Trump isn't going there to negotiate any agreements. He is going there to discuss areas of mutual interest.
Mexico will pay one way or another whether it is a surcharge on remittances ($25 billion a year to Mexico), tariffs on imports, or visa fees. We don't need Mexico's agreement for them to pay for the costs of the wall.
The US doesn't need Mexico's agreement to renegotiate NAFTA. There are already exit/termination clauses that could be exercised if we want to use that as leverage. Mexico enjoys an annual trade surplus with the US of over $50 billion. We hold all the cards.
We can deport all illegal aliens, including Mexicans. If Mexico refuses to accept them, there are already laws on the books that the President could use to cut off the issuance of all visas to nationals from those countries that refuse to take back their criminal nationals. Since there are already 4 million Border Crossing Cards (BCC) issued to Mexicans so they can travel freely over the border on almost a daily basis, we have tremendous leverage.
If Nieto refuses to entertain any changes in the status quo, Trump will have lots of options once he gets into the WH. Mexico has some real problems with the drug cartels. Over 30,000 Mexicans have been murdered by them. And these cartels are sending drug mules across our border to sell to Americans. The cartels get billions of dollars from these sales. And America has an increasing drug problem affecting our children especially.
Trump will not be in the mold of a Bush or an Obama who refused to use the existing leverage we have. Trump will know how to negotiate and get the best deal for this country. Nieto would be wise not to piss Trump off.
And I'm sure that will go over great with Hispanic voters whose remittances are dinged and all those people paying more for imports.
The US doesn't need Mexico's agreement to renegotiate NAFTA. There are already exit/termination clauses that could be exercised if we want to use that as leverage. Mexico enjoys an annual trade surplus with the US of over $50 billion. We hold all the cards.
And leaving is the only option open. So what will trade with the U.S. and Canada look like in the post-NAFTA world? The demand for Mexican and Canadian imports won't go away. The U.S. companies will still want to export. How will all that work?
We can deport all illegal aliens, including Mexicans. If Mexico refuses to accept them, there are already laws on the books that the President could use to cut off the issuance of all visas to nationals from those countries that refuse to take back their criminal nationals. Since there are already 4 million Border Crossing Cards (BCC) issued to Mexicans so they can travel freely over the border on almost a daily basis, we have tremendous leverage.
There is no doubt that the U.S. is well within its rights legally to deport anyone there illegally. And I doubt that there is anything Mexico could do to refuse to take them, they being Mexican citizens and all. But Mexico will do nothing to help the U.S. in that.
Trump will not be in the mold of a Bush or an Obama who refused to use the existing leverage we have. Trump will know how to negotiate and get the best deal for this country. Nieto would be wise not to piss Trump off.
We'll see, won't we?