Build The Wall To Save Taxpayers Billions?

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Posted: Mar 14, 2019 12:01 AM

President Donald Trump launched another battle for border-wall funding on Monday, calling for $8.6 billion additional dollars in his proposed federal budget for next year. Top Democrats came out swinging, bashing a border wall as "expensive and ineffective."

The truth is, Dems are not leveling with the public about the billions we're already forced to spend on shelters, food, diapers, medical care and child care for migrants sneaking across the border and claiming asylum.

Not to mention the costs of public schooling and healthcare provided free to migrants once they are released into communities. The wall will pay for itself in less than two years. It's a bargain.

Look what it costs us when a Central American teen crosses the border illegally without an adult. Uncle Sam spends a staggering $775 per day for each child housed at a shelter near Florida's Homestead Air Reserve Base. There they have access to medical care, school and recreation. They stay, on average, 67 days at the Homestead shelter before being released to a sponsor. Do the math. That's almost $52,000 per child. American parents would appreciate the government spending that money on their kids. Imagine the government handing you a check for $52,000 for your teenager.

However, there are bigger costs ahead. The number of illegal border crossers just hit an 11-year high with a total of more than 76,000 during the month of February alone. U.S. and Mexican officials predict hundreds of thousands more in the coming months.

The migrants use the word "asylum" as their get-in-free card. When they say it to a border agent, they gain entry to the U.S. 80 percent of the time according to Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. They are temporarily housed and eventually released with an immigration court date. But half never go on to file an asylum claim, disappearing into the U.S., said former Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

They're turning asylum into a scam. The system is meant to protect victims of persecution, such as Cubans fleeing Castro's prisons. Now it's overwhelmed by Central Americans escaping poverty for a lifestyle upgrade.

Legal immigrants also want to better their circumstances, but they play by the rules. What a slap in the face to see migrants jump the line.

Unfortunately, a federal appeals court just made the asylum hoax even easier. Last week, the left-leaning 9th Circuit ruled that migrants who fail to convince border authorities they face danger in their home country still have a "right" to a day in court in the U.S. That bizarre ruling won't stand. Another circuit court ruled the opposite way in 2016, clarifying that a border agent's decision is final and entering the U.S. is a privilege, not a right. The Supreme Court let that earlier decision stand, so count on the Supremes to reverse the 9th Circuit.

In the meantime, though, taxpayers are getting fleeced by caravans of fake asylum-seekers.

Even before the latest surge, the Department of Homeland Security spent over $3 billion in 2018 sheltering and feeding illegals at the border, which is nearly double the cost from 2011.

Add to that the hundreds of millions being spent caring for unaccompanied teenagers in 130 shelters overseen by the Department of Health and Human Services.

President Trump has tried several strategies to protect taxpayers from these rip-offs. First, he barred illegal migrants from asking for asylum, requiring that asylum-seekers enter the country through official ports of entry. That would have reduced the numbers considerably. But in November, a federal district judge, also from the 9th Circuit, nixed the president's regulation.

Then, Trump devised a "Remain in Mexico" arrangement to make Mexico the waiting room for asylum-seekers. As long as they're south of the border, the U.S. doesn't have to house them, and they have no "right" to public schooling and emergency medical care on our tab. The program, if successful, will save U.S. taxpayers a bundle. It's one way Mexico is already helping to pay for the wall.

Dems claim it's a waste to spend billions on a wall. But the facts show we can't afford not to build it. As the cover of the president's new budget says, "Taxpayers First."

NM Ranching Family to Pres. Trump: Build the Wall to Protect Our Property

As federal officials warn of a worsening crisis at the southern border, a New Mexico ranching family is urging President Trump to build the wall, including on their land. 

Speaking to Heather Childers on "Fox & Friends First" Thursday, Russell Johnson and his wife, Brandy, said the family is disappointed when they hear Democrats call the border situation a "manufactured crisis."

Their ranch, which stretches for eight miles along the border, has been in the family for 100 years, but only barbwire separates the ranch from Mexico on a three-mile stretch. The other five miles is protected by vehicle barriers. 

"It's very disheartening and if you don't live in it then, I don't even know how to express just the disappointment in what's going on," said Brandy, explaining that criminal activity is occurring in the area, not asylum-seekers. 

Russell Johnson said the family pays to maintain the barbwire, which is often penetrated by a vehicle that drives through it. He said there is an easement from 1907 that gives the government the right to build a wall on the public portions of their land. 

"What we are telling President Trump is: You've already got the easement through the public land and we will give the U.S. government a continuation of that Roosevelt easement through our private property to build the wall," he said. 

The couple said their isolated ranch does not have cell phone service and the Border Patrol is the only local law enforcement around. 

"We do carry protection with us ... we try to be aware of our surroundings. You might pay attention what time of day you go into certain areas cause you never know who you might encounter out there," he explained.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced Tuesday that more than 76,000 people tried to cross the U.S.-Mexico border in February, a "remarkable" leap and the highest number of any February in the past 12 years. The number of illegals attempting to cross the border rose 100 percent from Feb. 2018 to Feb. 2019.

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How to Create Partition Walls Using Everblocks

Using partitions to create individual workspaces isn’t exactly breaking news when it comes to office dcor, but boy are those standard wall partitions boring!

A recent study has shown that candidates use their working environment as a deciding factor when seeking a new role, so the dull brown wall partitions simply don’t excite and engage potential new hires.

It’s no wonder that staff members bring photos of family, calendars and other decorative trinkets to brighten them up as they’re uninspiring to say the least. Then when you get a new starter, it can often take weeks for new partitions to arrive making the whole settling in process a little more daunting than it needs to be.

But thanks to Everblocks, there’s a unique new way of creating individual office cubicles that motivate and inspire within minutes!

Everblocks are the very latest in modular building block materials that come in a rainbow of colours and sizes, making them ideal for a wide range of office purposes especially work cubicles and building modular office wall partitions.

Quirky and unique, office staff can enjoy an uplifting new addition to their workspace that’s, fun, practical and easy to change should you need to expand your office partitions as you welcome new members to your team.

Simply order extra blocks in the size and colour of your choice or keep some in storage and you’ll be able to use the task of creating a new partition wall as an icebreaker to help your new team member meet their colleagues and provide them with the thinking space they need to really get down to business!

Better still, you can try out a few Everblock patterns to add a pop of colour to your office environment or even provide gaps so that team members can communicate with each other easily without having to stand up and peer over the top of standard wall partitions.

Everblocks are also great for conveying your brand identity too, and if our range of standard colours doesn’t match your corporate colours, then we’ll happily create a bespoke set of blocks in the pantone colour of your choice to help bring your office to life and wow staff and visitors.

Plus, if you ever need to change the configuration of your wall partitions, it’s a great team building exercise that the whole office can get involved in.

To find out more about Everblock’s for office wall partitions, click here.

ACLU asks judge to bar Trump from building border wall

WASHINGTON (AP) — The American Civil Liberties Union is asking a judge to block the Trump administration from constructing a border wall with money obtained through his national emergency declaration.

The civil rights group filed the request Thursday in California on behalf of communities along the border and the Sierra Club environmental group. The court papers say President Donald Trump is overstepping his executive powers by diverting funds from the Department of Defense to Homeland Security for a border wall.

The request was filed as part of a February legal challenge. The request comes after Congressional efforts to stop Trump from diverting funds failed.

In addition, a group of 16 states, including California, New York and Colorado, have also filed against the emergency declaration on similar grounds.

Trump has blasted the legal action.

Report: Marine Gen. Allowed Leaks To Show How Border Wall Was Hurting Military

Gen. Robert Neller, the commandant of the Marine Corps, let internal Defense Department memos leak recently to show the damage President Donald Trump's wall obsession is doing to military families and combat readiness.

According to a Newsweek report, the unexpected influx of troops and costs at the U.S.-Mexico border, a direct result of Trump's fixation on building a wall, have caused languishing repairs on hurricane-damaged bases and a decline in training exercises.

Neller reportedly gave the green light on leaks to NBC News and The LA Times.

How to Build a Plant Bedding Wall

Taylor, Amie. "How to Build a Plant Bedding Wall." Home Guides | SF Gate, http://homeguides.sfgate.com/build-plant-bedding-wall-100459.html. Accessed 03 April 2019.

Taylor, Amie. (n.d.). How to Build a Plant Bedding Wall. Home Guides | SF Gate. Retrieved from http://homeguides.sfgate.com/build-plant-bedding-wall-100459.html

Taylor, Amie. "How to Build a Plant Bedding Wall" accessed April 03, 2019. http://homeguides.sfgate.com/build-plant-bedding-wall-100459.html

Note: Depending on which text editor you're pasting into, you might have to add the italics to the site name.

Top Designers Reveal How to Pull Off Shiplap Walls

From ELLE Decor

We're pretty sure many people would agree that no one does shiplap quite like Chip and Joanna Gaines, the stars of HGTV's hit show "Fixer Upper." Shiplap-a stack of wooden boards that can be positioned horizontally or diagonally-is a tasteful way to add texture and visual interest to just about any room. We've seen the popular Waco, Texas-based couple use shiplap to transform spaces ranging from living rooms to kitchens.

But even if you don't live in an area like Texas, where shiplap has become a go-to design choice, there are ways to pull off the farmhouse style-even in an urban space. Keep reading for expert tips on how to make shiplap work for you.

Photo credit: Sweeten

More Embrace Its Versatility

"Architectural details have the ability to add warmth to an unadorned room," says Sweeten Founder and CEO Jean Brownhill."You can install shiplap horizontally to create interest around an entire room or vertically to give height to a space-and to draw your eye up to the oft-neglected ceiling. You can even apply the material on an asymmetrical or slanted surface for a charming touch."

Keep Spacing Uniform

Got a nickel? Great, then you can pull off a contemporary shiplap look.

"When you use shiplap, clean installation is what makes it look contemporary rather than country," says Nashville-based interior designer Jason Arnold. "Use a nickel as a spacer between boards to give it a very uniform, modern look."

In this Nashville home Arnold designed, an entire wall of the guest bedroom is covered in uniformly-spaced shiplap - even the closet doors.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Jason Arnold

More ALWAYS Paint It

If you're trying to send a message along the lines of "Greetings, folks, I'm Tom Bunyan!" then go on, leave that shiplap bare. Otherwise, always paint or stain the wood.

"White painted shiplap has a bit of a Cape Cod look that's clean and fresh, so it's terrific for a kitchen, laundry room or bathroom," says Rita Konig, a London-based interior designer, who designed the Californ ia home below. "If you have a smaller space you want to add some interest to, however, paint it either a [more dramatic] dark or bright color."

Photo credit: Eric Piasecki

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Get 'Em Glossy

A major perk of adding shiplap to your home is that it offers texture that drywall lacks. Still, that doesn't mean your walls have to look like you're roughin' it.

"I've painted shiplap high gloss before, and that gives it a very contemporary look, but you still get the shiplap texture, which is key," says Arnold.

His tip for an über modern look: Cover an entire room in shiplap, and paint it in high-gloss white.

Try It In Small Doses

As mentioned before, horizontal boards can make a small space seem larger. But as with any new project, it's worth trying shiplap in a small area before you commit to a larger portion of your home.

"Shiplap is good on every wall in a small powder room," says Arnold. "You can also incorporate it in a backsplash or an accent wall to add texture. If you use it on an accent wall, paint it the same colors as the rest of the wall for a clean, modern feel that still offers a variety in texture."

An added benefit of using shiplap in kitchens or bathrooms: It's incredibly easy to clean.

Blend It With Other Materials

Arnold suggests mixing shiplap with materials like brick, marble or concrete for a contemporary, urban aesthetic.

"Bringing in wood automatically softens the space to help counteract really cold concrete or brick, which is common in urban lofts," says Arnold. "It's also really great with marble or any other type of stone."

If you have a kitchen with, say, marble counters, try accenting the backsplash with shiplap. Alternatively, if your living room has plenty of exposed brick, try one accent wall in shiplap.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Jason Arnold

More Mix The Width Of The Boards

A six-inch board is typically a good place to start when it comes to selecting size, but don't be afraid to mix it up.

"I love mixed-width boards in both flooring and walls," says Konig. "You get a relaxed look, and you really don't notice the differences until somebody points it out."

Photo credit: Eric Piasecki

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