The Wall

[Poopadoop]

I wouldn't say it's had little impact. There is certainly a 'balloon effect' to some degree. But crime is down. If drug usage is up, it's because the other side is fighting back with more production, more potent drugs, and cheaper prices. Our war tactics must evolve to counter that. And that means stopping the flow of drugs into this country. Eventually, it will get harder and harder for the bad guys to come up with new ways to get to the market. When that happens, they'll move on to a different market. Let them take their shit to Argentina.

That's not how things work. Dealers don't go 'oh geez there's a 25% chance our mules will get busted, better switch to another market'. They say 'ok 25% of our mules get busted, better raise the price'

We did it in Columbia. We poured 8 billion into efforts to destroy coca fields and prosecute drug lords.

You made hardly a dent in the coke market, if price is any indication. Not exactly a roaring success. Seriously, stop thinking Narcos is a documentary - it's not.

When the poorest of Mexican citizens can't be pushed out of the country and passed off on the US, they'll start demanding reforms, just like the Columbians did

No idea where this argument starts and where it ends.

Then we'll see who wins the war.

We've already been seeing for forty years. Drugs are still everywhere. Believing the whole 'securing the southern border' thing will change that in any significant way is wishful thinking.

[BananaStand]

That's not how things work. Dealers don't go 'oh geez there's a 25% chance our mules will get busted, better switch to another market'. They say 'ok 25% of our mules get busted, better raise the price'.

And what happens when 90% of their mules get busted?

Or if each non-busted mule is bringing a far smaller amount?

Let them raise the price. That only depresses demand, which is kinda the goal

[Poopadoop]

And what happens when 90% of their mules get busted?

Good luck making that happen.

Or if each non-busted mule is bringing a far smaller amount?

Why would they do that? You have a way of detecting 50 kilos but not 10?

Let them raise the price. That only depresses demand, which is kinda the goal

They really don't care about your goals. If the supply is less and the price is higher they still make a juicy profit.

[BananaStand]

They really don't care about your goals. If the supply is less and the price is higher they still make a juicy profit.

Unless the higher price decreases demand. When that happens, they have to raise the price further, or seek a market with more demand.

[Poopadoop]

Unless the higher price decreases demand. When that happens, they have to raise the price further, or seek a market with more demand.

When the supply is lower they don't need as high a demand to sell their product. Use your head.

The point is they don't care about the risk of seizure, they just factor that into their prices.

[BananaStand]

When the supply is lower they don't need as high a demand to sell their product. Use your head.

Use your head! Do you think we will ever live in a world where drug sales are contained among the very wealthy?

If poor people aren't buying in the US, there are other countries with poor people who will.

[Poopadoop]

Use your head! Do you think we will ever live in a world where drug sales are contained among the very wealthy?

This question has nothing to do with the argument about the effects of 'securing the border'. You seem to think you can make it so hard for drugs to enter the country that the dealers will just give up and go elsewhere. My argument is that the most that will happen is the prices go up.

[Poopadoop]

If poor people aren't buying in the US, there are other countries with poor people who will.

No seriously, use your head. The price of drugs depends on supply and demand. Reducing supply increases prices which decreases demand. The increase in price makes up for the decrease in supply for the producer. They don't care if 5 or 10 or 50% of their product gets destroyed in transit to any particular country, they make up for it by increasing the price in that country.