Thread: We need to be open to funding Mexico infrastructure projects

From time to time I have suggested that in order to get rid of the over half of illegal aliens here who are Mexican the United States government should be prepared to invest in Mexican infrastructure. Some people have understood but others have shown the subway car effect. In a forum where anyone can speak the opinions expressed can show ignorance and bigotry. I have been thinking lately about the Canadian analogy which is our neighbor to the north and situations like Austria's dependence upon Trieste in Italy for marine shipping. People living here sometimes forget that much of the electricity needs in New England are supplied by power from HydroQuebec. I tried to think of an analogy between Trieste and the United States relations with Canada. Then it hit me that the entire Great Lakes navigation to the outside world is on the St. Lawrence Seaway which empties into the Atlantic in guess where yes, Canada. So when someone says we can not consume electric power delivered from another country I remember we already do, HydroQuebec. When someone puts down shipping through Mexico I think of the St. Lawrence Seaway.

When you consider Mexico asking for infrastructure assistance we need not give a blanket yes or no. There are infrastructure projects that are physically in Mexico but which provide support for our own interest such as our own shipping, our own electricity, our own petrochemical needs. The factories and consumers would be better served if we helped fund Mexico's ports. Even California which has Los Angeles and Long Beach would benefit if their shippers did not have to wait for inbound cargo to transit before theirs could be unloaded. Since Mexico exports crude oil and imports gasoline and jet fuel we can free up refinery capacity to supply ourselves if the Mexicans got more refineries.

Richard - I for one would actually be more than willing for some of my tax dollars to provide aid for infrastructure improvements in Mexico, IF that would mean helping Mexico to improve its own country and provide more opportunities for Mexicans there in terms of jobs, etc. If and only if that would result in Mexicans staying in Mexico, and the ones here returning to Mexico. Otherwise what is the point? Our tax dollars are already used to support Mexican citizens here.

AND if and only if this would also mean the U.S. government STRICTLY enforces ALL immigration laws AND changes policies such as the anchor baby loophole and the chain migration policy. AND the Mexican government stops encouraging their citizens to invade the U.S.

The problem is of course the likelihood of anything else changing even if we would provide aid to Mexico is probably zero to none.

I agree actually the most important investment is the smaller investments that could be made by Mexicans themselves. However there are some larger investments that it would be difficult to get enough Mexican families working together on. Grain storage is one of the most critical and can be done by family. A containership port or railway line can be easier done from the top down.

Builditnow I think we are on the same page

I truly believe that Mexico has the cash and resources to do this themselves. Unfortunately, the country is so corrupt that the funds are in the hands of the elite rather than providing benefits to their citizens. What would guarantee that the money provided for projects would actually be spent on those projects?

Utterly Impossible to do anything like it. The corruption is so great that it would take mountains of money for ANY of it to get through to any projects. Ill bet for every dollar we DID put into Mexican infrastructure, less than 10 cents would make it to actual projects where someone does some work....or less.

Perhaps Calderon, who has shown such courage in lauching a sustained attack against Mexican drug cartels and endemic corruption in Mexican law enforcement, will be able to progress to at last convincing Mexico that its upper middle class and, especially, the many wealthy members of that society, must be taxed as they are here, in Canada, and in Europe in order to help pay for Mexico's infrastructure. The upper classes in Mexico and in other what used to be called "under developed (economically) countries" traditionally have gotten a "free ride" when it comes to taxes, and they continue to benefit from the current boondoggle of trying to make the United States and other so-called 'rich' nations responsible for what should be their own economic and societal responsibilities. Further, the Roman Catholic Church, which continues to wield power there and throughout Latin American, not only refuses to speak about responsible birth (population) control, but openly continues to promote unlimited births for Catholic families in an over-populated world. A big step toward "sustainable development" would be a joint statment by the United Nations and the leaders of the major world religions advocating and supporting responsible family planning (excluding abortion).

I truly believe that Mexico has the cash and resources to do this themselves.

I fail to see why an infrastructure project located in Mexico but which benefits us as much as or more than them should be thought of as too much of a favor to finance. Our selecting projects and stepping up to the bat to pay for them would allow the Mexicans to put their money into less expensive faster return projects of their own.

If I had some extra money, I'd actually be interested in helping mexicans on a smaller, more personal scale such as giving them a micro loan to start a small business. I think thats a good idea. Trouble is, any donations I make now all go towards keeping them out of my country.

I have to disagree! Mexico's oil drilling company (Pemex) is owned by the government, so all profits from oil they sell to use are already funding money that could go to infrastructure if they wanted it to. And it is notorious for polluting the Gulf of Mexico.
The Chinese are already signing deals to build Mexican ports, so they can circumvent our West Coast ports in CA, probably spurred on by the cross-border trucking programs giving easy access for cheap to this country, without having to pay our port fees.
Building Mexico's infrastructure now is not where I want my bucks to go. There is too much corruption and outright brutal crime in the country over which the government gains control. They have no control over their northern border which would help us fight drug and illegal smuggling and becoming the site of gang wars.

Who is going to maintain it?

I think this would have to be one part of a general modernization of their legal, criminal, political, and education systems. Otherwise in 25 years whatever is built will be broken down and decrepit.