What Should Be the U.S. Response to Mexico’s Passive-Aggressive Policies?
via ZeroHedge, Tyler Durden (excerpt) and Victor Davis Hanson (video)
So? What Should the U.S. Do?
Smile, praise Mexico as our greatest trading partner, and then quietly inform them that illegal aliens will be bussed to the border.
Once there, they could be given a generous care package, escorted through a border door, and left on the Mexican side from which they entered and thus could then be escorted in caravans home in the same manner that they arrived.
To maintain cordial relations and politely gain Mexico’s attention, we need a radical change in tone and action beyond just ending catch-and-release, finishing the wall, and making refugee status requests possible only in the home country of the applicant.
Rather than worry about who is sending remittances, why not politely place a 20 percent tax (about $12 billion) on all cash sent from the U.S. to Mexico?
We could also hail our mutual friendship and then reluctantly slap tariffs on imported assembled goods until the two-way trade is roughly balanced.
Who knows, once the U.S. is respected again and not considered an easy mark, Mexico could once again become a fine and reciprocal friend to the United States.
Is Mexico Our Frenemy? Victor Davis Hanson
Currently, the United States has a $100 billion-plus trade deficit with Mexico.
Days after taking office, President Trump directed the U.S. military to begin deportation flights to Mexico.
Mexico initially refused, only to concede days later.
Trump threatened to impose a 25% on Mexican imports unless America’s southern neighbor took concrete action to curb the flow of illegal aliens and drugs across its borders.
A day later, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum caved, sending 10,000 National Guard troops to the U.S. southern border.
What is the Mexican-American status quo now?
It's very disturbing.
We sent deported criminals back to Mexico and they would not allow them to land in Mexico.
We had people of the cartel shoot an American citizen on U.S. land and shoot at our Border Patrol.
So, what is Mexico?
Is it neutral?
Is it an ally?
Is it an enemy?
Is it a frenemy?”
So, I don't know what Mexico is, but I know what we can do about it.
20% tax on anybody who sends, anywhere in the United States, money back to Mexico.
That would raise about $12 billion.
That would send a message.
And then we have a tariff.
Donald Trump says he's going to do it very quickly and that would tell Mexico, “you're not going to run up a $167 billion under the guise of the North American Free Trade [Agreement].”
Our Take
Both the Biden administration and Mexico have been sending mixed messages.
Trump is not about mixed messages - there is no agenda, and there is no ‘yes’ that means ‘no’ or ‘maybe’.
His words are to be trusted.
If we were in the days of the handshake seals the deal, you would want to shake his hand.
Mexico is not used to this - it’s in any Spanish or Portuguese culture; European countries like Ireland are no different either.
They always say yes but the delivery and decisiveness of that yes is, well, sluggish.
Sometimes VERY sluggish - enough so you wonder if they forgot.
I can attest to this from being south of the border for 13 years.
What we are witnessing in the Mexican-American relationship is the harvest of the seeds of ‘yes means no or maybe’ policies and hidden agendas.
And hidden agendas NEVER lead to trust - quite the opposite.
This is something President Trump understands - he knows leaders will ship and leaders unaccustomed to someone faithful to his word have a hard time shifting to doing the same.
As long as the other side of the table keeps shifting towards a level that can be trusted, President Trump will work with them.
HOWEVER…
Be wary of the lion that has been antagonized.
It will never be pretty and you WILL find out just how ruthless President Trump can be.