Why We Only Have Government Dysfunction

Trump backs off on closing the Southern borderhttps://t.co/PFX2niEWq0

— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) April 4, 2019

It turns out the U.S. aid money going to Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador is going to churches and other private groups trying to help the poor in those countries.

The very people coming to our borders now.

It also seems those governments and ours, at least our Administration, have something in common: they don't give a wet snap about the poor. Another thing they have in common: those same impoverished souls have value to them.

If they make it to America, they send back dollars to their countries. Enough money to be a major portion of each countries GDP. So the flow of dollars from America keeps those countries enriched. NOW do you see why they like the poor?

It also keeps the rulers enriched; enriched enough they can spend most of their time in their houses in America, away from those broken and bleeding countries even their citizens want to escape.

So the most effective tool to persuade those governments to do more to keep their people at home?

Cancel their U.S. visas.

It would certainly be a lot more effective than saber-rattling about closing the border, with far less damage to the U.S. economy. Of course, it would also require a President who was not of very little brain.

(and I can't help saying "I told you so."  Trump will impose tariffs on Mexican cars (?) or close the border; in one year.  Not now, much later.  Even Cruz and Cornyn came out against closing the border, but I think they did so knowing Trump had already backed down, so it was safe for them.  I expect we're going to see a lot of this (empty threats blustered, then postponed) for the next 18 months.

Oh, well, this connects to that, so let's consider the impact of tariffs on cars from Mexico.  First, why cars?

“We’re going to give them a one year warning and if the drugs don’t stop, or largely stop, we’re going to put tariffs on Mexico and products, in particular cars, the whole ball game is cars, it’s the big ball game, with many countries, it’s cars,” Trump continued, barely stopping to take a breath. “If that doesn’t stop the drugs, we close the border, because Mexico, last year, and over for many years, just like China except China numbers are even bigger.”

And then, who will really be affected?  First, Trump's trade triumph, the USMCA.*  Second:  GM:

“Threatening tariff on automobile imports for the reason it steps all over the trade agreement his administration, although not ratified yet, it steps all over the trade agreement they negotiated,” said Dagen McDowell.

“By the way, how many Mexican car makers do you know? There aren’t any. It is General Motors, an American company, that he’s talking about,” she added.

Well, there's still a year, at least, to get ready for it.  Maybe longer, who knows?  Looks like the border will close sometime around half-past never, though.  What a surprise.)

(*Wait:  that may not matter:

REPORTER: Can you get the USMCA passed by Congress?

TRUMP: "Whatever." pic.twitter.com/hIDQkKOCJw

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 4, 2019