Trump's Wall: Where the Idea Came From

[lpetrich]

How Trump’s Wall Idea Originated | Ed Brayton noting Where The Idea For Donald Trump's Wall Came From:

In 2014, Trump’s plan to run for president moved into high gear. His political confidant was consultant Roger Stone. “Inside Trump’s circle, the power of illegal immigration to manipulate popular sentiment was readily apparent, and his advisers brainstormed methods for keeping their attention-addled boss on message,” writes Joshua Green, author of Devil’s Bargain: Steve Bannon, Donald Trump, and the Nationalist Uprising. “They needed a trick, a mnemonic device. In the summer of 2014, they found one that clicked.”

Joshua Green had good access to Trump insiders, including Sam Nunberg, who worked with Stone. “Roger Stone and I came up with the idea of ‘the Wall,’ and we talked to Steve [Bannon] about it,” according to Nunberg. “It was to make sure he [Trump] talked about immigration.”

The concept of the Wall did not click right away with the candidate. “Initially, Trump seemed indifferent to the idea,” writes Green. “But in January 2015, he tried it out at the Iowa Freedom Summit, a presidential cattle call put on by David Bossie’s group, Citizens United. ‘One of his pledges was, ‘I will build a Wall,’ and the place just went nuts,’ said Nunberg. Warming to the concept, Trump waited a beat and then added a flourish that brought down the house. ‘Nobody,’ he said, ‘builds like Trump.’”

So it wasn't some carefully-thought-out policy proposal, but something that would be easy for him to remember, and something that could easily get him support.

 

[Keith&Co.]

So it wasn't some carefully-thought-out policy proposal, but something that would be easy for him to remember, and something that could easily get him support.

And something he could understand. Picture in his head.

 

[untermensche]

I did not need to know the back story to know the idea is pure politics.

It is red meat for the most hateful and most frightened and most prejudiced.

Trump's base.

 

[Elixir]

And something he and his mentally challenged supporters could understand. Picture in his head.

FIFY.
Tonight, the moron will try to convince his base that there are "thousands" of terrorists being apprehended at the southern border (actual per DHS/CBP figures, recent years' total=0), and they're stopping 10 terrorism suspects per day (Pence) at that border (actual per DHS data: 6 total, ytd).
How many Americans will fall for this easily dis proven bullshit? Will any of the major networks refuse to give the Liar in Chief airtime to spread his political lies (like they did to Obama)? And most vital to National Security:
WILL PRESIDENT TRUMP BUILD A WALL ON THE NORTHERN BORDER, BECAUSE 7 TIMES AS MANY TERRORISTS ARE ARRESTED (41) CROSSING THERE VS THE SOUTHERN BORDER?

Finally, the orange moron will try to fabricate all his lies into a case for grabbing power by declaring a National Emergency, taking another giant step toward dictatorship.
Too bad he didn't use part of his 2 years of unified republican rule to get rid of the National Emergencies Act, which regulates how presidents may invoke such powers.
God knows he will probably try it anyway, since it serves Putin's interest to do that (exacerbating divisions). Only if he sees a significant fraction of his base starting to erode because of it, might he back off. But his quest for absolute, unquestionable power will go on, because that's his best/only chance of not spending the rest of his life in prison.

 

[Gun Nut]

prison? So you've given up on death by firing squad? (or is it hanging)?

 

[Tom Sawyer]

If he does go to prison, at least he'll have a nice big wall around him, so everyone will be happy.

 

[Elixir]

prison? So you've given up on death by firing squad? (or is it hanging)?

I have not taken any options off the table. (Cheato told me not to).
Since it won't be my decision, you should probably be looking up the laws regarding treason, negligent homicide etc. on the Federal books as well as the States where he will likely be convicted of crimes.

 

[Gun Nut]

prison? So you've given up on death by firing squad? (or is it hanging)?

I have not taken any options off the table. (Cheato told me not to).
Since it won't be my decision, you should probably be looking up the laws regarding treason, negligent homicide etc. on the Federal books as well as the States where he will likely be convicted of crimes.

Maybe I am wrong here... but isn't Treason the only crime for which punishment is stated in the Constitution... and that punishment is death (by hanging or fireing squad, I forget)... Or I am just dreaming it...

 

[Elixir]

prison? So you've given up on death by firing squad? (or is it hanging)?

I have not taken any options off the table. (Cheato told me not to).
Since it won't be my decision, you should probably be looking up the laws regarding treason, negligent homicide etc. on the Federal books as well as the States where he will likely be convicted of crimes.

Maybe I am wrong here... but isn't Treason the only crime for which punishment is stated in the Constitution... and that punishment is death (by hanging or fireing squad, I forget)... Or I am just dreaming it...

Don't know and REALLY don't care. I'll be happy when he is removed from office no matter what happens to him after that.

 

[lpetrich]

It's easy to find a copy of the US Constitution online, and I searched in it for every reference to treason. No specific punishment specified, though it is defined and some rules of evidence are stated for it (III, 3): "Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court."

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

prison? So you've given up on death by firing squad? (or is it hanging)?

I have not taken any options off the table. (Cheato told me not to).
Since it won't be my decision, you should probably be looking up the laws regarding treason, negligent homicide etc. on the Federal books as well as the States where he will likely be convicted of crimes.

Maybe I am wrong here... but isn't Treason the only crime for which punishment is stated in the Constitution... and that punishment is death (by hanging or fireing squad, I forget)... Or I am just dreaming it...

Yeah, of course, that point isn't relevant to criminal courts though, where he could be found guilty of a capital crime. It would be unlikely.

There is certainly one major thing to keep in mind. Everyone is thinking about Mueller investigating Trump's campaign's actions before Inauguration. The thing is, there is nearly two years of evidence post inauguration that could be used to demonstrate an intent to commit treason during his campaign.

 

[Keith&Co.]

It's easy to find a copy of the US Constitution online, and I searched in it for every reference to treason. No specific punishment specified, though it is defined and some rules of evidence are stated for it (III, 3): "Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court."

yeah, at the time it was written, they weren't as afraid of the form of punishment as they were of King George's power to define pretty much anything as Treason.

Political cartoons, SNL comedy sketches, critical editorials, or even authentic reporting of facts could have been used as evidence of Treason. They wanted a little higher threshold