> >Fox's Opens Border Vision Clashes > >August 23, 2000 >By The Associated Press > > > > WASHINGTON (AP) -- To some, the political winds that swept >underdog Vincente Fox into Mexico's presidency last month are a >fresh breeze wafting across the Rio Grande, carrying promises of >better days for Mexico and its relationship with the United States. > > > But, analysts say, the good will could blow away just as suddenly >if Fox, who takes office Dec. 1, insists on a freer flow of >Mexican workers into the United States. Fox is expected to bring >up the issue later this week in separate meetings with President >Clinton and Vice President Al Gore in Washington and with Gov. >George W. Bush in Dallas. > > Fox defeated the seemingly invincible PRI party -- which ruled >Mexico for more than 70 years -- in elections on July 2. In his >campaign he talked of Mexico and the United States becoming >``partners,'' and he is an unabashed globalist. He vows to create >conditions for a doubling of American investment in Mexico and to >wage an all-out war on corruption in his country. > > He also pledges to allow the extradition of Mexican drug >traffickers to the United States, something Mexico traditionally >has been reluctant to do. All of this delights American officials, >who say they expect the gains in cross-border ties of recent years >to continue under Fox. > > But there are some U.S. reservations about Fox, especially his >fierce opposition to the U.S. policy of spending billions of >dollars each year to keep undocumented Mexicans off U.S. soil. > > Fox wants eventually to do away with border controls. He >envisions the transformation of the three countries of North >America into a kind of European Union, where the citizens of one >can work in any other member nation. > > He points out that open borders among EU countries have brought >Portugal and Greece much closer to economy parity with other EU >members. > > But critics argue the two situations are not comparable, noting >that Portugal and Greece have populations much smaller than Mexico >and that their migrant workers were dispersed throughout EU >countries. > > In contrast, the number of poor Mexicans is large, an estimated >40 million, and the great majority who are inclined to migrate look >to the United States -- and no other country -- for their economic >salvation. > > Fox is not looking to the United States to solve Mexico's >population surplus. Rather, he would offer incentives for Mexicans >to stay at home, including an economic program that would create >jobs on a scale far greater than what is being done today. > > He is adamant about doing away with the status quo. > > ``By >building up walls, by putting up armies, by dedicating billions of >dollars like every border state is doing to avoid migration, is >not the way to go,'' Fox says. > > Many Americans obviously disagree and believe existing barriers >are inadequate. Six weeks before Fox's election, the House approved >a bill sponsored by Rep. James Traficant, D-Ohio, to allow >deployment of U.S. troops along the border to protect a variety of >U.S. interests, including the curbing of drug trafficking and of >weapons smuggling. The vote was 243-183. The sentiment reflected in >the vote was diametrically opposed to Fox's vision. > > A similar bill has been approved by the House on two previous >occasions but died in negotiations with the Senate both times. > > David Smith, director of public policy for the AFL-CIO, says open >borders are impractical with two countries at such different >stages of development. > > A guest worker program favored by Fox would pit arriving Mexican >workers against American workers, resulting in a ``race to the >bottom'' between the two groups. > > George Garrison, a Mexico expert at the College of William and >Mary, agrees. ``The chances of an American floor sweeper in a >Houston high-rise to get a raise are greatly diminished when there >is a squadron of immigrant job seekers waiting outside,'' he says. > > Willard Workman, a vice president at the U.S. Chamber of >Commerce, says he believes the issue is worthy of official >discussions but in the meantime, ``We're going to keep the border >policed. > > ``Just as we don't want goods dumped, we don't want labor >dumped,'' he says. > > > > ------ > > EDITOR'S NOTE -- George Gedda has covered foreign affairs for The >Associated Press since 1968. > > > >The New York Times on the Web >http://www.nytimes.com > ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com _______________________________________________ Crashlist resources: http://website.lineone.net/~resource_base To change your options or unsubscribe go to: http://lists.wwpublish.com/mailman/listinfo/crashlist
