A reverse migration to Mexico

James Lewis:

Messy, messy, messy. That’s all we can say about the onslaught of uncontrolled, illegal migration of one-eighth of Mexico’s population into the United States. The debate is getting hotter in Washington and on the air waves. It will be a long time before it settles down.

Things are about to get even messier and also more interesting.

The Baby Boomer retirement wave is upon us, and Mexico is bound to benefit. It’s cheaper to live there, good medical care can be purchased, and millions of Boomers who want to stretch their retirement income will undoubtedly move a few hundred miles South. We are about to see a reverse, peaceful invasion of millions of Americans into Mexico. Large numbers of US retirees will raise the Mexican standard of living, and forge new relations between Hispanics and Norte Americanos. Call it people diplomacy.

Note to Presidents Fox and Bush: amidst all the Mexican demands for accommodation of law-breakers, how about removing the obnoxious restrictions on gringos buying land near Mexico’s coast? It is kind of hard to take seriously all the rhetoric on friendship and partnership amidst such blatant discrimination.

There isn’t much wrong with Mexico that capitalism and cleaner politics can’t fix. What Mexico needs is freer markets, less corruption, and the rule of law. What’s good for Iraq is also good for Latin America. Two great people movements, going in opposite directions, will lead to a better life for Mexicanos here, and there as well.

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There is more.

Mexico has all those restrictions on gringos because of the unpleasantness that occurred in Texas back when they did not have such restrictions. Of course, if they had not treated the Texans so badly, there would not have been a need for a revolution. The restrictions reflect the insecurity and weakness of the Mexican culture. While the migration of retirees would be beneficial to both Mexico and the retirees, don't count on Mexico's elites caring. They would still rather export their poor, than bring in people who would provide work for them. They remind me a lot of the BOI (born on the island) attitude of Galveston's elites who drove off the entrepanuers to Houston and helped indirectly build a great city to their north.