Thread: What if Mexico really did implode?

tWhat if Mexico really did implode?
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January 18, 2009 - 3:28 PM
Andy Comer
I remember being worried about living so close to Mexico when I first moved to the Rio Grande Valley. Mexico seemed like an untamed, violent and dangerous place to a guy from Ohio who considered Taco Bell to be Mexican food.

In the northern part of the United States, it always seemed to me like anything made in Mexico or even associated with Mexico was looked down upon. There were maybe one or two Latino families among the sea of white faces in my suburban Ohio town, and no one spoke fluent Spanish outside of Spanish class. Needless to say, my exposure to anything Hispanic before I moved to the Valley was extremely limited.

As I spent more time in the Valley, I grew accustomed to being the only guero in a restaurant or hearing more Spanish being spoken than English. After meeting many Mexicans and actually visiting the place, Mexico didn't seem so bad after all. Of course, visiting somewhere and actually living there are two different things.

The front page of The Monitor's Saturday, Jan. 17 edition told readers of a U.S. military report warning of the Mexican government's possible collapse due to the constant violence and influence of the nation's notorious drug cartels. The notion of the federal government imploding does seem a bit far-fetched, but I will admit that reading the story brought back some of my original worries. I can't help but wonder: What if Mexico's national government really did fall apart? How would Valley residents be affected?

Since I've only been in the Valley for a couple of years, I never experienced life before the North American Free Trade Agreement. From what I understand, places like McAllen were little more than dusty border towns mostly forgotten by the rest of Texas. The passage of NAFTA in 1993 by the Clinton administration turned the Rio Grande Valley into what it is today — a growing, increasingly vital — yet still repeatedly ignored part of the state. In other words, if it weren't for Mexico and its cheap labor, the Valley would still likely only be a mere footnote (literally) of Texas. If Mexico's government did fall apart, it's fragile (legal) economy would disintegrate, and so would the Valley's, as if things weren't bad enough already.

Once the Valley economy falls apart, I could imagine that people would be scrambling to leave the area. Businesses might relocate, and the precious few young professionals McAllen seems to covet would disappear to San Antonio. Winter Texans would probably think twice about vacationing in the Valley, and Spring Breakers might find somewhere else besides South Padre Island to party. Even the birdwatchers might seek another place to see their beloved chachalacas.

If the cartels did somehow take over Mexico, the nation's federal troops would be likely powerless to stop drug lords from butchering each other in border towns like Progreso or Reynosa. Violence would inevitably spill over into the Valley, putting innocent American lives at risk. The aforementioned report states that a "surge" of possible U.S. military enforcement might be sent to border regions to protect us, but I doubt their effectiveness. If our own government neglects the very citizens that give it power — just ask a Hurricane Katrina survivor — then how could we depend on Uncle Sam to save us? The feds are too inept and seemingly more interested lining their own pockets to truly help Katrina victims and the city of New Orleans itself more than three years after the storm. Hell, we can't even get decent levees built here. Why would we expect the government to bail us out when they're too busy bailing out failing banks, fighting two wars and fighting among themselves?

The Valley and Mexico are linked by family ties unlike any other place I've ever visited. Should anarchy rule Mexico, would all non-United States citizens be allowed to stay in America for their own safety, or would they still be forced to return to Mexico? Would Mexicans traveling or working outside of their country be able to go home, or even want to? America could be faced with an overwhelming number of refugees fleeing for their lives, which would make the current immigration problem seem minor.

Cartel violence will only subside when America's prohibition of drugs is loosened or ended altogether. People will always want drugs, and dealers will always find ways to supply users. Anyone who reads The Monitor even on a casual basis is likely to see stories about drug seizures involving marijuana — as in several hundred pounds of the stuff — confiscated almost daily. Some Libertarians suggest that the legalization of marijuana would reduce crime in both the United States and especially Mexico. Perhaps the governments of both countries could create new jobs and make billions of dollars off of taxes or tariffs on legalized, strictly controlled marijuana, which would do nothing but help in a time of economic distress.

Anarchy in Mexico hasn't happened yet, and it most likely won't — I hope. I can't help but think that if Mexico's federal government does collapse, the United States and its insatiable appetite for drugs is at least partially to blame.

Andy Comer is a copy editor and columnist for The Monitor. You can contact him at acomer@themonitor.com

http://www.themonitor.com/articles/mexi ... nment.html

I get so fed up hearing about poor Katrina survivors. Why is it people expect our government to save them anyway. I didn't need Uncle Sam to protect me from hurricane Ike, nor did I need FEMA to help me afterwards. That is why i work and pay for insurance.

As for our military being effective in stopping these drug gangs from killing each other, who cares if they kill each other. It shouldn't be too hard to stop these drug gangs crossing over the border and killing Americans. I have very little doubt our military is much better trained and equipped than these drug cartels. Probably why they have not tried to take the US on.

Its much better to do something rather than to throw up your hands and do nothing like we have been for the past 8 years.

Yes, we have an insatiable appetite for drugs as the young generation of citizens have had no hope of success, as teachers in Fla. years ago stopped accepting a paper turned in that was printed by a dot-matrix printer. To succeed, parents had to lay out money for the latest high tech gadgets. When you cannot afford the demands of the school systems, you know you are going to do bad, so when someone offers you the opportunity to make $1,000 a day selling drugs, what are you going to do.
And then there is popular media commercials: need to lose weight, take a pill; having problems in the bedroom, take a pill; trying to study after you are exhausted, take a pill.
A male friend's 12-year old daughter was diagnosed by her teacher to have ADD, and was given Ritalin. Her dysfunctional mother was all for it so she would not have to pay as much attention to her. From what I saw of this girl, her major interests were art and music, as well as taking care of her younger siblings and hoping to be a mom.
And even the young generation is now facing competition from illegals for the jobs they could do for a living wage.
As for this young lady, she is now a mom of two, works and has quit sucking her thumb.

What if California collapses from all of the illegal aliens in the state?

Originally Posted by vortex

. . . A male friend's 12-year old daughter was diagnosed by her teacher to have ADD, and was given Ritalin. Her dysfunctional mother was all for it so she would not have to pay as much attention to her. From what I saw of this girl, her major interests were art and music, as well as taking care of her younger siblings and hoping to be a mom.

A teacher can not diagnose any illness or disease nor can a teacher prescribe any medication. It takes a doctor to diagnose and prescribe.

Some Libertarians suggest that the legalization of marijuana would reduce crime in both the United States and especially Mexico. Perhaps the governments of both countries could create new jobs and make billions of dollars off of taxes or tariffs on legalized, strictly controlled marijuana, which would do nothing but help in a time of economic distress.

Pot should be legalized. Don't know about the other drugs, but if we legalized pot it would put a hefty dent in the cartel's wallets.

JD2, no matter how the kid ended up on Ritalin, there was a laxity of any serious diagnoses by any professionals in this girl's case. Ritalin was just a way for a teacher to keep control of the kids. Every kid acting up in class in the 1990s in my school district in Fla. was labelled with ADD or ADHD. This girl never underwent any psychiatric exams, and her mother's word was good enough to start her on a regimen of Ritalin. It was just candy the schools handed out.

Originally Posted by SicNTiredInSoCal

Some Libertarians suggest that the legalization of marijuana would reduce crime in both the United States and especially Mexico. Perhaps the governments of both countries could create new jobs and make billions of dollars off of taxes or tariffs on legalized, strictly controlled marijuana, which would do nothing but help in a time of economic distress.

Pot should be legalized. Don't know about the other drugs, but if we legalized pot it would put a hefty dent in the cartel's wallets.

Pot is the hardest thing to smuggle because of it's bulk compared $ for $ with other drugs. A million $ worth of pot takes up much more space than a million $ worth of coke. The drug gangs of Mexico are making more profit off of coke, amphetamines , ecstasy, heroine, etc.

Turning simple possesion of small amounts of marijuana from a criminal offense to just a civil offense would free up a lot of young entry level American workers and detention space which could provide room for processing illegal aliens.

The cartels are very flexible and could change over from marijuana to methedrine or cocaine. They are not even limited to drugs and they are likely to become more involved in gambling, loan sharking and extortion. Much of the money in drugs comes from other wise legitimate business people who passively invest while staying out of direct involvement. The investments are disguised as participation in a real estate or business flyer.

In Jamaica the government cut deals with the Ganja Boys to put money into failing legitimate enterprises in exchange for amnesty.

In Colombia the head of the Justice Department set up a plan to continue to prosecute crimes of violence and murder but ease up on drug enforcement. The United States intervened and that period did not last long.

Originally Posted by vortex

JD2, no matter how the kid ended up on Ritalin, there was a laxity of any serious diagnoses by any professionals in this girl's case. Ritalin was just a way for a teacher to keep control of the kids. Every kid acting up in class in the 1990s in my school district in Fla. was labelled with ADD or ADHD. This girl never underwent any psychiatric exams, and her mother's word was good enough to start her on a regimen of Ritalin. It was just candy the schools handed out.

Back in the 60's doctors were prescribing Ritalin for kids in my high school. Many of them sold it or traded it to other kids for other legal or illegal drugs. Ritalin has very different affects on different people. For some people it's a nice mellow high. Just take more for more of a high.