Jan 9, 2019 5 min read

The Observer-Reporter occasionally asks Facebook friends to respond to a question about an issue in the news. This week, we asked: What are your thoughts about the partial government shutdown stemming from the Democrats’ refusal to allocate more than $5 billion to build a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border?

Nick Pihiou: The Democrats all wanted the wall, and giving the exact same reasons for needing one. Why are they against it now? The Democrats do not care about this country. It’s crazy how they act, all politicians are thirsty for power. But I’ve never seen it like this, in my life.

Brenda Powers: To urban people, a wall seems cruel. However, many people do not realize that there are miles and miles of Arizona ranch land where drug runners are just walking into the U.S. (see videos on Google). Those areas, especially, need a wall.

Susan Elaine Bayard: Absolutely disgraceful. Trump doesn’t care about the effect this is having on so many people and institutions. I’m very ashamed and frightened for our country. I’ve been around for 65 years and have never witnessed such chaos; truly sad and disheartening.

Jim Douglas: The only chaos is from the left who see their socialist utopia disappearing. Only nonessential things are closed. This has zero negative impact on the country. Those workers will all get back pay and will lose nothing. Most of them make big bucks and Cadillac benefits. They can easily weather what amounts to a paid vacation.

Kathleen Colbert-Gibson: Forget the wall. Huge cost, zero benefit. Use the money where it has a real benefit to taxpayers.

Mary S. Morris: Put the money into Social Security and Medicare. Pay back what was taken from there. We do not need the wall.

Julie Vincenti: Trump’s fault. Trump should have gotten his majority Republican Congress to vote for it two years ago. If Trump couldn’t get his OWN people in line to give money for the wall … Well you finish this sentence.

Joann Shaffer Naylor: A shutdown caused by politicians should penalize these officials by their not receiving salaries, not government employees. This is totally unfair!

Marva Hunter: Don’t blame the Democrats! The Republicans had full control for 2 years and wasn’t able to get it passed! Did Trump promise the people He would get Mexico to pay for it … he should stick to his promise and make Mexico pay. The only problem with that is can’t do it.

Joe Mefford: If walls don’t work explain to me why the rich and famous people live in GATED communities, why is there a FENCE around the White House … why do most politicians have WALLS, FENCES around their many homes?

Nancy Thornton: Shameful behavior for the Democratic Party. Build the wall.

Audrey Miller: Government employees are not upset. I know quite a few. They believe in the wall, as do the border security agents that appeared with President Trump. Government contractors might be upset, but we cannot please everyone all of the time.

Tom McCormick: A wall will not stop the problems with immigration. Until we look at the immigration laws and change them to be more accepting and not regionally biased, then make a new path to citizenship for people already living here will we actually change things.

Mary Ellen Kania: Trump is working for our country. Dems are obstructing everything he is trying to do. The wall is one of the biggest promises he has run on. Dems know they need security, but won’t work with Trump because they know it would be a big win for him and he would win again in 2020. Not about our safety. It’s all about politics!

Ruth Antonelli: Build the wall. The government has been shut down before and longer under Obama.

Rachel Lewandowski Klepsky: Let’s not play the Democrats vs. the Republicans game. Donald Trump ran his campaign on promises of building a huge concrete wall that Mexico was going to pay for. He never said he needed $5 billion from the United States to pay for this wall until he could not make his promises happen. For anyone who agrees with his decision to shut down the government I ask you this, how would you like to stop receiving your paychecks and figure out how to live? Maybe you should take your paycheck and give it to someone who is not getting paid and would love to have money to pay bills, feed their children, pay for medications, etc. Donald Trump said he was happy to shut down the government. That is solely ON HIM.