Political Linguistics

   The war of words in Washington is wounding many Americans who have little or no interest in or connection to the issues at the root of the debate.
   For all the ranting about the need to build a Great Wall to keep out murderers, thieves, rapists and drug smugglers, the border barrier already in place has not been extended in the two years since the current president took office.
   Moreover, much of the smuggling that does occur goes through established ports of entry, usually hidden in vehicles, which can carry more stuff and is more economical. Criminals they may be, but they're not stupid.
   Secondly, the $5.6 billion demanded for wall construction was previously approved by Congress a year ago, but the president himself rejected the plan after pressure from his more conservative allies.
   So what are the issues, really, that caused the president to close government operations and put people out of work? That number, approaching one million, includes support employees of other businesses such as restaurants that serve lunch to government workers.
   One issue is, of course, the border barrier -- which already exists -- and another is the alleged flood of criminal aliens invading America and destroying the culture.
   That allegation, by the way, is not supported by the government's own facts and data that show a sharp drop in smuggling and a corresponding rise in attempts by women and children to escape violence in Central American nations, and not primarily Mexico.
   As for immigrants destroying the culture, that bigotry has infected America throughout its history, as the doors of opportunity were slammed shut to keep out those who did not look like, talk like, or behave like those who were already here.
   The current president seems to have forgotten, if he ever knew, the words inscribed on the base of the Statue of Liberty:
   "Send me your tired, your poor ... the homeless, tempest tossed to me. I lift my lamp beside the golden door."
   But then, he doesn't seem to have read the Constitution, either, which specifies the duties, responsibilities and limitations of the nation's chief executive.
   As for the president's offer to extend protection to DACA youth in exchange for $5.6 billion to build his precious wall, that offer borders on the meaningless, because courts have already stopped government attempts to send them out of this country to places they have never really known.
   But again, knowing that detail would require reading newspapers or watching television news programs, or even listening to his own advisors who know the background details of the problem.
   And since he doesn't read much anyway, and only listens to those sycophants who repeat to him what he wants to hear, perhaps it's pointless to try to tell him truth.
   Meanwhile, casting aspersions and throwing nasty words at those who disagree does nothing to improve the possibility of agreement or compromise.
   Firing those who disagree may have been a useful strategy in the real estate development business, but he can't fire members of Congress, a co-equal branch of government elected by the people.
   It's long past time this president read the Constitution.