Free Republic

In a typical year, the young men in this agricultural region of western Mexico would have made the journey north to America. But not this year or for this generation: a better future across the border is a promise they no longer trust. "For years, we dreamed of America, but now that dream is no good," says 18-year-old Pedro Morales, sitting in the elegant Spanish colonial square of Comala under the shadow of the spectacular Volcan de Fuego. "There are no jobs and too many problems. We don't want to go." In an historic shift, the tide of immigration from...

On Saturday night I ventured out to Manchester, N.H., to see New Mexico Governor Richardson, probable contender for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, give the keynote speech at a fundraiser for the state legislature's minority caucus. As I sat at a corner table in the small Mexican restaurant, the room began to take on the atmosphere of a foreign airport. If Richardson was my flight, he was either delayed or cancelled. All the announcements were in Spanish. Though varying in length and urgency, each bulletin had a shared characteristic: "Bill Richardson" were the only two words I could pick out...