Trump Slams 'Ridiculous' Democratic Talking Point, Wheel Is 'Old Technology' Too
President Donald Trump berated congressional Democrats for their oft-repeated talking point that walls are old technology that do not work and are “immoral.”
Trump tweeted on Monday, “It’s incredible how Democrats can all use their ridiculous sound bite and say that a Wall doesn’t work. It does, and properly built, almost 100%! They say it’s old technology – but so is the wheel.”
He added, “They now say it is immoral- but it is far more immoral for people to be dying!”
It’s incredible how Democrats can all use their ridiculous sound bite and say that a Wall doesn’t work. It does, and properly built, almost 100%! They say it’s old technology – but so is the wheel. They now say it is immoral- but it is far more immoral for people to be dying!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2018
At an early-December news conference, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi described a border wall as “immoral, ineffective, and expensive.”
Trump’s reference to people dying is almost certainly meant to include California police officer Ronil Singh, who was gunned down by an alleged gang member during a traffic stop the day after Christmas. The 33-year-old lawman left behind a wife and 5-month-old son.
The suspect, Mexican national Gustavo Perez Arriaga, was in the country illegally and had a criminal record, ABC News reported.
In an additional tweet, Trump encouraged Democrats to come back from vacation and provide the votes needed to fund the wall.
He pointed out that they were willing to vote for border security in both 2006 and 2013.
The “Secure Fence Act of 2006,” introduced by Republican Rep. Peter King of New York, passed the House of Representative by a 238-138 vote, and the Senate, 80-19.
Sixty-four House and 25 Senate Democrats voted for the measure, including Sens. Chuck Schumer of New York, Joe Biden of Delaware, and Dianne Feinstein of California.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi voted against the bill.
I’m in the Oval Office. Democrats, come back from vacation now and give us the votes necessary for Border Security, including the Wall. You voted yes in 2006 and 2013. One more yes, but with me in office, I’ll get it built, and Fast!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2018
In 2013, the “Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act,” which provided approximately $8 billion to repair and build 700 miles of double-layer fencing, passed the Senate by a vote of 68-32.
The 51 Democrat senators voting in favor of the bill included Schumer, Feinstein, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Dick Durbin of Illinois, as well as Independent Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
During an Oval Office debate with Schumer and Pelosi earlier this month, Trump promised he could get the House to appropriate $5 billion to build a border wall, but emphasized he would need at least 10 Senate Democrats to support the legislation to overcome a certain filibuster.
Pelosi claimed that Trump did not have the votes to move the legislation through the House, but it easily passed 217 to 185, at an increased level of $5.7 billion.
In a Twitter post over the weekend, the president once again highlighted his need for 10 Democrat Senate votes.
For those that naively ask why didn’t the Republicans get approval to build the Wall over the last year, it is because IN THE SENATE WE NEED 10 DEMOCRAT VOTES, and they will gives us “NONE” for Border Security! Now we have to do it the hard way, with a Shutdown. Too bad! @FoxNews
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 29, 2018
During her Oval Office meeting with Trump and Schumer, Pelosi called into question statistics the president cited, finding illegal alien traffic dropped 92 percent in the San Diego sector; 95 percent in El Paso, Texas; and 92 percent and 95 percent in Tucson and Yuma, Arizona, respectively, after fencing and other barriers were added.
However, these numbers are consistent with statistics given by the Border Patrol to NPR in 2006 following the initial erection of double and triple fencing in the San Diego area.
The Border Patrol told the news outlet at the time that apprehensions in his sector dropped 95 percent, from 100,000 to 5,000 per year.
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