"Virtual" Border Fence Runs Over Budget And Fails To Work!

So the whole “border fence” thing was a mystery to me until I read the news about what the Bush administration is calling a “virtual fence”.

“Gee Whizz!” I exclaimed. “That sounds all high-tech and sci-fi!”

Then my awe subsided and I looked at who was building said “virtual fence”. Boeing! Now it all made sense. The bush administration does nothing that has no benefit for a major defense supplier, and so it is with the border fence idea.

Barbed wire and chain-link are too cheep and would benefit no major contributor to his campaign, but a “virtual fence” would be a great way to squander millions and millions of dollars that might otherwise go un-scammed. So the idea to build a prototype (remember that word) high tech surveillance system that could replace chain link and barbed wire was a great idea!

Already the project is hitting snags and it’s back to the very expensive drawing board for the folks who make airplanes not fences. The problems with the system are predictable, and even the Government Accounting Office expected trouble. Now they have said the project will stretch into the next presidency before completion if even then. Now that is a great project!

This kind of system is not only untested, but far from feasible and that is why the Bush administration likes it. It is a convenient hole to dump taxpayers money and funnel it directly to a defense contractor. Among the problems is using the wrong kind of software for the project, requiring a major reinvestment in programming and deployment. Additionally, the job is taking longer than expected, 2 years longer!

All in all it is a great boon for Boeing and a terrific way to waste money and resources far into the next decade!