Expert Related Publication Feeds

Cooperative Mexican-U.S. Antinarcotics Efforts

jdunton — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Because of high U.S. narcotics consumption and Mexico’s role as the main transit country for cocaine from Colombia, the dominant narcotics activity in the Western Hemisphere takes place between the United States and Mexico.

Issues in International Political Economy - On Elections - November 2010 - Number 131

Mgraybeal — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Polls of Americans who intended to vote in the election earlier this month indicated that some 36 percent were Democrats and about 33 percent Republicans. These percentages indicate that most U.S. elections are decided by independents.

Issues in International Political Economy - Latin America is in Good Shape - October 2010 - Number 130

Mgraybeal — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0400

I have been following Latin American developments for more decades than I care to remember. My sense of Latin America at the beginning was ambiguous—I found the region culturally fascinating, but economically and socially deficient.

Issues in International Political Economy - U.S. Democracy Shortcomings - August 2010 - Number 128

Mgraybeal — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0400

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5 to 4 in January this year that the government could not limit spending by U.S. corporations and labor unions that favored particular candidates in upcoming elections. This reversed many earlier decisions. The reasoning of the majority was that the government could not regulate political speech.

Issues in International Political Economy - Mexico's War on Drugs - July 2010 - Number 127

Mgraybeal — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Mexico and the United States have an antinarcotics arrangement. Each side contributes funds to this effort, the United States close to $500 million a year under the Mérida Initiative (the institution that defines the arrangement) and Mexico around $4.3 billion a year.

Issues in International Political Economy - Narcotics - June 2010 - Number 126

Mgraybeal — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400

I am working on a project dealing with U.S.-Mexico narcotics traffic and this has given me new cause to think more about the subject. The report that I am preparing deals primarily with four drugs that are now illegal to produce, sell, and use in the United States—cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and marijuana.

Issues in International Political Economy - Reality Comes to the Fore - May 2010 - Number 125

Mgraybeal — Mon, 17 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Most of us have been mugged recently by reality. I am referring to the reckless behavior of investment banks in fostering subprime mortgages and then packaging these in securities that inevitably had to crash because of the largely worthless instruments they contained.

Issues in International Political Economy - Unequal Partners: The United States and Mexico - April 2010 - Number 124

adyne — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400

The book on the United States and Mexico with the title listed above was launched on April 12 at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. I trace how each country’s policy was made toward the other -- one country dominant economically, and the other dependent on the other for its market and as a destination to which its nationals flee to seek greater opportunity.

Unequal Partners

ian — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Sidney Weintraub examines the current relationship of Mexico and the United States as one of sustained dependence and dominance. The chapters examine the consequences of this imbalance in six major policy areas: trade; investment and finance; narcotics; energy; migration; and the border.

Issues in International Political Economy - Mexico-U.S. Non-Discussion of Migration - March 2010 - Number 123

adyne — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

In a world of sovereign states, nations are free to determine which foreigners, and how many, they will allow to enter their country and how long they will be permitted to stay. Recommendations that these decisions should be negotiated between sending and receiving countries are therefore unlikely to be accepted by receiving countries unless they want more foreign workers.

Issues in International Political Economy - The Unending Campaign against NAFTA - February 2010 - Number 122

adyne — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Many Mexicans and Americans display vague misgivings about the North American Free Trade Agreement; their comments indicate that this is largely because the agreement did not turn out to be a development panacea.The core of Mexico´s growth problem, in my view, is political—namely, the inability to deal with structural problems affecting taxes, energy, education, labor markets, monop

Issues in International Political Economy - U.S. Tolerance of Income Inequality - January 2010 - Number 121

adyne — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Tolerance of the extent of income inequality varies among countries. Acceptance of income inequality is higher in the United States than in any other developed country. Many U.S.

Issues in International Political Economy - Situation in Latin America--Year-end 2009

adyne — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

The political differences among the countries in Latin America are profound, and this reality is perhaps the most important political commentary to make at year-end 2009. Countries of the region are more apt to learn from each other in the economic field.

Issues in International Political Economy - November 2009 - Number 119 - The Cost of Questionable Policies

adyne — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Until Barack Obama won the 2008 presidential election, it was taken for granted that no African-American could become president of the United States. Any great talent in that population group, about 13.5 percent of Americans, was discarded for the top position in the country. The situation has changed, and the United States is surely better for it.

Issues in International Political Economy - October 2009 - Number 118 - "Getting an Education about the Real World"

adyne — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Most of the U.S. population got an education during the past two years about what exists in the real world. Before then the dominant dogma exemplified a narrow ideology that leaves no room for the preventive and corrective roles of government when making economic policy.

Issues in International Political Economy - September 2009 - Number 117

adyne — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400

President Felipe Calderón just delivered his third annual Informe and it calls for a thoroughgoing change in policy direction. President Barack Obama, for this part, is trying to rescue as much of his health-care proposal as he can from a confrontational Congress.

Calderón, Obama, and Harper to Meet in Guadalajara, August 9–10: Economic Aspects of the Summit

pfrank — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Q1: What is the key economic problem facing the three NAFTA countries?

Issues in International Political Economy - "President Obama's Negotiating Technique." - July 2009 - Number 115

adyne — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Barack Obama campaigned as a person who believes that discussion with others who hold views different from his own would reduce domestic and international rancor. He may have modified his view in light of failures of reconciliation on both foreign and domestic issues.

U.S. Immigration Legislation

sherry — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Q1: What are the main disagreements in the immigration debate?

Issues in International Political Economy - The Essentials of U.S. Policy towards Latin America - June 2009 - Number 114

adyne — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400

President Barack Obama has not yet defined the essentials of U.S. policy toward Latin America despite the painful economic situation in the region brought on by the U.S. financial collapse.The best posture for the U.S. government in dealing with Latin America is to demonstrate by its actions that the United States is sincere in wanting to help countries of the region.

Issues in International Political Economy: The Powerful Bank Lobbies

adyne — Fri, 15 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400

There are several realities that have to be addressed as the United States reconfigures its banking structure. The more we learn about the events that led to the disastrous economic collapse that continues to beset most of the world, the more incomprehensible the actions of the banks and mortgage companies look.

Issues in International Political Economy: Looking Inward in an Age of Globalization

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

The world is now experiencing a searing example of the speed at which a U.S. financial breakdown spreads globally.

Opportunities for Obama in the Americas

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

The Obama administration has gotten off to an exceptionally promising start in activating relations with other countries in the Americas.

Origins and Evolution of North American Integration

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0400

This is Dr. Weintraub's presentation at the event "NAFTA at 15: Assessing the Past and Preparing for the Future." The event took place at George Washington University's Institute for International Economic Policy at the Elliot School.

Issues in International Political Economy: The Leader of the Free World

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0400

The United States often describes itself as the “leader of the free world.” We certainly are right now—leading the world economy down. Because it is hard to grasp the enormity of the global damage, I will focus on Mexico, a country important to the United States.

Issues in International Political Economy: Learning about Ourselves from Financial Crisis

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Capitalism will endure as long as the winners from this economic system compensate the losers. We have long known about the tunnel vision, the importance of ideology in decision making, and the potential consequences of income inequality, but their intensity has become clearer in recent months.

Issues in International Political Economy: U.S.-Mexico Relations

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Some 5,300 people were killed in Mexico in 2008 stemming from the drug trade. The violence that accompanies the shipment and sales of narcotics from and through Mexico to the United States stems primarily from U.S. antinarcotics policies. It would be useful if President Obama states early in his administration that U.S. anti-narcotics activities are not working as intended.

Issues in International Political Economy: What Can We Believe In Now?

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Trust in decisionmaking in the United States has almost completely evaporated. This is true with respect to government, Congress, private companies, and the regulatory arena, where public and private intersect.The main issue I wish to raise in this commentary is whether the current anger will result in durable changes.

Issues in International Political Economy: Obama and Mexico

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Positions taken during the campaign have created uncertainty in Mexico about what President Obama’s policies will be. The question that raises the most immediate concern, because it was created by Obama, is how he will deal with his repeated statements to renegotiate NAFTA. Violence in Mexico is out of control.

Issues in International Political Economy: Thoughts on the Credit Crisis

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The purpose of this essay is to get some thoughts on the credit crisis into the public domain. The world has many experts who are prepared to comment on the current financial problems. However, none of them has had any practical experience in dealing with a situation in which credit markets have almost completely shut down.

Issues in International Political Economy: What Can the Western Hemisphere Expect from Obama and McCain?

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Just about every American who studies or writes about U.S. relations with countries in the Western Hemisphere is asked regularly to provide thoughts about which of the two main presidential candidates will be better for Mexico (or Canada or Latin America or the Caribbean—or all of these together).

Issues in International Political Economy: Mexico is Facing a Difficult Time

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Among the current issues facing the average Mexican are drug-related murders, kidnappings for ransom, and a debate on future energy policy that reflects a defensive nationalism rather than practical considerations of oil and gas production and electricity generation. The contest among the various drug cartels for dominance in sales of hard narcotics to the lucrative U.S.

NAFTA Revisited

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400

During the Democratic Party presidential primary race, both candidates stated that they wished to renegotiate NAFTA in order to strengthen the labor and environmental accords and make them part of the underlying agreement. The two candidates also said they would support withdrawing from NAFTA if renegotiation failed. The risks of plunging into this are enormous.

Issues in International Political Economy: U.S.-Mexico Relations

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The competing interplay between special and regional influences is the way U.S. policy is made almost across the board. Yet, the United States is different from other countries because of its large influence on political and economic outcomes in other countries, especially in our neighbor, Mexico.

Issues in International Political Economy: Confused and Mean-Spirited U.S. Handling of Immigration Problems

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0400

There are many unsavory aspects to what is taking place. The United States does need a new, comprehensive immigration law that better serves the common good—of the immigrants, their employers, and competing workers—and that encourages U.S. citizens to respect the fairness of their system of justice.

Issues in International Political Economy: The Mixed Nature of Brazilian Policies

Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Decision after decision in Brazil’s energy policies over the last 10 years have turned out to be remarkably successful. The country’s macroeconomic and social policies were less than stellar until the introduction of the Plan Real in 1994, which set the stage for the largely healthy economic situation that exists in Brazil today.

May 1 Immigration Protests

Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Q1: What is prompting the mass Latino protest demonstrations in cities across the United States?

Issues in International Political Economy: Trade Policy Confusion

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

There are deep disagreements between different groups over the future of U.S. trade policy. Opinion polls indicate that a plurality of the general public now believes free trade agreements (FTAs) hurt the United States, a reversal from as few as 10 years ago when a modest plurality said they thought these agreements helped the country.

Issues in International Political Economy: Dealing with Neighbors

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Quite apart from the fact that the United States profits overall from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), an important consideration lost in the bad-mouthing of the agreement by Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton is that we are fortunate in our two land neighbors. Canada and Mexico are peaceful countries and troops are not needed on either side of the two U.S.

Issues in International Political Economy: Current Questions about the U.S. Political Scene Posed by Mexicans

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The most frequent question Mexicans put to me these days is: “Which U.S. presidential candidate will be best for Mexico?” Or a variant: “Which political party will be best for Mexico?”

Economic Uncertainty

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Q1: What caused the uncertainty in the United States?

Issues in International Political Economy: The Power of Special Interests in the United States

Tue, 15 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0500

A “special interest” as used in this paper could be a single person or a relatively small group of people who seek to influence public policy decisions to obtain a larger share of economic benefits or political influence than they otherwise would have. By definition, this must come at the expense of the rest of society.

Issues in International Political Economy: Latin America at Yearend 2007

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Several of my year-end commentaries in recent years have focused on the situation in Latin America. Looking at the region as whole, recent improvements in basic social and economic indicators have been considerable compared with the abysmal regional performance in the 1980s and much of the 1990s.

Issues in International Political Economy: The Dependency/Dominance Relationship between Mexico and the United States

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0500

When two neighboring countries have vastly disparate economic and political power, one can expect a dependency/dominance relationship to develop. The power differences between the United States and Mexico have existed since at least the U.S. land grab in its war with Mexico more than 150 years ago, and they have shaped the approach of each country to the other.

Immigration

Wed, 24 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Issues in International Political Economy: The High Cost of Criminalizing Drug Use

Thu, 18 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0400

The "war" on narcotics continues to be waged with little to show for it other than occasional successful skirmishes (like Mexico’s recent drug seizure) at great cost in self-destruction and deep damage to other countries. The reality is that the current policy of criminalizing drug use is not working—and cannot be successful.

Issues in International Political Economy: U.S. Actions to Promote Democracy

Fri, 14 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0400

The United States is promoting democracy and related attributes around the world. Based on U.S. practices, the following refinements must be transmitted to make the policy effective.

Issues in International Political Economy: Setting the Record Straight on NAFTA

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0400

The misinformation that is being disseminated in the United States and Mexico about the North American Free Trade Agreement is overwhelming. The constant refrain by U.S. and Mexican protectionists on the alleged trade defects of NAFTA, and by xenophobes about a conspiracy to sacrifice U.S.

Issues in International Political Economy: The Derivative Nature of U.S. Hemispheric Policy

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0400

U.S. relations with Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) have long been unsatisfactory. Many U.S. scholars attribute this to protracted periods of neglect of the LAC region, interspersed with periods of constructive engagement as well as with hegemonic interference. This description is accurate but is more symptom than explanation.

The Energy Situation in the Western Hemisphere

Sun, 01 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Cooperation on energy issues is much greater in North America than in South America. The best contrasts are the cooperative Canada-U.S. relationship and the antagonistic Bolivia-Chile standoff.