Should the U.S. peacefully annex Mexico?
Members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) union in the USA used to have something of a worker's paradise, where their employers (the US auto industry) would take care of them for the rest of their lives. Generous health insurance benefits to auto workers and retirees add about $1,000 to the cost of each automobile produced in the USA. UAW members used to have things better than even government employees. The situation amounted absolutely to corporate Socialism.
Now, fortunately, a lot of the assembly work has gone to Mexico. Some auto manufacturers (from Japan, etc) have opened non-union production plants in the USA. Thus, socialism is finally being defeated.
So, it probably doesn't really matter if the USA and Mexico eventually form one country--so long as we are able to export jobs to Mexico, and keep workers from living too richly in the USA.
But Wages don't set Productivity. Its vice versa. J.B. Say notes that plus M. Friedman and Robert Lucas know that well. Wealth is determined by your productivity of services and goods not money.
That belief of higher wages equal higher othger things is Keynesian belief which was complete false in the first place and Friedman and Lucas destroy the Keynesian school of thought in economics pretty good.
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Last edited by JerryHatake on 11 May 2008, 6:25 am, edited 1 time in total.
:snort:
Are you kidding? We are the opposite. Go into any public forum, and start saying how we should "better ourselves", and maintain a high level of excellence and self reliance, and you'll be called un-American. Many people equate this to saying "not everyone is equal', which it in effect is (judging a man on the merits of his character). I agree with it, but I don't think America is going along with these values. We are a state of egalitarian cry babies.
Mexico is much different, you don't work, you don't eat. Even the bums work in Mexico.
:snort:
Are you kidding? We are the opposite. Go into any public forum, and start saying how we should "better ourselves", and maintain a high level of excellence and self reliance, and you'll be called un-American. Many people equate this to saying "not everyone is equal', which it in effect is (judging a man on the merits of his character). I agree with it, but I don't think America is going along with these values. We are a state of egalitarian cry babies.
Mexico is much different, you don't work, you don't eat. Even the bums work in Mexico.
True. Again, it seems strange that working hard for low wages is considered parasitic. People 'who care nothing for anyone or anything outside what they consider familiar' sound to me like American WASPs. 'dependant on the charity of a system it can endlessly exploit to supplement its minimum wage earners' seems rather strange given that foreigners don't get welfare, etc - but legal immigrants pay all the taxes citizens do (plus immigration fees that are far more than the actual costs), and all illegals at least pay sales tax.
Point is, if First World people are unwilling to get their hands dirty, it's hardly reasonable to complain when other people show up to do the work. It's not just manual labour, likewise if First World people want to do Media Studies rather than science and engineering, it will have to be foreigners that do the R&D.
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MR_BOGAN
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Is that Americas next president. ![]()
A few thoughts...
-Compared populations:
--Canada - about 35M
--Mexico - about 105M
--USA - about 305M
-If all of Mexico's 31 states would be granted statehood in the USA, (the Federal District merged with the State of Mexico), present-day Mexico would control approximately 38% of the US Senate and approximately 25% of the US House. For present-day Mexico to have the proportionately equal power in the senate as the current 50 USA states, it would have to be condensed into 17 or 18 states.
-The Mexicans that I see up here in Wisconsin are almost entirely Mestizos from the central parts of the country, generally north and west of Mexico City. Their work and family ethic is ASTONISHING and if there could be SOME way to get the über-corrupt ruling class and government out of the way, there is no telling where they could go economically back home. They are also heavily Catholic. My sense is that these traits are all looked upon as 'threats' by many multi-generational USAians.
-Mexico is a country that is very rich in natural resources. If their government would just get out of the way (see my point above), Mexico would have a national economy equal to or STRONGER THAN that of the USA on a per-capita basis.
-The Mexicans that I see up here are doing very well at learning English and making concerted efforts at getting along and fitting in. One must remember that 100-120 years ago, English was a *MINORITY* language here in Wisconsin. In the 1880-1900s, 40-45% of all Wisconsinites spoke German. About a third spoke English and the rest mostly other European languages (Polish, Dutch, Italian, French, Serbo-Croatian, etc) and about 1% spoke aboriginal tongues.
-In 1846, the independent Republic of Texas applied for and, after much soul-searching on the part of Congress, was granted annexation and immediate full USA statehood. Mexican dictator Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna got all in a snit over that and immediately attacked the USA. In the resulting war, Santa Anna had his clock cleaned out and within a fairly short time the US Army had conquered *ALL* of Mexico, including troops occupying Mexico City. After much, much more soul-searching on the part of Congress, the USA returned about two thirds of what it had taken to Santa Anna via the Treaty of Guadelupe Hidalgo.
The issue was slavery and whether or not keeping Mexico would disrupt the delicate balance between admitting new 'slave' and 'free' states that had been hammered out a decade or so earlier in the Missouri Compromise. NEVER BEFORE IN WORLD HISTORY had a conquering power willingly and freely returned such a large area to a vanquished adversary. Most of that area that the USA kept was very thinly populated, some of it even uninhabited. Some of it achieved statehood very quickly (California was admitted in 1850) while other parts waited a while (Arizona and New Mexico didn't get their stars on the flag until 1912).
-The two sides appear to me to be culturally becoming more and more like each other, with things common and normal on one side fast becoming common and normal on the other, such that I can easily see the border becoming irrelevant. Time will tell.
Mike
This isn't a bad idea, though I think it would be hard to pull off. I like the EU idea - you wouldn't run into the same level of cultural resistance, and you'd be able to keep the same flag and national languages. If Mexico was annexed, the US would probably have to become officially bilingual, which could be ackward.
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The funny thing is, all the Mexicans living withing a couple of miles of the border are saying 'Jeez, I wish I was over there', when most of the time they end up mowing someone else's lawn. That or picking fruit up in Portland Oregon. I say leave Mexico to the Mexicans. Besides, you already have enough trouble looking after the 50 you have without pinching any more territory.
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Now that home sales are down and building has slowed.. will these out of work Mexicans return to Mexico or resort to crime? I think we know the answer to that.
I wondered one time why there wasnt a proportionate number of Hispanics represented in television advertisements. (I know I for one would like to know what products Maria uses to clean bathrooms.) Then I switched off the cable and scrolled through all the local channels. I then switched my radio from FM to AM. Guess what? Mexicans nationals in America dont watch American television or listen to American radio stations. Why? Because they have their very own which cater to them and their language. They will never assimilate.. there is no need. Someone must have decided it is better to exploit them as consumers, than mandate they achieve and maintain our own Ameican standards.
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The_Chosen_One
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Same could be said for Negroids and Puerto Ricans etc. Don't you guys realise you are all American whether you are black, white or brindle? I know we have the same problem with our Abos, but it's mainly the half-castes with the chip on their shoulders that are complaining. Carlos Mencia was right, and maybe you should start listening to him otherwise things will get a lot sadder than they are. Oh, and to all you Negroids complaing when someone calls you blackfella or whatever; what do you want us to call you? White? Red? Pink with purple spots? You are black, but American just the same.
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Pagans are people too, not just victims of a religious cleansing program. Universal harmony for all!!
Karma decides what must happen, and that includes everyone.
whether you are black, white or brindle?
I dont consider foreign nationals from other countries Americans. And since they are here taking advantage of social programs designed for underprivilaged Americans, I consider them to be hostile intruders and enemies of the state. The fact that they choose to reside here and still resist all manner of Americanization offends me to the core. If they would just pretend to be Americans, or just act like Americans, or hold themselves to the same standards as Americans, or demonstrate a few American customs, or God forbid speak the damn language, I could almost overlook their lawless tresspass. But they dont and they never will. There is just too much "Mexican pride", and I think thats great but it has its place and that place is Mexico.
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a lot of people don't want to be americans
if Canada ever becomes a part of america I am leaving the country-packing up-and going to Europe
Russia maybe or Germany maybe Holland, Romania -I am not sure yet
when i graduate high school-I am traveling
but jeez-is it ever no fun bein' an illegal alien lol
The_Chosen_One
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Same could be said for you guys then if you went to Africa, or France, or even Mexico? Would you bother to speak the same language or assimilate? Immigration Depts are meant to weed out the undesirables, but why should someone have to 'act American' as you put it just because they chose a slightly better lifestyle than what they had (picking oranges for a couple of bucks more or having the so called right to be able to listen to whatever they want). At least they can CHOOSE to listen to their own stuff in they're in the US. Back in Mexico, the poor buggers might not even have a radio at all.
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Pagans are people too, not just victims of a religious cleansing program. Universal harmony for all!!
Karma decides what must happen, and that includes everyone.
