RADIO FREE MEXICO

One of the most basic lessons we should have learned during the Cold War is the failure of the policy of Containment.  Originally formulated by George Kennan’s famous "X" article in 1947, Containment formed the basis of American foreign policy towards the Soviet Union until the Reagan Presidency.

While a considerable advance over the previous policy of appeasement, Containment was essentially a defensive doctrine, the purpose of which was to prevent the Soviets from scoring goals on the US, i.e., expanding the Soviet Empire.  It timidly abjured trying to score goals on the Soviets, i.e., liberate Soviet colonies.

Ronald Reagan put an end to Containment when he disagreed with it in his first cabinet meeting in late January 1981.  Dick Allen, Reagan’s National Security Advisor, startled at Reagan’s denouncement of Containment, asked, "Mr. President, then what should our policy towards the Soviets be?"  Reagan calmly replied, "Well, Dick, how about ‘we win – they lose’?"

God bless Ronald Reagan.

If we had him here with us today, he would be puzzled over the entire debate on "illegal immigration."  He would recognize that just like the Cold War, the liberals are arguing for appeasement and the conservatives for containment.  He would be asking conservatives, "Don’t you fellows realize that just playing defense doesn’t work?"

Of course, defense is critical.  You’ve got to prevent the other team from scoring touchdowns.  So you’ve got to build the fence authorized by the Sensenbrenner bill in the House.  You’ve got to shut the border down regarding the illegal flood.  You’ve got to disallow illegals (and, yes, their children) from access to government benefits.

There are many other things you can do to defend America from this invasion – but, the crucial but for Ronald Reagan, would be we can’t just play defense. We’ve got to go on the offense.

Which means an offense against Mexico.  Not with guns and soldiers, but with ideas and information.  "To explain the truth and go on an ideological offensive against the Soviet Union," Reagan would say, "we had Radio Free Europe beamed to the Soviet colonies of Eastern Europe, and Radio Liberty beamed to people within the Soviet Union itself."

"So, obviously," Reagan would conclude, "now you need a Radio Free Mexico beamed to the people of Mexico for the purpose of liberating them from the socialism, poverty, and corruption in their country that drives them to leave it."

Last week, many of you saw me on Fox News with Neil Cavuto advocate a Radio Free Mexico.  While I’m sure Reagan would support the idea, his ghost didn’t whisper it into my ear.  It was a To The Point member with the Internet name of "Bogle" who suggested it on the TTP User Forum. 

(Let me encourage you to read and participate in the TTP User Forum.  At the very least it will impress the heck out of you with your fellow TTP Members’ articulate and well-reasoned thinking.)

RFM – Radio Free Mexico – would have programs explaining why Mexico is so poor.  It isn’t because the US stole half of Mexico’s land (and the half with all the paved roads, as the joke goes).  It’s because of a lack of economic freedom and rule of law.

RFM would explain the history of Mexico.  That it was a creation of Imperial Spain, not the Aztecs.  The Aztec Empire was very small, an area in central Mexico smaller than the US state of New Mexico.  Not only was it small, it was short – initiated in the 1420s, expanding for about 90 years, then liberated by Cortez.

RFM would explain the monstrously murderous evil of the Aztec Empire, and how Cortez was a liberator, not a conqueror.  The subsequent conquistadors from Spain were tyrannical, yet for all their oppression of native Mexican peoples, they never approached a fraction of bloody Aztec horror.

RFM would explain what it will take for the poverty-stricken masses of Mexico to become prosperous – what it will take to create the social, political, and economic conditions of wide-spread wealth-creation.

RFM would provide continuous examples of corruption, naming names of corrupt officials, politicians, and monopolistic businessmen.

The goal of RFM would be to change the culture of Mexico from one of corrupt poverty-creation to one of lawful wealth-creation.  This is ultimately the only way to end the invasion of Mexican illegals into America:  create a successful Mexico.

Who in their right mind would leave their own country to try and make a living on menial wages in a foreign land, when they can become prosperous in their own country?

If RFM does it right, we can even reverse the flood, with Mexican illegals streaming back to Mexico where they can make more money than in America.

To do it right, RFM cannot be a Gringo project.  The key would be to create programming using Mexican free market intellectuals, to empower Mexico’s anti-socialist intelligentsia (of whom there are plenty albeit unheard) talking to their fellow Mexicans in their own cultural vernacular.

Then you set up RFM as a surrogate Mexican FM station broadcasting in Mexico City, Monterrey, Vera Cruz, and other major population centers.  That is, you purchase available bandwidth on existing FM stations in these cities, which become RFM re-broadcast affiliates.

The whole thing could be set up for a half-million dollars, which means with private money and no US government funding or involvement.

So I am announcing here that To The Point, in cooperation with the Freedom Research Foundation (of which I am president) and other friends in Washington will be raising the private capital to launch and operate a Radio Free Mexico.

Only by playing offense, not just defense, can we prevent the Second Civil War, keep America intact, and actually solve the now-enormous problem of illegal alien invasion into our country.

Winning the Cold War required liberating the Soviet Empire.  Winning the war of illegal invasion requires liberating Mexico.  That’s the lesson Ronald Reagan would have us learn.  That’s the promise of a Radio Free Mexico.