# The mighty air traffic controllers. **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 26, 2019, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mighty-air-traffic-controllers/828440 "2019-01-26T12:42:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2019, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mighty-air-traffic-controllers/828440/121 "2019-01-29T15:14:31Z")
> [@Ancient\_Erudite](#): > > **Obama, Clinton, Schumer and 23 other Democratic senators voted in favor of the act when it passed in the Senate …** I’d also like to point out that this is such a SMALL number of votes. Seriously, if 100,000 is a big number no matter how you slice it, then 26 is a small number no matter how you slice it. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2019, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mighty-air-traffic-controllers/828440/122 "2019-01-29T15:15:52Z")
It stuns me that people in Kentucky, West Virginia, Idaho, Iowa, etc, just think that _Texas_ is going to be quiet when the army is sent in to seize lands from our citizens, deny us access to our water, and separate us from our $170 billion/year relationship with our southern neighbor. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2019, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mighty-air-traffic-controllers/828440/123 "2019-01-29T15:33:31Z")
> [@Ancient\_Erudite](#): > > Coast to coast implies West to East. Oceans, not Ocean to a river. Its shocking to see how quickly some here glance over the crimes against USA citizens that Illegal aliens commit. I get it; you CAN’T hold any moral ground when I show you the victims number over 100,000. It’s a disgrace and needs to be addressed. Border security with a wall is the answer. > > People asked for data, and I provided it to form one state ( Texas ). Should I look for more from CA, NM, and AZ? Texas has coastlines. [Cite.](https://www.traveltexas.com/cities-regions/gulf-coast) > [@](#): > > The Texas Gulf **Coast** offers 600 miles of **coastline** accompanied by **seaside** towns with amazing views. After almost a year since Hurricane Harvey, the Texas **Coast** is open and ready for fun. Whether you’re looking for a family getaway, mouthwatering cuisine, relaxation or outdoor thrills, the Texas Gulf **Coast** has you covered. So do the others states in the Gulf Of Mexico. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2019, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mighty-air-traffic-controllers/828440/124 "2019-01-29T15:52:07Z")
AE, join me on my work to ban guns and overturn the second amendment… which will save far more lives than your wall… and I’ll work with you to sever the GOP’s control of Texas politics. Deal? ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2019, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mighty-air-traffic-controllers/828440/125 "2019-01-29T16:07:07Z")
> [@Ancient\_Erudite](#): > > Coast to coast implies West to East. Oceans, not Ocean to a river. Who’s talking about a wall from an ocean to a river? ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2019, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mighty-air-traffic-controllers/828440/126 "2019-01-29T16:13:13Z")
I assume he means the Rio Grande, which spills into the Gulf of Mexico at the Los Palomas Wildlife Refuge to the east of Brownsville, TX. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2019, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mighty-air-traffic-controllers/828440/127 "2019-01-29T16:18:39Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > I assume he means the Rio Grande, which spills into the Gulf of Mexico at the Los Palomas Wildlife Refuge to the east of Brownsville, TX. But that’s ocean to ocean (or ocean to gulf if you want get picky) ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2019, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mighty-air-traffic-controllers/828440/128 "2019-01-29T16:21:28Z")
Yeah, I’m just trying to interpret here. 🙂 Maybe he thinks the wall will be built _only to_ the Rio Grande, leaving the RG wall-less? ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2019, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mighty-air-traffic-controllers/828440/129 "2019-01-29T16:26:22Z")
> [@Ancient\_Erudite](#): > > Once again, don’t try to distort things with percentages, let’s count the actual amount of crime that happens and determine if it is a small or large number. It’s a huge number. “Don’t try to distort things with percentages”? Aren’t intelligently chosen ratios a path to understanding? I don’t like absolute numbers — they’re too frightening. I read that I have 39 trillion bacteria in my body. That’s Trillion with a T! Please change it to a percentage!! Yes, many of these bacteria — 39 trillion bacteria!! — are supposedly benign but suppose just 100 billion of them are Streptococcus. Isn’t that still too many? Wouldn’t I be better off with only 90 billion Streptococcus? Can we please divert some of the $70 billion for The Wall to do something about these pesky bacteria? Multiply 39 Trillion by the population of the U.S. and that’s something like 13 Sextillion (with an S) bacteria infesting Americans. _ **13 Sextillion** _. Is that a small number or a large number? Something should be done. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2019, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mighty-air-traffic-controllers/828440/130 "2019-01-29T18:14:36Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > “Don’t try to distort things with percentages”? Aren’t intelligently chosen ratios a path to understanding? Percentages are hard. Like fractions. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2019, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mighty-air-traffic-controllers/828440/131 "2019-01-29T18:15:37Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > The “Obama lives behind a wall” bullshit has been debunked by people with functioning eyeballs. Who ya gonna believe? Trump and his propaganda machine, or your lyin’ eyes? ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2019, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mighty-air-traffic-controllers/828440/132 "2019-01-29T18:20:40Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > “Don’t try to distort things with percentages”? Aren’t intelligently chosen ratios a path to understanding? > > I don’t like absolute numbers — they’re too frightening. I read that I have 39 trillion bacteria in my body. That’s Trillion with a T! Please change it to a percentage!! > > Yes, many of these bacteria — 39 trillion bacteria!! — are supposedly benign but suppose just 100 billion of them are Streptococcus. Isn’t that still too many? Wouldn’t I be better off with only 90 billion Streptococcus? > > Can we please divert some of the $70 billion for The Wall to do something about these pesky bacteria? Multiply 39 Trillion by the population of the U.S. and that’s something like 13 Sextillion (with an S) bacteria infesting Americans. _ **13 Sextillion** _. Is that a small number or a large number? > > Something should be done. :snaps fingers: Well, I tried. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Economist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c89c15/32.png) [@Evil\_Economist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Economist)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2019, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mighty-air-traffic-controllers/828440/133 "2019-01-29T19:51:05Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > The National Emergency argument is merely dick-waving. Again, you’re ignoring the political reality here: this wall, as you envision it, destroys the GOP if actually built because it will cost your party Texas. Guarandamnteed. Sounds like a reason to let the orange idiot try to build the wall. Say we’ll provide funding, but first he has to secure land rights, oh and he has to start in Texas. Then sit back and watch as Trump tries to seize property from Republican-voting Texas landholders. Personally, from my vantage point, I’d enjoy watching the Republican party tear itself apart. ---
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2019, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mighty-air-traffic-controllers/828440/134 "2019-01-29T20:50:54Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > To make myself even clearer: 36,500 arrests of illegal immigrants every year _ **is a small number** _. It may not seem that way to you, wherever you are, but it is that way to the 2nd largest State in the country, one that averages 800,000 arrests a year. It IS roughly equal to the number of gun deaths per year. Does **Ancient Erudite** also support reversing the Second Amendment, or do those people not matter? And would he say so personally to those that have lost loved ones to gun violence? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mighty-air-traffic-controllers/828440.md?page=6)