Charles Bowden and the myths and lies behind the so-called "Drug War"

Personally I would love to see drugs legalized. I don't use them myself, but I would love to see the TV commercials that would arise when the drug cartels begin to compete the capitalist way, by advertising rather than killing each other:

"I don't always use cocaine, but when I do, I prefer Dos Burros."

lol Pretty funny, Sambrit10.

I used to think legalizing or decriminalizing was the answer, but I have reservations about it now. I dunno, I think it's difficult to predict how it will go. I'm nervous that if the gangstahs income starts to plummet they might take a keener interest in extortion, kidnapping etc.

Oh well, not to worry, doubt either country will do that any time soon anyway.

Trailrunner, if we can judge by Big Pharma, there's plenty of money in legal drugs, too. But I am 100% with you on the dangers of pushing the bad guys further into the types of crime that are really dangerous for the general population.

sambrit10 wrote:Trailrunner, if we can judge by Big Pharma, there's plenty of money in legal drugs, too. But I am 100% with you on the dangers of pushing the bad guys further into the types of crime that are really dangerous for the general population.

They are already into those types of crimes. But all of them together cannot come close to the huge profits reaped from illegal drug sales.

hound dog wrote:This fellow Bowden says nothing of consequence. Nothing of which all of us are not already aware. Curmudgeonly wanderings in the dust. A blathering old man stating the obvious.

Anyone with the least understanding of what is going on here can see that acccomodations will be made with the new administration which, in all likelihood, will be PRI and the carnage will stop and Calderon´s miserably failed war will become the past.

Well, you're absolutely correct. But when I posted the video I thought that the posters here who don't have your breadth of experience, the vast understanding afforded to you by your adventures around the world and your obvious expertise in international banking, might find it informative and somewhat relevant. I would like to apologize for posting something so obviously mundane and beneath your experience of all things Mexican.

The next time I will post a disclaimer something along the lines of "this content is not for members who have already figured everything out, and don't want to waste their time reading things of no consequence".

Now you can go back and read the Mexican newspapers and watch the noticias, and after your wife translates everything for you, I look forward to having many more in-depth discussions about life in Mexico, especially about your Raiders of the Lost Ark adventures in the wooly highlands of Chiapas.

Excuse me folks but labor does move. Look at all the jobs in the United States
that its folks won't do. Farm labor, chicken labor, etc etc. Latino labor from
south of the border filled the gap. Jobs went away much of that labor went
back home. Labor moves when it is hungry!!

Z

....and capital moves where it can find cheaper labor.

How about that great tech support you get when you call the "help" (HAH) line and ask how the weather is in Mumbai?

I don't mind that the "overly qualified" read this board and weigh in...but it gets tiresome to keep hearing how "overly qualified" they are...repetitious and "mundane".

Zedinmexico wrote:Excuse me folks but labor does move. Look at all the jobs in the United States
that its folks won't do. Farm labor, chicken labor, etc etc. Latino labor from
south of the border filled the gap. Jobs went away much of that labor went
back home. Labor moves when it is hungry!!

Z

Of course you're correct. But I think that the point being made is about labor specific immobility. When an electronics plant moves from Tijuana to Beijing, the specific labor can't move along with it. They have to find labor in other markets, one of which is joining gangs. The going rate for a sicario in Ciudad Juaréz currently is about $300 US per week.

casi nada wrote: The going rate for a sicario in Ciudad Juaréz currently is about $300 US per week.

That sounds a little on the high side,on the other hand I hear they have a great pension plan,too bad none of them live long enough to collect.
I've enjoyed some of Bowdens books but I've also listened to interviews of him on NPR,the guy loves to hear himself talk,a bit windy and quite the know it all.

viajero wrote:

casi nada wrote: The going rate for a sicario in Ciudad Juaréz currently is about $300 US per week.

That sounds a little on the high side,on the other hand I hear they have a great pension plan,too bad none of them live long enough to collect.
I've enjoyed some of Bowdens books but I've also listened to interviews of him on NPR,the guy loves to hear himself talk,a bit windy and quite the know it all.

I know what you mean. I read his "Murder City: Ciudad Juarez and the Global Economy's New Killing Fields". Very poorly written and a slog to get through.

For a good read check out "Drug Lord"by Terrence Hoppa.

slainte39 wrote:I don't mind that the "overly qualified" read this board and weigh in...but it gets tiresome to keep hearing how "overly qualified" they are...repetitious and "mundane".

And what is that sideways comment suppose to mean? Been writing those 15 second sound bites for the politicos up north?

Z

casi nada wrote:

Zedinmexico wrote:Excuse me folks but labor does move. Look at all the jobs in the United States
that its folks won't do. Farm labor, chicken labor, etc etc. Latino labor from
south of the border filled the gap. Jobs went away much of that labor went
back home. Labor moves when it is hungry!!

Z

Of course you're correct. But I think that the point being made is about labor specific immobility. When an electronics plant moves from Tijuana to Beijing, the specific labor can't move along with it. They have to find labor in other markets, one of which is joining gangs. The going rate for a sicario in Ciudad Juaréz currently is about $300 US per week.

It is my understanding talking to some folks who deal with this NOB is the cost for SKILLED employees not just basic assemblers is about the same in Mexico as
China now due to China wage inflation. I do not know about basic assembly which still may be cheaper in China.

Z

It's pretty clear that "free" trade between countries with wildly disparate pay scales, business taxes and regulations, and environmental standards hasn't worked very well. What I find missing is any credible proposals as to how to mitigate these problems in a world economy that is so interlocked now. Tariffs, another word for taxes, haven't worked very well in the past.

We all agree there's a big problem here. But is it like the "war on drugs" one of those problems that government is bound to fail at if it tries to address it with trade restrictions?