Not Furloughed

[ndrosen]

Until further notice, I will still be coming in to work. The Patent and Trademark Office is financed out of fees, not taxes, and will be able to operate for a while using its own funds, although if the shutdown continues long enough, we may be furloughed as well.

The proposed wall would not stop people from entering legally and overstaying their visas, or from being smuggled into the United States by other means. It would, form what I’ve read, create ecological concerns, and infringe on the property rights of Americans near the border. For example, where the convenient place to build a stretch of wall is north of the actual border, an American farmer or rancher could find himself without access to a large part of his land and water, and have the wall run across his fields. Even if you are more concerned with illegal immigration than I am, the Wall is a very dubious proposition.

Does our Orange Overlord even believe in it himself, or does he see it as a way to show his base that he’s standing up for them? Or does he even think in those categories?

Comments

[filkferengi]

I'm glad you still have work and a paycheck. If the latter runs out, let us know; we can help.

[ndrosen]

Thank you kindly, but I have money in the bank, and more in a mutual fund.

Some federal employees and contractors are not in this fortunate case.

[kk1raven]

I don't think he really cares about the wall at all. I think that what he cares about is getting his way. He said he'd build a wall, probably without having understood anything about the subject, and he's going to stick to his guns and make sure a wall is built, whether it makes any sense or not.