Thread: Former Mexican president: Building a wall will not help

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From The Journal Record
Former Mexican president: Building a wall will not help

Posted: Feb 6, 2008 10:41 AM PST

BY MARIE PRICE
THE JOURNAL RECORD

OKLAHOMA CITY - Building a wall between the U.S. and Mexico will not resolve the immigration issue, former Mexican President Vicente Fox said Tuesday.

Addressing the problem will require a bilateral, compassionate approach, Fox told a gathering at the Oklahoma City Civic Center.

"Immigration enriches all nations," said Fox, appearing as the speaker at an Executive Management Briefing hosted by the Spears School of Business at Oklahoma State University. "We should solve with wisdom, with common sense, this key issue that has to do with both of our nations."

Fox said he understands the fear the U.S. has experienced since 9/11.

"I don't understand building a wall," he said. "Building a wall will only isolate this nation."

Fox said his own grandfather was an immigrant, leaving Cincinnati, Ohio, for Mexico in 1895 to seek his dream.

Fox himself started working for Coca-Cola as a driver, ending his service as president of the company in Mexico. He was president of the country from 2000-2006.

"I am not for open borders," he said. "I am not for illegality."

During a later question-and-answer period, Fox indicated that he sees an opportunity to revisit the open-border issue, if Mexico's economy rises to a level comparable with its U.S. counterpart.

Fox also took aim at recent regional efforts to deal with the problem of illegal immigration. He did not mention Oklahoma's new immigration law, which is currently being challenged in federal court.

"It is a federal issue," he said. "It should be dealt with at the federal level."

Fox said it rests with Congress to deal with illegal immigration.

He voiced support for a proposal before Congress that he said would allow undocumented workers currently in the U.S. to stay, make money for their families, then return home.

Fox also said that a temporary guest worker program would help the U.S. secure the hundreds of thousands of new workers it needs each year to maintain its economy.

Fox also called for more integration of economic effort among the U.S., Mexico and Canada. His appearance drew several protestors against what they termed a "North American Union."

He said that the European Union has transformed Europe and increased economic opportunity and per capita income for its member nations.

"Latin America needs the leadership of the United States," Fox said. "We're losing jobs, the three of us," he said.

Fox said he does not believe that a common currency, such as the EU's euro, adds anything to the economy. He said it does add a message of economic equality among member nations.

Latin America was "a great loser" during the last century, Fox said, due to many of its countries falling victim to dictators and corruption.

However, he said many Latin American countries enjoyed a wave of democracy toward the century's end that led to government accountability, transparency and economic reforms.

"The results are there," Fox said. "I can say that this will be the century of Latin America."

According to a Goldman Sachs report, he said, by 2040 the fifth-largest economy in the world will be Mexico's.

He said poverty rates are declining in some Latin America countries, and that Mexico is experiencing a low unemployment rate of 3.5 percent.

"Latin America is on the move," Fox said.

That includes investing more in human capital and targeting needs such as education, he added.

Fox said that Mexico offers 5 million scholarships per year to help families keep their children in school. Still, he said many do not have the opportunity to receive a college education, and the nation needs more universities.

Mexico has trade agreements with 42 countries, Fox said.

It imports about $200 billion in trade from the U.S., exporting about $250 billion, he said.

Latin America still has some major problems, including organized crime and drugs, Fox said. The latter is a bilateral problem that must be addressed on the U.S. demand side as well as the Latin American supply side, he added.

Responding to another question, Fox said he tried during his six-year presidency to loosen the grip of Pemex, Mexico's state-run oil/fuel company, to allow for private investment. He said his successor, President Felipe Calderon, continues that effort. Fox said the country does have some power plants that were the result of private investment or public-private partnerships.

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He (Fox) said poverty rates are declining in some Latin America countries, and that Mexico is experiencing a low unemployment rate of 3.5 percent.

This is EXACTLY why we need a wall! Mexico now has a lower unemployment and poverty rate than the US because they have exported 20M of their poorest, most illiterate third worlders to OUR country! Is it any wonder that their poverty rate and unemployment rate is declining????

Sorry Fox, 9-11 has NOTHING to do with why I don't want ILLEGAL people living and sponging off of Americans taxpayer money!

If they are so great, keep them for your wonderful country!

You and Bush have a lot in common, you both lie easily and you both have plans to screw us Americans!

If the wall is such a bad idea, why does he protest so much? Hmmmmm, maybe because it's a bad idea for mexicans, but a great idea for the US?

BUILD THE DAM WALL! (pun intended )

[b]See what eating Bean Burrito’s do to you after a long period of time

It gives you Delusions of Grandeur and makes you believe you are more important than you are; and can influence other countries and their peoples law by pushing your weight around…

How about if you drag your worthless corrupt Political backside… south of OUR Border and work on fixing your own BROKE A$$ Country and watch with AMAZEMENT how WE “American’sâ€

He said poverty rates are declining in some Latin America countries, and that Mexico is experiencing a low unemployment rate of 3.5 percent.

Duh ... maybe it's because you imported all of your very well educated, psycopathic, alcoholic, 17th century throw backs across the RIO GRAND

How much did that liar's nose grow after THAT speech

This is EXACTLY why we need a wall! Mexico now has a lower unemployment and poverty rate than the US because they have exported 20M of their poorest, most illiterate third worlders to OUR country! Is it any wonder that their poverty rate and unemployment rate is declining????

Did you know that our unemployment rates are nowhere near what they reallyare.
They do NOT count the people that used all their benefits up! I guess they are successes?? It makes the country look better to us peasants.

It's like when they release the population census and they count the ILLEGALS???

Originally Posted by WorriedAmerican

This is EXACTLY why we need a wall! Mexico now has a lower unemployment and poverty rate than the US because they have exported 20M of their poorest, most illiterate third worlders to OUR country! Is it any wonder that their poverty rate and unemployment rate is declining????

Did you know that our unemployment rates are nowhere near what they reallyare.
They do NOT count the people that used all their benefits up! I guess they are successes?? It makes the country look better to us peasants.

It's like when they release the population census and they count the ILLEGALS???

True...we have no idea of how many Americans are off the books...and we have NO idea how many illegals are really here. But we do know one thing for sure...NAFTA is working for Mexico and Latin America because the US is now a dumping ground for ALL of their unemployed and unemployable third worlders! The US is becoming a third world LANDFILL!

I thought he went home just like a bad penny, he keeps coming back.

we do not need your 2 cents, FOX! GO HOME!