If Trump declares a national emergency in order to appropriate the military to build his wall...

[eleny]

... then I hope impeachment can be seriously pursued. His decision would be based on an arbitrary, capricious and self serving lie.

Regardless of how the Senate would vote, Democrats must protect our military. Pulling those precious resources for a folly harms our national security. There has to be a misdemeanor in there somewhere.

To shrink from that would make the Dems in Congress, and us, complicit with Trump's using the military for his witless campaign promise.

[DetlefK]

1. Even if he does, it won't get built for a while.

The property must be bought or secured from the owners via eminent domain.

Blueprints and plans what is to be done and and where it is to be done have to be made. He hasn't even made up his mind WHAT KIND OF WALL he wants.

The area must be cartographed and measured. There need to be plans where to dig and where to fill up.

Building-materials must be transported to where they are needed. Machinery and workforce must be transported to where they are needed.

And lastly: The whole thing must be paid for. The military would have to free the funds in some budget.



And while the operation starts running, the Democrats will sue Trump to hell and back.

[Buckeyeblue]

2. Agreed--it's a 10 year project. And will cost a lot more than 5 billion to build

[Delmette2.0]

10. Details, details, details.

The Orange Shitgibbon has commanded it and it will be done.

[theaocp]

3. Yea, but the Senate...

Otherwise, it's just a PR stunt, right?

[Grasswire2]

4. must read Atlantic article on presidential emergency powers

[link:https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/01/presidential-emergency-powers/576418/|

[eleny]

6. I will

Thanks for the link. What I've heard so far scares me into believing that we can't let him put one toe into those waters.

[RainCaster]

8. Very interesting article!

[panader0]

5. I try to keep stressing the "where" aspect of the "wall".

The boundary in Texas is the Rio Grande. Do you build the "wall" in the middle of the river?
In the Big Bend area the "wall" would be quite a ways north of the river, basically
ceding the land south of the "wall" to Mexico. Many people enjoy kayaking parts of the
river--that would be gone. Ranchers would lose their ability to get water for their
cattle. And of course, there are many places where construction would be
impossible. Throw in the horrible environmental aspects on the land and
animals, and the eminent domain laws, and the graft and corruption, and
the fact that 5 billion won't go very far, and, oh yeah, the fact that kids can
climb over the steel slat "wall" in seconds and it becomes clear that the
idea of the "wall" is crazy.

[eleny]

7. But Trump will argue comparing his perceived terrorists vs kayaking

Where will public opinion and the press fall? But when it comes to the military I believe we have the strongest case.

Thanks for your thoughts. I agree with so much of what you say. The environmental issues make my hair go up in flames. And to think that Trump latched onto it because the concept of the wall did well in right wing focus groups.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

9. Most of the Articles Of Impeachment for Andrew Johnson centered on his disregard for Congress.