President Trump has so far failed to secure funding for his long-promised wall along the U.S.-Mexico border,Watch High Heel Homicide (2017) so now his most ardent supporters are trying to pay for it themselves.
Earlier this week, a GoFundMe campaign that aims to raise one billion dollarsto, well, build that wall was launched. As of Thursday morning the campaign had raised $3.2 million dollars. That is, of course, far short of both the $1 billion goal and the amount Trump wanted for the wall ($5 billion) before he initially abandoned it in a fight with Democrats over a deal to avoid a partial government shutdown (Trump has since decided he won't sign any funding bill without money for the wall.)
But it's still an impressive sum in a short amount of time.
The campaign is the work of Brian Kolfage, a triple-amputee veteran who was awarded the Purple Heart for his service during the Iraq War. Speaking to the Washington Post, Kolfage said it arose out of his frustration over the partisan bickering about funding the wall. “It’s time to stop playing games with voters,” Kolfage said. “If we are told we’re getting something, make it happen.”
Kolfage's effort to use crowdsourcing to circumvent government inefficiency is, in theory, a laudable idea. But the logic he's using to support this campaign is less sound. On the campaign's page, Kolfage includes the unsourced quote, “If the 63 million people who voted for Trump each pledge $80, we can build the wall.” While that math checks out, it goes completely against the reason so many people supported Trump's idea for the wall in the first place: because, as Trump crowed on the campaign trail, he'd make Mexico pay for it.
And, yet, here are American taxpayers sinking their own money to complete a campaign promise that the candidate they backed, a self-proclaimed skilled negotiator, can't get done on his own.
Second, Kolfage declares, "The government has accepted large private donations before, most recently a billionaire donated $7.5 Million to fund half of the Washington Monument repairs in 2012; this is no different."
That's true, but the claim that funding the wall is "no different" is far more subjective. Setting aside the astronomical difference in the actual amounts, the monument was made for repairs to a public structure that few would have refused.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
Meanwhile, the border wall is an incredibly divisive political issue that's brought into sharp focus America's internal debate about what our country's policy on asylum should be. This is, in fact, much, much different than a rich guy donating his own money to repair a monument to our generally beloved first president.
That won't stop people from donating to this GoFundMe, of course. In the time it took me to write this story, over $100,000 had been added to the total. The amount will fall short, of course, as that's such a staggering amount to raise in $50 or $100 increments. Regardless of the finally total, though, this funding will do nothing to settle the debate over whether we should build this wall.
UPDATE: Dec. 20, 2018, 1:58 p.m. EST Updated to reflect Trump's decision to not sign a funding bill without border wall money.
Previous:White Nationalism’s New Clothes
Next:Preserve Yourself!
OpenAI will announce a mysterious AI product on MondayRedmi debuts K70 series for its 10th anniversary · TechNodeKendrick Lamar vs. Drake rap beef is big business for content creatorsByteDance set to buy back shares from investors at $268 billion valuation: report · TechNodeInstead of buying lame gifts, donate to these conservation orgsMajor Chinese panel manufacturers may reduce production by 20% · TechNodeByteDance set to buy back shares from investors at $268 billion valuation: report · TechNode'Challengers' fan edits inspire creativity and controversyEarthquake triggers California's early warning app for the first timeWhere to preThere's a new crop of sustainable travel influencers on InstagramHeytea removes coA Samsung 'satellite' crash landed in Michigan, no big dealHow to preHow to preWhat will OpenAI announce Monday? Quite possibly an AI voice assistant.Instead of buying lame gifts, donate to these conservation orgsNeuralink’s first human brain chip implant experienced a problemEarthquake triggers California's early warning app for the first timeThis 'starry night' toad was lost to scientists for decades Lehecka vs. Dimitrov 2025 livestream: Watch Brisbane International for free New York Knicks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder 2025 livestream: Watch NBA online NYT Connections hints and answers for January 3: Tips to solve 'Connections' #572. NYT Strands hints, answers for January 5 CES Unveiled 2025: OpenDroids' R2D3 domestic robot is 'Roomba on crack' NYT mini crossword answers for January 4, 2025 Bengals vs. Steelers 2025 livestream: How to watch NFL online Opelka vs. Mpetshi Perricard 2025 livestream: Watch Brisbane International for free Roborock Saros Z70 at CES 2025: A huge flex Littler vs. van Gerwen 2025 livestream: Watch World Darts Championships for free Giants vs. Eagles 2025 livestream: How to watch NFL online NYT Connections hints and answers for January 6: Tips to solve 'Connections' #575. 49ers vs. Cardinals 2025 livestream: How to watch NFL online Atlanta Hawks vs. Los Angeles Clippers 2025 livestream: Watch NBA online NYT Connections Sports Edition hints and answers for January 4: Tips to solve Connections #103 Wordle today: The answer and hints for January 6, 2025 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Dallas Mavericks 2025 livestream: Watch NBA online Utah Jazz vs. Miami Heat 2025 livestream: Watch NBA online Vikings vs. Lions 2025 livestream: How to watch NFL online Miami Heat vs. Sacramento Kings 2025 livestream: Watch NBA online
2.8147s , 10129.4375 kb
Copyright © 2025 Powered by 【Watch High Heel Homicide (2017)】,Co-creation Information Network