When it comes to blocking President Donald Trump’s plans for the Border Wall, the Democratic Party has displayed imagination, creativity, and enthusiasm rarely surpassed in the annals of human history.

Democrats opposed border wall funding in the latest government spending debate and the White House eventually backed off of its demand to secure the money this month. When the funding fight comes up again in September, Democrats are still likely to deem it a non-starter in negotiations. “I have said repeatedly and consistently, I will not support an omnibus that includes funding for a wall; not going to do it,” said Rep. Joe Crowley, D-New York, the chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, at a recent press conference.

Conservative representatives are also responding in innovative ways to find funding methods. Recently, Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) has proposed the EL CHAPO Act, directing the use of the expected $14 billion to be seized from Mexico’s infamous drug lord should he be convicted to pay for the big, beautiful border wall.

Now, two other US senators have proposed legislation that would redirect funds away from cities and states that have declared themselves “sanctuary” areas for illegal immigrants toward the border wall construction. Pundit Byron York offers these details in The Washington Examiner.

…This week, two GOP senators, Luther Strange of Alabama and David Perdue of Georgia, introduced a bill that would cut funding under two massive federal infrastructure and transportation programs to any jurisdictions “that refuse to cooperate with the federal government on immigration matters or retaliate against border security contractors.” Strange and Perdue propose to take the money that would have gone to sanctuary jurisdictions and use it to help pay for the wall. The two programs are the TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) program, which has handed out more than $5 billion since its inception in the Obama administration, and the recently-created FASTLANE (Fostering Advancements in Shipping and Transportation for the Long-term Achievement of National Efficiencies) program, which is slated to make more than $4.5 billion in grants in the next three years.

Outside of the press in Washington D.C., California’s Democratic politicians have been the most active members of the #Resistance, especially in terms of the border wall’s construction. In fact, state legislators recently offered a constitutionally questionable proposal to punish participating companies.

However, many firms ignored the threat.

Hundreds of companies have submitted bids to the federal government to build the highly contentious, divisive southern border wall, but Rod Hadrian is just one of the few willing to talk about it. “We could put the wall up, probably a mile of it, probably in three weeks,” Hadrian says. …Rick Taylor is another San Diego-area contractor who was unafraid of publicly acknowledging he bid on the wall. His iCon Wall System is made concrete and steel and is designed laying down, so artistic features can be set in. “So when you lift the wall up, it’s got décor on both sides, which makes it appealing on both sides, which may get Mexico interested in chipping in a little bit of the money because now they get to look at something that’s beautiful as well,” Taylor said. Taylor’s company, CCI, has several employees who are Latino who were consulted before they submit a bid on the controversial wall. “They said if it’s good for the business, why not. And that’s what it is,” Taylor said. “It’s a business opportunity. We’re builders, not politicians.”

It is heartening to see our construction companies are not afraid of threats. Hopefully, Republican politicians will show an equal amount of courage and support the efforts of Strange and Perdue.

While Mexico may not end up paying for the wall directly, having a “Sanctuary State” like California pick up the tab would almost be as satisfying, from a karmic perspective! And I say this as a Californian!



