10 things I learned from “Our 50 State Border Crisis “ by Howard Buffett
Howard Buffet is truly working very hard to solve the problems in the world with his resources. He is active in law-enforcement, and personally travels to dangerous areas to try to figure out solutions to the crime problems centered on the southern border of United States. He is also trying to solve hunger problems in Africa.
1. Howard Buffett is the son of Warren
A few minutes into the book I really like Howard Buffett. He is very straightforward about who he is and how he got there. He also points out that since his father funded Howard's philanthropic organization with somewhere near nine figures they don't have to waste any time fundraising. Howard is very driven as a philanthropist and seems to work tirelessly to solve the worlds problems with food insecurity, and also with this effort, the border crisis in the United States.
He takes a lot of personal risks and travels to dangerous places in the Congo and Honduras. I highly recommend this book to people that are interested in the topic.
2. Criminal gangs are “graduating “ from drug smuggling to human trafficking and prostitution
This is sickening.
3. Solutions proposed by the government are too simplistic to be workable
There are too many different types of people trying to cross and too many nuances. The smugglers might tell the same stories as somebody who is truly fleeing persecution. The smuggler might be both: a dangerous criminal but also scared because they were conscripted by the cartels.
4. He considers drugs to be “narco terrorism”
He also, rightly, considers it to be a crisis. He compares the 3000 people that died on 911 to the 500,000 people that have died from drugs since then.
5. The amount of Fentanyl that can fit in 2 suitcases can kill 30 million people!
6. There are towns in Mexico where border crossing is an industry
They are usually run by the cartels. They sell backpacks and water bottles, and and bus rides up to the US border.
7. The reason why Howard has a farm in Arizona is so his foundation can research better crops for Africa
He has first-hand experience with migrants and cartel drug dealers crossing over his property.
8. The costs of crimes can be extraordinary
He gave the example of a single career criminal that assaulted a woman and stole her truck. Thankfully she survived, but he nearly killed her. With the various DNA tests and police work and research Howard estimated that over $500,000 was spent on prosecuting that single crime. the perpetrator had been back-and-forth across the border and arrested multiple times and was actually being held on a different offense when he was arrested for this crime.
he was convicted four years after the crime, and will serve as many as 70 years in jail in the United States. His jail time will cost the taxpayers of Arizona $1.8 million.
This is an insane amount of damage that a single individual can do and it is just one example of hundreds.
9. The “sound bite” political approach to border problems and deportation is not helpful: it is far too nuanced
Undocumented immigrants that may just be trying to work at a legitimate job are afraid to come forward because they may be deported. This insures that they are taken advantage of and treated like a slave. Some cartel gang members are United States citizens.
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