Results 1 to 10 of 11
Thread Information
Users Browsing this Thread
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
-
01-23-2008, 05:59 PM #1
Mexican president could play a role in U.S. campaigns
Mexican president could play a role in U.S. campaigns
By JOSE de la ISLA
Hispanic Link
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
An unexpected factor in the presidential election this year might not come from a primary. Instead, Mexico President Felipe Calderon might play that role. Calderon's mid-February visit to the United States could set the stage.
He is scheduled to meet with immigration reform leaders in New York, Los Angeles, Boston and Chicago. Calderon will reveal at that time his strategy for approaching policymakers concerning migrant rights. He will also meet with key legislators on the issues. In these encounters, he could become a factor in the U.S. election.
Calderon's U.S. visit comes a week after Super Tuesday, after the primaries in 24 states will have decided more than half of the Democratic and 41 percent of Republican delegates to their nominating conventions. The nominees should be known by then, or at least the field narrowed to the final few.
The cities Calderon will visit are away from Washington's shadow. Without that hovering specter, friendly encounters might be possible with the people broadly referred to as "legislators" with whom he plans to meet.
Calderon's visit was announced four months after a similar tour was called off when disgruntled migrant leaders complained Mexico failed to support their efforts. Some of this leadership had been responsible for the 2006 immigration reform protests over the punitive immigration legislation authored by Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis. It generated one of the largest demonstrations in U.S. history, but they led to a legislative thud.
Local immigrant leaders have called on consular help from their home countries about matters concerning legal status, human rights, workplace abuses and family break-ups when U.S. officials deport heads of households.
Humanitarian groups on both sides of the border have expressed alarm over the 437 lives lost last year by people trying to cross into the United States, mostly in unauthorized places.
In mid-November, Calderon exhorted the U.S. presidential candidates to stop holding Mexican migrants hostage by their references in hyperbolic campaign speech. Addressing the advisory committee of the Institute of Mexicans Abroad, he rhetorically called out for recognition of the contributions Mexican workers make to the U.S. economy.
There, Calderon first disclosed his government would undertake expanded actions to cast Mexican workers in a more favorable light before the U.S. public. He also announced an initiative to provide humanitarian assistance to children who have been deported to Mexico from the United States.
He said candidates running for the U.S. presidency ought to rise to the occasion and put forward their best proposals for understanding and resolving problems that involve migrating workers.
Traditionally, Mexican migrants have turned to their government for consular help on labor rights issues. This dates as far back as the Roosevelt administration during World War II. But labor issues were specifically excluded from the North American Free Trade Agreement to placate organized labor.
Since the issue went unresolved in that treaty, the informal flow of workers has continued unabated across the border. The trade matter, became a labor issue, and has now transformed into one about illegal immigration.
This gives the Mexican president a legitimate opportunity -- an unprecedented one -- to go directly to community leaders and nominees.
Calderon appears to let the change get factored into the equation if any reform is coming. Given that all candidates running for president claim this is the year for change, this must be what it looks like.
By preparing to meet with immigrant leaders about a reform strategy further suggests Calderon recognizes the impact the 2006 demonstrations had. By taking his agenda to "legislators," he is creating an opportunity for party nominees to help defuse a potentially volatile situation if they agree to a reform agenda.
The Democratic and Republican candidates, whoever they turn out to be, could mitigate the immigration issue and avoid a misstep when they try to court the issue-sensitive, and crucial, Latino vote.
It remains to be seen which candidates will see this as a genuine opportunity, instead of a chance to bob and weave, fret and run.
Ironically, the political opportunity is not home-grown, but comes from abroad.
(Jose de la Isla writes a weekly commentary for Hispanic Link News Service and may be contacted by e-mail at joseisla3(at)yahoo.com. For more stories visit scrippsnews.com)
http://www.scrippsnews.com/node/30002Join our efforts to Secure America's Borders and End Illegal Immigration by Joining ALIPAC's E-Mail Alerts network (CLICK HERE)
-
01-23-2008, 06:04 PM #2
- Join Date
- Jan 1970
- Posts
- 771
Yes ,he should urge illegals in the us to return to mexico and apply the skills they have learned to start businesses in mexico .This would show that he has repect for himself and the mexican people as well.Right now he is conceding that mexico is a shithole to live in and he is urging his citizens to get the hell out of mexico.
-
01-23-2008, 06:09 PM #3
- Join Date
- Dec 2007
- Posts
- 3,753
Vegas odds say both Hillary and Obama meet with him
Outside chance that McCain will
-
01-23-2008, 06:15 PM #4
- Join Date
- Jan 2008
- Location
- Mexifornia
- Posts
- 9,455
Ok - I want to know who these so called " immigration reform leaders' are. That's code by the way for amniesty and open border advocates.
We should introduce Calderon to the IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT advocates. That is if there are any left in Washington, New York and Los Angeles.Join our efforts to Secure America's Borders and End Illegal Immigration by Joining ALIPAC's E-Mail Alerts network (CLICK HERE)
-
01-23-2008, 06:28 PM #5Originally Posted by usanevada
If either of them win we're screwed.It's Time to Rescind the 14th Amendment
-
01-23-2008, 06:35 PM #6
The cities Calderon will visit are away from Washington's shadow. Without that hovering specter, friendly encounters might be possible with the people broadly referred to as "legislators" with whom he plans to meet.
This should scream volumes to the American people!
Translated all it means is that those who are supposed to be working toward our best interests will be skulking around in dark alleys and in dimly lit rooms behind closed doors scheming with this corrupt, meddling, pathetic excuse of a president in an effort to forward "the agenda".
As far as I'm concerned, Calderon can stick it in his sombrero and.....ummmm......smile, smile, smile.
usanevada said:
Vegas odds say both Hillary and Obama meet with him
Outside chance that McCain will
I say Hillary definitely.....and will be stupid enough to make a big public production out of it. You know....to further her pandering to illegals, big business and special interest, as well as to show her plans to cooperate with Mexico for "change".
Obama....maybe. And with no attention drawn to it if he does. It's gone so far beyond political and into the personal between he and Hillary that I don't think he'll bother trying to out-do her in this area. I think he'll be perfectly willing to let more public anger be directed at her over even more outrageous pandering, as well as give him something else to throw in her face, so he can come out smelling like a rose.
McCain.....well, that's more difficult. He doesn't give a damn what anybody thinks of him or his actions anyway so it probably depends soley on what kind of mood in he's in after his coffee and not what he believes it can do for him politically. I think running for president has just become some sort of sick and expensive hobby for him.Join our efforts to Secure America's Borders and End Illegal Immigration by Joining ALIPAC's E-Mail Alerts network (CLICK HERE)
-
01-23-2008, 06:40 PM #7
Extremes
Thompson didn't seem to want to be President. McCain wants it too much.
-
01-23-2008, 08:04 PM #8
Re: Extremes
Originally Posted by ymeoru
Maybe McCain should take up building models. Or weaving baskets. Even knitting might be an option. But becoming president?Join our efforts to Secure America's Borders and End Illegal Immigration by Joining ALIPAC's E-Mail Alerts network (CLICK HERE)
-
01-23-2008, 08:46 PM #9
- Join Date
- Jun 2006
- Location
- Oregon (pronounced "ore-ee-gun")
- Posts
- 8,464
We should file a FOIA request to get a look at his diplomatic visa request.
It would probably read something like this:
Reason for visit: "To harass and intimidate US elected officials to accept mass amnesty for my citizens and to hold pep rallies for my 'hard-working undocumented migrants' as well (or something very close). Oh yeah, to heck with the US public about their feelings on this...."Join our efforts to Secure America's Borders and End Illegal Immigration by Joining ALIPAC's E-Mail Alerts network (CLICK HERE)
-
01-23-2008, 09:10 PM #10Humanitarian groups on both sides of the border have expressed alarm over the 437 lives lost last year by people trying to cross into the United States, mostly in unauthorized places.
There, Calderon first disclosed his government would undertake expanded actions to cast Mexican workers in a more favorable light before the U.S. public. He also announced an initiative to provide humanitarian assistance to children who have been deported to Mexico from the United States.
"When in Mexico the U.S. State Department reminds U.S. citizens to avoid participating in demonstrations and other activities that might be deemed political by Mexican authorities. The Mexican Constitution prohibits political activities by foreigners, and such actions may result in detention and/or deportation."U.S. State Department"Distrust and caution are the parents of security."
Benjamin Franklin
Join our efforts to Secure America's Borders and End Illegal Immigration by Joining ALIPAC's E-Mail Alerts network (CLICK HERE)
Exclusive – Sen. Marsha Blackburn at Border: ‘Walls Work,’ Need...
03-28-2024, 09:54 PM in illegal immigration News Stories & Reports