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House passes Merida Initiative
Rep. Brian Bilbray, R-Calif., a hardliner on illegal immigration, praised his colleagues Tuesday for passing a measure that devotes $1.6 billion to fight drug trafficking in Mexico and Central America.
The House passed the measure — known as the Merida Initiative — by a vote of 311-106.
“The drug wars in Mexico and in other regions have grown horrendously violent and their destructive ways must be quashed,” Bilbray said, in a statement.
Bilbray chairs the Immigration Reform Caucus, which seeks stronger immigration enforcement.
Some conservatives oppose the Merida Initiative, saying that it unjustly gives millions of U.S. taxpayer dollars to Mexico.
“It is inexcusable, it is intolerable to send one dime to the Mexican government when they can afford to pay for this equipment themselves,” said Rep. John Culberson, a Texas Republican, according to Congressional Quarterly. “But more importantly, our Southern border is not secure.”
Bilbray said the measure will authorize “a whole litany” of equipment, training, and other assistance.
It will provide helicopters, surveillance equipment, computer infrastructure, expansion of intelligence databases, anti-corruption initiatives, human rights education and training, and anti-money laundering programs, he said.
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By Lynx
June 10, 2008 7:48 PM | Link to this
US Government is just throwing our money away. If Mexico really wanted to clean up, they would spend the money, because they have it. They are the 11th wealthiest nation in the world and they can’t afford law enforcement?
What does Mexico need the extra cash for? This will free up their financial resources to do something else. This is just a way to funnel money to Mexico from the American tax payers.
This is a shame America!!!!!
By Jen
June 10, 2008 10:11 PM | Link to this
Mexican forces are implicated in many killngs, including US reporter Brad Will. The $ is meant to repress the population into accepting privatization and free trade agreements, that’s what is going on. The drug war and the border are just front issues. That is why so many flee, violent and corrupt government officials and corporate theft of land.
By Roberto
June 10, 2008 11:20 PM | Link to this
To Jen and Lynx:
You are correct that Mexico does not need this money. In Mexico this money represents a symbolic act whereby the US unconditionally accepts its role in the drug wars as the largest consumer of illegal drugs. Something it hasn’t done in the past. If the US cannot even do this, why should mexicans continue to fight and die for Americans drug habits?
My theory for Bilbray’s turnaround—-he must’ve gotten scared when the Mexican congressional delegation told him that either they get the money unconditionally or Mexico would legalize drugs in Mexico and let Americans wage the battle by themselves.
According to LA Times ““Either we can go after these cartels in Ensenada, or we can fight them in Escondido,” said Rep. Brian Bilbray (R-Carlsbad)”
After all, the illegal drugs are transitory…they do not stay in Mexico. Not only that but legalizing “illegal” drugs would allow the Mexican government to regulate and tax those drugs.
By geirge
June 11, 2008 10:47 AM | Link to this
Shoot, we give them everything else free. Why not? We seriously need to put up a fence so tall no one can cross, then we need to let our agents enforce the law, and put our military there to protect our country. This trash is coming here also. Soon we will be fighting the drug lords!!!!
By L1M89
June 11, 2008 4:45 PM | Link to this
[‘According to LA Times ““Either we can go after these cartels in Ensenada, or we can fight them in Escondido,” said Rep. Brian Bilbray (R-Carlsbad)”
After all, the illegal drugs are transitory…they do not stay in Mexico. Not only that but legalizing “illegal” drugs would allow the Mexican government to regulate and tax those drugs.’] Libs will go out of their way endlessly just to prove to the world how delusional they are.
“Faces of Drug Addiction in Mexico” Link - http://vivirlatino.com/2007/10/03/faces-of-drug-addiction-in-mexico.php
“Mexico to Allow Use of Drugs”
Link - http://opioids.com/legal/mexican-legalization.html Source: LA Times Date: 3 May 2006
“Fox will sign the bill, one of the world’s most permissive policies, in a bid to curb trafficking. U.S. officials say it will lead to more addiction.”
By Sam Enriquez, Times Staff Writer
[‘MEXICO CITY — Mexican President Vicente Fox will sign a bill that would legalize the use of nearly every drug and narcotic sold by the same Mexican cartels he’s vowed to fight during his five years in office, a spokesman said Tuesday.
The list of illegal drugs approved for personal consumption by Mexico’s Congress last week is enough to make one dizzy — or worse.
Cocaine. Heroin. LSD. Marijuana. PCP. Opium. Synthetic opiates. Mescaline. Peyote. Psilocybin mushrooms. Amphetamines. Methamphetamines.
And the per-person amounts approved for possession by anyone 18 or older could easily turn any college party into an all-nighter: half a gram of coke, a couple of Ecstasy pills, several doses of LSD, a few marijuana joints, a spoonful of heroin, 5 grams of opium and more than 2 pounds of peyote, the hallucinogenic cactus.
The law would be among the most permissive in the world, putting Mexico in the company of the Netherlands. Critics, including U.S. drug policy officials, already are worrying that it will spur a domestic addiction problem and make Mexico a narco-tourism destination.
Even the Netherlands, famous for coffeehouses that sell small quantities of potent marijuana and hashish, forbids the possession and sale of narcotics. Colombia allows personal use of marijuana, cocaine and heroin, but not LSD or PCP.’]
By Roberto
June 11, 2008 6:20 PM | Link to this
To L1M89:
I’m delusional and a Lib??? WTF? I’ll have you know I am a conservative by nature. Do I have to share all conservative opinions in order to be a conservative???
The first article by the NY Times doesn’t mention any numbers other than there are 20,000 beds. It doesn’t say how many addicts there are. If 20,000 is the number we are shooting for then I think we can agree that the statistic of drug addicts in Mexico is immensely dwarfed by the addicts in the US. Thereby making it still a transitory trade.
I’m not sure what you’re point was in bringing up the second article. What was your point? You do know that Fox was pressured by the Bush administration to veto that bill don’t you? But maybe you don’t and you are the one who is delusional. Apparently your standard to mark someone delusional is when they simply aren’t aware of all the facts.
That bill never became law…otherwise we might now be fighting the drug war in the US and not in Mexico.
By Lenard Tripp
June 12, 2008 3:58 PM | Link to this
Mr. Bilbray and your colleagues: What in the world are you doing voting to give $1.6 billion to Mexico, that is MY money that should be used to secure my SOUTHERN BORDER. At this moment I have no faith in you and your colleagues. When are you going to pay as much attention to the security of this country, after all WE THE PEOPLE OF THESE UNITED STATES PAY YOUR SALARY. I hope the AMERICANS of this country vote everyone of you out of office.
L Tripp
By annieoakley
June 14, 2008 2:13 AM | Link to this
Rep. Culberson is right- Sending money to Mexico is inexcusable. The representatives who voted to give this enormous amount of money to Mexico are insanely stupid. A total waste of citizens taxed dollars and a criminal act by association. This money should be used for U.S. roads and infrastructure, and Yes, more especially to secure the U.S. Mexican border. We have a failing economy and a gargantuan trade deficit- What kind of greedy morons have we elected to Washington??? Thank god for our Texas Representative Culberson for voting against this Mexican money laundering scheme. Mexico runs via corruption, it is their custom. Let Mexican Carlos Slim Helu’, the 2nd (sometimes #1) wealthiest man on the planet, and the mustachioed, big-mouthed Vicente Fox get their money from their own Mexican government coffers and some of their many Mexican billionaires. We U.S. citizens have a failing nation and it has very little to do with drug use. The destruction of our United States starts and stops with the ridiculous legislation in Washington D.C. and their total failure to enforce the constitution and immigration laws and to deport illegal aliens. We are wasting countless tax dollars by paying for hospital care,( popping out bambinos like popcorn) schools-education, bilingual everything, subsidized housing, food, etc, and the sub-prime loan mess where thousands of home loans were given to illegal Mexicans…. But, our government doesn’t want you to know most of the details. They would rather continue to give away your tax dollars to thieving scoundrels from illegal aliens to Wall Street bankers -All of whom should be behind jail bars, at best. The Trans-Texas- Corridor and the lies about it by local, State, and Federal Government should cause all U.S. citizens to wake up to the tyranny of bureaucrats. They do not care about citizens-Don’t be fooled by the “hopeful” picture they paint. You are only important as ego fodder for most of those you choose to support for elected offices. We are all being increasingly manipulated and lied to by those meant to be elected to serve and represent us. Greed and ego appear to be motivating men in power- Politicians, International Studies zombies: students and graduates, mass media moonies, and mega billionaires are all singing mantras for the globalist goal of a one World government. Master “Harmonizer” Robert Pastor is their god… We are on our way to serfdom, at best….. I’m not interested in world government, nor the likes of Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe ruling my life…More corrupt U.N. type dictators and lunatics- More taxes..Endless rules and regulation, loss of freedom of speech, which we are already very near to with the politically correct police and the frigteningly suppressive and mind numbing “hate speech” legislation and dictates. I say no to one world government. I like our remarkable U.S. Constitution and want to keep it - How’s about you? Live Free or Die!
By L1M89
June 14, 2008 9:45 AM | Link to this
[‘How’s about you? Live Free or Die!’]
We’re in agreement there & Americans should stop being merely Republican’ts or Democan’ts and be patriotic American Citizens. We can & we must secure our borders from the invasion of Illegal Aliens. For a secure USA we can & we must Drill Here, Drill Now and Pay Less to foreign sources.
“drill-here-drill-now”
“Join the 734,947 people who have signed the petition”
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We, therefore, the undersigned citizens of the United States, petition the U.S. Congress to act immediately to lower gasoline prices (and diesel and other fuel prices)* by authorizing the exploration of proven energy reserves to reduce our dependence on foreign energy sources from unstable countries.
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By Carl
June 16, 2008 1:17 PM | Link to this
Listen: What Merida does is establish the North American Union’s southern border just as the coming merger of the American and Canadian militaries establish it’s northern border. These people, starting with Bush and his “New World Order” old man, are hell bent upon destroying American sovereignty. It’s treason. Nothing short of treason.
By tom
June 17, 2008 2:13 PM | Link to this
I think it’s funny that some Mexicans and other people say things like “Mexicans are dying because of the US’ drug addiction”. I go to Mexico often and I can tell you that there is just as much of a percentage of “drug addicts” in Mexico as there is in the US. The only difference between Mexico and the US in that aspect is that drug prices are cheaper in Mexico and the Mexican republic only has 100,000,000 people instead of 300,000,000 people like in the US. There is a strong domestic Mexican demand for drugs. Just that in the US they can sell the drugs at a higher price and to more people because the population in the US is greater. This is also why I think it was stupid that president Calderon said that “we’ll provide the dead bodies and the US can provide the addicts” as if Mexico had no addicts and no domestic consumption of drugs and the whole problem is from the US. And then he expects us to give his government a blank check with no conditions because it is invading his country´s sovereignty. What a lame excuse to cover up the reality that his government is not capable of using money in an honest non-human rights abusing way. I say don’t send the whiners a cent.