Biden calls on Mexican government to provide jobs

[gateley]

Delaware Sen. Joe Biden passionately declared Sunday that the key solution to illegal immigration begins with Mexican government officials who must expand their economies to provide good jobs for those living south of the border.

“They’re being irresponsible. This is the second-wealthiest nation in the hemisphere, we’re not talking about Sierra Leone,” the Democratic presidential candidate said. “This is a dysfunctional society. ”

Biden said illegal immigration will continue, no matter how high the border fence becomes.

He discussed the issue during a question-and-answer session with members of A Mid-Iowa Organizing Strategy. The nonpartisan community organization includes 30 central Iowa churches promote discourse on issues such as health care and education. Biden is the second presidential candidate invited to speak with the group, after Illinois Sen. Barack Obama in October.

Biden noted that the issue of illegal immigration involves not only people coming across the Mexican border but also those from many countries who overstay their visas.

He said a constructive solution includes giving those in the country illegally a certain period to come forward and subject themselves to criminal background checks and prove they’re paying taxes before earning citizenship within 10 years.


Good point. The Mexican government is the culprit behind the abominable conditions and economy these people are trying to escape. It seems as though they don't care at all about their own people.


EDIT to add link: http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071202/NEWS/71202016/0/caucus

[msongs]

1. human beings are mexico's most valuable export - nt

[gateley]

2. Tragically you're right. nt

[glowing]

3. Perhaps he can also insist on creating some here in the United States

as well...

[gateley]

5. Yes. He certainly should have addressed that issue when the topic was

immigration. He apparently doesn't have any concern about the employment situation in the U.S. :eyes:

[glowing]

6. Hand in hand it goes, if American's had plenty of jobs to go around

that paid a living wage, then they wouldn't care about immigration. Its the competition and the steady decline in benefits and pay that pisses people off. Of course they don't want to share with someone who isn't a citizen.

[jillan]

4. Imagine - a President that actually wants to sit and talk with the President of Mexico to work out

the immigration problem, instead of throwing up a fence?

What a concept :)

[cyclezealot]

7. As if they have control

Nafta is what has reduced Mexican wages and good quality jobs. Instead , he should lecture Mexico's rapidly increasing number of billionaires to jettison nafta and work towards real development.

[KittyWampus]

10. you really think Mexicans have no control and that's the problem? As if it's not the corruptionS if

and complicity on the Mexican govt's part.

Who do you think he's freaking talking to?

And anyhow, I'd wager you'd expect Americans to get off their asses working to get rid of the corruption here in the US.

But poor, poor Mexicans.

[cyclezealot]

18. heck under Nafta

we have minimal control, here in the US. And a more autocratic government in Mexico. You think democracy is alive and well. I don't . Billionaires pretty much rule, whether it be the US or Mexico.

[treestar]

25. Why do you hate Mexicans?

You're missing the part where they signed onto NAFTA too.

And they are no less deserving than Americans.

It's Big Business that was benefitted.

[cyclezealot]

26. you believe the government siging on Nafta

reflects the popular will!. It does not in the US. And Mexico is even less democratic.

[sandnsea]

8. NAFTA was supposed to do that

Gosh, maybe if labor rights had been IN the treaty, US companies in Mexico would be paying enough to create an equal economy.

Mexico isn't the problem. US corporations are the problem, here, there, everywhere.

[KittyWampus]

12. again, a cartoon picture of reality. You need to ignore the Mexican govt & solely blame the US

yeah, it's all our fault Mexico can't take care of it's own population.

Right.

That actually works out to a subtle form of racism.

[sandnsea]

24. Fox was a corporatist leader

Doing exactly what the corporates wanted him to do. Just like they do in China and everywhere else US corporations operate. I know who the culprit is.

[MadHound]

9. Joe, you fucking hypocrite

YOU voted for NAFTA, which utterly destroyed the Mexican agricultural sector, forcing Mexican farmers and agricultural workers to head either to the cities for low paying factory jobs, or north of the border for higher paying farm jobs.

YOU voted for NAFTA which sent our manufacturing sector south of the border.

YOU favored expanded trade relations with China and SE Asia, which stripped Mexico of even the low paying factory jobs, thus leaving a huge swath of Mexicans unemployed with no hope for employment.

Joe, you are a hypocrite. YOU helped create this problem, yet now you have the damn gall to scold Mexico for not providing enough jobs. Pffft! I was starting to think that you had changed your spots Joe, but now I see that all you're doing is playing politics.

[KittyWampus]

11. Yes, and the Mexican government is blame-free. It's all NAFTA. Your cartoon version of reality

version of reality doesn't work here in the real world.

And Biden is saying what many DU'ers have said about Mexico and Immigration.

Talk about hypocrite.

[inthebrain]

13. Speaking of cartoon version of reality

Joe thinks Mexico is wealthier than canada......

“They’re being irresponsible. This is the second-wealthiest nation in the hemisphere, we’re not talking about Sierra Leone,” the Democratic presidential candidate said. “This is a dysfunctional society. ”

[MadHound]

14. I didn't say that Mexico was blame free

I just find Biden's blame the victim rant rather repulsive, especially in light of the fact that he helped kick the Mexican economy to the curb.

[Adelante]

16. I am sorry to agree

I like Joe Biden, but the viewpoint he is espousing is way too simplistic and lacking in accountability for the role he played, as did some other of our candidates. Just the other day I was watching something that talked about thousands or tens of thousands of American farmers driven from their farms. This is terrible, no question. In Mexico, that number is in the MILLIONS. Mexico used to export 90% of its goods to the United States. Since China trade, that figure is down to 40%, because the US is importing goods from China they used to import from Mexico, who along with Canada was supposed to have some protections. The Mexican government is now scrambling to diversify its trading partnerships to Europe and Latin America, but who knows what effect it will have. One of Mexico's historically key crops, chile peppers, is a good illustration. I live in Mexico. I can't even find a Mexican chile pepper anymore. The markets are filled with Chinese chile peppers everywhere, because they're so cheap and the Mexican farmers who had relied on the United States, its country primary trading partner, were screwed out of their livelihoods. Forget about traditional Mexican crafts. I bought a hat in a traditional market in a tiny historical town without thinking to look and only saw the "Made in China" label later at home. Forget about a whole lot of factory jobs that have gone to China.

There is plenty of accountability to be spread around on our trade disasters, but Joe Biden is right up there, and he has no business taking this hard line, imo.

[cyclezealot]

19. right on.

It's all about making money not subjected to international regulation and cash can be in Mexico today and in China tomorrow. Hypocrite. You used the right term.

[jillan]

27. Yes he voted for NAFTA - but he learned - he voted against Cafta and will not vote for the Peru

trading bill.

[MadHound]

28. That's nice and all,

But calling out Mexico to provide jobs that he helped destroy is rather hypocritical and heartless, don't you think?

[Zorra]

15. He should be asking for impeachment proceedings to begin.

Because asking the Mexican government to provide jobs is like asking pigs to fly.

[Froward69]

17. Bidens position is not asking

its TELLING Mexico to do something for its own people.

[1corona4u]

29. Not if we cut off trade....

it's not like we don't have any power here...

PS- Thanks for keeping the thread alive though...

[gateley]

20. I want everybody to be aware that it was ME who called Mexico the 'culprit' -

not Biden. There's enough resistance to his statement as is -- so just wanted to be clear about that.

[1corona4u]

21. And, they are...here is what I just posted on the board...

These comments are from a recent South Carolina meeting where Joe spoke about Mexico;

"Mexico is a country that is an erstwhile democracy where they have the greatest disparity of wealth. It is one of the wealthiest countries in the hemisphere and because of a corrupt system that exists in Mexico, there is the 1 percent of the population at the top, a very small middle class and the rest is abject poverty."

"Unless the political dynamics change in Mexico and U.S. employers who hire illegal immigrants are punished, illegal immigration won't stop. "All the rest is window dressing,"

"An even bigger problem are illegal drugs "coming up through corrupt Mexico, People are driving across that border with tons, tons — hear me — tons of everything from byproducts for methamphetamine, to cocaine, to heroine."

[1corona4u]

22. And, Mexico is the 12th largest economy in the world...

but only the top 1% have money...look it up people.

[murbley40]

23. KIck