Favorite Toy

Published in Folha de S.Paulo
(Brazil) on 29 January 2019
by (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Alessandra Guetti. Edited by Eric Stimson.
In his obsession with the wall, Donald Trump does not seem to care about hassling the people.

No one is forbidden from having fixed ideas as long as they do not cause harm to others. Donald Trump’s obsession with building a wall along the entire border of Mexico falls into this damaging category: It has already caused problems to millions of Americans and it may cause even more problems soon.

By insisting on ensuring budget resources for the construction, the president of the United States clashed with Congress at the end of 2018. The result was failure to approve specific bills to fund public agencies. When this happens, there is a shutdown, which is the partial suspension of federal services due to lack of funding.

Approximately 800,000 employees were left without salaries, parks were closed and hundreds of flights were canceled, among other consequences. Last Friday (Jan. 25), Trump agreed to sign a bill that provides financing for a portion of the federal agencies until Feb. 15.

After 35 days, the longest shutdown of its kind in the country's history ended.

However, the president’s desire to see one of his main campaign promises fulfilled is not over. According to the Republican leader, there will be a new shutdown without what he calls a “fair deal” with the legislative branch. Democrats, who are again in control of the House of Representatives, are opposed to giving money to the border barrier.

If his desire is not fulfilled, the president threatens to use his prerogative to declare a national security emergency, which would bypass the need for congressional approval. But the provision would surely arouse controversy due to the use of an extraordinary expedient for this matter and it would inevitably be challenged in court.

If the wall was a comprehensive solution to contain the illegal influx of people and merchandise, Trump’s obstinacy in getting $5.7 billion for the endeavor would be justifiable.

This is not the case. Experts say that the installation of the wall would face many technical difficulties, such as adverse terrain conditions at many points along the border. It would be more useful to invest in monitoring technology and to strengthen the contingent of police patrols.

In this scenario, Trump’s immaturity in public administration becomes evident. There is a noticeable inability to partake in dialogue when the situation is not convenient for him.

The threat of forcing another shutdown only emphasizes the selfish behavior of someone who does not seem to care about the hassles caused to the population due to his tantrum over his favorite toy.



Brinquedo favorito
Em sua obsessão pelo muro, Donald Trump não parece se importar com os transtornos à população

Ninguém está proibido de ter ideias fixas, desde que elas não causem prejuízo a outras pessoas. A obsessão de Donald Trump em erguer um muro ao longo de toda a fronteira com o México se enquadra nessa categoria danosa: já trouxe problemas a milhões de americanos e pode vir a trazer mais em breve.

Por insistir em garantir recursos do Orçamento para a obra, o presidente dos Estados Unidos travou um embate com o Congresso no fim de 2018. O resultado foi a não aprovação de normas específicas para custear órgãos públicos. Quando isso ocorre, dá-se o “shutdown”, isto é, a suspensão parcial de serviços federais por falta de verbas.

Cerca de 800 mil funcionários ficaram sem receber salário, parques fecharam e centenas de voos foram cancelados, entre outras consequências. Na última sexta-feira (25), Trump aceitou assinar uma lei que prevê o financiamento de uma parcela das repartições federais até 15 de fevereiro.

Depois de 35 dias, terminava a mais longa paralisação desse tipo na história do país.

Não acabou, porém, o desejo do mandatário de ver construída uma de suas principais promessas de campanha. De acordo com o republicano, haverá um novo “shutdown” sem o que ele chama de “acordo justo” com o Legislativo. Os democratas, que voltaram a controlar a Câmara, se opõem a dar dinheiro para a barreira fronteiriça.

Caso não seja atendido, o presidente ameaça usar sua prerrogativa de declarar emergência nacional, o que o desobrigaria de conseguir o aval dos congressistas. A medida, porém, decerto despertaria polêmica pelo uso de um expediente extraordinário para essa questão e fatalmente seria alvo de contestação na Justiça.

Fosse o muro uma solução unânime para conter o fluxo ilegal de pessoas e mercadorias, a obstinação de Trump em obter US$ 5,7 bilhões (cerca de R$ 21 bilhões) para a empreitada seria justificável.

Não é o caso. Em vários pontos da fronteira, dizem especialistas, a instalação enfrentaria dificuldades técnicas, como condições adversas do terreno. Teria mais serventia investir em tecnologia de monitoramento e reforçar o contingente de policiais fazendo patrulha.

Diante desse cenário, fica clara a imaturidade de Trump na administração pública. Há uma notória incapacidade de diálogo quando a situação lhe é inconveniente.

A ameaça de forçar uma nova paralisação só ressalta a conduta egoísta de alguém que não parece se importar com os transtornos à população por causa de uma birra por seu brinquedo favorito.

This post appeared on the front page as a direct link to the original article with the above link .

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