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.