Statehood for Mexico

[Alferd_Packer]

Well, why not?

It would solve a lot of problems.

No more illegal immigration, The federal government could move in against the drug trade and corupt local governemnts. Nafta would be voided.

Yeah, yeah, I know, i know. . . what if they don't want to be part of the U.S. ?

Well too bad.

:p

:D

[Darth Rotor]

Well, why not?

It would solve a lot of problems.

No more illegal immigration, The federal government could move in against the drug trade and corupt local governemnts. Nafta would be voided.

Yeah, yeah, I know, i know. . . what if they don't want to be part of the U.S. ?

Well too bad.

:p

:D
If the United States had wanted that, there was ample opportunity in 1848, and in 1917, to make that choice. The benefits do not outweight the costs.

DR

[rjwould]

Good Idea!

[theprestige]

Wouldn't that be kind of like adding Greece to the EU?

[drkitten]

Wouldn't that be kind of like adding Greece to the EU?

No. One of the key problems with the EU -- as the Greek crisis has shown -- is that there's not enough central authority to enforce the EU's own rules. That's not a mistake that the US would make with Mexico; in fact, the Tea Party has been complaining recently that there is too much central authority here.

[Augustus]

Yes, well, the Tea Party lacks a consistent idea of how the government is over-reaching. There's a great video of some lady at a tea party protest being asked exactly what she wants to be cut and she just goes blank and stammers a bit.

I generally support the idea of Mexico becoming a US possession (and eventual statehood for all of its states), but that's a few years down the road.

[Crossbow]

Well, why not?

It would solve a lot of problems.

No more illegal immigration, The federal government could move in against the drug trade and corupt local governemnts. Nafta would be voided.

Yeah, yeah, I know, i know. . . what if they don't want to be part of the U.S. ?

Well too bad.

:p

:D

Sorry, but this has to be the worst idea since the Iraq War.

[Madalch]

What's MexicanSpanish for "Oi! Get yer filthy hands off my desert!!"?

You guys really shouldn't covet that which doesn't belong to you.

[Brown]

Well, why not?

It would solve a lot of problems.

No more illegal immigration...Hmm, that's almost as "good" as my idea: abolish the 13th Amendment. That's right, any illegals found in the USA could be sold into slavery. Why, the problem of illegals coming into the country to look for work would vanish overnight!

[Darth Rotor]

Hmm, that's almost as "good" as my idea: abolish the 13th Amendment. That's right, any illegals found in the USA could be sold into slavery.
Some of them already are, though not legally.

http://www.texasmonthly.com/preview/2010-04-01/feature3

Skip the ad that pops up.

DR

[rjwould]

It seems to me to be crazy to continue this absurd practice of trying to cage people with invisible fences. Let them and us come and go as they please in order to look for work. Its American to hire the most qualified people anyway, right. If people from outside the US aren't the most qualified they won't get the job, isn't that correct? Or do we just make that stuff up?

Take down all the borders.

[WildCat]

It seems to me to be crazy to continue this absurd practice of trying to cage people with invisible fences. Let them and us come and go as they please in order to look for work. Its American to hire the most qualified people anyway, right. If people from outside the US aren't the most qualified they won't get the job, isn't that correct? Or do we just make that stuff up?

Take down all the borders.
So you think US wages and benefits are too high, and we need an influx of workers from impoverished nations in order to bring them down?

[Darth Rotor]

Take down all the borders.
How many elephants died to make your dwelling, sir? :cool:

[rjwould]

So you think US wages and benefits are too high, and we need an influx of workers from impoverished nations in order to bring them down?Surely American companies would adhere to minimum wage requirements, wouldn't they? But isn't competition a sacred American value? What is it we're afraid of?

[drkitten]

So you think US wages and benefits are too high, and we need an influx of workers from impoverished nations in order to bring them down?

Is that substantially worse than an outflux of work to impoverished nations?

[rjwould]

Is that substantially worse than an outflux of work to impoverished nations?True! We are not benefiting as we could from the tax revenue.

[marksman]

No more illegal immigration
Not true. We'd have to deal with all the illegal immigrants coming into Mexicamerica from Honduras and Guatemala (http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2010/March/10-crm-343.html).

The federal government could move in against the drug trade and corupt local governemnts.
Shucks, the government doesn't have to annex Mexico to corrupt local governments! We have the State Department for things like that! ;)

Nafta would be voided.
I think Canada wuld have something to say about that.

what if they don't want to be part of the U.S. ?
I think they'd be okay with it as long as they weren't forced to eat what passes for Mexican food here.

[Darth Rotor]

Statehood for Mexico

I think they'd be okay with it as long as they weren't forced to eat what passes for Mexican food here.
I'll presume that you mean "New York" by "here" as I have found some of the best Mexican food ever to be served in Sante Fe, New Mexico.

However, like cuisine in a lot of places, Mexican cuisine varies by region in Mexico.

At Taco Hell, it never varies: it's always the same, old caca. :(

[Alferd_Packer]

Not true. We'd have to deal with all the illegal immigrants coming into Mexicamerica from Honduras and Guatemala (http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2010/March/10-crm-343.html).


States 52 and 53


I think Canada wuld have something to say about that.

State 54


I think they'd be okay with it as long as they weren't forced to eat what passes for Mexican food here.

There are some pretty authentic taquerias in my neighborhood. And if you drive down to Pilsen or Little Village, you can find some really good full service restaurants as well.

[Madalch]

State 54

Do we need to burn your White House down again?

[Alferd_Packer]

Do we need to burn your White House down again?

Oh, come on, you know you all want to be part of the U.S.

[sesshin]

What is it we're afraid of?


The entire southwestern US sinking into third world status. I take it you don't live there?

[rjwould]

The entire southwestern US sinking into third world status. I take it you don't live there?You're right. I completely forgot about the "status" thing. Though I don't think allowing Mexicans and others into the country will dirty the place enough to where that would cause what you fear. According to what I'm hearing, there are already somewhere between 12 and 20 million Mexicans alone in the US and were not third world status yet, and if we're close, its not their fault; you can look to the financial sector for that - maybe thats where all the Mexicans are working.

But seriously, you're worried Americans can't compete with Mexican people in regards to work ethic?

[sesshin]

You're right. I completely forgot about the "status" thing. Though I don't think allowing Mexicans and others into the country will dirty the place enough to where that would cause what you fear. According to what I'm hearing, there are already somewhere between 12 and 20 million Mexicans alone in the US and were not third world status yet, and if we're close, its not their fault; you can look to the financial sector for that - maybe thats where all the Mexicans are working.


It's already happening here in Los Angeles. Swaths of the city are only differentiated from Mexican shanty towns by buildings having to be kept up to city code.

The fact of the matter is illegal immigrants are the poorest segment of the societies in which they come from, and when they immigrate here en masse and don't assimilate, they import their poverty with them. The standard of living in the society they immigrate to is lowered while simultaneously being raised in the society they emigrate from. Why do you think the Mexican government is so determined to send as many here as possible?

The southwestern US is already on track to become overwhelmingly Hispanic within the next couple of decades, partly due to illegal immigration. If we couple that with your idea of opening the borders, it will, for all intents and purposes, become no different than Mexico. Have you been to Mexico before? Nice place to visit, but not live.

I find most people advocating your position tend to live far and away from the areas that would be most affected by it.


But seriously, you're worried Americans can't compete with Mexican people in regards to work ethic?


I'm all for the free market running it's course. One hole in your logic though is, here in LA as an example, many illegal immigrants don't compete with Americans for jobs. The illegal immigrant community is so huge it's self-sustaining. They can live and work in many professions: mechanic, salesman, etc, and never come in contact with a non-Spanish speaker. American citizens aren't in those communities so they aren't competition.

[WildCat]

Is that substantially worse than an outflux of work to impoverished nations?
Yes.

[WildCat]

Surely American companies would adhere to minimum wage requirements, wouldn't they? But isn't competition a sacred American value? What is it we're afraid of?
Well by definition, once you go "no borders" you've destroyed the idea of a country.

It all goes downhill from there.

[marksman]

I have found some of the best Mexican food ever to be served in Sante Fe, New Mexico.
Meh. Northern Mexican food isn't Mexican food. That's a random assortment of beef, chicken, pork, beans, rice, corn, with either red or green sauce in either a soft or hard corn or wheat tortilla. Go to Veracruz, Oaxaca or Merida.

[Augustus]

One of the benefits of annexing Mexico and handling immigration from areas like Honduras is that, well, there's a much smaller border to contend with. If someone were to want to build a wall (which is a ridiculous idea, but an idea nonetheless) there would be much less ground to cover.

[sesshin]

Nice idea in theory. Mexico would never go for it though. They are a proud people and a lot seem still sore about the Guadalupe Hidalgo Treaty.

[rjwould]

One of the benefits of annexing Mexico and handling immigration from areas like Honduras is that, well, there's a much smaller border to contend with. If someone were to want to build a wall (which is a ridiculous idea, but an idea nonetheless) there would be much less ground to cover.Plus we could have Mexicans build it on the cheap. *kidding*

[rjwould]

Well by definition, once you go "no borders" you've destroyed the idea of a country.

It all goes downhill from there.Open the boarders for work and leisure. Laws can still be enforced within the US.

Define downhill.

[Travis]

Nah, let's just nuke Mexico. No more immigrants and no more workers there for companies to outsource to. The radioactive wasteland that is left behind would then serve as a buffer preventing further migration north by what's left of Central America.

[Wildy]

Well, why not?

It would solve a lot of problems.

No more illegal immigration, The federal government could move in against the drug trade and corupt local governemnts. Nafta would be voided.

Yeah, yeah, I know, i know. . . what if they don't want to be part of the U.S. ?

Well too bad.

:p

:D

Wouldn't you have to get all the states in Mexico to agree?

[Alferd_Packer]

Wouldn't you have to get all the states in Mexico to agree?

We could bring them into the union as their own states. Of course we would have to change the name of the one named after the little dog.

Can you imagine if the U.S. Navy were to build a battleship and to name it after a new state? Who would fear the "USS Chihuahua?"

[casebro]

Lets do it one of their states at a time.

Start with Baja California. Turn it into California South. 1100 linear miles of Palm Springs, with beaches, from what is now empty desert. What potential that peninsula has.

[Darth Rotor]

Meh. Northern Mexican food isn't Mexican food. That's a random assortment of beef, chicken, pork, beans, rice, corn, with either red or green sauce in either a soft or hard corn or wheat tortilla. Go to Veracruz, Oaxaca or Merida.
Two Points:

1. While I enjoy your jest, the chili spiced beef and beans I had in Sante Fe wasn't what you declare it was, nor was the best Chili Relleno I ever had on the Mexico/Ca border. You prefer food from other regions, fair enough. I am not a fan of southern French cooking, but further north it is to die for.

2. Mexico is off of my travel list, pretty much forever, unless a number of things change. Better places, in the US and elsewhere, to spend my time and money.

DR

[marksman]

No offense, DR. I was just being humorous. Sadly, until conditions in Mexico improve, i'm afraid i won't be returning to Oaxaca or Veracruz in the near future. The Yucatan is still safe, but they consider themselves Mexicans the way Texans consider themselves Americans: barely, and they've always got an eye out for a better offer.

[Spindrift]

How about we give Mexico Arizona? That would solve Arizona's illegal immigrant problem.

[rwguinn]

Hell.
We cant even get the East coast and Upper Midwest to recognize that New Mexico is a state.
(And if it ain't Hatch, it ain't Chile.)

[User Name]

This thread reminds me of a (somewhat notorious) Mike Royko article: articles.chicagotribune.com/1996-02-27/news/9602270086_1_pat-buchanan-buchanan-supporter-illegal-immigrants

Royko was being sarcastic, but not everyone thought so at the time!

UN

[CORed]

What's MexicanSpanish for "Oi! Get yer filthy hands off my desert!!"?

You guys really shouldn't covet that which doesn't belong to you.

We already stole the good part of Mexico in 1848. Personally, I think we should give Texas back. :D

[mortimer]

This thread is full of win.

It's actually an intriguing idea. Short term, the pain would be immense.

However, think of the beaches.

[mikeyx]

If the United States had wanted that, there was ample opportunity in 1848, and in 1917, to make that choice. The benefits do not outweight the costs.

DR

1) it would tank the economy
2) every major canadian city is within easy tank range

BLITZ something or other

[yomero]

Statehood for Mexico?

As a Mexican I find this a very fine idea. After the 2 countries are joined, we keep our constitution. Very wisely, it includes Article 33. A loose translation is the following: The Executive will have the exclusive faculty to expel inmediately and without a prior trial any Gringo it deems inconvenient. All Gringos will have to leave after we apply Article 33. Perhaps we can let you keep Oklahoma so you can all move there.

QUE VIVA PANCHO VILLA !

http://info4.juridicas.unam.mx/ijure/fed/9/34.htm?s=

[Bob Blaylock]

Hmm, that's almost as "good" as my idea: abolish the 13th Amendment. That's right, any illegals found in the USA could be sold into slavery. Why, the problem of illegals coming into the country to look for work would vanish overnight!


The Thirteenth Amendment specifies an exception, which could easily apply here.

Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

It's possible, even likely, that this idea would be held to run afoul of the Eighth Amendment, but it wouldn't violate the Thirteenth Amendment.

[MG1962]

How about we give Mexico Arizona? That would solve Arizona's illegal immigrant problem.

You might have to throw in Texas as a sweetener...After all Mexico used own that as well

[Bob Blaylock]

Statehood for Mexico?

As a Mexican I find this a very fine idea. After the 2 countries are joined, we keep our constitution. Very wisely, it includes Article 33. A loose translation is the following: The Executive will have the exclusive faculty to expel inmediately and without a prior trial any Gringo it deems inconvenient. All Gringos will have to leave after we apply Article 33. Perhaps we can let you keep Oklahoma so you can all move there.

QUE VIVA PANCHO VILLA !

http://info4.juridicas.unam.mx/ijure/fed/9/34.htm?s=


It doesn't seem to say that, at least based on Google's crude translation into English.

It seems to be about foreigners. Is this not what the word “EXTRANJEROS” means—foreigners?

If we joined the two countries, then “Gringos” would not be foreigners in Mexico, any more than Mexicans would be foreigners in the U.S.

[yomero]

It doesn't seem to say that, at least based on Google's crude translation into English.

It seems to be about foreigners. Is this not what the word “EXTRANJEROS” means—foreigners?

We shouldn't let a little semantic objection get in the way of a good idea.:D


If we joined the two countries, then “Gringos” would not be foreigners in Mexico, any more than Mexicans would be foreigners in the U.S.

What? Why wouldn't you like moving to Oklahoma?

I realize that I should have put smilies in my previous post. Here they are.:):D;)

Again: QUE VIVA PANCHO VILLA!

[Alferd_Packer]

If we made Mexico and Canada states, we would have to combine three sets of currency into one. What would we call it, the American, Canadian Dollar and Peso?

[Darth Rotor]

No offense, DR. I was just being humorous.
No offense taken, and maybe I should have used a smilie thing. :) This was playful banter, I hope. Non gustibus disputandum
Sadly, until conditions in Mexico improve, i'm afraid i won't be returning to Oaxaca or Veracruz in the near future. The Yucatan is still safe, but they consider themselves Mexicans the way Texans consider themselves Americans: barely, and they've always got an eye out for a better offer.
Aye.

[Darth Rotor]

Again: QUE VIVA PANCHO VILLA!
Just like Elvis, I suppose.

[rwguinn]

We shouldn't let a little semantic objection get in the way of a good idea.:D



What? Why wouldn't you like moving to Oklahoma?

I realize that I should have put smilies in my previous post. Here they are.:):D;)

Again: QUE VIVA PANCHO VILLA!
I've been to Oklahoma. That's why...