Mexican Drug Cartels Threaten American National Security

Its All About The "Benjamins!"

Its been estimated that the the Black Market economy(profits from all illegal activities) is about the same has the legal, taxed economy! Is it any wonder that cartels and such have the inncentive to protect and expand their economy, much like any other business. All the money and laws in the world won't put much of a dent in their efforts to maintain their business, eventually pragmatism will have to rule and we will at least have to consider some legalization of at least some drugs taking the profit out of their business, putting taxes into our businesses (its been estimated that the tax revenues from legal drugs would cause our taxes to fall to 0%!) Everyone should take a visit to Amsterdam or some other places where drugs are legalized and see what could be! The Dutch seem to be handling their moral dilimma's quite well along with their low crime rate, high standard of living for all, low stress levels and low tax rates which seem to make it a great place to live!

Immigrants

You know I sit and I hear how everyone bad mouths the mexicans that have sacrificed their lives to come to this country.Some do send their money back to their country,but aren't we all liable for child support as well.Most of them that ship money there is because they have kids that they want to have an education.How can we dare be racist against Mexicans,Brazilians,and the other hispanic races here,but are not allowed to be racist against anyone that was born here.We all bleed red.They bust their asses every single day for crap pay and work 70+hrs a week for a check that they will never see the taxes from.They have children here,weather you want them to or not.So,you would rather have several hundred of children being raised with no father and when they ask where their father is tell them the truth,that he isn't allowed here because he is brown ? Really.Noone complains when your produce was cheaper,or your yard was cut for $5 or all the meat this country eats.Are you willing to butcher cows for $7.50hr.I highly doubt it.You want them here for your benefits,but give them nothing,including freedom,in return.This country is falling apart due to racism and selfish rich people whol are living it up while the poor suffer and starve.Land of the free....where ?

Legalize Marijuana? Read this, then think about it before you deicide

If you think about legalizing marijuana in these terms the logic might not seem so bad. Usually people are extremists, all for it or all against it with no compromise. But maybe a little compromise is what we need for both sides to be at least somewhat satisfied.

In the prohibition period booze once legalized ended the profits of many gangsters. Now we have legalized gambling, so only drugs are left. Now let's take booze for instance; There are so many strict laws about drinking it but still legal to buy it. People for booze are satisfied that they can buy it and people against it are satisfied of the strict laws to drink it. The same can be said about Cigarettes. If you outlawed either one then you've created another vehicle for criminals to profit on.

So now the Marijuana issue. Make it legalize it to buy but put strict laws on it's use just like booze and cigarettes. That way one side is satisfied that it's legalized and the other side is happy that there are strict laws on it's use.

If both sides compromised a bit we could solve the problem, then everyone would be happy that it is taken out of the hands of the drug dealers.

Now the issue of marijuana raising the crime rate. I don't think the crime rate could be any higher with it legalized than it is now with it being illegal. But take the City of Santa Cruz, California; Marijuana is as close to being legal as you can get and you can smoke it on the street without a hassle. Not because the Police look the other way but because the law prohibits them from doing much about it (look it up). And Santa Cruz is one of the nicest Cities around with a very low crime rate. I'm not claiming that the marijuana law lowered the crime rate but the fact is that it sure didn't raise it.

One might look at the benefits of legalizing marijuana as just theory, but if you concede that making booze legal was a positive move and that yesterdays booze is today's marijuana then it might not be such a theory, as the example of the low crime rate in Santa Cruz.

In conclusion, If one side would stop rehashing (no pun intended) on how the benefits of legalizing marijuana would bring in a lot of taxes and how it is more healthy than booze etc.. And if the other side would stop insisting that everyone will become dope addicts and the crime rate will go up if it legalized resulting in the worlds end, then maybe we could arrive at an acceptable compromise. Now I'm not saying both sides don't have valid points and theories, I'm just saying that this isn't about the old pro's and con's anymore, it's about something way more important and urgent, and that's taking another vehicle (maybe the last) away from the drug lords. But only the UN-extreme will give this any thought at all. But I hope at least some will just think about it. For the record, I do not smoke marijuana but I would like to see it legalized, for obvious reasons.

MEXICAN AFGHANISTAN HEURISTIC

Mexico and Afghanistan have problems with lawless violence and terrorism that can be compared to provide insights which may not have occurred before. These problems seem irresolvable and solutions are desperately needed. Consider it a "heuristic device" to make such a comparison. Countries are very different: Mexico has been developing peacefully for close to a century, since its' civil war. It has very huge tourist and energy sectors and thousands of retired foreigners. Afghanistan, 1/3 the size of Mexico, has beautiful ancient tribes and it has been exploited for centuries by foreign countries; but now can be liberated, as soon as this problem solved. The common problem is hundreds of young "hired guns" running wild, organized by extremist mafias, and funded by drug proceeds and foreign "investors." Mexico's plague is funded by American illegal drug users and Afghanistan's is funded by Islamic, mostly foreign, extremists and proceeds of growing heroin traffic. Afghanistan's bandit gangs are known as the "Taliban," rag-tag guerrillas trying to drive out foreigners who removed them from running the government. Mexicans have added lucrative side-business of kidnapping-for-ransom. Both use porous borders to ply their trades and co collect their revenues. Terrorist aspects have taken both countries' governments aback. Obvious general solution to problems is more effective use of military and police, and controlling sources of funding and weapons. This is a simplistic description, especially of Afghanistan's problems, to point out that solutions are based on political will and understanding.

Bizarre Lack of Border Knowledge

Build a fence and stop the guns and drugs? The guns, drugs and cash don't go across the Rio Grande or the desert -- that is too risky. Just like the terrorists that attacked us on 9-11, they go through the ports of entry! False bottoms and hidden compartments mean less risk. Having people like Mr. Zuckerman, who obviously has no border knowledge, advise our leaders on border policy is exactly how we end up wasting $50 billion on a fence that has no impact on the problem.

What a dope.

eliminate drug war between mexico and america

The best way to elimiante this terrible drug war at the border would be to legalize the marijuana trade between the two nations: americans would get their pot, which should be legalized anyway, mexican dealers would get their money, eliminating the need for guns and violence, and the federal government could tax the cross/border trade thereby reducing the federal budget deficit and the national debt.

Supply and Demand

Beautifully stated: we are the source of the suppliers revenues and guns. American demand for illicit drugs is fueling this and killing the supply will not stop it. Education and treatment in conjunction with the current, costly and dismally ineffective, policies and strategies can do a better job of curbing the demand. Make no mistake about it; demand is the key here. Destroying a cartel or system of supply or suppliers will only create a vacuum someone else is all too willing to fill. And the customers are always wanting. So go right ahead and fight fire with fire. As long as there's a buyer there will be a seller.

A famous communist in the last century was quoted as saying that, "Capitalist can be depended on to sell you the very rope you intend to hang them with." We buy the drugs from them and they use the money to buy the guns from us.

We really need to work on getting a hold of our children's minds before the drugs do. It has been done before—during the heroin years. The force on force approach alone will not work—no matter how sexy it looks and sounds on the evening news and in documentaries.

Homeland defense

Given the current state of our country, 35 Islamic terrorist groups within the US, failed immigrant policies, our National Guardsman overseas fighting terrorism. We should focus on defending our country from within more than ever before. If another 9-11 occurs, which is certain to happen again, most likely of a larger scale than before, whom do we blame? Lets restore our American dream before we all live with nightmares. Retrain the National Guard for terrorist groups operating within our borders to include gangs and the drug cartel. Seek out and destroy these elements of our demise. Let the military and law enforcement be given more control of eliminating the problem. Politicians and beurocracy is killing this country. ever wonder why in recent months more and more good Americans are going to their local gun stores and purchasing firearms. Wake up America.

Where is the border wall?

I thought Congress and President Bush approved construction of the boarder fence to keep out illegal aliens. What happened? How many miles have actually been constructed? Build the wall and the threat from drug cartels and gangs will also decrease. It may never be perfect, but gives the US Border Patrol a fighing chance to go after reduced border incursions. This would be a highly beneficial public works project that would help to insure homeland security and would no doubt create many thousands of good paying jobs in construction, technology, and spin off fields. Build the wall to help dampen the recession!

Border Violence - Militarize the Border NOW!

Hey there U.S. News! Welcome to the party. As someone who has lived in Texas their entire life, this is nothing new. That the media is finally catching on is a welcomed occurence, but until our leadership truly pressures the corrupt leaders of Mexico to finally do something - instead of placating to them for fear of being labeled racists - we might effect change. Until then, expect more Americans along our borders to be victimized by these Mexican terrorists. Does the thirst for drugs in our culture help? Certainly not. But until we kill the supply:violence:illegal immigration, we'll never curtail the issue. Will Mexico go along naturally - NO - but what can we expect from a country that sided with Hitler in WWII?