In a representative democracy such as the US, sovereignty is held by the people. The people’s power and will is expressed by the laws and actions of their representatives who act in their stead. As for the right to draw a line on the land, Mexico signed (albeit after losing the Mexican-American War) the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, which ceded California, Utah, most of Arizona, nearly all of New Mexico, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming to the US forever more in exchange for $15 million and several million in Mexican debt. The Gadsden Purchase of 1853 bought the remainder of what is now Arizona and New Mexico from the Mexican government for $10 million.
So, even Mexico recognizes our right to draw our national borders where we have since they have not repudiated or withdrawn from either the treaty or the Gadsden sale of the remainder.
OK BrainGlutton you have showed a wikipedia article that mentions a few achievements and also his failure (according to the article) to ease unemployment.
But what is the political situation that the man is dealing with? Does the PAN hold a majority in the Mexican Senate or Chamber of Deputies? Does he have some sort of majic wand that he can wave and make things better overnight? Bush has had 6 years running the American economy. Is it as robust as it was in 1998?
Do the posters who like to say Fox has done nothing to improve things know anything other than what they find with a quick search on Google about the Mexican economy, internal politics, or political climate here?
No, really, CBEscapee – as a Mexican (or resident of Mexico), what do you think of Fox’s record? And what would you do differently in his shoes? Come on! Don’t just criticize our ignorance! Fighting ignorance is a team effort!
The point is that Fox is criticizing the US for not being more open to illegal immigration. If economic circumstances are such that this immigration is necessary, then I’d say the problem lies in the Mexican economy. Fox might not be able to do all that much about it, granted. But unless the US is causing the economic circumstances in Mexico, that particular criticism doesn’t quite cut it. If the US was causing Mexico economic problems (I don’t know; maybe they do), then Fox would be perfectly entitled to criticize the US for that.
I’ve often wondered why he, or other Mexican leaders, haven’t made a concerted effort to turn Mexico into a destination for cheap manufacturing. Evidently, there is a need for jobs. And it seems that a poor Mexican wold welcome the option of staying in his own country, close to his family, instead of incurring the risks of sneaking into this country, doing hard, manual labor, usually under poor conditions, and existing as sub-society. Even if these jobs in the U.S. pay more, when you take into account all the risks and the living expenses incurred before money can be sent back to Mexico, I wonder how much the difference would truly be.
I would think that many US manufacturers who now go to the East for cheap labor would love to have goods made closer to home. The shipping costs alone shold be considerable.
I gotta admit, John, adding Mexico to the USA isn’t the all-time worst idea I’ve ever heard. But the commitment to internal policing that it would require from the US would be enormous.
But it would provide for an expansion of markets without involving the state department, reduce the burden on Customs and Border Patrol (with an easier border to manage), encourage firms to move south for lower personnel costs while keeping those firms inside the US.
There are downsides, it’s true, but clearly it’s a problem (illegal immigration) searching for a solution.
Add to this is the fact that in many areas of Mexico, US citizens are barred from owning Real Property. Now, if the USA had a law that said “Unless you’re a Citzen of the USA you can’t actually own land here”, you can bet your bippy that super-hypocrite El President`e would be screaming racism.
However, he’s just doing what most other 3rd World nations do- since he can’t solve his own problems, he attacks the uSA. A wonderful way of diverting the masses.
I admit we need to overhaul Immigration- but not because Fox wants us to.
Actually I agree that Fox has a valid point. the USA should have a procedure (like the old “Bracero”) program, to admit workers into the USA , under legal means. The problem is, he (FOX) doesn’t want to do anything on HIS end. take the flow of drugs: Mexico is a transit point for drug importation into the USA. There is good evidence that elements of the Mexican army are participating in this traffic. Fox has done very little about this.
Mexico is being held back by its corrupt government. If Fox wants to send his poor to the USA, fine-but then WE get to dictate government reforms to them.
I’ve got doubts about this one. Mexico has a whole lot of coast to patrol. Isn’t any savings on the border patrol costs is just going to have to be shifted to the coast guard to pay for increased patrols?
Not really, the US already patrols the Gulf of Mexico pretty extensively; and the increased costs and methods for transporting people and material via boat is infinately easier to track. You could even use shorebased radar to watch for boats and ships. There of course would be an increase in cost for doing so; but would it be outweighed by the benifits?
Think what would happen if nothing but minimum wage and our health codes were added the the current population of Mexico; not to mention tourism and farming improvements.
Although it doesn’t matter; Mexican Pride (heck any soverign national pride) would never allow Mexico to petition for statehood. I still believe it would solve many of the issues we currently have (though it would take time).
You tried to claim this in a previous thread but then you claimed Americans weren’t allowed to own land anywhere in Mexico. When I corrected you, you try to spin it by claiming the small area where foreign land ownership is restricted, is discriminatory against Americans. Which is utter bullshit.
BrainGlutton already answered this in post #48. I’d just like to point out that this is the type of ignorance of Mexico that seems to permeate these boards. Magellan01 just shoots from the hip without having the slightest idea about foreign investment in Mexico.
Besides maquiladoras, foreign companies are operating many other types of businesses here in Mexico. My daughter worked for a time for an American company here in Guadalajara called Trend Industries. Last year I built a house for an American living here that is in charge of 4 manufacturing plants in the country. These companies produce for both domestic and foriegn markets.
Walmart is Mexico’s largest private employer. And for the Walmart bashers in the US they employ equal if not more abusive practices here. But regardless, there is an example of foriegn involvement in job creation here. I’m sure the people working for Walmart are happy to have the job.
Ah yes! The whine about Mexico’s lack of effort to stop illegal drugs. What exactly is the US doing to stop illegal drug sales within its own territory. They have far better resources to combat it but it doesn’t seem to being putting a dent in the problem. Why are crack houses common throughout your inner cities? Any city cops taking a pay-off to look the other way? Who are the major distributors on your soil? Why are they allowed to operate?
Demand fuels supply. If Americans got rid of the huge demand, supply would dry up very quickly.
Whose money is being used to corrupt the governments and law enforcement agencies in México and Colombia?
My exact words "And there is also the fact that US citizens can’t buy or own real property in Mexico. " which is true. I didn’t say “anywhere”. It *is * discriminatory, and since it mostly effects Americans- it is discriminatory against Americans. Face it, if we had a similar law in the USA, El Presidente Fox would be screaming racism. He clearly has no problem at all in being a hypocrite.
Why does this need to be a quid pro quo? Fox is absolutely correct. The entire concept of illegal immigration should be abolished. And this doesn’t even require the basic moral arguments that people should have the right to live and work where they please. Legalizing all immigration would improve the standard of living of Americans. Period.