Letter to the Editor: Cooperation, Discussion, Compromise

That’s what we say we want from our government.

But there’s no compromise these days.

It used to be that if one party wanted something enacted, the other would counter with, “OK, here’s what we want in return.” Then negotiations would ensue. Now, if one party wants something enacted, the other says, “No way! Under no conditions! Let the government be shut down!”

This. Over something as minor as a $5 billion wall. This. Over a small fraction of 1 percent of the budget.

Yeah, we’ve been told that certain academic “experts” say a wall won’t help, and it would be wasted money. The Border Patrol, on site every day, thinks differently. Then there are the factors that the money requested has been reduced from $50 billion to $5 billion, the length of the wall has been reduced to only certain high-risk areas, and the idea of a border fence has enjoyed fairly wide bipartisan support in the past. Also, the Dems could get guarantees that DACA folks would not be deported. And let’s not forget President Trump campaigned and won on building the wall.

Even if it is true that the wall would not help, and it would be wasted money, how does this compare with other governmental expenditures? How many of these could be described as useless and wasteful? Just pork for favored special interests?

Speaking of which, think of all those high-paying union jobs involved in constructing the wall. Aren’t the Dems still big on massive public works projects that keep the union bosses in the Dem fold? Think of that nearly trillion dollar expenditure nearly 10 years ago that all the Dems supported, to be spent on “shovel-ready” projects. I can’t think of a single positive thing that was produced by that humungous wad of money. Can you?

No, no compromise here. Because this impasse is not about value, waste, or illegal immigrants. It’s about denying Trump what would be seen as a “victory.”

And that’s way more important than opening up the government.

Tom Felhofer

Union, Wis.