> So what's in it, politically, for the Dems to militarize the border in this
> way?
I'd say your best bet, if you want to find out the motives of the Democrats you're talking about, is to locate some reporting by somebody who's actually talked to some of the Democrats in question, or others who know their thinking. Otherwise, all one is left with is one's imagination, which can sometimes give free rein to to what I think the psychology literature calls confirmation bias. Maybe troll around on the Nation or In These Times websites and see if someone's written something good.
SA