Thread: Former Mexican president: Get over Michigan job losses

Thursday, September 11, 2008
Former Mexican president: Get over Michigan job losses
Ron French / The Detroit News
Vicente Fox, former president of Mexico, isn't a shy man. He calls President Bush the "cockiest" politician he's ever met; he talks glowingly of John McCain and less so of Barack Obama. And, he has a message for Michigan factory workers who have lost their jobs.

Get over it.

Those jobs aren't coming back, and Michigan should focus instead on the high-tech and service industries.

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"In the end, Michigan factories have to compete with factories in Mexico and China," Fox said in a telephone interview Thursday. "Companies like General Motors and Ford and Maytag don't have an option. They either close the doors and fire their workers, or they move where they can gain economic competitiveness."

Fox, an outspoken critic of U.S. immigration policies and the person most identified with American jobs moving across the border, will speak at 6:30 p.m. Friday in the Community Arts Auditorium at Wayne State University.

Fox's speech and a question-and-answer session afterward are free and open to the public, but seating is limited. Tickets can be reserved by calling (313) 577-5550 or on-line at www.focis.wayne.edu.

The president of Mexico from 2000-2006, Fox has promoted a North American Union similar to that of the European Union, with a single currency.

Fox argues Americans helped create economic policies such as NAFTA that moved jobs to Mexico, and now are complaining about it, even though the United States continues to benefit.

"As long as you have salaries of $15 to $20 an hour, you will keep losing jobs to economies that pay $5 an hour," Fox said. "This great nation of the United States has to understand that the way we opened our markets, was to learn how to compete. Now that we have learned how to compete, the leaders of the United States is building walls. That's a big, big mistake. We should be building bridges, building opportunities.

"The loss of manufacturing jobs is a problem not only of Michigan but of the United States, and is a product of the new economy," Fox said. "(But) you cannot look at it from an individual perspective. That's the way General Motors, Ford and Chrysler were able to compete. That is good for the Michigan economy and also good for Mexico."

Fox's biography, "Revolution of Hope," offers a less-than-glowing impression of President George W. Bush. Fox and Bush, the former Governor of Texas, were close allies when the two men came into office in 2000, but relations turned frosty after Fox rebuffed Bush's request to support the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

Fox calls Bush a "windshield cowboy" and mocks his "grade-school Spanish."

The former president made it clear who he favors in the upcoming U.S. presidential election. Fox said his views are more in line with those of McCain, the Republican nominee. "What I see with McCain is experience," Fox said.

You can reach Ron French at (313) 222-2175 or rfrench@detnews.com.



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Vicente Fox, former president of Mexico, isn't a shy man. He calls President Bush the "cockiest" politician he's ever met; he talks glowingly of John McCain and less so of Barack Obama.

Another reason not to support Amnesty John.

Who in the hell does he think he is?

You may be producing but it's not quality products.

Dixie

Vicente Fox, former president of Mexico, isn't a shy man. He calls President Bush the "cockiest" politician he's ever met

Get over it.

I cant stand this a-hole! Who gives a sh!t what this has-been thinks! Talk about "cocky"! Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black!

I don't know why Fox doesn't just love President Bush. He gave in to him at every turn and allowed him to speak to Congress and make demands for his illegals.

Don't believe a word from that illegal alien Vicente Fox......The ex president of that socialist sewer known as Mexico. He loves anybody that will sellout America, and give amnesty to the invaders. That includes Hussein Obama, Bush, and McCain.

Fox and his handlebar moustache need to stay the hell out of America's business.
I mean really, who cares what this idiot has to say?

Get over it was just what McCain told one audience of autoworkers.
Those jobs will never come back, he assured them, a couple of months ago.
I wish I were better at finding the video clip but I keep getting mired in all kinds of stuff. Am pretty sure it was on CNN and probably Lou Dobbs.
And, don't forget, this administration in all its skewed wisdom, is planning on giving Mexico $1.4 billion to fight drug cartels.

We'll get "over it" as soon as mexico takes back all its citizens. My stock answer to illegal alien sob stories will now be "GET OVER IT, you're never coming back!" Stick THAT in your pipe and smoke it Vinny!