Posted on 02/10/2016 1:26:10 PM PST by SeekAndFind
Over the weekend the former president of Mexico took a rather scoffing tone when he said that Mexico wasn’t going to pay one cent for Donald Trump’s “stupid wall.” This is a knock we’ve heard from plenty of The Donald’s critics back here at home as well, coming from Democrats and Republicans alike. I mean… it’s crazy, right? How could anyone expect that to happen?
There’s an article this week over at The Last Refuge which might be worth a look if you’ve got an open mind on the subject. One of the less commented on aspects of international relations with Mexico is the volume of cash which Mexicans living in America (including illegal aliens) send home every year to their families. There’s nothing shocking about the idea at first glance. People send money home all the time. But just how much is it? This report straight out of Mexico may come as a bit of a shock.
Remittances sent home by Mexicans working outside the country surpassed petroleum revenues in 2015 for the first time. There was a 4.75% increase in money sent from abroad, most of which comes from the U.S., to total US $24.8 billion last year, up from $23.6 billion in 2014, said the Bank of México.
The bank said it was the first time remittances had totaled more than petroleum revenues since it began tracking them in 1995. Oil revenues last year totaled $23.4 billion.
This is apparently the reality of the Mexican economy. They have more cash flowing into the country via letters and wire service from people working in the United States than they get from exporting oil. And it’s not peanuts. As the author notes, this offers an opportunity for the next President to apply leverage if they have the will to do so.
Yes, you read that correctly. Immigrant remittances received by Mexico have surpassed Mexico’s $23.4 billion in oil earnings. This means the government of Mexico is more dependent than ever on the earnings of maids and gardeners in the U.S. to keep itself afloat. This is the leverage Donald Trump talks about to pressure Mexico to pay for the border wall.
Trump’s proposal carries: the border wall solution, the employment solution, the enforcement mechanisms of current law, and another angle that is strategically essential. “WESTERN UNION REMITTANCES†(Money Services Compliance)
Is it possible? Absolutely, assuming you can mount the pressure required to make it happen. It would be complicated and politically messy, but such things don’t seem to bother Trump much to begin with. It all comes down to the idea of directing law enforcement to direct resources and vigorous attention to impound all remittance payments derived from illegal wages. And once the word is out on the street that such payments are being looked at closely, both through electronic transactions and the purchase of money orders from banks and post offices, the flow might not be stopped but it would be severely reduced.
There’s an obvious downside to such a deal which can’t be ignored. Making a deal with Mexico to not do that if they agree to certain terms and conditions (such as working on wall construction) carries with it an admission that we’re not going to enforce the law or pay attention to illegals currently in the country. But as I said… this is a complicated puzzle to solve. If the effort to monitor and seize remittances in this fashion is beyond the scope of available resources then it’s not going to get done anyway. And if the result is a wall, well… perhaps you come up with a net win out of the deal.
Your thoughts? Is this still just crazy talk or do we really have the leverage to pull this off?
Money is better leverage than even military power.
LOL. It was a joke.
Mexico has been screwing us for quite a while. It’s time to return their favors.
As someone here pointed out mere moments ago.. Trump just won New Hampshire, and got Fox News etc to pay for his campaign.
directing law enforcement to direct resources and vigorous attention to impound all remittance payments derived from illegal wages.
And how exactly would the source of the money be detected at the point of transfer? Silly, utterly clickbaity article.
The threat of dumping somewhere between 11 million and more likely 40 million illegals back to Mexico is enough for Mexico to agree to pay for the fence. Their economy could not take that many being repatriated back to Mexico.
In 2015 , Mexico got more money in remittances
from illegals in the U.S. than it did for thier oil revenue
They need us more than we need them !
Let them pay for "the WALL "!
Yep, both families that run it are loaded.
1) How are you going to track electronic transactions? Alberto Paypals a gift to a service in Canada, with routing information to a relative in Mexico. I guarantee you such services will spring up overnight, they can take a small processing fee for the transaction. Are we going to monitor all PayPal transactions?
2) You really think The Donald has the political stamina to deport tens of millions of people? I don’t, not for a second.
“Trump just won New Hampshire, and got Fox News etc to pay for his campaign.”
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
And at even $20 billion a year, a 10% surcharge on the remittances to Mexico is $2 billion a year, a nice annuity for wall construction, maintenance, and staffing.
Not to speak of a modest tariff on goods coming in from Mexico. Yes, Mexico will definitely pay for the wall, no matter how high it gets built.
“In 2015, Mexico was the 11th wealthiest country in the world. “
And their money umbillcal is plugged into our navel. W/O America, Mexico would be nowhere and yet they have the arrogance to keep poking us with a sharp stick. President Trump will break their stick and shove it up their a$$!
“And at even $20 billion a year, a 10% surcharge on the remittances to Mexico is $2 billion a year, a nice annuity for wall construction, maintenance, and staffing.”
I’d rather take half of it! Ten Percent doesn’t begin to cover the taxpayer-funded benes the illegal Mexicans get here. If we’re going to level the playing field, let’s see to it that it’s “really leveled.”
Oh yeah, why don’t you call me when that happens.
Do those things and illegal aliens will deport themselves and pay for the trip. Motivation is a powerful force.
Anyone living in an area where these people are working can go their local grocery on pay day
and go to the counter where these type transactions are done and look at the many there with
their paychecks. Usually it is mid afternoons onward on Thursday or Friday.
The dollar amount amazes me but it’s an ongoing event each week.
“Oh yeah, why don’t you call me when that happens.”
I wouldn’t waste the time or the money!
The REAL reason El Guapo Calderone and El Chapito Vicente Fox want illegals here. And maybe Jorge el Segundo and el Primero got cuts!!!!
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