Audit: Virtual Fence Cost Could Far Exceed Estimates

[CHIMO]

In other news, a new government audit is warning the Bush administration’s plan for a high-tech virtual border fence will likely cost far more than its initial two billion-dollar estimate. The virtual fence will utilize sensors, cameras and drones to monitor the borders with Canada and Mexico. The Homeland Security Department’s inspector general now says the plan could cost up to thirty billion dollars.

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/11/17/1454222

[razors edge]

1. Sounds just like star wars defence BS

100 times the cost and no functional purpose.

[stevedeshazer]

3. That "Star Wars" thing sure does come to mind.

Remember "Brilliant Pebbles"?

http://www.defensetech.org/archives/001693.html

[razors edge]

6. The repugs are always

attracted by shiny objects of little or no value.

I know the developers and proponents are looking to rip of the treasury, but the number of chicken shit supporters looking for big daddy to protect them with whatever mumbo jumbo rube goldberg hits the presses, never ceases to amaze.

[stevedeshazer]

2. The party of "less government" has some explaining to do

This will make a bunch of contractors rich and take away money from our kids and grandkids.

[NOLADEM]

4. NO way. Shocked. Can't believe that the Repukes would attempt

to enrich themselves at the expense of the public for a worthless, bloated, offensive, overbudget boondoggle.

:sarcasm:

Hope we can kill this thing.

[dragonlady]

5. When Sensenbrenner hears of this

he will undoubtedly introduce a bill to kill the project because of the waste of taxpayer dollars that it represents, far in excess of the amount he wanted to withhold from Katrina relief. He'll be sending out a press release any minute now, watch for it.

[joemurphy]

7. This Fence is a total boondoggle. Mexicans here laugh at it.

It is rightly considered a joke.

They will cut through it, dig under it, or climb over it. Failing that, they will walk around it, dynamite it, or fly over it.

Do not underestimate the ingenuity of a hungry Mexican.

[Phredicles]

8. I don't think anyone could've anticipated that

this would turn out to be an ineffective boondoggle from the "Party Of (unbelievably terrible) Ideas".:sarcasm:

[southerncrone]

9. Just another

"make my cronies rich by grabbing handfuls of taxpayer $" scheme.
This has got to be one of the dumbest ideas ever!
All the Mexicans have to do is cut the wires & cables & "virtual fence" is "disabled dead fence"!
What igmos! :crazy:

[w4rma]

10. My strategy would be to let the Republicans have their way. Wait as people get ticked off about it.

Then once a critical mass of folks realizes that the way to deal with the illegal immigrant problem isn't by building walls, but instead by getting rid of the incentives for them to come over here. We come back and fix the problem. In the grand scheme of things this is just another poorly planned GOP boondoggle.

[rodeodance]

11. maybe this fence idea will just fade away?

[leesa]

12. Wadda surprise. Total waste of money.

[CatholicEdHead]

13. Modern Siegfried Line anyone?

Which shows how obsolete this line is before it is built?

[TankLV]

14. Let's guess - Halliburton involved in this?