Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder Some of you might be aware of the Amercian couple who went jet skiing on Falcon Lake, which borders Texas and Mexico. The wife said they were suddenly chased on the water by Mexicans who shot her husband in the head. She tried to save his body but couldn't. Getting help from Mexican authorities has proven difficult as Mexican drug cartels are heavy in the area. It got to the point where some people were whispering maybe the wife wasn't being truthful. Well, earlier today it became somewhat clearer why getting help was difficult. A suitcase arrived at the area where Mexican authorities are, and it contained the head of their lead investigator. If anyone ever wonders why people want to leave Mexico to come here, look no further than this episode. The country is essentially lawless. Who in their right mind would stay? <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/10/12/texas.falcon.lake.head/index.html?hpt=T2" target="_blank">http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/...l?hpt=T2</a>
Originally Posted By Mr X That's a convenient way to look at it, until you realize that these cartels exist largely due to U.S. drug enforcement policies.
Originally Posted By Mr X Not trying to imply in any way that what those quasi-military bands of thugs are doing is in any way less than barbaric, by the way...just pointing out the fact that our hands are far from clean when it comes to what happens South of our borders (and not just in Mexico, either). A sensible policy, not steeped in moralistic politics, would put a lot of those scumbags out of business (and might just give a leg-up to the authorities who are far less well-funded than the drug lords who are rolling in cash).
Originally Posted By DAR I've been to Mexico three times in the last four years. Now I would never visit any of the border towns. But I would have no hesitation going back.
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< these cartels exist largely due to U.S. drug enforcement policies. >>> ... and also Americans' apparently enormous demand and willingness to purchase and consume illegal drugs.
Originally Posted By mawnck >> A sensible policy, not steeped in moralistic politics, would put a lot of those scumbags out of business<< Actually, no, and this is where the liberal version of the argument breaks down. Scumbags will be scumbags. They're not going to just disappear, and they won't be taking nice respectable office jobs either. The Mexican drug cartel problem may have been created by US drug policy, but it now exists independent of it. If they can no longer deal drugs profitably, they'll find some other illicit product to kill each other and the authorities over.
Originally Posted By fkurucz >>If they can no longer deal drugs profitably, they'll find some other illicit product to kill each other and the authorities over.<< No doubt, but if those new activities are less profitable there might be fewer thugs and their guns will be smaller, giviing the authorities a fighting chance.
Originally Posted By barboy2 ///If anyone ever wonders why people want to leave Mexico to come here, look no further than this episode./// Oh no, I can't grant you that one (assuming by "people" you mean Mexican nationals). Mexican nationals who enter the USA either by document fraud or brazen border crossing via truck and/or foot almost always migrate voluntarily based on "pull" factors---- "Pull" factors in the form of securing work. Now if you were talking about US nationals who live in Mexican border towns who are packing up and going "home" to the US(which I doubt)then I agree. Migratory "push" factors such as political unrest, terror, assassinations and sheer lawlessness would likely "push" people out of Mexico as opposed to economically "pull" them back into the USA.
Originally Posted By barboy2 ///If they can no longer deal drugs profitably, they'll find some other illicit product to kill each other and the authorities over./// You mean like 'hooking' and arms???? Well, if that's what you mean then that's a fairly easy fix too. Follow the lead of specific Nevada counties and Amsterdam and make prostitution lawful. As for gun running just legalize that as well.
Originally Posted By barboy2 And to add to #9........ for those Mexican nationals who do enter the US lawfully they, too, are likely to arrive because of "pull" factors. Many times they want to join family memebrs who are already established in the US and/or seek employment. Rarely would they be "pushed" out of Mexico due to violence.
Originally Posted By KatieKate123 HMM Not so true barboy. I live with a bunch of Mexicans. There were many different reasons that they came here. 5 of them all came here b/c of violence that was going on. 1 was a engineer over there, he was making good money and then he came over here to make crappy money. 3 people brothers/cousins had a brother who was part of the mexican cartel, and b/c of this they were targeted. (I do not agree with the brother in the mexican cartel but it def has nothing to do with these 3) and then the last one who came here for safteys lived on the border and it was just dangerous walking down the street. Those 5 risked their lives to enter the country illegally (they all have green cards now) Now for the rest of the Mexicans that I know which is in the upper 40s they did come here for work.
