ARROGANCE! The Amnesty Defeat and Mexican Politics
For some Latin American leaders emigration has practically become a state economic policy...
On June 29th Mexico and all the Central American countries called upon the U.S. Congress to take up the measure (Bill, S. 1639) again and, presumably, vote their way.
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by Allan Wall
June 30, 2007 12:16 PM EST
On June 28th, in the U.S. Senate, the Bush-Kennedy Immigration Bill, S. 1639 was defeated, by being voted down on a cloture vote.
In Mexico, where U.S. immigration legislation is followed closely, the Senate vote was almost immediately slammed by Mexican president Felipe Calderon, who called it a “grave error”.
This was followed up in Belize, where Calderon traveled to meet with Central American leaders. There, Mexico and all the Central American countries called upon the U.S. Congress to take up the measure again and, presumably, vote their way.
This kind of knee-jerk response to U.S. immigration policy has become quite the norm for some Latin American leaders for whom emigration has practically become a state economic policy .
Even Tony Garza, U.S. ambassador to Mexico and Bush crony, got into the act, releasing a diplomatic statement expressing his disappointment with the U.S. Senate.
The fact is, S. 1639 was unpopular among the American people, it was an amnesty , it did not solve the border security problem and it was negotiated behind closed doors by the political elite of both parties . Nevertheless, a grassroots outcry made itself heard in the Senate, and shut down S. 1639.
Mexican leaders should respect the decision, and use their energy to concentrate on improving the Mexican economy.
And, what a coincidence! The defeat of S. 1639 in the U.S. Senate beautifully coincides with the ongoing negotiations over Mexican fiscal reform, which is very important for the future of Mexico and its economic development.
June 30, 2007 12:16 PM EST
On June 28th, in the U.S. Senate, the Bush-Kennedy Immigration Bill, S. 1639 was defeated, by being voted down on a cloture vote.
In Mexico, where U.S. immigration legislation is followed closely, the Senate vote was almost immediately slammed by Mexican president Felipe Calderon, who called it a “grave error”.
This was followed up in Belize, where Calderon traveled to meet with Central American leaders. There, Mexico and all the Central American countries called upon the U.S. Congress to take up the measure again and, presumably, vote their way.
This kind of knee-jerk response to U.S. immigration policy has become quite the norm for some Latin American leaders for whom emigration has practically become a state economic policy .
Even Tony Garza, U.S. ambassador to Mexico and Bush crony, got into the act, releasing a diplomatic statement expressing his disappointment with the U.S. Senate.
The fact is, S. 1639 was unpopular among the American people, it was an amnesty , it did not solve the border security problem and it was negotiated behind closed doors by the political elite of both parties . Nevertheless, a grassroots outcry made itself heard in the Senate, and shut down S. 1639.
Mexican leaders should respect the decision, and use their energy to concentrate on improving the Mexican economy.
And, what a coincidence! The defeat of S. 1639 in the U.S. Senate beautifully coincides with the ongoing negotiations over Mexican fiscal reform, which is very important for the future of Mexico and its economic development.
Read it all:
posted by jillosophy at 6/30/2007 05:28:00 PM
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