If facts don’t lie, is Mexico safer than the U.S.?

[baja]

Originally Posted by Popps

Care to expand on that?


None of the Mexicans I know seem to agree with you. Maybe I don't know the right people.

I suggest you watch the hour long interview with Calderon posted in this thread if you are really interested in the facts.


We are not without problems here but Mexico is moving in the right direction.


Economy of Mexico

The economy of Mexico is the 13th largest in the world in nominal terms and the 11th by purchasing power parity, according to the World Bank. Since the 1994 crisis, administrations have improved the country's macroeconomic fundamentals. Mexico was not significantly influenced by the recent 2002 South American crisis, and maintained positive, although low, rates of growth after a brief period of stagnation in 2001. However, Mexico was one of the Latin American nations most affected by the 2008 recession with its Gross Domestic Product contracting by more than 6%. Moody's (in March 2000) and Fitch IBCA (in January 2002) issued investment-grade ratings for Mexico's sovereign debt. In spite of its unprecedented macroeconomic stability, which has reduced inflation and interest rates to record lows and has increased per capita income, enormous gaps remain between the urban and the rural population, the northern and southern states, and the rich and the poor.[6] Some of the government's challenges include the upgrade of infrastructure, the modernization of the tax system and labor laws, and the reduction of income inequality.
The economy contains rapidly developing modern industrial and service sectors, with increasing private ownership. Recent administrations have expanded competition in ports, railroads, telecommunications, electricity generation, natural gas distribution and airports, with the aim of upgrading infrastructure. As an export-oriented economy, more than 90% of Mexican trade is under free trade agreements (FTAs) with more than 40 countries, including the European Union, Japan, Israel, and much of Central and South America. The most influential FTA is the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which came into effect in 1994, and was signed in 1992 by the governments of the United States, Canada and Mexico. In 2006, trade with Mexico's two northern partners accounted for almost 90% of its exports and 55% of its imports.[7] Recently, the Congress of the Union approved important tax, pension and judicial reforms, and reform to the oil industry is currently being debated. According to the Forbes Global 2000 list of the world's largest companies in 2008, Mexico had 16 companies in the list.[8]
The annual Mexico Investment Summit [9] takes place in Mexico City covering the development and investment opportunities and challenges across Mexican private equity, venture capital, infrastructure, real estate, agriculture, tourism, energy and natural resources [10] evolving in the country's economy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Mexico

[baja]

Originally Posted by UberBroncoMan

It is a **** hole. That's why my ancestors ditched it in the late 1800's. There are two classes in Mexico. Rich as ****, and poor. The middle class is near non-existent.

You're a guy who worked his ass off for decades in the USA, probably saved well, and is now retired down in Mexico. Big difference in life style. Maybe if you actually knew what it was like to live as a Mexican in the common gutter that millions do, instead of the high-life, you'd get it.

I still have relatives down there. They don't live in remotely the same kind of "luxury" I do and they work hard. I only have one cousin who "made it," and he works overseas now for a ****ing Japanese corporation.

Growing and progressing? Well yeah it's growing, because they won't stop ****ing just like commonplace in other 2nd-3rd world countries. But progressing is laughable.

This entire thread seems like nothing but you trolling. Literally. This is just a troll thread in my eyes, with you egging everyone one to have some fun.

I'll agree on one thing though. The USA is not progressing at all, Bush and Obama + Congress have seen and continue to see to that.

You are clearly talking about the Mexico of 25 years ago and seem to be content with that belief. You are wrong about today's Mexico but what I wonder is why so many get angry when I present that Mexico is making positive strides. I would think you would be happy your neighbor is turning things around if for no other reason than maybe some of those dirty thieving Mexicans will finally go home and live "your" fine country that your forefathers committed genocide to claim.

[UberBroncoMan]

Originally Posted by baja

You are clearly talking about the Mexico of 25 years ago and seem to be content with that belief. You are wrong about today's Mexico but what I wonder is why so many get angry when I present that Mexico is making positive strides. I would think you would be happy your neighbor is turning things around if for no other reason than maybe some of those dirty thieving Mexicans will finally go home.

Nope. Talking about today's Mexico. Get off the beach. It's better than it was 25 years ago, but that's not saying much.

[baja]

Originally Posted by UberBroncoMan

Nope. Talking about today's Mexico. Get off the beach. It's better than it was 25 years ago, but that's not saying much.

Throw away the opinions but consider the facts presented;

http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/11664

[baja]

.....and here;



THE NEW GLOBAL ECONOMIC REALITY

This insightful article was written by Charles Simpson and is reprinted here with his permission. He can be reached at mexinvestnow@gmail.com

Real estate opportunities in Mexico! How to prosper & avoid the coming storm and prolonged economic stagnation in the USA.

First: A reality check on Mexico

Mexico is in a unique position to reap many of the benefits of the decline of the US economy. In order to not violate NAFTA and other agreements the U.S.A. cannot use direct protectionism, so it is content to allow the media to play this protectionist role. The U.S. media – over the last year – has portrayed Mexico as being on the brink of economic collapse and civil war. The Mexican people are either beheaded, kidnapped, poor, corrupt, or narco-traffickers. The American news media was particularly aggressive in the weeks leading up to spring break. The main reason for this is money. During that two-week period, over 120,000 young American citizens poured into Mexico and left behind hundreds of millions of dollars.

Let’s look at the reality of the massive drug and corruption problem, kidnappings, murders and money. The U.S. Secretary of State Clinton was clear in her honest assessment of the problem. “Our insatiable demand for illegal drugs fuels the drug trade. Our inability to prevent the weapons from being illegally smuggled across the border to arm these criminals causes the deaths of police officers, soldiers and civilians,” Clinton said. The other large illegal business that is smuggled into the U.S.A. that no one likes to talk about is Human Traffic for prostitution. This “business” is globally now competing with drugs in terms of profits.

It is critical to understand, however that the horrific violence in Mexico is over 95% confined to the three transshipping cities for these two businesses, Tijuana, Nogales, and Juarez. The Mexican government is so serious about fighting this, that they have committed over 30,000 soldiers to these borders towns. There was a thoughtful article written by a professor at the University of Juarez. He was reminded of the Prohibition years in the U.S.A. and compared Juarez to Chicago when Al Capone was conducting his reign of terror capped off with The Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre. During these years, just like Juarez today, 99% of the citizens went about their daily lives and attended classes, went to the movies, restaurants, and parks.

Is there corruption in Mexico? YES !!! Is there an equal amount of corruption related to this business in the U.S.A.? YES !!!. When you have a pair of illegal businesses that generate over $300,000,000,000 in sales you will find massive corruption. Make no mistake about the Mexican Drug Cartel; these “businessmen” are 100 times more sophisticated than the bumbling bootleggers during Prohibition. They form profitable alliances all over the U.S.A. They do cost benefit analysis of their business much better than the US automobile industry. They have found over the years that the cost of bribing U.S. and Mexican Border Guards and the transportation costs of moving marijuana from Sinaloa to California have cut significantly into profits. That is why over the past 5-7 years they have been growing marijuana in State and Federal Parks and BLM land all across America. From a business standpoint, this is a tremendous cost savings on several levels. Let’s look at California as an example as one of the largest consumers. When you have $14.2 billion of Marijuana grown and consumed in one state, there is savings on transportation, less loss of product due to confiscation and an overall reduction cost of bribery with law enforcement and parks service people. Another great savings is the benefit to their employees. The penalties in Mexico for growing range from 5-15 years. The penalties in California, on average are 18 months, and out in 8 months. The same economic principles are now being applied to the methamphetamine factories.

FOX News continues to scare people with its focus on kidnapping. There are kidnappings in Mexico. The concentration of kidnappings has been in Mexico City, among the very rich and the three aforementioned border Cities. With the exception of Mexico City, the number one city for kidnappings among NAFTA countries is Phoenix, Arizona with over 359 in 2008. The Phoenix Police estimate that twice that number of kidnappings goes unreported, because like Mexico 99% of these crimes were directly related to drug and human traffic. Phoenix, unfortunately, is geographically profitable transshipping location. Mexicans, just like 99% of U.S. Citizens during prohibition, go about their daily lives all over the country. They get up, go to school or work and live their lives untouched by the border town violence.

These same protectionist news sources have misled the public as to the real danger from the swine flu in Mexico and temporary devastated the tourism business. As of May 27 2009 there have been 87 deaths in Mexico from the swine flu. During those same five months there have been 36 murdered school children in Chicago. By their logic, if 87 deaths from the swine flu in Mexico warrants canceling flights and cruise ships to Mexico, then close all roads and highways in the USA because of record 43,359 automobile related deaths in the USA in 2008.

What is just getting underway is what many are calling the “Largest southern migration to Mexico of people and real estate assets since the Civil War” A significant percentage of the Baby Boomers have been doing the research and are making the life changing decision to move out of the U.S.A. The number one retirement destination in the world is Mexico. There are already over 2,000,000 US and Canadian property owners in Mexico. The most conservative number of American and Canadian Baby Boomers who are on their way to owning property in Mexico for full or part time living in the next 15 years is over 6,000,000. Do the math on 6,000,000 people buying a $300,000 house or condo and you will understand why the U.S. Government is trying to tax this massive shift of money to Mexico through H.R. 3056. The U.S. government calls this “The Tax Collection Responsibility Act of 2007”. Those who will have to pay it are calling this the EXIT TAX.



Mexico: A better economic choice than China

Another large exodus from the U.S.A is high paying skilled jobs. The job shift in automobile sector, both car and parts manufacturing, is already known by most investors. In the last few months as John Deere and Caterpillar have been laying off thousands of workers in the U.S.A., and hiring equal numbers in Mexico. The most recent industry that is making the shift is the aerospace manufacturers. In the city of Zacatecas there is currently a $210 million aerospace facility being built. With the 11 U.S. companies moving there, it is estimated to provide over 200,000 new high paying jobs in the coming years. One of the main factors for the shift in job south to Mexico instead of China is realistic analysis of total production, labor and delivery costs. While the labor costs in China are 40% less on average, the overall transportation costs and inherent risks of a long distance supply chain, and quality control issues, gives Mexico a distinct financial advantage.

Mexico’s real economic future

Mexico has avoided completely the subprime problem that has devastated the U.S. banking industry. The Mexican banks are healthy and profitable. Mexico has a growing and very healthy middle and upper middle class. The very recent introduction of residential financing has Mexico in a unique position of having over 90% of current homeowners owning their house outright. U.S. banks are competing for the Mexican, Canadian and American cross border loan business. It is and will continue to be a very safe and very profitable business. These same banks that were loaning in a reckless manner have learned their lesson and are loaning here the old fashioned way. They require a minimum of a 680 credit score, 30% down payment, and verifiable income that can support the loan. In most areas of Mexico where Baby Boomers are moving to, with the exception of Puerto Penasco (which did not have a national and international base of buyers), there is no real estate bubble. The higher end markets ($2-20 million) in many of these destinations are going through a modest correction. The Baby Boomers market here is between $200,000 and $600,000. With the continuing demand inside the Bay of Banderas, that price point, in the coming years, will disappear. This is the reason the Mexican government is spending billions of dollars on more infrastructure north along the coast all the way up to Mazatlan.

The other major area where America has become overpriced is in the field of health care. This massive shift of revenues is estimated to add 5-7% to Mexico’s GDP. The name for this “business” is Medical Tourism. The two biggest competitors for Mexico were Thailand and India. Thailand and India’s biggest drawback is geography. Also recent events, Thailand’s inability to keep a government in place and the recent terrorist attack in Mumbai, have helped Mexico capture close to half of this growth industry. In Mexico today there are over 56 world class hospitals being built to keep up with this business.

Mexico is currently sitting on a cash surplus and an almost balanced budget. Most Americans have never heard of Carlos Slim until he loaned the New York Times $250 million. After that it became clear to many investors around the world what Mexicans already knew: that Mexico had been able to avoid the worst of the U.S. economic devastation. Mexico’s resilience is to be admired. When the U.S. Federal Reserve granted a $30 billion loan to each of the following countries Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, and Brazil, Mexico reinvested the money in Treasury bonds in an account in New York City.

According to oil traders, Mexico’s Pemex wisely as the price of oil shot to $147 a barrel put in place an investment strategy that hinged on oil trading in the range of $38-$60 a barrel. Since the beginning of 2009 Mexico has been collecting revenues on hedged positions that give them $90-$110 per barrel today. Mexico’s recent and under reported oil discovery in the Palaeo Channels of Chicontepec has placed it third in the world for oil reserves, right behind Canada and Saudi Arabia.

The following is a quote from Rosalind Wilson, President of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce on March 19, 2009. “The strength of the Mexican economic system makes the country a favorite destination for Canadian investment”.

OPPORTUNITIES: WHY PUERTO VALLARTA & THE RIVIERA NAYARIT?

The answer is simple and old fashioned: SUPPLY AND DEMAND.

The area of Puerto Vallarta/Riviera Nayarit inside the Bay of Banderas is an investor’s dream. This area has the comprehensive infrastructure in place, world class hospitals and dental care, natural investment protection from the Sierra Madre Mountains, endless future water supply, low to nonexistent crime, international airport, and limited supply inside the Bay, first class private bilingual schools and higher than average appreciation potential. Like many areas in Mexico there is large demand for full and part time retirement living and a lot of construction underway to meet this demand. Pre construction of course is where the best bargains are available.

I would offer a word of caution for investors in Mexico. Do not be seduced by the endless natural beauty that is everywhere, both inland in colonial towns and along thousands of miles of beach. Apply conservative medium and long term investment strategies without emotion. The demand for full and part time living by American and Canadian Baby Boomers is evident throughout the country. The top two choice locations are ocean front, and ocean view. The third overall choice, which is less expensive, is inland in one of the many beautiful colonial towns or small cities.

Mexico, with the world’s 13th largest GDP, is no longer a “Third World Country”, but rather a fast growing, economically secure state, as the most recent five-year history of its financial markets when compared to the U.S.A.’s financial markets suggests.

DOW JONES AVERAGES MAY 2004 10,200 MAY 2009 8,200 20% LOSS IN 5 YEARS

MEXICAN BOLSA MAY 2004 10,000 MAY 2009 23,000 130% GAIN IN 5 YEARS

[DenverBrit]

Loved Puerto Vallarta. Great food, culturally interesting, friendly and seemingly
as safe as anywhere else I travel.

But I will skip Tijuana and Cancun....for different reasons.

[baja]

Originally Posted by DenverBrit

Loved Puerto Vallarta. Great food, culturally interesting, friendly and seemingly
as safe as anywhere else I travel.

But I will skip Tijuana and Cancun....for different reasons.

I just drove an H2 Hummer through Tijuana about a week ago on my way to Cabo - my hands were sweating the whole way.

[baja]

Cancun sucks unless you like Miami beach with bad drinking water.

[DenverBrit]

Ah, we share the same opinion of those two towns.

[ColoradoDarin]

Holy cow, when did Baja turn into the love child of Gaffney and Mock?

[Pony Boy]

Originally Posted by baja

I just drove an H2 Hummer through Tijuana about a week ago on my way to Cabo - my hands were sweating the whole way.

When I was in Tijuana there were signs in the bathroom asking you to put the toilet paper you wiped you ass with in the trash can and not flush it..........now that's when you know you are in a third world country.

[baja]

Originally Posted by Pony Boy

When I was in Tijuana there were signs in the bathroom asking you to put the toilet paper you wiped you ass with in the trash can and not flush it..........now that's when you know you are in a third world country.

They are just being green. They reuse the paper for napkins in the restaurant.

Not every society is wasteful like you American Imperialist pigs.

[Dr. Broncenstein]

Originally Posted by baja

They are just being green. They reuse the paper for napkins in the restaurant.

Not every society is wasteful like you American Imperialist pigs.

I thought it was because the shiatty TP made the drinking water taste shiatty.

[Vegas_Bronco]

The author of the doc obviously likes oily salad and lucky charms...it's not a matter of what markets are the next to 'bubble' in this new global recession. HYPE is OUT dumbazzes - REALITY is cracking hype on the SKULL everyday in every marketplace...IT DOesn't WOrk!

In twenty years it will only matter what you have done to build worth on the small POS land you currently call home. The next country to peak won't matter - countries won't matter because the economies they have won't matter. It's time we stopped lying about what our things are worth and started realizing that we have very little resources that relate directly to our maslows hierarchy of needs for humankind.

Prior to 1950:
American Citizens did not have home mortgages
American Citizens did not have car loans
American Citizens did not have cable
American Citizens did not have the internet
________________________________________
All of these amass 85% of our current worth per american household...but when the social morays change due to economic collapse, these do relatively little to produce for our immediate human needs. See how fragile the system has become by relying on HYPE.

instead of converting your dollar to pesos for a quick scalp of the market - invest in some food, commodities, and something to do with your massive debt. lol

[baja]

Originally Posted by Vegas_Bronco

The author of the doc obviously likes oily salad and lucky charms...it's not a matter of what markets are the next to 'bubble' in this new global recession. HYPE is OUT dumbazzes - REALITY is cracking hype on the SKULL everyday in every marketplace...IT DOesn't WOrk!

In twenty years it will only matter what you have done to build worth on the small POS land you currently call home. The next country to peak won't matter - countries won't matter because the economies they have won't matter. It's time we stopped lying about what our things are worth and started realizing that we have very little resources that relate directly to our maslows hierarchy of needs for humankind.

Do not dispair we are only 3 hours away from the quickening. Are you ready?

[Vegas_Bronco]

Originally Posted by baja

Do not dispair we are only 3 hours away from the quickening. Are you ready?

Lance armstrong just 'ed!

[Tombstone RJ]

Originally Posted by baja

They are just being green. They reuse the paper for napkins in the restaurant.

[Pony Boy]

Originally Posted by baja

They are just being green. They reuse the paper for napkins in the restaurant.

Not every society is wasteful like you American Imperialist pigs.

The problem with this custom is mexican's come to the US and wipe thier butts and put the nasty TP in the waste basket.........

[Meck77]

Originally Posted by baja

Do not dispair we are only 3 hours away from the quickening. Are you ready?

All these deadlines! The rapture was suppose to be at 6. Now the quickening starts at 9pm!

And then it's 2012. And then it's....



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

[Dr. Broncenstein]

Originally Posted by Pony Boy

The problem with this custom is mexican's come to the US and wipe thier butts and put the nasty TP in the waste basket.........

Oh my god this is true. I truly wanted to kill someone over this back in the day.

[baja]

Originally Posted by Pony Boy

The problem with this custom is mexican's come to the US and wipe thier butts and put the nasty TP in the waste basket.........

Tell ya how green I am. I often stretch Saran Wrap over public toilets then put the seat down to conserve water due to evaporation.

Hopefully the user notices the covering before he sits down for a dump.

[Pony Boy]

Originally Posted by baja

Tell ya how green I am. I often stretch Saran Wrap over public toilets then put the seat down to conserve water due to evaporation.

Hopefully the user notices the covering before he sits down for a dump.

I’ll tell you another good one, I was in LA and had to stop at a gas station to take an emergency dump and the crapper was locked. I looked under the door and didn’t see any feet, so I forced the door open and a little gook guy was perched on the toilet rim like a bird with his toes gripping the seat and his ass hanging in the bowl not touching a thing. He had this scared to death look so I said sorry and closed the door. I thought damn I wish I could do that so I didn’t have to line the seat with toilet paper to keep the germs off my junk…..

[broncocalijohn]

Originally Posted by Pony Boy

The problem with this custom is mexican's come to the US and wipe thier butts and put the nasty TP in the waste basket.........

Yep! Amazing they still think that way but ask restuarants that cater to the illegal aliens.

[Missouribronc]

It's awesome that you love your new country.

I wish all of the people who illegally enter this country as criminals would feel the same way about my country.

[baja]

Originally Posted by Missouribronc

It's awesome that you love your new country.

I wish all of the people who illegally enter this country as criminals would feel the same way about my country.

Nationalism is the problem.

I consider myself a citizen of the world.