Trouble On The Border

The Texas border is on high alert as civil unrest is on the rise. The Mexican Government and the massive drug cartels are going at it in the streets and the country could be near a civil war.
In may sound like a good novel, but it is the reality of today.
President Felipe Calderón has sent tens of thousands of troops to drug hot spots to contain spreading cartel violence and the move is having ramifications.
Much like Hurricane Ike, Texas is not waiting for the Federal Government. Gov. Rick Perry is being very proactive and has our side of the border ready, just in case violence crosses the border or a mass exodus takes place.
For all of Perry’s faults, he is assertive in crisis mode and his experience with Ike is undeniable. Afterall - Ike hit with nearly all of Galveston and Houston evacuated. Millions of people. Compare that to Katrina and it’s obvious Perry’s action saved thousands of lives.
Back to the subject of Mexico. For far too long the drug cartels were allowed to grow and become the governing force near the border. Finally, a president is elected and is now trying to keep his word on eliminating the cartels. The price is high.
Murders and kidnappings across the Texas border have increased to dramatic levels. There were 5,367 such crimes in 2008 alone.
Would you want to raise your family there?
Of course not. We are facing a challenge on our border and it’s tricky. Beyond the violence are the innocent civilians trying to live their lives. They are trapped in a terrible situation and their options are very limited. On of those options is heading north, which puts a strain on a state which is part of a terrible economy.
Fact is, if we were suddenly swamped by immigrants, it would change the dynamics of the Texas and U.S. economy even more.
We’re living in a time where no one can tell us what the root of the problem is concerning our economy, but we feel confident that a couple of trillion dollars is the answer.
On top of that, we have this growing problem with our neighbors and no one in Washington is paying attention. Well, Texas is paying attention and that’s a good thing for the rest of the country. I only hope our friends in New Mexico, Arizona and California are as prepared as Texas. Oh, I forgot, California is broke ... I don’t even know if the National Guard is allowed in that state...
President Obama needs to make Mexico a priority right now! It may take his intervention to calm the Mexican nationals. At the very least, he and Calderón must begin a public dialogue now and it would serve our best interest in the long run to show support of his decision to clean up his country.
Don’t make Texas do it all!

Copyright Christopher Blackburn 2008