspade]

4. Not exactly a good image to put out there.

But, McCain is a fool so there you have it.

[Comrade Grumpy]

5. Great. Fortress America. Protecing us from scary Mexicans.

This is a horrendous boondoggle and needs to be killed. We don't need a more paramilitarized border. Ask anyone who actually lives there. It's what a police state looks like already.

[JDPriestly]

9. That's what they told the people in Eastern Europe.

We have to protect you from the aggressive capitalists.

They got pretty sick and tired of their government's overprotective walls. It all seems so reasonable until they start shooting in your direction. And they will. It's just a matter of time. The Berlin Wall is not the answer. That is not what is going on.

[Diclotican]

25. JDPriestly

JDPriestly

It is so horrible to look at what US have become the last decade or so - from being one of the most free country in the world - to be a country who try to make itself a fortress... Who would know that less than 25 year after the fall of the Real Berlin Wall in Germany - a similar wall is being planned for the US....

I deeply believe, if US was to make a border wall like the one who divided Europe in two for more than 40 year - the US will pay a deep price for it - as East and West Germany did, when a wall was erected in the middle of the biggest City in the whole of Germany - and made a wall right true the whole of Europe in the proses.. A wall who still divide Europe much to this day - even after more than 20 year since the wall was falling down under it own - thanks to the people who deiced that enough was enough...

The berlin wall was not the answer in the 1960s - a new wall between US and Mexico is not the answer for it either - And I also believe the border between Mexico and US is far to long - to be build up as a type of berlin wall on a grandiose scale... I doubt even Honecker, who was the undisputed leader of East Germany from the 1960s until the end in 1989 and who had plans for a new - far more advanced berlin wall between the two german states in the 1990s (the drawings and advanced models was already in production, and it was just the end of the cold war who stooped it from being anything else than drawings on paper) would have even dreamed about making a wall who is like this - in the US...

I guess old "Uncle Joe" Stalin if he had known what the US had become today, would have had a field day with this knowlegde... After all, he was known to one of the ones who made the cold war possible - by acting as he did - both in East Europe in general - but specially in Eastern Germany and in the conflict between the two parts of Berlin.. One was covered by the western allied forces - the other was covered and controlled by the Soviet union, who until 1991-92 had some 100.000 soldiers stationed in and around Berlin...

Diclotican

[arcane1]

53. Indeed. I wonder how much money there is to be made in McCain's idea.

[azurnoir]

6. yepper speak your mind there John

and remind us once again why you didn't become the 44th

[Zen Democrat]

7. The Berlin Wall? Is this supposed to keep them out or keep us in? Sounds ominous.

[Android3.14]

19. Sure seems like that door is closing

Makes me very nervous.

[freshwest]

79. Always makes me uncomfortable, too. Who is it helping, anyway?

I am likely older than some here and grew up in a state bordering Mexico. The border was open and no big deal. TOURISTA decals in the back windows of cars, were not noticed. People traveled back and forth across the border to see families.

Things were changing in the eighties as the Mexican middle class was being destroyed, in part from American business interests. Don't get me wrong, the upper classes in Mexico were complicit. Then came NAFTA and more pressure.

There has been a lot of illegal immigration, but a lot of it was encouraged from bosses in the USA. It always has been. Hostility grew from all sides, newer versus older emigrants, anglos and hispanics. But for the most part, I grew up in a society that was peacefully and successfully integrated with many mixed families.

What has happened since the Koch brothers created the Teabaggers with media help, is completely unlike anything I grew up with. And it does not really match with a lot of people's lives.

But it's been polarized, yet the root causes of economic troubles have not been addressed by those screaming the loudest. It just has not been.

I'd like someone to tell what value this wall really is. And why it's necessary. Doesn't make sense to me. But it won't help to go Bachmann batshit over it. Probably will be another flop.

[Gregorian]

8. Where's my god damned health care! Illness is a much much bigger threat to us all.

Why are we being represented by idiots. That's not representation at all.

Mexicans are not a problem. Cancer, cardiovascular diseases, MS, and a zillion other things are truly killing us.

[area51]

75. +1 n/t

[Ash_F]

10. I am having a hard time telling if he is against it.

It reads like he is against it. But he's not is he?

[NealK]

12. I'm having the same problem.

From the headline it looks like he's proud of this thing but after reading the OP I'm pretty confused.

[Ash_F]

15. From the video it sounds like he is taking the "grudging acquiescence" route.

Way to go senator. Try and fail to play to both sides.

[Tx4obama]

18. I just watched the video...

I think he doesn't really say if he is for or against the extra security - but he is implying that it is more than enough to shut up the critics that say we don't have enough border security going forward. Which means he is saying that the extra border security should be enough to make the right-wing of the GOP party be able to vote for the immigration bill.

That's how I heard it.

[Lasher]

32. He is a corporate Republican like his hero Bush.

As such he's motivated at the prospect of keeping wages low. He is trying to goad House Republicans into passing the Senate bill. He probably doesn't like the 'border surge' amendment. That's my read.

[olddad56]

11. The immigrants will never get back home now, we'll have them and the US citizens locked in for good.

then they can really start lowering wages.

[Champion Jack]

13. Well, if he's going to fair shouldn't we put a wall up

On the Canadian border too? Those bastards and their hockey are dangerous....

[madrchsod]

45. actually it would be eastern european illegals...

second largest group of "illegals" are the irish and in chicago it`s the polish.

[TrogL]

14. Cue Pink Floyd/Roger Waters

?

[sulphurdunn]

16. Maybe the demand for even cheap,

non-union and powerless labor is declining here.

[csziggy]

17. Senator McCain - why do you want to destroy America?

To quote myself from another thread:

What do we call this wall? "Anti-Fascist Protection Rampart"? "Wall of Shame"?

Either name sounds appropriate to me. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Wall)

If we do build MORE of this wall, some day I expect a politician (maybe a Mexican one) will make a speech and say, "Mr President, TEAR DOWN THIS WALL!"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1251&pid=312259

[DjarumSmokes]

20. We just go...

under it.

[mac56]

21. Please proceed, Senator.

[jtuck004]

22. Could we maybe persuade Senator McCain to build a wall around himself, just as a model?

All good architects build a model when they want to sell their ideas...seems like it would be helpful.

[thelordofhell]

23. But according to Governor brewer.....there's no racial discrimination in Arizona.........

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023095043

[SoapBox]

24. Which PukeBagger will give the "shoot to kill" order?

...probably all of them.

[NoOneMan]

26. We will make the NSA look like the Stasi!

[dipsydoodle]

27. do you mean

even more like..........

[idwiyo]

31. ... !

[Indyfan53]

28. Republicans take a page from the communist playbook.

No wonder their states are called "red states."

[graham4anything]

29. I think people are reading the above opposite for what it is. McCain is against Cruz here IMHO

[idwiyo]

30. Heh, at that rate of unemployment Mexico might want to think about erecting their own wall.

To keep jobless Americans out.

[Demoiselle]

33. Well said, idwiyo! nt

[alp227]

61. Ha! Mexico already shows no mercy to its illegals.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2006/06/04/stepping-over-the-line.html

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/02/mexicos-southern-border/cynthia-gorney-text

[pampango]

67. Ouch! "Illegals"? Isn't that the favored term used by the republican base?

And could we use Germany, Sweden or Canada (where income equality is much better than ours) rather than Mexico (where income inequality is even worse than it is in the US) as models to improve our immigration law?

(Apparently harsh policies towards "illegals" does not lead to income equality and a strong middle class, while generous immigration laws do lead to, or at least coincide with, those conditions.)

[kiranon]

34. I saw the Berlin Wall. It was awful. Machine gun turrets every

so many feet and barbed wire and pictures of those who tried unsuccessfully to cross. And, still they came. What a horrible thing for McCain to say.

[tofuandbeer]

35. I was just thinking this morning that I haven't heard from this bonehead lately.

But he's still cooking up messes, I see.

[L0oniX]

37. Hey McCain...

[malthaussen]

38. Ya know the funny thing...

... if one of us at DU had made a statement like that, the apologists would immediately jump on us for overstating the case and panic-mongering.

Alas, it is *so* hard to keep up with Poe's Law anymore.

-- Mal

[Kolesar]

40. John used to call Mexicans: "God's children"

Now that he is not running for president, he doesn't have to talk like a teabagger. What's with that?

[Adsos Letter]

41. Mine fields, barbed wire, dogs, spotlights, watchtowers, killing zone...

...and a few armored cavalry regiments to patrol it all?

[Half-Century Man]

42. Considering all the shit our government is doing...

...the huge fence along the border is going to be there to keep us in, not keep them out.

[BeyondGeography]

43. What a fucking moron

[madrchsod]

44. johnny boy`s hero ronnie raygun said ".....tear down this wall....!"

do`t tell johnny boy the berlin wall doesn't exist anymore

[xxqqqzme]

47. Hey angry old white guy

instead of wasting billions on some dumb ass wall - whatdda ya say we fix some bridges and sewer lines/water treatment plants first?

[marble falls]

50. Ahhh Senator - the Berlin Wall was to keep people in, yours is supposed to keep people out.....

[liberalmuse]

51. I saw "The Hobbit" the other night...

...and it dawned on me. McCain = Gollum.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

52. Golly gee, most of us thought the Berlin Wall was a BAD thing....

[Brigid]

54. And just how does Gramps plan to pay for this?

[Historic NY]

55. John think of all those graffiti opportunities your making.

[Zoeisright]

56. So that asshole finally admits it.

His stinking putrid party is exactly like the East Germans. Fuck you, McGramps.

[Hekate]

57. The madness of John McCain. Remember: the Berlin Wall was to keep people IN, not out

"An Iron Curtain has fallen across Europe" -- and now it's here.

John McCain and his ilk have lost their minds.

[warrant46]

63. The Bozo is truly Crazy

[Spitfire of ATJ]

58. Next up,...a moat with alligators.

[moondust]

59. The commies used to say it was to keep the capitalists out.

I swear there are times...

(I lived in Berlin for 20 months back in the 70s as a "cold warrior." )

[harmonicon]

62. Well, we all know what a wild success the Berlin wall has been, so why not build more?

I was just in Berlin earlier this week, and I can report that the wall is larger and stronger than ever, and that people on both sides of it couldn't be more happy with its existence.

[obxnacy]

64. hypocrite

how will he get all his wife's houses cleaned and lawns cared for if no illegals are available? has he thought of that? billions of dollars spent to build the fence while cutting the SNAP program by $20 to $30B. his mind is warped.

[Ganja Ninja]

65. Another in a long list of proud conservative moments. n/t

[Javaman]

66. this certainly proves the study that the right wing mind fails to understand

irony.

just remember the impetus for this colossally stupid idea: money.

the corporations who have these right wing senators in their pockets are going to make bank on this and at the same time, continue to erode our rights and freedoms for a little imaginary safety.

we are failing as a nation.

[ReRe]

68. They don't even care how stupid they sound....

.... that's it... McKain needs to be taken out in a straight jacket. Who on God's blue earth would say that out loud? Do I understand this correctly... he thinks that is a good thing that we will have a wall on our southern border resembling the Berlin Wall? Even if it didn't sound so disgusting, it still wouldn't make any sense. The Berlin Wall stood between east and west Germany. The same country. It would have made more sense if he had said a "Great Wall of China." How old is John McKain?

[durablend]

69. Better idea

How about we wall up Arizona and Texas and trap the crazies in?

[kentauros]

70. Even better idea:

How about we fire up all Democrats like Texas State Senator Wendy Davis, and take back all 50 states from the crazies?

[Myrina]

71. Um, John ... the Berlin wall FELL. With (supposed) assistance from your pal Ronnie Reagan.

And people EVERYWHERE cheered.


Jus' sayin' ....

[Orsino]

72. Next thing you know, they'll be invading Afghanistan, too. n/t

[baldguy]

73. Wait. Are we at war with Mexico?

[HooptieWagon]

76. Maybe they can put barbed wire and machine guns on the Statue of Liberty also.

Those immigrants need to learn we're not fucking around. Send us your poor, your tired, your huddled masses...we'll cut 'em down in a spray of lead.
And for those who are exceptionally dense:

[olddad56]

77. John McCain, the hater's choice

[Turbineguy]

80. And what a success that was!

I'm a bit confused though. Will it be to keep us in? I suppose the trick is to get the Mexicans to build it.