When I hear claims that the border is “more secure than ever” I am reminded of those who confuse results with effort.
As a society we have made great efforts in many areas. And we have achieved great results in many areas. However, you cannot equate results with effort.
For example, vast amounts have been spent over longer period to the following areas:
- to cure disease
- to eliminate poverty
- to improve graduation rates
- to stimulate the economy
- to improve productivity
- to improve technology
- and in the case in point, to improve border security
But have the results in all these areas been proportional to the expenditures? My intuition tells me that how well you feel we have succeeded in the above areas depends upon your political leanings. If you are a big-government type, you will think that great progress has been made in all of the listed areas.
However, if you are “results-oriented”, you will not equate effort with results. And even though more has been spent on securing the border and there are more border guards in place than ever before, you will look at the results in terms of public safety, crime rates, emergency room costs, etc., and you will not say that the borders are more secure because you can see the opposite results.
In a socialistic society, effort is rewarded: showing up, punching in, lowest common-denominator, why-bother-because-it-makes-no-difference efforts. In a free-market society, results are rewarded: exceptionalism, achievement, best-contributions-to-society and success.