What? Mexican culture is justly famous for bribery and general corruption in daily life. The most recent Corruption Perception Index showed Mexico ranking just ahead of Senegal, for example.
One might easily conclude from this survey that they hate us, they really hate us. And talk about sucker Americans, so stupidly good-natured in the face of undeniable hostility of centuries' duration.
On a personal level, 84% of Americans said they held a positive view of the Mexican people, while just 36% of Mexicans said the same about their neighbors to the North. [Zogby Poll: Americans, Mexicans Want Closer Ties, But Suspicion Abounds]
The poll is yet another reason to stop the shotgun marriage between our nations being plotted by the Council on Foreign Relations, Congress and the White House.
Americans want their lawmakers to deal with the problem of illegal immigration, the poll shows, and are willing to put their money where their mouth is. Nearly two in three (62%) said they would prefer that their congressman support more restrictive immigration regulations. Asked if they would be willing to support a U.S. economic development plan to help build Mexico's economy, much like the Marshall Plan helped rebuild Europe after World War II, in exchange for an agreement for more controls on immigration, 57% said "yes," while 33% opposed the idea.
Obviously more education of Americans is necessary if a majority support a Marshall plan for wealthy Mexico when our own nation is $8 trillion in debt.
Oh, and 90 percent of Mexicans object to a border fence — sweet! All the more reason to build it.
