Hey, here is one way to get more voter support

[kandrathe]

The only thing I don't understand (as someone who lives in the Northern Mid-West, very removed from the border), is that Mexico right now seems really bad off. The news is constantly reporting on what seems to be a civil war being waged by the Drug Lords vs the Mexican Government. If that is the case, and people truly are fleeing for their lives, why aren't we treating them like refugees?

Nothing is different. You are only hearing about it on the news, because the corruption and gang activity is spilling across the border. Mexico has 31 states, but most of the violence we've heard about and the extraordinarily gruesome stuff has been in Chihuahua, Durango, Guerrero and Sinaloa. Because it's spilling across the border, the US has been on the federal Mexican government to do something. They've responded, sending in national troops, which has temporarily increased the violence. I'm not sure if they'll do anything permanent. Once the feds get tired, or give up and go south, the "La Linea" type relationship with the drug lords will go back to business as usual.

In many parts of regional Mexico, for the past 150 years, the government and it's officials have been corrupt and colluding with the criminals. Life is cheap, and murder is rampant. The weak are exploited by the strong and powerful. It is cruel and barbaric -- US dollars will buy you anything including freedom, or the deprivation of it from others.

I would recommend everyone get an educational experience and spend a day in a border town. If you are close to Texas, try El Paso, Laredo, McAllen or Brownsville. Other bad cases are, Nogales - Arizona, Columbus - New Mexico, Calexico - California, or my favorite, Tijuana/Imperial Beach - California. One of my BIL's lived in Rosarita, Baja California for awhile -- and we've visited Baja frequently. I could write a book based on the stories he's told of his encounters, and my own fun in the sun in Mexico.