Trumping the Facts: The Great Wall of China

In his speech in California, prior to the Indiana primary, Donald Trump mentioned the Mexican Wall and in his usual way of disparaging anyone who doubts that such a project can or should be carried out, he said that 2000 years ago the Chinese built a wall 13,000 miles long.

The wall, known as the Great Wall of China, to tourists and in photographs, is in fact, 5,500 miles long.

The China National Tourism Administration, though, lists the total length of the wall as 13,170 miles, because they include all the other walls they built that were rendered obsolete by changing political and economic circumstances, or, as will be in the case of the Great Wall of Trump, simple bad planning.

The following shows the 13,000 miles of walls that the Donald likes to cite as an example of Chinese brilliance.

www.chinahighlights.com...

a reply to: ipsedixit
This OP is not an argument. You haven't given an argument as to why the wall is a bad idea.

a reply to: Thetan

It's a Trump fact check. Once again, the Donald gets it wrong.

a reply to: ipsedixit
Two things.
1. You haven't given any proof that he actually said this, you just said he said this.
2. What did he get wrong exactly? According to your post he was off 170 miles. Big deal?

a reply to: ipsedixit

Read your link again and see what you missed.



Hint there is more to it then the Ming section of wall.

originally posted by: Thetan
a reply to: ipsedixit
Two things.
1. You haven't given any proof that he actually said this, you just said he said this.

It's on YouTube. The speech he gave in California, I believe on April 29th. Here's a link:

www.youtube.com...

2. What did he get wrong exactly? According to your post he was off 170 miles. Big deal?

He inflates the length of the wall, by including several different walls under one name, like the Chinese ministry of propaganda would do, and does. To shame America he puts on the mask of Dr. Fu Manchu.

a reply to: thesaneone

I'll get right on it. Here's a photo of the China/Mexico border. Are you ready for this, Texas?

he said that 2000 years ago the Chinese built a wall 13,000 miles long.

The China National Tourism Administration, though, lists the total length of the wall as 13,170 miles,

I fail to see where he is wrong... If the Chinese Administration says the wall is 13000 miles long.. there is 13000 miles of wall.. then how exactly is trump wrong saying the length of the wall is 13000 miles?

or is this another boneheaded, naive, ignorant, idiotic and desperate attempt to smear Trump, like we've seen from certain members on this board for the past... 3 months?

whats more likely..

Trump and China say the wall is 13000 miles and they're wrong
or
idiots on this board want to find any possible nit pick of a reason to ridicule trump

I know what basic logic says.. but what do you say ?

a reply to: ipsedixit
The official length of the wall according to your link is 13,170 miles. THAT'S what he was referencing, the official length. Why would he waste his time reaearching the technicalities of the matter? He has much more important things to do. This is a highly silly and trivial thread.

originally posted by: ipsedixit
a reply to: thesaneone

I'll get right on it. Here's a photo of the China/Mexico border. Are you ready for this, Texas?

for crying out loud.. you are desperate arent you?

Tell me, Americans have been complaining about their southern border being open and illegal immigration for.. what... decades?

You now have a possible president saying he's going to build a wall and secure the border.. yet.. you hate him for it?

Are you confused? or just really really really really really over due sleep?

It seems to me like you are arguing that Trump said "American car manufacturers only produced 1 million cars last year" and your counter point is "Ford produced 600,000 cars last year".

You want to talk about part of the whole to make his statement wrong, or did I misread the OP?

Also, it's not uncommon, especially when speaking, to round numbers to the nearest large number (thousand, ten thousand) simply for the flow of the conversation. If it was a technical symposium I could understand more exacting detail, but lay-members of society generally are happy with "ball park" figures.

EDIT - perhaps we would save money and rather than have a wall we create a bus line instead. A steady steam of "blue-birds" from Mexico to Canada. I am sure Canada would have no issues accepting 11 million or so new citizens into their social safety nets. Granted not all illegals are from Mexico, however it is our more porous source of immigration, hence the desire for a wall.

a reply to: Agit8dChop

I think Mr. Trump has been taken in by Chinese propaganda. It is clear from the map that the Chinese built a bunch of walls going in all directions, as a security measure, which failed. They did not build one 13,000 mile long wall that was a success.

I think people who listen to Mr. Trump are placing their faith in a liar.

originally posted by: Thetan
a reply to: ipsedixit
The official length of the wall according to your link is 13,170 miles. THAT'S what he was referencing, the official length. Why would he waste his time reaearching the technicalities of the matter? He has much more important things to do. This is a highly silly and trivial thread.

If he is going to negotiate with the Chinese and not be taken in by them, as he accuses American negotiators of having been taken in, he should do his homework and get his facts right.

a reply to: Agit8dChop

The Americans who have been hiring illegal immigrants are not complaining about the porous border. They have been taking advantage of it. The problem is not a "porous border" problem, it is an American law and order problem.

a reply to: 200Plus

I would be much more sympathetic to Mr. Trump's point of view if he said that he was going to start charging Mexico, and those who hire illegal Mexicans for social service costs involving illegals.

originally posted by: ipsedixit
a reply to: Agit8dChop

I think Mr. Trump has been taken in by Chinese propaganda. It is clear from the map that the Chinese built a bunch of walls going in all directions, as a security measure, which failed. They did not build one 13,000 mile long wall that was a success.

I think people who listen to Mr. Trump are placing their faith in a liar.

Are you sure it's exactly 13,130 miles, exactly? Don't forget, there could be additional over-hang, and such.. Could be 13,130.28 miles, and some odd feet. So for all intents and purposes, you better correct the Chinese board of tourism too, and press for them to also be exact.

And do you think Bernie, or Hillary will hold up to the things they have said?

You do realize that politicians are the only ones who, as an accepted part of their job, lie.

Like the old joke, "How do you know when a politician is lying? His lips are moving.." Nothing new, nothing truly mind-blowing here, more of the same 'ol, same 'ol.

-Cyg

a reply to: Thetan

I heard him say 13k on TV last week. He said it. I remember this specifically because when he said it I mistakenly thought to myself that the wall was 1300 miles long and immediately went and looked it up for myself.

a reply to: Thetan

Oh well it won't be obvious to Trump either probably.

a reply to: ipsedixit

If the man actually checked facts we'd never be having this conversation.

A walls a good idea, you don't see any illegal Mexicans in China do you?