Would a 42 foot ladder industry be such a bad thing? (border fence, Napolitano, Richardson, Perry)

One of the more idiotic, childlike things you'll hear supporters of massive immigration say goes like the following recent quote from Texas governor Rick Perry:

"But the idea that you're going to build a 1,200-mile wall ... is idiocy. It absolutely would not work. If you build a 40-foot wall, then the 42-foot ladder industry takes off."

Did Frank Luntz come up with this "joke"? It's been made by both Bill Richardson and Janet Napolitano; no word on whether Arnold Schwarzenegger has said it as well. Perhaps they got together at a recent border states meeting and wrote down piffle on index cards or something. Or, perhaps the AILA or some similar group started it.

While there are far more worthy questions to ask them, perhaps throwing their absurdity right back at them might help shed some light on their approach to this issue:

"But, governor Perry, wouldn't that result in building up Mexico's ladder industry? Might that not cause some Mexicans to decide to stay home instead of using those ladders? Why, Mexico could even end up being a hotbed of ladder production and a major exporter! Plus, think of all the R&D necessary to build a ladder that's 42 feet high! Why, I think you've put your finger on the solution to the immigration problem!"

Immigration2007b · Tue, 08/28/2007 - 12:48 · · Importance: 1