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Saturday, January 28, 2017

"The Wall": Paying the Piper

One of the first idioms that I remember learning was "we all pay the piper sooner or later". Meaning that we all must face the results of our actions. It's a corollary from the Absolute Law of Cause and Effect (which is one of the Cosmic Laws). 
Another is "if we don't change directions, we will wind up where we're headed".

As I read today's headlines that our president wants to tax imported Mexican goods at a 20% rate in order to pay for a border wall, I hear the song, Stairway to Heaven, of which the lyrics are about someone who accumulates money, only to find out the hard way that their life had no meaning and will not get them into heaven. The song, also, reminds us that our words and actions may take us to unforeseen destinations- that taking the high road instead of following the line of least resistance is what's best.

In short, I say that if we want a wall, then we should pay for it. Pretending that rich Americans haven't gotten richer off the backs of illegal immigrants is shameful. In which case,  let all of us who have financially benefited the most (by keeping Americans wages artificially low by padding higher profits via Mexican labor) pay for the wall. Not by making the American consumer pay for The Wall via paying 20% more for goods being manufactured in Mexico.

[Note: Weakening the Mexican economy would cause the number of illegals to once again increase after have dramatically decreased in the past several years. And the "wall" is something of a misnomer since it is not completely feasible. He will score brownie points with his constituents though. Why heck, even I want a tight border! We will definitely need one as climate change increases pressure on our southern neighbors.]

Song, "Stairway to Heaven":
https://youtu.be/BXSxSXKQCl8

Lyrics (and interpretation):
https://www.google.com/amp/s/genius.com/amp/Led-zeppelin-stairway-to-heaven-lyrics#amph=1