Despite the uproar previously over NAFTA, there is currently no debate
over what is essentially a continuation of the same issue.      NAFTA
was not just a trade treaty between 3 countries.      Essentially,  it
represented only just a first step, in forming a more compact trading
region for the US to compete with other regional economies (the Asian
and European).

The fundamental strengh of the US position was the homogenity and size
of its internal market.      But the US government saw a tremendous
weakness in not being able to integrate Mexico's 100,000,000 people into
a more cohesive entity, for further economic penetration to the South
into all of Latin America.

Despite having put the PRI dictatorship totally into the pocket of the
US, major barriers to economic concentration under US control continued
to exist.     Mexican nationalism directed against US penetration
continued as a strong sentiment in a majority of the population.    And
major economic activity was still nationalized.       So a carrot was
offered to the Mexican elite, and they bit.

The offer was to bring the elite on board as junior partners!      True,
this is an offer that the US offers to its colonial lackeys everywhere.
But with a stigma.

Marcos and The Shah were still dictators as they helped the US pilfer
their countries.       But with the Mexican elite, there has been a
different sell to the agreement to help loot the wealth.

The US essentially said to the Mexican elite, you guys can be different.
We will integrate you into our imperial system,  as an essential part.
We have to treat you differently than all the other Third World
countries, because Mexico borders the US.   Being a dictatorship
integrated into our system is not enough.     You must be integrated
into our "democracy" as well.

This offer fell on eager ears.      First, the Catholic Church was
looking for a vehicle to reassert its power into Mexico, having suffered
a horrible defeat in the hands of the Mexican Revolution.

Second, the Northern business elite in Mexico's industrial heartlands
were looking for an ally,  in their centuries-old regional feuds against
Mexico City domination.

Third, the midddle classes of Mexico whose whole lives revolve around
trying to ape US customs, styles, and living habits have been convinced.
This would move them away from constant bankruptcy (in their minds),
and closer to the center of their dream world, being able to vacation in
the US at Disney Land.     Unlike other Third World middle classes, the
Mexican middle class really does feel that they can be part of a
superior culture.......physical proximity counts!

And Fourth, the ruling PRI political Hackrocacy was also looking for
better. Very similar to how the ex- Soviet bureaucracy wanted to live
like its Western counterparts.     It's not much fun always being seen
as a group of corrupt, contemptible thugs.      Even if that's just what
you are.    An offer to be a group of real political leaders,
participating in a real democracy, just seems so good to people like
Labastida and Zedillo.      Not to mention the tens of thousands of
their junior cohorts.

So now we have arrived, to a way that the US can even further slip into
control of Mexican affairs.    With the rise of the Zapatista Rebellion,
the US saw the danger of continuing to exercise control South, by only
relying on its alliance with the PRI dictatorship.     A maneuver to
disorient the Left Opposition was seen as necessary.       What more
disorienting, than to hand the Opposition a "victory"?

The Opposition will be handed the "victory" of The Fall of The
Dictatorship!   And the Left portion of The Opposition has positioned
itself poorly to deal with this upcoming new reality.      In fact, the
Left is almost wholely on board the Cardenas ship.     Cardenas was only
weeks ago, simple-mindedly asking Clinton for preferential treatment,
come election time.   This, several years after the launching of the
Fox/ Clinton alliance.

Thus, we come to the ultimate Clinton betrayal of Labor.       This, is
the complicity of Clinton in putting into power, a Mexican politician
who will launch the privatization of Mexico's nationalized industries
(those industries not already thoroughly privatized).       Further, the
victory of Fox will be a major victory for the multi-nationals.
American Labor has been as outflanked by Clinton as Cardenas has.     A
further resounding blow for Social Democratic approach to politics.

................................Tony Abdo