Why don’t we just let Donald Trump build his wall? I know that it is an unpopular idea to a lot of people. The wall that Trump envisions, which more than likely won’t become a reality, would be a physical symbol of our attitude towards immigration and our neighbors to the south. It would show our isolationism, our unwillingness to accept immigrants or otherness. Also, like other great walls before it, it would not succeed in its intended purpose. Many of the illegal immigrants in America today are people who overstayed their visas and arrived predominantly by plane. Unless this wall reaches up to the stratosphere, I don’t think it's stopping them.
But it seems clear at this point that nothing is going to stop Trump from trying to get that wall, so why don’t we give it to him? Have Americans forgotten that compromise is required in the legislative process? Democrats could gain a huge victory in keeping the DACA program if they can make a deal with Trump.
Republicans should be chomping at the bit to make a deal before that happens.The fact that the wall hasn’t been made yet shows that it is not universally popular. Republicans that don’t want a wall should be trying to make a deal with the Democrats before they get shut out, or give in to Trump’s demands. It would look far worse if Trump abandons the party.
Making a deal with the Democrats, ironically, is also the best political move for Republicans at this point. In the past few weeks, Trump has been shifting blame for the government's inaction to Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan. These two represent the establishment and traditional Republicans. If Trump succeeds in making a deal with the Democrats, he could prove himself right in a lot of people's minds. Then many traditional Republicans could see a challenge from more Trump-friendly candidates.
We all love to talk about bipartisanship, but we don’t even know what that word means. It almost seems to me like we want to have a bipartisan bill that only gives our side what we want. We have to return to the give and take of politics. That’s the only way that anything will get done in Washington.