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Rick Sanchez

Rick Sanchez

Posted: March 21, 2011 05:25 PM

Why South of the Border Matters North of the Border


Mr. President, you were right to go to Latin America. And your critics on the right, and your supporters on the left, were both wrong for criticizing you and for supporting you for the wrong reasons.

Latin America is used to being short-shrifted by U.S. presidents. Your predecessors, Mr. Clinton and Mr. Bush, did little to change that. And you, Mr. President, bungled the 2009 Honduras coup d'état, which only further exemplified your lack of coherent leadership when it comes to the region. So it was time to give this important region the attention and respect it deserves, to go there and meet with their leaders, and to do right by Latin America.

Speaking of the "right," some Republicans say you should not have gone to Latin America in the first place because it's like taking your family on a vacation, a spring break. Some said you "bolted to Brazil."

Translation: there is nothing substantive in Latin America, just parties and Rio de Janeiro. And there's certainly nothing significant for an American president to do there.

It's an insulting insinuation, one that takes aim at one of the world's most important regions as well as this nation's fastest-growing minority: Hispanics. It's no wonder that Hispanic support for Republicans is fading faster than Arizona Governor Jan Brewer's make-up on a hot summer day.

Ostensibly, Republicans say their criticism is based on the fact that there's just so much other "stuff" right now, most notably Japan and Libya, and that having you travel means you're not focused on -- and can't be focused on -- what's going on elsewhere. But that's also a straw man because there's always other stuff going on.

Lest anyone forget, we live in the 21st century. This isn't the Kennedy White House with a big red phone on the desk, where we have to stand idly by waiting for it to ring. Today, you can get that 3 am phone call anywhere: we live in an age of remote offices, secure communications -- faxes, emails, phone calls, teleconferences -- satellites, computers, BlackBerries, iPhones, and Internet access and cable television 24/7.

In fact, Air Force One boasts a mobile Oval Office. The plane is capable of refueling mid-air, has hardened electronics capable of withstanding an electromagnetic pulse, and has advanced secure communications that allow it to serve as a mobile command center in the event of an attack against the U.S. I hear they even have pens and pencils on board.

And you know what? It works. This past weekend, with you in Latin America and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Paris, you coordinated and ordered military airstrikes against Libya's Muammar Gaddafi.

You and Secretary Clinton weren't the only ones working remotely. Joining Secretary Clinton in Paris was British Prime Minister David Cameron, whose country also took part in enforcing the no-fly zone in Libya.

The idea that a trip or other important presidential business needs to be put on hold, otherwise everything will come to a screeching halt, is ludicrous. You coordinated with Secretary Clinton in Paris, Ambassador Rice in New York, the Pentagon in Washington, military commanders on the ground in the region, and none of it -- not one bit of it -- would have been any different if you were sitting at your desk in the White House instead of your desk on Air Force One.

But before we pass judgment on Republicans alone, let us consider what the Democrats are saying -- which also minimizes the importance of this trip. Sure, they're defending your trip to Latin America. But they're doing so with simple arguments about how this is important "for American jobs."

Well, they're just as wrong as their counterparts.

Going to Latin America isn't a party, it doesn't interfere with your duties, and it's not about job creation. It's about far more than that. Going to Latin America is the work of the president, important and essential work, and it's in our national and strategic interest.

It's about treating Latin America as equal partners, something you, President Obama, promised at the Summit of the Americas in 2009. It's about cultivating a stronger relationship with this part of the world and sending a message to Latin America, as well as Latino-Americans here at home, about their importance in the global economy as well as national and international politics.

Even in the face of a Japan reeling from a series of incomprehensible natural disasters and a Libya in turmoil, our relationship with Latin America needs to be nurtured and strengthened for reasons often ignored by the U.S. news media.

Latin America's importance to the global economy is immense and growing. Capital investment into the region has increased 405% to $6.6 billion in the last year alone, and Brazil is leading the pack. The country has the fifth largest population in the world and the seventh largest economy in the world. It will host the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016, and more significantly, may be on the verge of tapping significant oil fields. It's in our national interest for the U.S. to be on the ground floor of Brazil's growth and to become an important and essential ally to them.

Investment opportunity in the Americas isn't just a one-way street. 3G Capital, a firm backed by Brazilian investors, recently purchased Burger King for $3.3 billion -- the largest restaurant acquisition in a decade. And in 2008, Belgian-Brazilian beer giant InBev acquired Anheuser-Busch for $52 billion. It doesn't get any more American than hamburgers and beer.

President Obama, you will always be needed both domestically and internationally. But by going to Latin America this past week, you showed the region -- and Latinos here at home -- that we matter. Thank you for doing the right thing.

 
Mr. President, you were right to go to Latin America. And your critics on the right, and your supporters on the left, were both wrong for criticizing you and for supporting you for the wrong reasons.
Mr. President, you were right to go to Latin America. And your critics on the right, and your supporters on the left, were both wrong for criticizing you and for supporting you for the wrong reasons.
 
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awesomemadre   17 hours ago (8:31 PM)
WELL SAID RICK!!!! AND WELCOME BACK
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Cowboylove   22 hours ago (3:06 PM)
Thanks for compliment­ing President Obama for his focus on Latin America. We have ignored it - or interfered covertly - too long. It is time to partner with the greatest region in the world of untapped resources and potential and stop looking at Latinos as them and start seeing them as us.

North and South America have one thing in common - we are all Americans in the truest sense. It is about time we started acting like family.
sharonms   23 hours ago (2:07 PM)
GREAT article, Rick!!!!! Keep up the good work.
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brianelwinpomeroy   04:48 AM on 3/23/2011
The banks have taken a lot of money from the ignorant from Great Britain to the USA and Europe for over two hundred years. The no-fly zone is to quell immigratio­n, to keep their systems from being over-run. Obama is in Brazil for his and his wealthy friends best interests, make no mistake. Nice guys and softies finish last and Obama learned faster than any president ever from whom to take his marching orders. Our leading leaders in South America know what I am saying and I wish them Godspeed. Brian Elwin Pomeroy
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R.W. Sanders   04:28 AM on 3/23/2011
When listing Brazil's resources and making their case as a significan­t economical power, Rick left out the most important resource. The Amazon rain forest cleans the world's atmosphere­. It is more important than all but a few other resources in the world. Brazil has not managed it very well. Too much deforestat­ion. Perhaps the presidents could talk about that problem.
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realistic2008   10:00 PM on 3/22/2011
Well said Rick
4progress   07:52 PM on 3/22/2011
we've ignored the latin american people since the monroe doctrine..­.but slept soundly with their dictators. now countries, like brazil and chile, are moving out of their third world status, becoming eco-strong and starting to trade with china. we don't like it. now that they gone from shabby to savvy, we want their business. the fact they live next door, sadly, has nothing to do with it. obama doesn't care about latin americans anymore that any of his predecesso­rs... except to exploit them. unfortunat­ely, potus has only gone south to sell them something.­..not to show the campesinos that he cares about them. wrong again, taserino. but thanks for playing.
Donn Bryant   06:54 PM on 3/22/2011
I agree Rick. I also think we should pull our troops out of those middle east countries and start to work hard forging a relationsh­ip with all the Americas. Just think if we worked together with Central and South America what an economic force we could be.
TEPK   06:39 PM on 3/22/2011
Fifteen, twenty, twenty-fiv­e years ago, the focus of our political and economic sphere of influence should have come off of Europe, the Middle East and Israel ... and moved onto the economical­ly useful metro areas of South America that were willing to cooperate, collaborat­e and interact with us in mutually beneficial ways. There might have even been O-I-L in it for us!

As it is now ... Chavez has been fomenting anti-Ameri­canism wherever he goes ... and the Chinese have been making significan­t economic inroads throughout South America ,,, MUCH to our own diminishme­nt therein throughout the continent!

It only seems to make sense that a "new" U.S. axis of power and/or sphere of influence should be focused on a building a solid, working political and economic partnershi­p between "North America" and "South America". (Those countries in "Central America" that are causing us problems and not fully cooperatin­g in eradicatin­g those problems (e.g., Mexico, Columbia, et al) should NOT be included until they first straighten out their acts and clean out their own houses.)
Deftguy   03:06 PM on 3/22/2011
Well said Rick, it is great to have another perspectiv­e aside from the apparent "you have other issues that are more important than what is happening to the south of you" BS. Central and South America have always been given the short shrift from this country, and it is nice to have a President intelligen­t enough to want to engage equally with that part of the world.
SuperMex   02:02 PM on 3/22/2011
Ayy Dios Mio! Welcome Rick from the Lone Star State. Your insight into Latin America is needed.
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Colombianas1   01:39 PM on 3/22/2011
Why is it called "Latin America?"
Why are people called "Latinos?"
I have yet to find one person there who speaks Latin.

They should be called Americans-­They were there way before the US Americans.
RageVsMachine   02:41 PM on 3/22/2011
Because Spanish, Portugese, and French were the languages spoken by the first European explorers to settle there. Now tell me what language these three were derived from, and then you connect the dots.
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Colombianas1   02:58 PM on 3/22/2011
I see you searched wiki or answers.co­m.
Also on answers.co­m:
The French used "a common Latin origin" to justify their temporary occupation of Mexico. Napoleon III placed Maximilian Habsburg on the throne as Emperor of Mexico with the justificat­ion that both France and Iberia had been settled by Latins, and that a common ancestry gave the French the right to intercede on behalf of Mexican politics.
Of course, the Mexican people had the Emperor killed as soon as they could, so.

I knew some kind of occupation had to be the correct answer.
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Rock Brasiliano   04:14 PM on 3/22/2011
You aren't Dan Quayle by any chance?
objective2u   01:22 PM on 3/22/2011
Nice article. But don't forget we are all of some "other" national origin too and no matter where we originated we don't lose sight of the fact that we are Americans and proud of it. So, like it or not, you and your fellow "we"s are part of the melting pot.
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Rachel Wells   01:13 PM on 3/22/2011
I disagree 100% with Mr Sanchez, while I appreciate his passionate arguments. Mr Bush did not 'ignore' South America as he contends- nor did President Clinton - those are just facts. Now about the vacation comments on the left and the right - I believe its the fact that we have engaged in a war, Japan is on radiation alert, our nation is in the midst of division and Congress is battling a budget war to rival World War III - Obama did not need to be seen dancing in Rio while our troops start a major offensive in a third Muslim war.

I am fully aware of the economic power house that South America has become, thanks mostly to the investment of China - but again, Obama did not need to go there and 'beg to be customers' , tell Brazil to 'drill' , yet deny our own nation to do so, and contend that Latin and South America nations are cornerston­es of democracy when we know that this region is ripe for over throw of government­s at the tip of a hat. It's about wealth alright, their wealth - and what he can do to continue to push our money to them.

His timing was not only wrong, perception wrong. It is the lens of which we view this trip and our national interests were not the intention of Mr. Obama - this was a get of town free card. With respect Mr. Sanchez, I disagree 100%
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Rock Brasiliano   04:12 PM on 3/22/2011
You are correct. The Clinton and Bush administra­tions did not ignore Latin America, far from it. Obviously current economic trends involve East Asia, especially China and Japan. Unfortunat­ely, domestic American politics and such topics as illegal immigratio­n color the political discourse.
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Sam1jere   01:07 PM on 3/22/2011
The US is forever challengin­g other nations to step up their game and aim for excellence always. Fair enough and very necessary to have such a watchdog. Now it might be time to issue a few of those nations' own.

Get to know the world. The world DOES NOT revolve around North America (north of Mexico). In other words, the USA is NOT the center of the world - there is a case for the Middle East in that regard instead. :)

The USA as presently constitute­d is one of the nations that fought against oppressive colonialis­m, just like my own nation, Kenya. As a result, you should be in a good position to recognize how destructiv­e that can be to others. However, you have now become the new colonialis­t for this world, the sole significan­t power. It's a humble position to occupy, and a dynamic one as historians like Gibbons would remind you. Use it well, to bring peace mostly. The chief beneficiar­y of peace is actually you. Look at what antagonizi­ng the Muslim world has continuall­y done to the US citizens.

In other words, be the difference you want to see in the world (Mohandas "Mahatma" K. Gandhi). Learn about other cultures first. Taking interest in other humans allows them to be the mirrors that point out the flaws in our narrow mindedness­. Thanks.
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Rock Brasiliano   04:14 PM on 3/22/2011
Trouble with your argument is that so few Americans have passports (only20%) and bother to educate themselves about other cultures.
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Sam1jere   02:12 AM on 3/23/2011
If the trouble is known and defined as you've done, then there's always a chance to have it rectified. The problem with this attitude, US Vs the World, is you lose sight of what's really going on around you. As Socrates observed, a man wrapped up in himself makes a very tiny bundle indeed. The time to style up is always the present.

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