America has almost 12 million illegal immigrants.
Many of them came here on visas and never left.
But about 60 percent of them walked in from just one country — Mexico.
Though the stalled Obama Economy has caused about 900,000 to go home since 2007, there are still about 6 million Mexicans living in the United States who’ve sneaked across our borders.
Everyone from Marco Rubio to John McCain and our golfer in chief are trying to figure out how to deal with the illegal immigrants we have already and prevent future waves of Mexican migrants.
But no one seems to be talking about why so many Mexicans risk so much — including their lives — to break into America.
What is it that makes so many of them leave their families and children behind and travel — often on foot — to seek economic opportunity in the USA?
I’ve been to Mexico on business and on vacations. It’s a beautiful country, rich with oil, gas and other natural resources. It’s blessed with 114 million good and hardworking people.
Mexico has everything it needs to be a First World country. But it’s cursed.
Its government is corrupt and inept — and always has been. Now its federal government is a running joke. Its unable — and unwilling — to stop illegal drugs or people from crossing into the USA.
Mexico has become one of the most dangerous places in the world. Deadly criminal cartels effectively control the U.S.-Mexican border, trafficking in drugs and humans. Drug violence is so widespread that some cruise ships no longer visit Mexico’s Gold Coast.
No wonder so many Mexicans come north to a country where good jobs are plentiful, the wages are high and the streets are safe. If I were a Mexican, I’d be leaving too.
Yes, as Republicans say, it’s time to protect our borders better. Yes, it’s time to come up with realistic ways to deal with the illegal immigrants we already have living among us.
But it’s also time for one of our so-called political leaders to ratchet up the rhetoric and pull a Ronald Reagan.
When the Soviet Empire still controlled half of the world, my father stood near the Berlin Wall in 1987 and famously told Mr. Gorbachev that if he was really for peace, prosperity and liberalization, he should “Tear down this wall!”
It was a bold and masterful political move that showed the whole world that Ronald Reagan and the United States stood steadfastly on the side of freedom in the waning days of the Cold War.
One of our most important wars today — and one we clearly are not winning — is the drug war on our southern border.
What we need now is for President Obama to skip the back nine at the Floridian, go down to our border with Mexico and deliver a message to Mexican president Enrique Pena Nieto.
“Senor Nieto,” our part-time president should say, “End the corruption. Crush the drug cartels. Make Mexico a peaceful and safe society. Free your economy from the shackles of socialism so your citizens can go back home to prosper.”
President Obama also should declare to the world the United States is ready to do everything it can to help Mexico become a land of freedom and opportunity, not a land of fear and corruption.
Turning Mexico into a better place for its citizens to live and work — a place more like Canada, for example — would also do a lot to solve our future immigration problems.
Mexicans would stay home. And we wouldn’t need an army of border control agents and a 20-foot fence protecting our southern border any more than we need them on our northern border to protect us from illegal Canadians.
Copyright 2013. Michael Reagan is the son of President Ronald Reagan, a political consultant, and president of The Reagan Legacy Foundation. Visit www.reagan.com and www.michaelereagan.com. Send comments to Reagan@caglecartoons.com.
openureyes posted at 11:46 am on Thu, Feb 28, 2013.
Oh no, not more "now mah daddy knew ha ta run a country!" I thought we were done with this guy when the country decided Obama would have another term.
So SonOfRonald is now suggesting that to start things going in the right direction, our president, knowing full well our continuing culpability for the influx of (fill in the blank), should go grandstand at the Mexican border and shout for the whole world to hear, "Hey Mexico get your act together!"
BRILLIANT!
Yes, a ratcheting up of the rhetoric is just what this situation calls for. Or, you know, just about ANYTHING else.
Rich posted at 12:12 pm on Thu, Feb 28, 2013.
Quite possibly the margin of Obama's victory came from illegals who were not caught as they voted. Which is a big decider in his actions. Also he is nowhere near your father's caliber. Obama has had control of both houses for two years, while your father never controlled both and never had control of the House of Representatives, and yet he was able to use political skill to forge together programs that brought the economy come back together and usher in the longest single era of prosperity this country has ever seen. Obama's lack of political acumen creates a consistent gridlock of our government, continual blame games, and mires us in a recession that recovers only in journalistic conjecture. Your father had the stature to end the cold war, Obama would just get laughed at if he did as you suggest. In Italy, Japan and Britain, where I have been lately, he is increasingly the subject of jokes based in his incompetence.
VofReason posted at 12:41 pm on Thu, Feb 28, 2013.
Mexico a greasefire? And in other breaking news, the sky is blue. President Obama do something decisive and point to the failures of an incompetent Government? Might as well wish for him to pull out his bag of fairydust and fly like Peter Pan. Each is equally probable of happening. I too agree that if I were a Mexican man wanting to support and protect my family, I would do anything I could to get out of Mexico. That said, unfortunatly that is what prevents anything there from changing. Why force change in your own country when you can come here instead?
PhoenixJack posted at 12:54 pm on Thu, Feb 28, 2013.
Those people need to be told go back to where you are from or you will be put into a camp.
Accuracy posted at 12:56 pm on Thu, Feb 28, 2013.
Michael Reagan concluded: “Turning Mexico into a better place for its citizens to live and work — a place more like Canada, for example — would also do a lot to solve our future immigration problems.”
“Mexicans would stay home.”
--------------------------------------
Oh really?
For years now, many of the U.S. farms, assembly manufactures (Whirlpool and Maytag appliances, and Electronic products), auto and aerospace products companies have moved to Mexico to hire workers there. And still more illegal immigrants keep coming across the border into the U.S. illegally each day. Many even come here alone and say that they send money back to family in Mexico.
Meanwhile, Congress in Washington, D.C. still engages in a high-profile fight on immigration.
Mike McClellan posted at 1:14 pm on Thu, Feb 28, 2013.
Reagan's right about a possible solution -- a healthier economy would mean less migration.
But socialism? Mexico's closer to an oligarchy than anything else.
And Reagan might be giving us the stereotypical view of Mexico. Maybe things are changing for the better, to a degree, in that country.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/24/opinion/sunday/friedman-how-mexico-got-back-in-the-game.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&_r=0
openureyes posted at 1:14 pm on Thu, Feb 28, 2013.
Rich repeats the unverifiable claim that illegals voting (cause that's what they really want do - risk drawing attention to themselves to participate in the American democratic process) just may have tipped the scales in Obama's favor this last election. Suck it up, Rich. America the Beautiful re-elected Obama.
I felt terrible for the country, and the rest of the world for that matter, when W got a second term, but I didn't blame phantoms.
mnjcpa posted at 7:45 pm on Thu, Feb 28, 2013.
openureyes - you'll never convince me the election wasn't stolen.
Between granting amnesty to 1.5 million (probably more like 3 million), voter ID fraud where some districts had 130-140% turnout, and Soros company in Spain counting the votes. Rich has a valid point.
Rich posted at 8:42 pm on Thu, Feb 28, 2013.
A) I presented it as conjecture, possibly true, and it would explain Obama's stance on it.
B) I would say that Obama won by combining those who receive from government, versus those who contribute. And the system is not sustainable.So, again, it explains his policies.
C) Such policies always exist the clearest quote about them was Louis the XV and it begins "Apres moi".
Rich posted at 9:14 pm on Thu, Feb 28, 2013.
I voted for Carter second time around. Worked part time for a scam called AWED, helping women entrepenteurs. Reagan's success surprised me. I thought Liberalism, John Maynard Keynes was the way to go. Lost AWED and the income. Sucked it up, now have offices in AZ, Hawaii, London, Tokyo. And across the back of my boat is the name Thorstein Veblen,
Filter is absurd.
openureyes posted at 9:45 pm on Thu, Feb 28, 2013.
mnjcpa - you said all you needed to in your first sentence.
Rich - a. I never took your words out of the realms of conjecture. Notice my words, "just may have tipped the scales..." I would say that counts as "conjecture, possibly true."
b. and c. are irrelevant.
Congratulations on your (also irrelevant) financial success.
VofReason posted at 1:07 pm on Fri, Mar 1, 2013.
Open your eyes, I don't blame phantoms for President Obama's re election. I blame uninformed voters. Who else believes the melarchy that comes out of his and his administrations mouth. Do you think for a minute that President Bush would have been re elected if his administration would have been involved in the situation around Libya, right before the actual election. They looked into the eyes of the American people and told a lie that they absolutely knew was untrue (sounds like another Democrat hero). Tells you who is paying attention.
Leon Ceniceros posted at 1:23 pm on Fri, Mar 1, 2013.
DOES AMERICA WANT PEOPLE WHO CRIMINALLY ENTERED THE UNITED STATES IN THE FIRST PLACE.
THERE ARE MILLIONS OF LAW-ABIDING, ENGLISH-SPEAKING, AMERICA-LOVING ALIENS WHO ARE WILLING TO WAIT YEARS FOR A VISA.
NO MORE ILLEGAL ALIEN CRIMINALS FROM MEXICO, HONDURAS, EL SALVADOR AND GUATAMALA = DEPORT THESE ILLEGAL ALIEN CRIMINALS...EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM.....NOW.
openureyes posted at 3:27 pm on Fri, Mar 1, 2013.
VofReason - substitute Iraq for Libya and adjust the timeframe accordingly, and you'll have summed up some of my feelings about W's re-election. Kind of telling, I think.
Well, except our troops were still dying in Iraq at a steady clip back then.
Arizona Willie posted at 3:33 pm on Fri, Mar 1, 2013.
Since a person who registers to vote using a Federal Voter Registration form CANNOT be questioned about his citizenship ( the voter registration people have to take their word for it --- the word of illegal immigrants who have already violated the laws ), it is virtually IMPOSSIBLE to get caught voting illegally.
We cannot require proof of citizenship to register to vote
and
We cannot require proof of citizenship at the polls.
What kind of insanity is that?
America is the ONLY country that allows voting on the honor system.
If illegal immigrants HAD any honor they would not violate our laws and invade our country.
Rich posted at 7:13 pm on Fri, Mar 1, 2013.
" I don't think the healthcare system, like most other major industries that have the potential to harm citizens without some form of regulatory oversight, survives and provides the needed, quality care without some form of government oversight and participation"
Invade? They may have just elected a president, how about own?
mnjcpa posted at 8:55 pm on Fri, Mar 1, 2013.
Openureyes - was an American ambassador murdered in Iraq and covered up? Or are we blaming W for that too? And what does it take for an Obama supporter to hold the man accountable? Apparently not much.
AzWillie - glad to see we agree on the immigration issue.
mnjcpa posted at 9:02 pm on Fri, Mar 1, 2013.
Openureyes - you said all you needed to in your snarky remark about Rich's success. Speaks volumes about you.
Cerulean posted at 9:48 pm on Fri, Mar 1, 2013.
Rich said, “Quite possibly the margin of Obama's victory came from illegals who were not caught as they voted. Which is a big decider in his actions.”
Really? A big decider in his actions? Who “his”? Is that McCain, Jeff Flake? Maybe it’s the multitude of other Republicans vying to share, or more accurately, to focus the spot light on Republican’s for migrant citizenship?
mnjcpa posted at 11:32 pm on Fri, Mar 1, 2013.
Cerulean - is everything with you about the Republicans getting in Obama's way?
How do you weigh in on the rest of Rich's comment or are you so brainwashed that any negative criticism about OB you've got to reply with making it about the Republicans? Are you that blind?
openureyes posted at 4:22 pm on Sat, Mar 2, 2013.
mnjcpa - who said anything about blame? Your missing my point in bringing up W, coupled with your seeing snark in an honest offer of congratulations on Rich's financial success, speaks volumes about you, actually. Whereas my telling Rich that his financial success, as good for him as it might be, is irrelevant when we're talking about his claim that illegals may have given Obama the election win rather than AMERICA having chosen him legitimately, only says about me that I can stick to the point.
Believe it or not I wasn't being snarky when I said you'd said all you needed to in your first sentence, either. If you've sworn to not be swayed from your position, what does it matter what statistics you or I've got, or whether they're valid (show me the voter turnout for these suspect districts over the last six or seven elections, for example, or anything but a one instance sample set...)?
openureyes posted at 4:38 pm on Sat, Mar 2, 2013.
mnjcpa - I don't begrudge anyone their success when gained legitimately. You wrongly assume I do (this and your previously thinking I was counting Romney's wealth as some sort of character flaw before the election come to mind), and lump me in with some "crowd" about which you believe, probably also wrongly, that you actually know volumes. Talk about speaking volumes.
Cerulean posted at 8:13 am on Sun, Mar 3, 2013.
Reagan Republicans once again showing a lack of intelligence.
Celeste Greig, leader of a GOP volunteer organization in California that Ronald Reagan once called the California Republican Assembly said, “the conscience of the Republican Party — told the Woodland, California Daily Democrat that rape almost never leads to pregnancies because the body is too traumatized."
Way to go Republicans - teach your daughters that rape does not cause pregnancy.
rlawrence posted at 8:57 am on Sun, Mar 3, 2013.
Horrid article...and written from idealistic ignorance. Sad for the son of a man who used to be one of the most informed presidents ever.
If anyone is serious about fixing the problem it has to be on both sides...the reason Mexico cant win the war on the Cartels is because they are financed by a 60 billion dollar a year drug habit of US citizens and are armed by legal US gun owners selling their legally purchased AK-47s and AR-15s for a 500% profit across the borders. (See Time Magazine 2009-10 cover articles)...how about we start focusing on real rehabilitation for drug users, and longer prison terms for drug dealers. And make gun owners check in their weapons like a car to make sure they still have it, and hold them legally responsible for whatever happens with a weapon they purchase unless it is stolen. (And restrict future purchases if they have too many "stolen" lol) Any immigration policy that plans to really impact the problem has to be all-inclusive of the entire problem.
mnjcpa posted at 9:15 am on Sun, Mar 3, 2013.
opernureyes - slang putdowns of Reagan and his dad & your views of Bush' reelection are right on point. Rich adds color to his discussion about his world views on immigration and you say it's irrelevant. Not difficult at all to understand what you're about open.
mnjcpa posted at 9:21 am on Sun, Mar 3, 2013.
you're right rlawrence, but leadership starts from the top down. And unfortunately for Americans, Obama was reelected, who's much more concerned with non-stop campaigning, bypassing the Constitution, and demonizing Republicans to understand what it takes to be a leader. Obama could only wish he was Reagan, but it's obvious that bringing people together is the least of his concerns.
mnjcpa posted at 9:24 am on Sun, Mar 3, 2013.
Right Cerulean. One oddball makes a comment about rape and now that applies to anyone that enjoyed a real leader in Reagan.
brianMC posted at 12:20 pm on Sun, Mar 3, 2013.
We don't have to worry about one Michael Reagan. He is a failed radio jock. He's never had a job in his life and has never held an office. He is a loser, a big loser. Oh yes and he is adopted so no gene transfer there
openureyes posted at 1:37 pm on Sun, Mar 3, 2013.
I can't tell if you're not following these dialogues consciously, mnjcpa, but either way other than to correct your falsely stating that I put down President Reagan, I'm done with this one.
Leon Ceniceros posted at 4:18 pm on Sun, Mar 3, 2013.
The majority of these "comments" aren't comments at all. The Left-Wing Liberals, Socialists, Marxists, Commie Wanna-Be's and other assorted Democrats just...."name-call", demean or denigrate.
Comment = a note of explanation, expansion, or criticism on a passage in a book, an article or speech.
mnjcpa posted at 8:20 am on Mon, Mar 4, 2013.
Try keeping up with yourself open. Your comments on 2/27 11:46 am and 3/1 at 3:27 pm demonstrate your thoughts on both Reagan and Bush.
Bluepoet posted at 12:39 pm on Mon, Mar 4, 2013.
Reagan bold and masterful? Well, certainly bold...
I still think Pink Floyd had more to do with the Berlin Wall going down, than Ronnie, but, oh, well...
Junior did have a good point about removing the stimulus for Mexicans to desire to come here, namely, conditions in their own country. What he fails to cover are the reasons that no President will ever stand on the border and shout, "Get your act together, Mexico"--and that is, there is a MARKET for them, here. It's cheap labor, for our food processing, landscaping, and many other menial tasks. It has nothing to do with voter fraud, however speculative (or should I call it spurious, hmm?).
BTW, thanks for the tip on Veblen, Rich...since it's free on Kindle, I'll maybe read it--Economics, as a subject, is as good as a barbiturate, for someone like myself, with a sleep disorder...
Rich posted at 10:32 pm on Mon, Mar 4, 2013.
Veblen puts you to sleep BP? Here's a sleeping pill for you. Government guards the shore, delivers the mail and leaves you alone to be the best you that you can be, if you answer that challenge, not only you but the entire world profits. We have a government that thinks they can make that happen by regulating your pet and the seats in your car. Nighty, night.
Bluepoet posted at 8:06 am on Tue, Mar 5, 2013.
Whoa, backup there big fella! I haven't read him yet...it's the subject that sends me into catatonia, but if Veblen can write in such a way as to make it interesting, I'll have no problem...apparently, unlike you, I'm willing to admit to not knowing everything--just yet! [wink]