THE POWER OF THE CONSUMER

A couple of weeks ago I was listening to a popular radio talk show in the Phoenix area. This particular host had visited the border to get a first hand look at how bad the illegal crossing problem was. He described a well orchestrated scene which existed in Mexico that provided transportation and safe passage across the border. He also described how he was treated when he was apprehended crossing the border into Mexico. To say the least it is a business and not one that has any intervention by the Mexican government.

Why would Mexico care if their people came to the US to get free services and send the money they made back? Well obviously they don’t and have no incentive to do anything about it. It is painfully obvious that our government will not do anything to stop illegal immigration. I would like to believe that whoever gets elected the new President will really get something done but that is pretty unlikely if history tells us anything at all. For me someone is getting paid off somewhere to keep things status quo and my guess all this political talk is just talk. Our government has convinced me nothing will happen now or in the future that can solve the immigration problem.

If Mexico would help secure the border it would probably happen. You would have two countries instead of one trying to solve the problem. Why would Mexico secure the border? If they had something to loose they might have some incentive to do it. Now you will say it can’t be done but what if the US consumer simply said, until Mexico secures their border we aren’t coming to Mexico. What if every hotel in Cabo and Cancun all of the sudden had no American tourist dollars? Do you think the government of Mexico just might have to do something, and do you think the money in the resorts could pay off the correct government folks to get the job done?

I was visiting with some friends a few days back and the conversation turned to a trip to Cabo in early summer for a group of us. There was not talk of anything other than we should go, no thought of the problems that Mexico causes us. It is almost like there are two societies there. I asked when do we stop supporting a country that is helping destroy our infrastructure and perhaps the whole culture of our country. The few of us friends can hardly make a difference but all of us consumers could turn Mexico and their policies about securing the border on a dime.

Think about it and then think about what we as consumers could do with the oil companies if we put our minds to it.

More to come

Lonny