Remittances are Mexico's biggest source of income, says Fox

Holy guacamole Batman!

NEW YORK – Money sent from Mexican workers in the United States to their families back home has reached a record $12 billion in 2003, Mexican President Vicente Fox said Wednesday.

Remittances "are our biggest source of foreign income, bigger than oil, tourism or foreign investment," Fox told reporters after a meeting with Mexican-American businessmen.

Well ain't that nice. It makes me feel all warm inside that America is propping up the corrupt government south of our border. And remember, that's just Mexico, how much American money do you think is hemorraging over our borders that could be put to work here to benefit Americans?

"The 20 million Mexicans in the United States generate a gross product that is slightly higher than the $600 billion generated by Mexicans in Mexico," Fox said, adding that his country has the ninth-largest economy in the world.

"If we could add up the two products, Mexico would be the third or fourth economy in the world," he said.

First: How sad is it that 23 million Mexicans in the United States produce more money than the 100 million living in Mexico?

Second: I don't want 23 million Mexicans living in America! Does that sound insensitive to you, well, I would be a lot more open to 23 million Americans of Mexican descent. 23 million Mexicans makes my butt itch, I don't want 23 million of any nation's citizen's living within the borders of my country. Call me crazy, but it cannot turn out well. It just can't!

Fox said the money transfers grew after Mexican consulates started giving identity cards to their citizens in the United States.

"The cards are working. All doubts have been cleared up," Fox said. "Almost 2.5 million people have them, and we want all Mexicans to have them."

One of the happiest days of my life will be when those damn things are dead and gone. No Senor Fox, precisely no doubts have been cleared up. Those cards are a danger to me and mine and I will do everything in my power to make them a past tense problem. The FBI don't trust'em. I don't trust'em and you shouldn't trust'em.

Fox said he would discuss the question of migration with
President Bush at next month's meeting of 21 world leaders at the Asia Pacific
Economic Cooperation forum in Thailand.

You can talk until you're blue in the face guys. ninety percent or so Americans are unhappy about the illegal immigration mess and want it cleaned up right now. I can't even imagine the pain to Mexico when 16 billion dollars dries up over night. It will be quite a hit to their economy, no doubt about it, and I find myself fresh out of compassion.

Considering the wildly silly and insulting things Mexico has been saying, well, it will be sweet when the payback starts flowing southward.

Always. always, always follow the money trail. Mexico needs to keep illegal immigration high for a variety of reasons. No matter how you slice it it is not, cannot be, and shouldn't be our responsibility to support the economy of another sovereign nation. To feed her people in perpetuity. You teach a man to fish...

With all due respect Mr. President, you're gonna' lose this one. I'm sorry you opted to support the citizens of another country over the very people who look to you for protection and support. I think a lot of you sir, but on this issue I am incapable of understanding your position, along with eighty percent of my fellow conservatives and a surprisingly large contingent of Liberals.

H/T Digger's realm

illegal immigration
Mexico
remittances