Why not just annex everything North of Panama? Remove all borders and open the entire land mass to everyone? For that matter, why stop at Panama? One nation from the North Pole to the tip of Chile.
The United States already believes everyone should be free. Already thinks that other countries are self-destructive and oppressive to their people.
Just think about how much wealth is to be had. Jobs, there will be so many jobs to build infrastructure and mega-projects that everyone would get a piece of the pie.
Imagine huge transportation corridors, universities and communication networks. Great seaports and spaceports could be built. Whole new mega-cities would rise up.
One language, one currency, one religion and one culture. Why build a wall at all? Why even have locks on your doors?
Countries, nations and cultures have borders because it is a known fact that humans don't play well together. There are borders established because we need a defining line to keep our ideals separate. It keeps our world orderly.
What if the American Indians had constructed and fortified a wall centuries ago? Look what happened to their land, their heritage and their traditions. Will the Southern Americans set the US citizens to 'reservations' in our future?
Borders need to be defended to isolate the values of the citizens of that nation against threats from other nations. It is not limited to armed aggression. Threats to a nation can be as subtle as an idea or a tradition. Other nations around the world meet border issues with deadly force.
The USA meets border issues with "Aw gee fellows, you can't be in our country unless you ask us for permission, here, we will send you back home, okay? Please don't do it again."
Then we have a problem with putting up a wall to keep them out. "Well, we can't just shoot them, can we?" Other countries do...
I say Build A Wall. But build a wall that is so massive and complete that it becomes a mega-project that puts our citizens to work for decades.
United States National Border Security Project
A 150-250 year federally subsidized concentrated mega-project to secure the continental United States land borders.
1. Erect a ten meter chain-link fence with privacy slats and razor wire along the actual land border of the nation at the Mexican and Canadian borders. (Including Alaska land borders)
2. Establish and define a 500 meter inner perimeter "Empty Zone" along the border fence.
- Erect antipersonnel stations at 500 meter intervals
- Install seismic sensors with an over-lapping range and high sensitivity
- Post signs warning that lethal suppression will be used
- Rotate defense personnel by position, shift and duration to alleviate complacency.
3. At the inner edge of the inner perimeter, dig a 150 meter deep construction footing 1 KM wide and the length of the border.
4. Sink steel rods into the base of the footing an additional 30 meters.
5. Pour a concrete base inside the footer to establish the base of the containment wall.
6. Erect a concrete subterranean wall in 150 meter sections secured laterally with steel rods extending 30 meters at various angles towards the perimeter fence.
7. Construct utility corridors along the inner edge of the foundation wall.
8. Construct high speed electric or mag-lev transportation corridors at the base of the footer.
9. Construct waste transportation facilities to move generated waste to recycling terminals for transport to the National Recycling Center.
10. Construct warehousing units in the remaining area within the footer that can be divided into maintenance shops, storage units or open for future use.
The Border Wall
The Border Wall will not be a wall as much as it will be a series of large buildings and constructs that will act as a wall.
1. Buildings will be erected along the extent of the footer no less than 250 meters in height and a full 1 KM in width.
2. Access openings with gates and security measures will be built into the construct at key places along the border.
3. The border perimeter side of the buildings will be reinforced and of sufficient thickness to avert breaching.
4. The border perimeter side of each building's roof will be manned and protected by manual and automatic defensive weapons.
5. A network of night vision sensors, movement sensors and high intensity spot and flood lights will be placed to saturate the entire "Empty Zone" of the perimeter.
The Border Facility
1. The entire operation is headed by the Dept. of Homeland Security.
2. Funding will be from National, State and Local allotments. Facilities and spaces can be rented out to entities for commercial endeavors.
3. Isolated sections of the facilities can be constructed as prison facilities and will be partially funded by the Nation, State and Local prison funds.
4. Warehousing and Product Distribution facilities can be commercially leased and contribute to the project's funding.
5. There will be a strip of solar panels, a strip of green houses and community gardens extending the entire perimeter of the facility's roof.
Example of Possible Facility Entities
1. INS and Home Land Security Offices including Immigration processing, education and temporary housing units.
2. National and State Prison Facilities including trade development and education facilities, confinement, work centers and paroling offices.
3. Commercial Manufacturing and Warehousing Facilities.
4. Research Laboratories and Testing Facilities.
5. Universities and Trade Schools.
6. Electronic Data Back-up Storage Facilities
7. Consumer-Based Small Business Facilities.
8. Business Offices
9. Medical Facilities
10. Police and Military Training Facilities
Initial and Sustained Impact
Initially there will be a need for workers to erect the fence and "Empty Perimeter" areas. Generating jobs in all facets of construction and management. There will be Public Domain issues with local residents that will need to be worked out requiring dedication of the Dept. of Justice. A large expenditure of initial funding will be needed to secure the land and obtain the various permits. State and Local laws may need to be amended, rescinded or created. The temporary policing force will need manned and managed. Support for the equipment and personnel will generate new businesses and establish communities with housing, restaurants, hospitals and various community entities.
The next phase of the project will be the creation of the 'Footer' and establishment of the subterranean components of the Wall Facility. There will be a need for lots of earth-moving equipment, concrete and utility conduits. Not only will the construction crews and its management be employed for decades, all the related requirements will need workers as well. The support communities that were created during the initial phase will grow accordingly. There will be research and modifications in techniques as our technology advances. The support facilities built into the 'Footer' will be used as sections are completed. The depth and width of the 'Footer' will reveal and prevent tunneling efforts. The shear number of people all focused on the border will eliminate and prevent coyote operations. The Wall Facility will be effective at this point.
The Wall Phase will be the most intense part of the project. Not only will it require manufacturing and construction jobs there will be a need to modify techniques and materials as the project progresses. There will be a need to create an effective barrier on the Border-Side and aesthetic effective community conducive facility on the Nation-Side. There will be research and development of new technology, changes in methods and changes in social patterns. I imagine a great Border Highway leading to even more communities.
All during these construction phases everyday people and their families will be employed and sustained all across the nation. The effect will trickle down to each and every member of our nation. Our people will unite under a common goal. We will learn from our set-backs and our successes will inspire national pride. By the time we complete the construction phases our nation will be ready to fully implement the facility's potential. Job functions will change, education and training will generate a new national trade. As the construction elements begin to fade, new construction mega-projects will be initiated.
LOL
