Has President Trump Abandoned MAGA?

President Donald Trump's statement at the Mexican border  implies he no longer believes he can make the United States great again.  Or, perhaps he doesn't know how a Great America would act in such a situation.

Trump said: "Our country is full, our area is full, the sector is full, can’t take you anymore. I’m sorry, can’t happen, so turn around -- that’s the way it is,”   Trump's statement  is pathetic.   He sounds  like he is whining.  He spoke like the head of a weak powerless nation who doesn't expect any improvement in the future.

The president  of a Great America would try to take advantage of the presence of the people at the border to build a wall to keep criminals from using the Mexican border.  He might declare a humanitarian emergency and hire the border people to build The Wall.  He would  give them an opportunity to prove they want to work by offering them jobs building the wall.   Instead of whining about the number  of would be immigrants, he would use the number of "refugees" to justify using emergency powers to protect them from economic distress.

Part of the funding for the program should come from money earmarked for the countries the border people come from.     Instead of rewarding the sanctuary cities by increasing their population just before the census that determines how much federal funding they receive President Trump should use part of the funds that go to local governments to pay the wall builders. 

The people at the border probably don't understand our badly outdated immigration laws and procedures.  They are  at the border  because they have been told they can find a better life here.  They to find a better life because they believe The United States of America is  a great nation.   Does President Donald Trump?

A Great Nation Would Hire Immigrants to Build The Wall

President Donald Trump  should start acting like the head of a great nation in dealing with the large number of jobless immigrants on the border.   The people coming to the Mexican border are essentially saying they think the United States is a great nation which can provide jobs their own countries cannot.  A Great Nation helps people in other nations when it can.   The United States under President Harry Truman was a great nation because it helped west European nations recover from the devastation their war had caused. 

The United States cannot provide jobs to everyone in the world, but it does have a public works project for the Mexican border that could provide jobs for the immigrants on the border.  Hiring the border immigrants to construct The Wall would allow construction in a short period of time.   Constructing The Wall would provide immigrants the jobs they need to support their families without taking jobs from those who are already living here.  Companies selling goods and services to Wall workers might even be able to add employees.   Having the immigrants construct The Wall might be the only way to avoid a humanitarian crisis because other potential  approaches are unlikely to be  able to create enough jobs for them in time to help.  If the United States can provide jobs building The Wall to jobless immigrants, it would be immoral not to hire them.  A Great Nation determines what needs to be done and does it.  

President Trump might have to switch to  a more labot intensive type of wall construction to reduce the cost of materials.   He could hire the immigrants now even though there would be a delay before they could begin working on The Wall.  That time could be used to teach them some basic English and to construct housing.  They would also receive training in how to build The Wall.   After building The Wall they would be available to work on infrastructure projects.

As an historian I recognize that sustained economic growth has involved an increasing population.  Except for the baby boomer era the population increase has come from immigration.    When the United States limited immigration in the 1920's the limits acted like a lid on the economy and the economy imploded.  New immigrants arrive with few possessions so they purchase more goods than established residents.  Immigrant families provide even more economic stimulation because parents need to replace clothes and toys the children have outgrown  

I don't know how the  immigrants view President Trump.   The fact that they are coming here looking for jobs implies they think of him the way Dorothy thought of the wonderful Wizard of Oz.   Is President Trump just smoke and mirrors or is he the leader of a great nation that helps those in need?  The leader of a Great Nation would do everything he can to deal with the crisis on the border.

Wrong People Protest Illegal Immigration

Protests of illegal immigration into the United States are peculiar because the wrong groups are protesting.

Most of those protesting immigration are white folks who don't want the entry level jobs the illegal immigrants usually take, particularly those involving manual labor or domestic service.   These jobs are the type of jobs young blacks need to enter the labor force.  Members of ethnic groups trying to enter the American labor force often begin with the least desirable jobs so that their children can have an opportunity for better jobs later.    The loss of entry level  jobs to illegal immigrants is keeping black unemployment higher than it should be.   Hispanic ancestry citizens and those who are in the country legally also can lose jobs to those who are in the country illegally.

President Barack Obama is undoubtedly encouraging illegal immigration because the corporate interests that bought the White House for him want a labor surplus so they can keep wages down and find people who are willing to work for less than the minimum wage. 

The immigrants that take jobs from whites  often are legal immigrants.   Some tech companies use the H1B immigration program to replace American employees with immigrants who will work for less.

Many of those who complain about "illegals" have the misconception that they are all from Mexico and come into the country by illegally crossing the border from Mexico.   Many of those who enter the country by illegally crossing the border are from Central America rather of Mexico.   Some of those who enter the country illegally arrive by sea from Asia, the Middle East or Africa.    Many of those who are in the country illegally entered the country legally on student or tourist visas and simply "forgot" to leave.

Put Immigrants in Democratic Districts

If President Donald Trump can't keep the caravan from entering the country, he should try to transport the participants to congressional districts whose  voters elected a Democrat to Congress.  Many Democrats want to encourage immigration so we should expect voters in those districts to welcome immigrants and be willing to share local resources including jobs with immigrants.

  Voters who don't want more immigrants in their districts shouldn't elect politicians who want to increase immigration..  Voters in higher income districts shouldn't vote to encourage immigration unless they are  willing to have new immigrants for neighbors

Wrong Groups Protest Illegal Immigration

Protests of illegal immigration into the United States are peculiar because the wrong groups are protesting.

Most of those protesting immigration are white folks who don't want the entry level jobs the illegal immigrants usually take, particularly those involving manual labor or domestic service.   These jobs are the type of jobs young blacks need to enter the labor force.  Members of ethnic groups trying to enter the American labor force often begin with the least desirable jobs so that their children can have an opportunity for better jobs later.    The loss of entry level  jobs to illegal immigrants is keeping black unemployment higher than it should be.   Hispanic ancestry citizens and those who are in the country legally also can lose jobs to those who are in the country illegally.

President Barack Obama is undoubtedly encouraging illegal immigration because the corporate interests that bought the White House for him want a labor surplus so they can keep wages down and find people who are willing to work for less than the minimum wage. 

The immigrants that take jobs from whites  often are legal immigrants.   Some tech companies use the H1B immigration program to replace American employees with immigrants who will work for less.

Many of those who complain about "illegals" have the misconception that they are all from Mexico and come into the country by illegally crossing the border from Mexico.   Many of those who enter the country by illegally crossing the border are from Central America rather of Mexico.   Some of those who enter the country illegally arrive by sea from Asia, the Middle East or Africa.    Many of those who are in the country illegally entered the country legally on student or tourist visas and simply "forgot" to leave.

Lame Duck Session May Do Nothing

Those who are expecting the Lame Duck session of Congress to deal with controversial issues like taxes and immigration may be disappointed. The lame duck Democrats who lost their reelection bids may not have to worry about voter reaction to their votes, but the Senators racing reelection in 2012 have a lot to worry about.

Senate Democrats up for reelection in 2012 may prefer to avoid dealing with any controversial issues because a vote either way could reduce the chance of being reelected. A Democrat who votes one way on an issue could motivate a strong Republican to run in 2012. A vote the other way might provoke a fellow Democrat to challenge in the primary.

The Democrats who were first elected in 2006 have the most to worry about because voters chose them more to protest President George W. Bush than from any real support for the Democratic Party.

Those facing reelection in 2012 will be in the spotlight during the lame duck session. No one cares what the lame ducks do. There won't be much interest in those Senators up for reelection in 2014

After the new Congress takes over in January some of the media attention will shift to the House and the new Republican Senators.

Michael Bloomberg Doesn't Get It

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg doesn’t understand the problem with the two major parties. After announcing he wouldn’t seek the presidency as a third party candidate, he suggested he would support a major party candidate who leveled with the American people about the issues facing the country. Unfortunately, major party candidates are prisoners of their own parties.

Those running on a major party ticket need the support of party activists who often have an unrealistic oversimplified view of issues. These activists want candidates who will at least give lip service to their views. Many of these activists are what longshoreman Eric Hofer once described as “True Believers” who believe they are right and anyone who disagrees is wrong.

Democrats, for example, want a candidate who will end U.S. involvement in Iraq regardless of the consequences. They don’t care what happens afterwards because they cannot comprehend any negative consequences such as al Qaeda taking control of Iraq or the substantial number of American casualties that might result from a precipitous retreat from a combat zone.

Many Republicans want all illegal immigrants removed from the country regardless of the economic consequences. They would prefer to endure a severe recession or depression than have to share the country with “illegals”. The anti-immigrant group doesn’t understand that we have a shortage of younger workers and will need even more workers as the baby boomer generation retires.

Bloomberg has no national constituency that he could encourage to support either major party candidate so his offer of support to one of them is meaningless. Bloomberg can change the situation only if he runs for president himself. As a third party candidate he would be free to take any position on the issues he felt was appropriate.

Only by running for president Bloomberg could demonstrate that Americans want a candidate who levels with them. Of course maybe Bloomberg is wrong. Maybe Americans prefer a president who lies to them. Maybe they want a president who tells them what they want to hear instead of what they need to know.