Pubdate: Tue, 12 Sep 2000
Source: Corpus Christi Caller-Times (TX)
Copyright: 2000 Corpus Christi Caller-Times
Address: P.O. Box 9136, Corpus Christi, TX 78469-9136
Feedback: http://www.caller.com/commcentral/email_ed.htm
Website: http://www.caller.com/

THE SENATOR'S EXCELLENT IDEA

Hutchison's plan could improve U.S.-Mexican relations.

Just how confident is Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison of prevailing in her bid 
for re-election this fall? Confident enough to take a serious run at an 
issue which under other circumstances she might have deferred until her 
return ticket to Washington had been punched.

Granted, overconfidence every now and then precedes a mighty fall. Given 
that Hutchison's Democratic opponent is retired military lawyer and 
perennial candidate Gene Kelly, however, you have to conclude that she 
doesn't have anything to worry about on that score.

She could simply have cruised to re-election, then, without running any 
risks at all. Last week, however, she took on an issue with genuine heft: 
the touchy matter of the certification process under which nations deemed 
to be centers of drug production and trafficking must get a clean bill of 
health from the White House before they can qualify for U.S. foreign aid.

This ill-considered mechanism has been particularly upsetting to the 
relationship between the United States and Mexico. Though Mexico has never 
been decertified, its government and people detest the process - with 
reason: As they point out, if there were not an insatiable appetite in the 
United States for illicit drugs, the drug lords would be out of business.

Last week, Hutchison called for a one-year moratorium on the certification 
process for Mexico. The stunning victory of Vicente Fox in this year's race 
for the Mexican presidency makes such a new beginning highly desirable, she 
said: "Democracy is beginning to be real in Mexico, and we want to do 
everything we can to encourage this democracy."

Excellent point. If there were ever an auspicious moment to launch efforts 
to improve U.S.-Mexican ties, this is it. Shelving the certification 
process, and the arrogant thinking that produced it, would represent an 
excellent start toward that end.
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