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February 16, 2001 By Glenn Spencer SAN CRISTOBAL, Guanajuato -- U.S. President George W. Bush and Mexican President Vicente Fox met at the Fox ranch in Guanajuato, Mexico, but said little of substance about any agreement. "The fact that the president visited Mexico as his first visit shows the importance he plays on Mexico," Fox observed. "This meeting marks the beginning of a novel stage in our bilateral relations."
Bush began the joint press conference speaking briefly in Spanish with an accent that probably made most Mexicans cringe. His Spanish is no doubt worse than his English. BUSH SIGNALS OPEN BORDERS POLICY "Our meetings today have been an opportunity to renew our friendship," Bush reported. "We have a chance to build a partnership to improve the lives of the citizens of both countries." Bush said that he had discussed the issue of immigration with Fox. "We exchanged ideas about safe and orderly migration that respects individuals on both sides of the border," Bush said. SAFE AND ORDERLY ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION? Legal immigration is always safe and orderly. Therefore George Bush must be talking about illegal immigration. This means George Bush is now calling illegal immigration "migration." Moreover, he wants to make it "safe and orderly." The Mexican government has said that our strict border enforcement has led Mexicans to cross the border in dangerous areas. Many have died because of our policy, they say.
To make illegal immigration "safe" it must mean that we can no longer patrol our borders with vigor. It seems it can mean no other thing. To be "orderly" is to be allowed. What would the American People say if he had said we must make the movement of illegal drugs, "safe and orderly?" WHAT ABOUT FOX'S PROMISES TO THE MEXICAN PEOPLE? A Mexican reporter asked Fox, "What happened to the two topics that you fostered on your campaign to open the border for the free transit of people and to have the free trade agreement in the same way that the European community has?" Fox was elected to the presidency of Mexico by campaigning in the United States and Mexico promising to open the border within five years. He is going to have to deliver something soon. Fox said that he and Bush had discussed migration but that the issue must involve the legislative branches of both governments. "Good foreign policy, good relations must be firm on our borders," Bush observed. Reforma Newspaper reporter: "Don't you see that the recent bombing of Baghdad put a different shade on this meeting?" Neither Bush nor Fox answered the question but there is no question that the bombing of Iraq diverted attention away from the Mexico visit and that is why it was done. The Mexican immigration and drug issue is too hot for Bush. NO ENERGY DEAL One reporter asked if a deal had been made on energy. Fox said no. Some have proposed that the United States build power plants in Mexico and import the power. Mexico doesn't allow investment in energy projects because PEMEX, Mexico's energy company, is state owned. Fox ran on a platform of keeping it that way. BUSH WAS ACCOMPANIED ON THE TRIP BY COLIN POWELL Secretary of State Colin Powell appeared at the news conference alongside Mexican Foreign Minister Jorge Castañeda. The first signal that Bush was going to be soft on immigration and Mexico came in a February 4 New York Times story in which IT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD The first month of the Bush administration doesn't look good for America's sovereignty. Secretary of State Colin Powell has said we no longer have a border and Bush himself has said that illegal immigration must be made "safe and orderly." Powell will now co-chair a commission on immigration from Mexico along with Attorney General John Ashcroft. Ashcroft's record on immigration isn't good and Powell had made it clear he doesn't cherish America's borders. It looks as if we are beginning down the road leading to amnesty and the end of the United States of America as we knew and loved her. Glenn Spencer |
