Mexico

I'm currently reading a book about Mexico.  It's an amusing account of a couple who decided to have a house built down in the Baja a few miles south of Ensenada.  It takes place in the mid-seventies when the pace of life was a little slower, but things Mexican still had a sense of madness about them.

The principal problem with buying a house in Mexico and particularly one that is reasonable close to the sea, is that as an outsider you can't ever own the land.  You can only lease it for an agreed number of years.  Nonetheless, it was the dream of many "gringos" to have their own little casa south of the border.
But today, those dreams are fast disappearing.  Mexico is becoming a failed state.  Some say the drug violence and reversion to bandito life is the fault of the US for buying all the drugs shipped here.  But frankly there are some serious faults with the way the country is governed.  It is corrupt from top to bottom.
Some time back we talked to a man who's friend owned a car body repair shop in the Southland.  He began his business in Mexico, but before very long he was approached by one of the establishment explaining that for him to continue he had to hand over ownership of the business, and take a percentage that would no longer be under his control.  He decided there and then to escape north and began again up here, where he has become very successful.
Perhaps as we are beginning to bring our troops home we should rest them up a little and then make an assault on Mexico as if we let it continue its current downward path we'll have a war on the border - some say it's even begun already.  Such a shame!