Could the U.S. purchase the northern Mexico states?

[5280]

Could the U.S. purchase the northern Mexico states, Baja, Chihuahua, Sonora, Coahuila, Tamaulipas, and Nuevo Leon? Donald Trump proposed to build an expensive wall if he was elected, would it be a better idea to buy out the northern Mexico states and expand businesses there to curb poverty? There is plenty of land and resources that could benefit the US.  What are the pros and cons to this idea? Thoughts

[tschandler]

Actually a lot of those states do have industry in them.  Mexico isn't even much of the problem today as is Guatemala and Honduras.

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lol

[5280]

I could see people flocking to the desert beaches of Sonora for vacation. That will be the newest destination for retirees moving to.

[I Will Not Be Wrong]

You're just begging Trump to bring this up now.
"Those Northern Mexicans, they are fine. They aren't criminals, they are hard working people with American Values"

[RI]

I'd support this if we bought Baja as well.

[5280]

I'd support this if we bought Baja as well.

Ok, I'll include that also.

[5280]

Chihuahua does mine for a lot of zinc and silver. They're also a large agricultural state in dairy products. Logging of oak and pine trees is a big source of wood.

[afleitch]

Once China calls in it's debt, Mexico will be buying states from you...

[This account no longer in use.]

They definitely could. They never actually would, though.

[Mike Thick]

That would be like like the Chinese nuking Fresno. Theoretically, it's possible, but it's not actually going to happen.

[5280]

That would be like like the Chinese nuking Fresno. Theoretically, it's possible, but it's not actually going to happen.

That's not a fair comparison. Purchasing the states, would mean we're going to improve them slowly over a 50-100 year span. In turn, the Mexican citizens become US citizens.

Building the wall south of Chihuahua and the other northern states makes sense because the border isn't as long, and will take nearly half the time. Offer the new U.S. citizens a job in the private sector building the wall and once it's complete, they become border patrol agents.

The goal is to grant them US citizenship, improve their lives, make a stronger, shorter secured border, they're guaranteed jobs and the US gets more land and resources.  A win-win situation.

[ag]

The necessary condition for doing this, of course, would be military occupation of the said therritory. In fact, for any Mexican government to consider the sale, at the very least, Mexico City should be first occupied (its return would have to be thrown into the bargain).

Of course, assuming the annexation happens without ethnic cleansing of the current population, it would bring in about 22 mln. Mexicans - roughly Florida and Nebraska together. I guess, a few thousand of these would be Anglo mormons and German mennonites, but the rest would be very Mexican

[ag]

That would be like like the Chinese nuking Fresno. Theoretically, it's possible, but it's not actually going to happen.

That's not a fair comparison. Purchasing the states, would mean we're going to improve them slowly over a 50-100 year span. In turn, the Mexican citizens become US citizens.

Building the wall south of Chihuahua and the other northern states makes sense because the border isn't as long, and will take nearly half the time. Offer the new U.S. citizens a job in the private sector building the wall and once it's complete, they become border patrol agents.

The goal is to grant them US citizenship, improve their lives, make a stronger, shorter secured border, they're guaranteed jobs and the US gets more land and resources.  A win-win situation.

But you forget the costs of

a) war, necessary for a Mexican government to accept the deal. I guess, it would take a few months and would result in a few hundreds to a couple of thousands of US soldiers dying, though, of course, that would be fairly quick

b) pacification of the guerrillas for the couple years necessary to catch the Mexican government and negotiate the deal. I guess, a few tens of thousands of US casualties and a fairly major expansion of the US Army in the process. A high probability of terrorist attacks in major US centers in the process should also be taken into account. Also, continuing guerilla activity (both in the annexed territory and on the US mainland, for, probably, another 10-15 years afterwards, with sporadic violence for a few decades more.

c) major welfare transfers needed to buy off the bulk of the population of the conquered territories (there are 22 mln. people there - about 1/6 of Mexico's population - and the population is growing). Given the current gap between the economies and future violence (see b) this would, probably, take, say, 40 years or so.

d) having to deal with the complete breakdown of law and order in the rump Mexico for, at least, 10 to 15 years (expect, at least, I should say, 10 to 20 mln refugees). During that entire period Mexico will likely not have any government capable of agreeing to anything, since there will be no government capable of any control. Alternatively, there could emerge a brutal dictatorship - this would be necessary to supress irredentist movements, trying to fight the US (US would need to spend a lot to prevent its overthrow). Or there could emerge a revolutionary anti-american government insisting on continuing the fight - the outcome of which, probably, would be a US occupation of the rump Mexico and establishment of a brutal dictatorship - except, of course, that in this case US will have to provide the soldiers to maintain this dictatorship pretty much indefinitely.

Ah, and, of course, forget about Cancun - Americans there would only be served in tacos for decades to come

How much do you think all of that would cost? I would say, it is likely that buidling a wall of platinum for the entire length of the border, with another wall of pure gold parallel to it, with spikes of top-quality brilliants on top and crocodiles in the moat between the walls fed top-quality osetra caviar could turn out to be substantially cheaper

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

If anything, we should be giving it back what we stole. Brought us nothing but trouble.

[Virginiá]

If anything, we should be giving it back what we stole. Brought us nothing but trouble.

That doesn't seem fair. If you include all the territory taken from Mexico in one fashion or another, you get this map (Green for partial MX, red for all MX, not sure about New Mexico entirely):

Obviously Texas has been vital to our energy concerns for some time. California is also extremely important to our economy/country as a whole in many ways and has been seen as a bright spot for the country. No comment on others (Though CO is beautiful!)

[Mike Thick]

California is also extremely important to our economy/country as a whole in many ways and has been seen as a bright spot for the country.

Darn right. Shame on Cathcon for wanting to give us back to Mexico.

[5280]

If anything, we should be giving it back what we stole. Brought us nothing but trouble.

So you want to give back some western states to Mexico and let them turn to crap? That make sense, not.

[muon2]

The necessary condition for doing this, of course, would be military occupation of the said therritory. In fact, for any Mexican government to consider the sale, at the very least, Mexico City should be first occupied (its return would have to be thrown into the bargain).

Of course, assuming the annexation happens without ethnic cleansing of the current population, it would bring in about 22 mln. Mexicans - roughly Florida and Nebraska together. I guess, a few thousand of these would be Anglo mormons and German mennonites, but the rest would be very Mexican

ag - At times I've heard disdain from folks from the DF and surrounding areas for the El Norte population that borders the US. Is there any truth to that, or is it just something to say to the gringos?

[Zioneer]

Only if Zombie James K. Polk becomes president.

[Kingpoleon]

Purchasing Baja California would make for a beautiful map, but... no.

[DINGO Joe]

That would be like like the Chinese nuking Fresno. Theoretically, it's possible, but it's not actually going to happen.

If the Chinese did nuke Fresno, would anyone actually notice?

[Mike Thick]

That would be like like the Chinese nuking Fresno. Theoretically, it's possible, but it's not actually going to happen.

If the Chinese did nuke Fresno, would anyone actually notice?

I would, but only if the fallout happened to blow my way.

[Clarko95 📚💰📈]

Instead of industry crossing the border, we'll retaliate by having the border cross the lost industry.


I like the way you think! WELCOME NEW HARDWORKING (MEXICAN-)AMERICANS

[Oak Hills]

Yeah, and why don't we annex the whole world while we're at it?