The Donald Trump presidential campaign included many promises of what Trump plans to implement across the nation. Some readers have commented that Trump made statements to get himself elected and others voted for him because he promised change. Regardless of your feelings about the incoming president there are two things that worry me. Yesterday I expressed my feelings about the immigration issue. Today, I’d like to address the Mexico question. But, before I do that I also want to comment on the notion of my support for Hillary Clinton.
Many readers to my blog, especially the new ones, seem to feel that my commentary against Donald Trump was an endorsement of Hillary Clinton or the Democrats. Nothing could be further from the truth. Not once did I write an article in support of Hillary Clinton. I wrote a few articles commenting about her corruption. And no, I did not overlook her comments about the “fence” and about immigrants – especially “needy Latinos.”
Like many of you, I was faced with a situation of having to pick one bad candidate over the other. There is no such thing as a viable third-party candidate in the United States. The only choice was Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump. For me, my decision was cemented the moment Donald Trump referred to Mexicans as “rapists.” Those comments left me no choice but to point out the hypocrisy of Donald Trump.
The fact is that the Democrats have been far worse for me economically and in regards to the immigration question. Yes, there is the notion that the Democrats are better for immigrants but that fantasy is quickly dispelled with the facts. The fact is that Barack Obama has deported more immigrants than any other president. The fact is that Republicans have successfully passed immigration reform. Ronald Reagan implemented significant immigration reform and started us down the path towards NAFTA. The Democrats and Bill Clinton were very much against NAFTA, contrary to today’s narrative. George W. Bush was a champion for immigrants and supported substantial immigration reform up until the moment that Mexico refused to support him at the United Nations for his invasion of Iraq. The fact is that the organized labor groups is one of the largest components of the Democrats’ base. The organized labor groups do not want competition from immigrants.
In regards to the economic factor, I believe that Republicans, the original ones, better fit my entrepreneur activities. Democrats have yet to see a tax that they don’t like, believing that taxing businesses, not matter how small is the key to success. I pay a fine each year for not buying into the scam of Obama Care. The fact is that Obama Care is a disaster and it forced me to make changes to my business, like many others. Economically, the Democrats are wrong for the country as they are an impediment to self-reliance and business opportunities.
Those facts are unavoidable and I am not ignorant of them.
My distaste for Donald Trump is not support for the Democrats or for Hillary Clinton.
The funny thing is that today we have an incoming president, Donald Trump, who wears the Republican badge but has stated that he will undo NAFTA. NAFTA was championed by the champion of the Republicans – Ronald Reagan. Donald Trump is not only proposing to dismantle NAFTA but he wants to build a wall to further divide us. Donald Trump is also planning to do away with what the Republicans have done for immigrants in the past and further delaying the much-needed immigration reform the country needs.
In other words, Donald Trump is a Republican in name only but is acting like a Democrat when it comes to NAFTA and immigration.
Many of you reading this may feel that it is time that a US president got up and looked inward instead of outwards when it comes to the economy. Immigration is an economic issue. It may look like that is a good thing but this thought ignores a very fundamental problem.
Regardless of how you feel about the leadership the United States has on the world stage, economically and morally, it exists and the world depends on it.
Dismantling economic ties and demonizing other countries pushes the world apart at a time when it is important that we come together. The Mexican Peso has reacted to the Trump presidency. For many of you it may seem like it is a Mexican problem. But a weak Mexican economy translates into pressure for the United States.
I saw with my own eyes how NAFTA transformed Mexico from an agrarian-based economy to an emerging industrialized country. Mexico is a stronger nation today because of NAFTA. Threatening to change or dismantle NAFTA is detrimental to that strength. Mexico may be able to weather the change in economic cooperation with the largest economy in the world, but at what expense? That worries me and it should worry those that believe a strong southern neighbor offers better security for the United States.
It is still too soon to know what, if any, policies Donald Trump will implement and to what extent they will be applied. Trump has a Republican congress so the notion that government gridlock as an excuse is effectively over; of course, that is assuming that he is truly a Republican.
As I wrote yesterday, I worry about how immigrants, both legal and undocumented, are to be treated under the Trump administration and I also worry about how the geopolitics of the world, and especially of Mexico, as he assumes office on January 20, 2017.
I plan to keep commenting about immigration issues, border politics and offer a small voice to the many immigrants that live in fear today. I hope that my fears are misguided but I am prepared to offer a different perspective regardless of what transpires. I plan to be the counter voice to the demonizing of Mexico and the dehumanizing of immigrants because of Trumpinisms.
If Obama has deported more people than other Presidents, then why did you feel safe with him?
Look, Mexico is poor because of the greed of the corrupt officials. They pocket the money and do nothing for the people. So don’t blame the US. At what point will the Mexican government be responsible for it’s people ? So long as there are open areas of the border and the money that is imported by people ?
Let’s assume he really builds a cement wall. What affect would it have on legal trade? NONE. What affect would the wall have on illegal entry ? It would reduce the illegal traffic. Do we know what is the definition of a wall? It doesn’t have to be a fence or cement. It could very easily be a combination of more BP and electronics perhaps deploying Mexican police to patrol on their side and arresting violators with the same vigor that immigration is enforced along its southern border. More people and electronics would certainly be a lot cheaper.
What will world leaders do ? Guessing, they probably will be upset when forced to pay a fair amount instead always depending on the US to provide money and military forces. There’s nothing worse that a country that wants help then sits back and even turns on the hand. Want help then prepared to help pay for the cost, compulsory military service to help and punish those that back stab the US.
In short, the changes will the US will no longer be the world’s flunkee, piggy bank, supplier of military people, no longer apologize for providing help when asked. Is the US perfect? No, so don’t expect to be the 911 because their own people won’t protect the country. Nor should people flee their country and then want to change the US into what they fled. Become angry when the US doesn’t cater but stay silent in their own countries.
Martin, I respect the fact that you see our oath of citizenship as more than just words and as such will stay in the green card zone to keep your Mexican citizenship. The fact that there isn’t a easy to obtain visa classification for folks that want to be permanent residents for economic or family reasons is a failure of our immigration policy. That said, our overall national policy should be based on prioritizing the needs of legal citizens who are “all in” in terms of their willingness to accept the responsibilities as well as the benefits of citizenship. The pushback you are seeing isn’t based on color or country, it is based on the attitude that our policies should be adjusted to accommodate folks who aren’t all in. I can’t think of another country in the world where if I identified myself as an economic immigrant with no plans to pursue citizenship where I wouldn’t be put in a classification that had more rules and higher costs (different tax rates, mandatory health insurance coverage and likely some sort of financial guarantee to ensure my debts would be paid) than the path for those pursuing citizenship.
I think our immigration policy should be based on what is good for the USA and not on what relief some other country needs. Now,the USA will need skilled manufacturing workers as millions of Boomers retire from the workforce over the next 10 years. In the Seattle area alone, Boeing is expecting to lose up to 35,000 skilled factory workers and could export those jobs if there is not a labor force to replace them.
But there is a hitch. You have to graduate from HS, get some technical (machinist, electrician) training and be willing to work a 40 hour week. I don’t see the current crop of Millennials having any interest in that as opposed to being baristas and living at home.
So, maybe Mexico will come to the rescue?
l found it rather amusing that “Mr. Reconquista Movement” embraces this simple minded form of “logic”, ‘well, l usually disagree with Reagan, but since we both agree on the NAFTA issue then it must be good!’ That’s almost as pathetic as ‘EVERYONE reads my blog, but FEW admit to it.’ lt’s nothing more than a pompous form of nuttiness. l realize that this might be hard to grasp, but having a 22 year trade deficit is a BAD thing. Given the fact that our population (325 million and counting) continues to explode mainly due to our immigration policy, maybe it’s time we go back to focusing on quality instead of quantity like we did a hundred years ago when immigrants were mostly white Europeans. BTW – Martin, anyone who can’t go five minutes without mentioning immigration needs some serious psychological counseling.
Raging Chihuahua, I am not sure if this was intentional or unintentional but you seem to have subscribed, by putting into quotes, a comment to me that I have not made; “well, l usually disagree with Reagan, but since we both agree on the NAFTA issue then it must be good.” To be clear, I did not write that comment.
Oh, and by the way, the subtitle to my blog is “border politics – immigration – geopolitics” so do not be surprised that I tend to focus on those issues.
Thanks for reading and participating on my blog, -martin