Tancredo to Obama: A 'new deal' on border fence?

On the heels of absymal job projections released Monday by the University of Colorado, outgoing Congressman Tom Tancredo, R-Littleton, is asking President-elect Barack Obama to consider creating new jobs by adding to the workforce required to build "the congressionally mandated fence between the United States and Mexico."

TancredoFTS File Photo

As Tancredo notes in a news release sent to reporters today, Obama has introduced new economic initiatives similar to ones supported under FDR's New Deal in 1933. Obama has publicly said that he hopes his strategy will create 2.5 million new jobs and improve America's infrastructure, including roads, Internet, and schools.

Never one to shy away from controversy, Tancredo said in the release, "It is imperative that the President-elect use his new public works programs to build the border fence he voted for in the Senate. Not only will this create new jobs – as Obama said was his main goal – it will drastically improve our national security in these perilous times."

And in a moment of political spin, Tancredo concluded, "We must use this new ‘new deal’ to secure our borders, help preserve American jobs and create a stronger economy for America's working families."

According to Tancredo, the President-elect has not mentioned funding the construction of the new border fence between the U.S. and Mexico as part of his job creation strategy. With all economic indicators suggesting, however, that many Mexican laborers are heading south amidst a stalled American housing market and a $700 billion market bailout, the question remains: Should building this fence be a top priority?