Thread: U.S. must work with new president

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U.S. must work with new president

Hernandez
Special for

the republic
Jul. 2, 2006 12:00 AM

Recent polls indicate that Americans have two great concerns: terrorist attacks and illegal immigration.

As presidential elections take place in Mexico today, some in the U.S. worry that another Hugo Chavez may be appearing. And some are concerned that, with all the anti-Mexico and border wall talk, we may be creating a Venezuela or Cuba south of our border.

There are two main candidates competing for Mexico's presidency: Felipe Calderón, who comes from the National Action Party, or PAN, the same conservative pro-business party as President Vicente Fox. And Andrés Manuel López Obrador of the Democratic Revolution Party, or PRD, promising to fight poverty and bring opportunities to the most needy in Mexico.

Both candidates have said they will work with the U.S. on comprehensive immigration reform and promote the creation of jobs at home so Mexicans don't leave for lack of opportunities.

No matter who wins today's election, I'm sure there will neither be a mass exodus of people to the U.S., nor will Mexico create so many jobs that the American Dream will lose its lure.

It's important that we Americans not only become more interested in the politics of our neighbors, but that we do our part in creating a climate at home that promotes a better neighborhood of democratic countries in North America.

Headlines, sound bites and TV talk shows give the impression the United States is losing an ongoing battle to a fearsome, invading horde of criminals intent on seizing the rich bounty of our prosperity and destroying the American way of life.

Alarmist agitators such as U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., pander to uninformed citizens' fears and prejudices by warning that the U.S. is swimming in a sea of illegal aliens, while national leaders ignore the destruction of the nation.

America does have enemies, and the nation has been under attack regularly for the past 25 years. Somebody stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and held Americans hostage there in 1979. The enemy was not Mexico.

There were attacks on our embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, and on a Marine barracks in Beirut in 1983 - but not by Mexico.

A Pan-American flight to New York was blown out of the sky over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988. Mexico had nothing to do with it.

The first attack on the New York World Trade Center took place in 1993 - but not by Mexico.

The Khobar Tower military complex in Saudi Arabia was attacked in 1996, and two years later the U.S. Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were targeted - none of them by Mexico.

An American warship, the USS Cole, was attacked in Aden, Yemen, in 2000 - but not by Mexico.

And on Sept. 11, 2001, the Pentagon and Twin Towers suffered catastrophic destruction and enormous loss of life when airliners were crashed into them - but not by Mexicans.

Who was responsible for these acts of war? Who is the enemy? The answers to these questions are important, but my point is, none of the attackers was Mexican.

Yet, in the aftermath of the latest tragedy, would-be national defenders look at the wide-open 2,000-mile Mexican border and worry about how easy it would be for potential terrorists to cross. But no one can dispute the fact that none of the 9/11 attackers entered the U.S. from Mexico.

So what happened to get us to our anti-Mexico stance? Some say that, beginning in 1986, the U.S. adopted a schizophrenic policy toward Mexico. On the one hand, Washington sought to create an integrated North American market with free movement for goods, capital, information and services. On the other hand, the United States devoted more time and money to prevent the movement of labor.

The increased border management policy didn't work, and the rate of entry of undocumented immigrants continued to climb.

Seeking solutions, U.S. Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., introduced a bipartisan bill offering a more realistic guest-worker visa program of up to 400,000 people per year. It included a plan for undocumented workers already in the country to begin the process for permanent legal status. A good start for good workers, good friends, good neighbors.

We must find a way to stop seeing our neighbors to the south as enemies. Mexico is not the enemy. Mexicans are a loving, generous people who need only opportunity to receive as much as they contribute. So we must learn to be partners.

The day will come - I believe in 25 years or less - when Canada, the United States and Mexico will find it necessary to share their unique and vital assets and work together as a community to compete with the European bloc, China, Japan and other emerging economic powers.

No matter who wins the presidential elections today, Mexico will continue being one of our largest business partners and family to the biggest minority in our nation.

Let's celebrate that we have a democratic nation south of our border and work with our Mexican friends to solve the problems that deeply concern us both: security and immigration reform.

Congratulations, Mexico, on your newly elected president!


Juan Hernandez is founder of the Center for U.S.-Mexico Studies at the University of Texas-Dallas and a former Cabinet member for Mexican President Vicente Fox.

If Mexico elects a far left leaning friend to Chavez type as their next Presidenti, it might be the best thing that could happen to our cause. I cannot see America tolerating open borders and supporting millions of Mexicans here, and even more through remittances if Mexico's president begins leaning far to the left.

The news are promissing, the leftist is winning, these are wonderful news for us and terrible news for our dictator president Mr. George W. Bush. Let's see how he will deal with anothe Fidel and CHaves at our borders

It's important that we Americans not only become more interested in the politics of our neighbors, but that we do our part in creating a climate at home that promotes a better neighborhood of democratic countries in North America.

Absolutely a correct observation if for no other reason to learn from the experience of those who are ahead of us in the schedule ... the EU.

Alarmist agitators such as U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., pander to uninformed citizens' fears and prejudices by warning that the U.S. is swimming in a sea of illegal aliens, while national leaders ignore the destruction of the nation.

"alarmist agitators" there's one of those terms used again... nativist, isolationist, xenophobe... I SINCERELY hope people are realizing when those terms are used, it is a method to discredit those who are in fact challenging the myth.

IF you look at the demographic change which has already been accomplished in California .... DAM right there is reason to be alarmed!

If Mexico elects a far left leaning friend to Chavez type as their next Presidenti, it might be the best thing that could happen to our cause.

I agree with that statement maybe even some of the lethal trade agreements will collapse... one can only hope!

"Let's celebrate that we have a democratic nation south of our border and work with our Mexican friends to solve the problems that deeply concern us both: security and immigration reform. "

A democratic nation whose one party system was defeated in an election a scant 6 years ago? A democratic nation whose political corruption makes organized crime look like child's play? A nation whose military, police, and politicians participates in NARCO-TRAFFICKING and TERRORISM?

I tend to see the truth: Mexico has done more damage to the United States by supporting Narco-Terrorism, and Illegal Immigration, THAN ANY OTHER
ATTEMPT BY ANY OTHER TERRORIST ORGANIZATION WORLDWIDE! PERIOD!

The victims in the U.S. of Mexico's culpable participation are in the TENS OF MILLIONS! It just happened that the 9/11 attacks were dramatic, and visually disturbing. Mexican attacks, on the other hand, fly beneath the radar, are often ignored, but are far more insidious, and damaging!

It just happened that the 9/11 attacks were dramatic, and visually disturbing. Mexican attacks, on the other hand, fly beneath the radar, are often ignored, but are far more insidious, and damaging!

This event set the opening for the Patriot Act. THINK! everything that has occured that the "people" were allowed knowledge of has had a very deliberate purpose.

I smell a globalist...