Trump's new idea -- a 'solar wall' on Mexican border

Don the Con is a great entertainer.

He's laughing at all Americans. The only person he's helping is himself. I listened to a set lectures on Lincoln recently. It's sad how far a great country has fallen in 150 years.

So to the topic at hand, can we build a wall with solar panels on it or not? Seems business thinks we can. So if the cost issue is taken away, can we now build the wall? I think we can and will.

"We have to stop the drugs from flowing in."

The problems start within the US, including the failed war on drugs. What measures are the president and Republicans in Congress taking to deal with the opioid crisis that stems in part from US big pharma's greed?

"Pretty good imagination, right? My idea!"

Pathetic child calling 'look at me'.

The Trump administration has yet to make serious headway on the president's emblematic but hugely costly campaign pledge to build a wall on the Mexican border.

But his true believing followers don't care that 1. it's all talk, and 2. they're going to have to pay for it. They'll just continue to blame Obama, the 'libs' and the 'MSM'. They've been cult-if@cated.

Oh god, please stop the international embarrsment - American leadership, the joke of the world.

So you are saying it is not technologically possible to build a wall with solar panels?

But his true believing followers don't care that 1. it's all talk, and 2. they're going to have to pay for it. They'll just continue to blame Obama, the 'libs' and the 'MSM'. They've been cult-if@cated.

it is obviously not all talk. A request for proposals was sent out and they are obviously being reviewed, as one of them seems to be a solar wall.

http://all-that-is-interesting.com/modern-border-walls-photos

Lots of other countries have walls, you know? Even more have fences:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3205724/How-65-countries-erected-security-walls-borders.html

So, Mexico is paying for the solar panels then? I wonder how much maintenance costs would increase if the wall was built with solar panels. Of course, nobody that hates the wall would try to break any of the panels.

As PTownsend said about the drug issue: the demand is in the U.S. If you don't deal with the demand, a wall will simply increase the price of drugs. That increase will translate into more crime. Yep, the wall sure will help a lot.

This is comedic platinum:

"Think of it, the higher it goes, the more valuable it is," he enthused. "Pretty good imagination, right? My idea!"

(emphasis added)

The U.S. administration put out a call for proposals several months ago for the construction of the border wall, one of which -- submitted by a Las Vegas businessman named Tom Gleason -- involved using solar panels.

It's my idea! It's my idea! I stole it from Mr. Gleason out of Las Vegas.

It sure would be nice if republicans stopped living in the unicornverse/rabbit holes and joined us back here in reality so they could govern. Instead of doing their jobs; they seem to prefer to blame the minority party - who the republicans don't need to advance their agenda; dream about walls that will never be built; rail against necessary investigations into foreign powers influencing our elections, possible collusion between the president's campaign and that foreign power, and now the president for obstruction of justice. Here's some advice: Shut up about the investigations and let them run their course. Shut up about the wall that will never be built. Shut up about Obama, Clinton, Lynch, etc. Shut up about the minority party that is not needed to pass legislation and get people confirmed. After you shut up, get to work. The vast majority of the distractions for the republican party are self-created. Sad.

Gotta give Donny boy credit for an original idea to try to get support for his wall, especially since his claim that the Mexicans will pay for it has been found to be entirely empty.

especially since his claim that the Mexicans will pay for it has been found to be entirely empty.

Nothing has even been built, so you have to wait to see if Mexico will pay or not. Mexico has not paid.....YET.....because nothing to pay for.....YET.

So, Mexico is paying for the solar panels then? I wonder how much maintenance costs would increase if the wall was built with solar panels. Of course, nobody that hates the wall would try to break any of the panels.

So we just have to stand by and let people destroy our property and do nothing? I doubt that will happen. Or, charge Mexico with the repair bill too, if its coming from their citizens on their side. Im sure we dont let them just destroy whatever fences or walls are already in existence now, Im sure there are consequences for people who damage those.

Instead of claiming that Mexico will pay for the bill, try explaining it. Stop remittances from the US? That won't cause economic harm to either country. Import tariffs? Again, no economic harm for either country.

I know telling certain people that Mexico will pay for the wall makes those people feel tough, but just because you say something, doesn't make it so.

Drip drip drip.... the daily hysterical Trump bashing continues. And sadly there are some low-information news consumers who do not look further than the legacy media, and who gobble this up.

he has to say that Mexico will pay for it. Otherwise the Dems will use COST as their method of obstruction to prevent it from getting built. The fact is, it is needed for national security, and national security costs money. For those of you who think this wall is NOT getting built, obstruction by Dems in the funding process is your only hope.

But, that is also obstruction of the security of our nation and will be brought up in the 2018 elections, so Dems should be careful. Also Trump is already looking at alternate methods of funding that he controls (such as generating solar power from it as this example says).

Genius.  although a wall will not "stop the drugs flowing in" .

My question is, does he really believe the verbal diarrhea that emits from his mouth, or is he just playing us? (A third choice is that doesn't believe anything at all and just says whatever pops into his head, forgetting it the next day.)

there are just so many things wrong with his proposal, the feasability issue of harnessing solar power along the wall isn't even near the top of the list.

first, a wall already exists where it can be built easily. but large swaths of land along the border can't have a wall built because of the rough terrain.

second, most border patrol agents don't want a solid wall. that's because they prefer to be able to see what's coming at them.

third, you can still tunnel under or crawl over any wall that is built.

and last but not even close to being least, landowners aren't willing to sell land at the border in order to build a wall. this is especially true in Texas, where they haven't budged on this idea since Bush tried to build a wall.

he has to say that Mexico will pay for it. Otherwise the Dems will use COST as their method of obstruction to prevent it from getting built.

I thought the Republicans were the party of fiscal responsibility.

The fact is, it is needed for national security, and national security costs money.

National security costs money. National security is important. But, it's important to use money effectively to deal with national security. Building the wall is not a fiscally responsible method of dealing with national security. That money can be spent much more effectively and efficiently.

Dems want to use cost as their method of obstruction. That way they can hide from the underlying national security and immigration implications. if cost is removed from the conversation, Dems will have to take a position on illegal immigration and how it relates to the security of our nation. They dont want to do that because they get a large portion of their votes from the legal (and sometimes illegal) immigrant population.

Dems want to use cost as their method of obstruction. That way they can hide from the underlying national security and immigration implications.

Republicans - "We scream for fiscal responsibility, unless it's money that we want to waste."

"I will give you an idea that nobody has heard about yet. The southern border. Lots of sun, lots of heat. We are thinking about building a wall as a marijuana wall. So it grows marijuana. And pays for itself."

"And this way, Mexico will have to pay much less money. And that's good. Right?"

"Think of it, the higher it goes, the higher everyone gets. Pretty good imagination, right? My idea!"

DJT

@Blacklabel

I'm putting a wall up around my house. You're going to pay for it.

I can pay for it first, but you're going to have to pay me back for it. I'll put solar panels on it and it should bring the cost down for you. You can pay less. Sounds good, right?

Great idea! That way the nearby residents on either side can surreptitiously tap into it to power their homes.

@porto: Sure! If you can prove that people from outside your house (country) who are connected to me (my citizens) are coming into your property illegally. If you can prove those same people permanently stay inside your property, never leave, take jobs away from your family, commit crimes, and provide drugs to your family. If you can also prove that my social services bills decrease and yours increase because my citizens on your property use more of your resources than any contributions or payments they make.

Prove that, then sure you are within your rights to protect yourself from me and mine at my expense. Otherwise, if you just want protection from a perceived threat, pay for it yourself. But obviously illegal immigration is a threat to the USA for the reasons I listed above and many more (drugs, etc)

Didnt Obama just finish building a wall around his own house, by the way?

So why not just build a wall around the entire country, and in fact, around every city? Fiscal responsibility doesn't matter, so everything should be walled off, right? That way there will never be any more illegal immigrants, right?

This is just amazing comedy gold... Ronnie Reagan used to come out with some howlers, and did George Dubya, but they are nothing compared to the Don. He just opens his mouth and all of this garbage just spills out. He'll want scientists to clone dinosaurs so they can patrol the border next...

A wall wouldn't do any good anyway... light planes and choppers can fly over it, or around it, and small boats can go around it. America can't police its coastline 24 hours a day... or would it try to Mexico to pay for that too lol

As far as Mexico paying - didn't they already say they weren't going to? How many times do they need to say it?

I think we should build a wall to keep him in.

what a buffoon this man is.

Maybe they could have cloned dinosaurs and terminators patrolling the border?

Another laughable idea uttered without thought by the solipsist.

For one, the solar panels would be quickly stolen or destroyed.

I am glad Dubya has lived to see that he won't be remembered as the dumbest president ever. With hindsight, he has a great leader.

So why do 65 countries have walls/fences if they dont work?

Why is Trump the only one ridiculed for an idea that probably 1/3 of the countries in the world have already implemented and spent money on? Are all these countries stupid too?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/france-and-britain-just-beat-donald-trump-tobuilding-a-border-wall/2016/09/28/345e352a-8000-11e6-ad0e-ab0d12c779b1_story.html?utm_term=.9183d0dc094d

But hey whatever furthers the Trump is stupid/racist narrative that everyone wants to push during lulls in the but Russia! stuff. Yeah, no wall in history has ever worked since ladders and shovels were invented. Sure.

For one, the solar panels would be quickly stolen or destroyed.

Exactly who would be doing that and why would they be allowed to do so?

I am glad Dubya has lived to see that he won't be remembered as the dumbest president ever. With hindsight, he has a great leader.

No, no he wasn't. Does he come across as downright Churchillian compared to Cheeto Jesus, maybe. But Trump hasn't accomplished Jack Squat whereas Bush got an awful lot done over eight years, ALL OF IT horrible. The careless rehabilitation of war criminals is always a bad idea. Next thing you know, people are saying Henry Kissinger is a family friend.

@Blacklabel. Not sure why your last 2 posts were down voted. I am by no means whatsoever a Trump supporter (very much believe he is totally unqualified/not fit for office) but you are merely presenting a counter point. It is interesting to see that a quote stating "what a twat..." is up-voted 3 times and left on the page by the moderators why you are down voted for presenting your point of view and some facts.

It is an interesting idea (especially to someone like me who is all for alternative energy). The solar potential in that location is fantastic so if a wall is to be built why not provide it with solar panels. I doubt Trump thought of this (during the campaign companies were actually pitching this idea) and if a wall has to be built - why not?

I am not for open borders (nations have a right to and do protect their borders) and obviously the southern border of the U.S. has been quite porous so something should be done related to immigration.

So it's not new, and it's not his. I agree it is an idea.

As everyone has pointed out, physical barriers already exist everywhere they could be built and would have any impact. The 'wall' will never be built and of course Mexico was never going to humour Trumpty with his fantasy of them contributing financially. As for solar panels, the sun basically shines from the south in the northern hemisphere, so they would all be on the Mexican side. Is he expecting Mexico to patrol and maintain the panels as well?

I'm used to it by now. A Columbia professor and a George Washington university professor say a 2,000 mile solar wall can be built for 1 billion dollars. The same 1 billion dollars that Trump saved us just for this year by backing out of Paris Climate accord.

But yeah let's just insult Trump some more and hope and pray Russia collusion is found instead of securing our borders with something 1/20th of the cost that could also generate clean energy.

Interesting but unrealistic, imho.

Recall a fairly recent article where some enterprising people had welded a drug slingshot to the existing wall.

Sure we need a wall on the border with Mexico . . . Except we don't because the numbers coming in from Mexico have been falling and so have the number of undocumented Mexicans in the US.

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/03/02/what-we-know-about-illegal-immigration-from-mexico/

Now, care to explain why this wall is necessary?

If we need a wall to close the border because we cannot monitor it, how are we going to be able to stop the Americans and Mexicans that want to damage/steal the panels from doing it?

Obama is a former president and rich, so not only does he need protection from nutjobs that think he is a Kenyan Muslim, he can afford the wall. Not to mention it protects his private domicile. It's a false equivalent.

The facts point to not needing a wall for national security.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/immigrants-do-not-increase-crime-research-shows/

So why do 65 countries have walls/fences if they dont work?

Do any of those 65 countries have a border the size of America's? And are their borders as ineffective at keeping out illegal's as America's will be?

I thought the Republicans were the party of fiscal responsibility. Are you saying that as long as the worlds 'national security' are tagged to the project, money doesn't matter anymore?

America is indeed a great country. Even a mentally ill person can become president.

Tonight, clueless narcissism was on full display.

This guy is such an idiot. The unfortunate thing is he is smarter than his supporters.

Exactly who would be doing that and why would they be allowed to do so?

It isn't too hard to understand why it is a stupid idea uttered by an idiot.

Well, the sun doesn't shine on the North side of the fence, so the solar panels would need to be on the South side of the fence.

The South side faces say a less affluent population who "may" find it easy to steal or fun to damage other's property, especially if it is American property.

The South side is Mexico, so the Mexican police would need to find money to police their own people stealing from America, which hasn't worked out too well in the past. I have known some police there to be say less than lawful. Plus, there are thousands of miles of fence to police.. . . .

I know, maybe Trump should build two fences. That will work. One solar panel fence, and a second fence to keep people from the solar panel fence. It wouldn't stop them (there are double fences in some locations now), but it would slow them down a little bit.

Good idea but... solar panels are concentrated for a reason. Less cables running to converters. Less power loss.

Also you will need lines to transport that energy.

Anyways, they will have to contend with people stealing copper wires too now.

It isn't too hard to understand why it is a stupid idea uttered by an idiot. 

Hold on! The Democrats once again lost another big election, that's now 4 in total, they continue to moan, groan and just scream, whine and hate on Trump with literally NO message, want to tax the bejeezus out of people, create more government checks, No economic message, No leadership, losing over 1000 legislative seats, the House, the Senate and the presidency and Trump is the idiot????

Wow!

The South side is Mexico, so the Mexican police would need to find money to police their own people stealing from America, which hasn't worked out too well in the past. I have known some police there to be say less than lawful. Plus, there are thousands of miles of fence to police.. . . .

And lots of technology that can be implemented into this, that's why Trump had the meeting with all the big silicon geek heads the other day to talk about (one of the topics) security as well as beefing up the border.

I know, maybe Trump should build two fences. That will work. One solar panel fence, and a second fence to keep people from the solar panel fence. It wouldn't stop them (there are double fences in some locations now), but it would slow them down a little bit.

Whatever works. I'm sure the engineers will figure out what is doable and what isn't.

America is indeed a great country. Even a mentally ill person can become president. 

Does that also apply to the House speaker minority leader.

Tonight, clueless narcissism was on full display.

We had to deal with it for 8 years, now it's your guys turn.

This guy is such an idiot. The unfortunate thing is he is smarter than his supporters.

Yup, and those comments are exactly the reason why Dems keep losing. LOL

Under pressure from Democrats, the U.S. Congress has so far refused to commit funding to the project, agreeing only to finance maintenance on existing parts of the border fence.

Thank you for this Democrats.

However, the only thing scarier than President Trump is a democrat representative from my district . Had an election here on Tuesday to fill an empty seat in the House. Democrat orgs were reported to have spent over $320 a vote.

House speaker minority leader?

I'm not familiar with this term, and neither was Professor Google. Facts please.

You know what has had the most profound effect on drug trafficking? Legalization and decriminalization by the states. We have seen that people are willing to spend a hefty premium to buy their drugs legally, and even when only two states had legalized, the effect on the Mexican drug trade was enormous. If every state legalized or at least decriminalized marijuana, the Mexican drug lords wouldn't have any customers any more. Study after study shows that marijuana is much less harmful than just about every drug, including alcohol and tobacco. Legalize and the wall issue will take care of itself, besides creating huge tax revenues for states.

i never said it would be stolen.

Hold on! The Democrats once again lost another big election, that's now 4 in total,

Huh? Obama won 2 out of 2. Unless you're referring to some other count. But let the reader in on your insight. You're a WaPo journalist, after all.

Regardless, and more importantly, your point as usual is that popular equals sensible and good (at least if popular is your side). I pray to the flooring in my house that people like you someday realize that the future of this planet and the living creatures on it are too important to be decided by the whims of reality TV.

What kind of president of the world's largest economy could utter this kind of self-serving nonsense? And how could his supporters not see through the BS. Baffling.

Huh? Obama won 2 out of 2. Unless you're referring to some other count. But let the reader in on your insight. You're a WaPo journalist, after all.

I'm sorry, let me say it a bit more clearly, recently? But I'll answer that for you, nothing.

Regardless, and more importantly, your point as usual is that popular equals sensible and good (at least if popular is your side). I pray to the flooring in my house that people like you someday realize that the future of this planet and the living creatures on it are too important to be decided by the whims of reality TV.

But it was supposedly ok under a community organizer? LOL

What kind of president of the world's largest economy could utter this kind of self-serving nonsense? And how could his supporters not see through the BS. Baffling.

apparently, from the last 4 recent elections a lot more than you think.

This is little more than a shout-out to his devoted base who apparently don't realize that walls are vertical but effective solar farms are horizontal. They just think "solar" is some kind of checkmate power word that once they say it "those damn librals" just automatically have to agree to whatever was said.

Simply put, lets say Trump gets his wall, then put's solar panels on it...  The US taxpayers will still be paying for the cost of this wall first, as well as the opposition to seizure of private property by the Federal government... And solar panels?  Who is buying the electricity it provides?  Sure as hell won't be Mexico.  And after the US shoulder's the brunt of the cost getting it built first.. then claim that Mexico will pay us back for it.   And Mexico is saying, "yeah, right. We don't wanna."  What are we going to do, garnish their wages?  

The cost of produce we get from Mexico (please look closely at where a lot of the produce comes from when you go to the grocery store) will skyrocket and American's will still be paying the brunt of the cost for "the wall".  Or the US stops importing produce from Mexico period and people buy locally/nationally within the country, which once again makes it so that US citizens are the only one's paying for the wall.

So where is the brilliance of his logical fallacy?  "I'm rich so I'm smart"

So his promise to make Mexico play was just empty rhetoric so Trump has moved on to the next piece of empty rhetoric.

Lots of people have talked about building a wall in the past, and all of them decided it wasn't worth the time or the money, which could be better spent elsewhere. That part hasn't changed. You also have the legal issues with the landowners, which hasn't changed either. It's just a populist leader selling the same crap to the public that's been sold a hundred times.

Or Trump could keep up the rhetoric talk, that alone is driving illegal immigration surprisingly down, cheaper than a wall, fence or a solar wall.

Or you could just stop getting duped by his empty promises.

@Bass, it's not the rhetoric talk.  The one thing I believe Trump can take credit for is allowing the ICE to enforce the immigration laws we have.  That is what is driving illegal immigration down.   One would be less likely to stay in the US illegally, or come to the US illegally if they knew that ICE would be more likely to crack down on them at any time.

I'm sorry, let me say it a bit more clearly, recently? But I'll answer that for you, nothing.

That makes no sense no matter which party or planet you claim as home.

apparently, from the last 4 recent elections a lot more than you think.

Again, to which elections are you referring? And you're implying that because a surprising number of people can't see through the con, the con must be gospel truth. You're doing a bang-up job of defending the "cause" you've signed up for.

I propose a yuuuuge wall be built around Washington DC.

Everything here is a whole bunch of can't. Ok what CAN we do to stop the flow of illegal immigrants, possible ISIS and drugs into our country from the southern border?

Most of you seem to think everything is fine, but if so where did these 11 million illegals come from in the first place? And how are we going to keep them out for good once we send them back? Just no message at from Dem side everything is just can't.

Most of you seem to think everything is fine

Stop confusing "they don't support a stupid and wasteful wall" with "everything is fine." It grows tiresome when the right proposes bad legislation, and if we don't support it then we must support the problem.

That makes no sense no matter which party or planet you claim as home.

Definitely not in the Unicornverse where liberals flourish

Again, to which elections are you referring?

Georgia and South Carolina are 2.

And you're implying that because a surprising number of people can't see through the con, the con must be gospel truth.

I never said that, see, this is the constant problem with the left. They just can't stop embellishing the facts.

You're doing a bang-up job of defending the "cause" you've signed up for.

No, just stating the truth, lighten up, it ain't that bad. Lol

Rhetoric talk? Do you also say gravy sauce?

As a matter of fact....

It grows tiresome when the right proposes bad legislation, and if we don't support it then we must support the problem.

I know of some bad legislation the last president jammed down our throats and now we are paying for it

Trump continues to give comedians and comedy movie producers decades of fodder.

Bwahahaha! And, use the solar energy to run lasers to zap the illegal immigrants.

One has to understand American history and how much if the US was Mexican territory before it was stolen by the US to make any sort of comment. The USA was a small country before they took the land from Mexico and even from Canada.

Does Trump own a solar panel company ? I wouldn't be surprised ...

Serendipitous1, comedians are finding it hard to keep up with the material Trump is providing. He writes the jokes for them but there isn't enough time for them to present the jokes.

Reading the title, I thought it was about Trump building a wall of mirrors, beaming light to blind Mexicans from crossing the border. But it turns out, his actual plan of stopping drugs and illegal immigration isn't much less far fetched. Good for green, clean, renewable energy though. Maybe they should hire Mexicans to build it.

Hell yeah -

he's building the wall as promised

He's making Mexico pay for it

He's using solar - that oughtta shut those pesky conservationists well

He's gonna make it tall so it's more valuable. How tall? Well the taller the better I say, think Babel.

I don't see any downside to this brilliant and imaginative idea.

Do you @bass, @black?

Oh this is fun! a solar wall! Not a coal powered one? Suddenly clean energy works eh Donchan? Carbon, Paris, political vengeance....need I say more? The hypocrisy of the man.

All I am still seeing is people trying to make fun of trump or telling me what can't be done. To those of you, what's your plan?

All I am still seeing is people trying to make fun of trump or telling me what can't be done. To those of you, what's your plan?

To wait out the next 4 years, pointing out how much a loser trump is, and try to minimize the damage he can cause.

All I am still seeing is people trying to make fun of trump or telling me what can't be done. To those of you, what's your plan?

What's your plan spending so much time and energy to defend Trump (14 posts here) ?

Most of us just give one opinion and leave the article without making it personal.

Get a life !

To wait out the next 4 years, pointing out how much a loser trump is, and try to minimize the damage he can cause.

The way it looks, you might have to add another 4 years to that. So far, the Democrats winning percentage is...well....not good, not even a little.

Apparently, from the last 4 recent elections a lot more than you think. Hold on! Georgia and South Carolina are 2. The way it looks, you might have to add another 4 years to that. So far, the Democrats winning percentage is...well....not good, not even a little.

The Democrats once again lost another big election, that's now 4 in total, they continue to moan, groan and just scream, whine and hate on Trump with literally NO message, want to tax the bejeezus out of people, create more government checks, No economic message, No leadership, losing over 1000 legislative seats, the House, the Senate and the presidency and Trump is the idiot???? Wow! This is the constant problem with the left. They just can't stop embellishing the facts.

We had to deal with it for 8 years, now it's your guys turn. But it was supposedly ok under a community organizer? LOL I know of some bad legislation the last president jammed down our throats and now we are paying for it. No, just stating the truth, lighten up, it ain't that bad. Lol Definitely not in the Unicornverse where liberals flourish.

And those comments are exactly the reason why Dems keep losing. LOL

Sincerely,

The American Right

Solar panels are used to create electricity.  He might be planning to electrocute drug traffickers from Mexico.

I would not allow DT to run a water tap, let a lown a country.

If Solar panels were on side of Mexico and then the Mexicans will said thank you and take Solar panels home.

It is a typical Trump trolling move.... now we will see the Alt-Left clowns running around screaming against a huge solar power installation, while clamouring for solar power.

Rather brilliant :-)

Ha WilliB, Trump beating the libs at their own game. Now if the border wall can be covered in solar panels, no lib dare touch it, it is a shrine.

There is a huge difference between giving reasons why something is a bad idea and saying we can't do that something.

Yes, we could build a wall. What we are saying is we don't need a wall.

Conflating issues is a bad habit of certain posters. Instead of staying on topic during critical discourse, these posters run from cold hard facts and hide behind the "but Obama, but Lynch, but Clinton" wall (of ignorance).

*pointing to Trump's untruthfulness.

WilliBToday  05:19 am JST

It is a typical Trump trolling move.... now we will see the Alt-Left clowns running around screaming against a huge solar power installation, while clamouring for solar power.

Rather brilliant :-)

Isn't it kinda weird that the mods here will instantly delete any post that criticizes someone for trolling but a post that applauds someone for trolling gets left up? It's almost like they have no rhyme or reason for what they do.

There are too many comments above to read, so I haven't check, but has anyone asked which side of the wall Trump intends to put these solar panels? It seems to me if he puts them on the US side, they're not going to receive much sunlight. A southward facing wall is a wall which receives sunlight and which, wait for it, faces Mexico. This is just plain science and geography, but I don't think this is obvious in a nation where half the people think the Earth is only 6,000 years old.

Perhaps Trump needs to build another wall to prevent the Mexicans from stealing the solar panels!!!

A southward facing wall is a wall which receives sunlight

Right, let's build another wall on Canada's border! And they're paying for it!

Must have a new member of his family in the solar business asking for a little "push"

Right, let's build another wall on Canada's border! And they're paying for it!

DT won't stop until the whole U.S. is walled like a concentration camp, unless his ultimate plan is actually to build a..dome

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcxMsfGGpRk

This is Trump

He thinks he's smart

He says plenty of dumb things and has many stupid ideas

He is the biggest embarrassment in America

Don't be like Trump

Trump hasn't built anything yet, nor does he have any money to build anything. It looks like his wall will be made of hot air, not solar cells or anything else.

A truly brilliant plan!

A stimulus that NASA should take full advantage of.

Bring in the space agencies of Russia, China, Japan and the EU - not to mention private firms - and you've got something really yyyuge!

An unlimited source of power that keeps resource stealing aliens out!

A solar wall circling earth! Who but The Don could have conceived of it?!

It's unclear who he is trying to troll here. He usually tries to troll democrats and liberals, but this time he appears to be directly trolling repubs. What is this moron's end game?

solar wall, LOL wall is expected to cost around $10billion, itd take over 100yrs of sunlight to pay for itself, Mexico certainly wont be giving any money towards it. Trump is a scammer and con man

This idea ignores the inevitable: vandalism. Solar panels are fragile and highly vulnerable to damage from impact by hard objects such as rocks thrown from one side or the other of the border. Furthermore, to have the solar panels in the best attitude for energy collection would require building structures on the wall that would nearly double the capital outlay and cause complications such as a wider stand-back easement inside US territory, eating up even more of the land that ranchers in the border states are already opposed to losing to the wall. Then there is the cost of maintenance and amortization.

This is just so much trumpery.

Trump has 3-1/2 years left of his terms. Not much memory of his bs will be retained. Over 90 percent of the U.S. agriculture industry depends on illegal Mexican labor. How will this solve the border problem?

The recent special elections were all to replace congressional members appointed to the administration, i.e. they were all Republicans. Not too surprising that Republican candidates won again in districts previously held by Republicans. Clearly not a straight fight, and while the Democrats would have been delighted to win any of the seats, they odds were always against them. As if anybody needed that to be spelled out!

sfjp:

Sorry, that is simply incorrect. Latest research shows that only 25% of the agricultural labor force is comprised of illegal immigrants. Not 90%. It would be easy to replace them by simply offering decent wages to legal residents. I'm sure most Americans would be willing to pay an extra quarter for a head of lettuce that was picked by an American. The vast majority of agriculture is done on an industrial scale using massive equipment that require few operators. Your assertion is quite popular, but a shibboleth nonetheless.

TheEast:

Yes, the GOP won both races. What is important to note is that, in Georgia at least, millions of dollars poured in from outside the state to support the Democratic candidate- far more than the Republican. He also got celebrity endorsements and the like. He also lost. Sound familiar?

This is all a smoke screen.

In the United States, as I'm sure anywhere else in the world, power creation and distribution is extremely big business. Is the POTUS saying that the US government is getting into the power business? Oh, I can see the queue outside the White House right now of all the Coal, Natural Gas, and Nuclear energy lobbyists. You know, the one's that helped him get into office because he went to the rural states and told the voters that he was going to put all the coal miners back to work. And how can we forget the Paris Agreement. If he was that excited about solar, he could have easily said he would help in the transformation of the coal, natural gas and nuclear energy industries to an alternative energy industry, but he didn't.

I would love to see a transformation of the power industry in the US, but I do not see it occurring during the current administration.

And to the point of curbing drugs, the biggest issue right now is Opioid abuse. Opioids are manufactured by big Pharma. Much like Power, this will not change during the current administration.

And as far as to the why/why not of a wall, the United States was formed by immigrants on the basis of inclusiveness. If you are American and not 100% Native American, you are from a familial line of immigrants.

This is all a smoke screen.

Freaking Comedian in Chief.

So to the topic at hand, can we build a wall with solar panels on it or not? Seems business thinks we can.

This will work about as well as Trump's Muslim ban. And even if they build the wall ladders and shovels have worked for thousands of years to get over (or under) walls.

Illegal immigration isn't actually a problem, that's why nobody's ever really tried to solve it. The illegal immigrants work for next to nothing so businesses and industries love them and have successfully kept them in the country. Blaming them for drugs is just silly, as obviously drug mules have to actually go back to Mexico. Calling them members of ISIS...lol...which border did the 9/11 hijackers cross again? The wall is just a pretend solution that appeals to the authoritarian-loving base.

illegal immigrants work for next to nothing so businesses and industries love them

Trump lovers: Do you like your cheap watermelons? Guess who picks them? And guess who won't (or even can't) pick them.

The wall is just a pretend solution that appeals to the authoritarian-loving base.

Yes, like the 120 day Muslim ban. It's not even a ban. 120 days is a real laugh. But Trump followers somehow believe 120 days is going to make a real difference somehow.

Attention Trump supporters: How is a 120 day ban going to keep ISIS out of the USA? Anyone can simply wait 120 days then....bye bye Empire State Building. The only effect a 120 day Muslim ban will have is it will delay any ISIS related terrorist acts by just 120 days. Trump is playing his followers like fools.

A solar wall. Right.

Trumps promise of a Big Beautiful Wall is a big thing. If he goes back on that, he risks losing his supporters.

If Trump is able to pull of this bait-and-switch, then, he's really got his suckers on the line, and he'll take them all the way in.

Maybe these solar panels will only absorb sunlight from the Mexican side. It pays for itself and that's how Mexico will pay for it because it's tall and it's valuable and beautiful. Trump is kind of a smart person, you know.

considering the sun rises in the east, sets in the west, the walls surfaces will be facing Nth & Sth, if built itd probably be the most inefficient solar array in the history of the world. and the Don think hes the smart one. LMFAO

Anyone left to build this wall ?

How will making the wall solar powered, actually be cheaper? You have "the wall" which will be expensive to start with and then you stick "much more expensive" solar panels on top...

And how long does the supposed solar panels stay up? Only long enough to pay for the wall which may take years and then taken down so as not to offend big oil?

And making the wall cheaper will not entice Mexico to pay for anything. They simply will not do it. They already said they wont. They have no reason to and laugh when even suggested.

But why stop there? If you are so serious Mr Trump, why not add more solar panels every where and light America for free? Also pay for everyones health care all at the same time! Get off foreign oil entirely and help save the environment!

"Lots of other countries have walls, you know? Even more have fences:"

Yea and North Korea even has land mines. I wonder if this wall he is proposing is to keep the illegals out, or all the legals in...

Has to be solar to keep electrification of the fence running economically.

considering the sun rises in the east, sets in the west, the walls surfaces will be facing Nth & Sth, if built itd probably be the most inefficient solar array in the history of the world. and the Don think hes the smart one. LMFAO

Doesn't matter, Trump can come up with the idea and how or whether it's functional will depend on what the engineers think, NOT Trump. Remember: Steve Jobs didn't make the iPhone, he was just the brains of the idea.

Nishikat:

Again with the tired old meme that the price of food would rise dramatically should illegal immigrants not be allowed to harvest it.... any serious economic study of the impact of illegal labor on the agricultural sector says that you are wrong. Most workers in agriculture are American citizens or legal residents. Illegals' portion of the sector is minimal. And yes, I think most Americans would not mind paying an extra dime for broccoli if it were harvested by legal residents.

The same applies to other sectors that are traditionally seen as dominated by illegal labor- cleaning services and restaurant work. Again, most workers in those areas are American. And again, the impact would be a few dollars on a hotel room and a buck (maybe two) on a meal in a real restaurant. Again, a small price to pay to see Americans doing those jobs and getting paid fair wages.

Final shibboleth, that there are jobs that Americans are too lazy or proud to do. Not true. Possibly the dirtiest and most dangerous job in America is coal miner. Yet it is dominated not by illegals, but by Americans. There is simply no sector of the economy that needs illegals.

Illegals' portion of the sector is minimal

Really? With 30 million illegals as Trump and his followers claim there are? 10% of people in the USA are illegals. How can that be minimal with one of out ten people in the USA being illegal?

an extra dime for broccoli

That would require charging companies for crimes if they hire illegals. Trump voters want to do that strictly, right? OK, I understand. Just ten cents? Does that include TrumpCare benefits for full time broccoli pickers? But the most important question: How come this failed before? They tried to force watermelon farmers in Alabama to hire 100% Americans and fire the illegal pickers. This became law and it was such a disaster that they had to go back to illegals and the law went back to what it was before that "allowed" that. Business as usual. But you can go to Walmart to enjoy those nice, juicy, and cheap watermelons.

Possibly the dirtiest and most dangerous job in America is coal miner.

Trump is breaking his big promise of bringing back all those coal jobs - like many other promises like the wall, the Muslim ban, Hilary's arrest, investigating the 5 million voter fraud cases. I can't think of anything Trump has done, or even successfully started. He can't even get his Muslim ban kickstarted.

Trump can come up with the idea and how or whether it's functional will depend on what the engineers think

Like how well Trump engineered the 120 day Muslim ban? And don't forget that ladders have always worked well to get over walls (and shovels if you want to go under) so Mexicans and ISIS members will keep coming into the USA even if the wall is somehow built.

a buck (maybe two) 

Which is it- one or two? Because restaurants are too expensive in the USA anyway. I go to restaurants in Japan and they are always cheaper. And I know they don't have illegals working there (and everyone has health insurance). I can't believe it.

The money would be better spent helping the Northern triangle countries of Central America; strengthen their institutions, reduce violence, reduce poverty. Then maybe ten's of thousands would flee their countries to come here.

If they're sure you're going to die if you stay nothing we say or do will prevent them from leaving - not saying you shouldn't come, not building a wall.

Trump can come up with the idea and how or whether it's functional will depend on what the engineers think, NOT Trump.  actually itll be the engineers to see if it economically viable and whether congress will provide the funding. the big IF is whether Mexico will actually pay for it. If somehow the US forces Mexico to pay for it then Im sure Mexico will demand to own it also. Im guessing that Mexico paying for the wall will have as much chance of the Muslim ban keeping the terrorist out.

Very soon Mr. Trump will move the Army airborne division to the border with shoot to kill order.

The wall, as in a complete wall is never going to happen. Even if somehow it did, the smugglers will just find a way around it. Under, over or using boats to make the trip longer and more dangerous or even private planes, but will continue.

You need man power, either with boots on the ground/watch towers and or drones in the sky, every where and constantly. You also need honest border guards, because some how vans and even 18 wheelers packed with people are still making it to the US.

If you are going to stop this, do it right. Don't play with tax payers money or people's lives. Allow smuggling and it will continue, as well as the drugs.

Same with fire arms crossing the border. When we lost a night vision goggle in the field, we spent all night looking for it. When we loose hundreds or thousands of weapons, the US government just shrugs their shoulders, says "Oh well..." and continues on.

"Think of it, the higher it goes, the more valuable it is," he enthused. "Pretty good imagination, right? My idea!"

Hmmmm... At about 28 degrees north, it's going to need to be more horizontal than vertical. I'm not so sure that the height-to-value ratio is going to be very good. But as long as we're imagining value, sure! It's super valuable!

Jericho wall... Berlin wall... China wall... Adrian wall... Maginot line... Trump wall...

From the man who couldn't make money with casinos in Atlantic City, who ripped off thousands of people with a fake university, and who would be bankrupt without hundreds of millions of dollars in money laundered from Russia through real estate scams, comes another of his great cons, the Solar Wall. Small crooks go to prison for 25 years when they have three strikes against them, but Trump gets awarded the Presidency. The lesson to be learned? If you are going to steal, steal big.