A message to Mexico

Bush signed a bill to build a fence separating us from Mexico.

Bush had hoped to address the illegal immigration issue in a comprehensive way that would have brought beefed-up border security as well as a temporary guest-worker program allowing immigrants to work legally in the United States.

He spent months advancing the idea but failed to overcome doubts from many Republicans on Capitol Hill who derided the guest-worker program as an "amnesty" that would give illegal immigrants a route to citizenship.

Seems things are going the way that conservatives who wanted security taken care of first are getting their way.  Which is not a bad thing, really.  Too bad we have to spend the money, but I can’t help but feel like it’s a necessary thing.

Mexico's Foreign Minister Luis Ernesto Derbez said the fences hurt bilateral relations. "Just the idea of a wall, a fence ... is an insult to good neighbors," he told a news conference on Wednesday.

I’m sorry, everyone in Mexico, but you’ve had years to work on this problem.  President Fox has had years and we’ve spent much time in bilateral efforts to curb this problem, but the end result is that it’s STILL A PROBLEM!  You, Mexico, can’t seem to stop the illegal immigrants from leaving and your government can’t seem to create an environment where people want to stay.  And so up goes the fence.  And this is more than just a method of protection for the United States, this is a message.  A message for Mexico to get with the program and improve your economy, for the sake of relations with the United States and the sake of your own people.