Greeny,

I see your point, but having spent time in both places I can assure you that we aren't anywhere near yet the degree of tyranny that now exists in Venezuela.  And while the election manipulation stories have gained a little traction, in absence of any more compelling proof, I just have to believe that we were stupid enough to elect four more years of Bush's BS.  The difference is that we have a scheduled election next year with all new candidates.  Venezuela is about to push through a constitutional ammendment to allow Chavez and any others unlimited terms of re-election.  As we will start to right the ship, they'll be sinking deeper into a hole that could be dug for another 20-30 years!

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As a Texas resident, I'm the first to admit that there are both benefits and drawbacks to the illegal immigration question.  That said, no one should dismiss the inensity or seriousness of the anti-illegal crowd.  If we are to be a nation of laws, how could we?  And as a frequent visitor to Mexico, it seems clear to me that the biggest part of the problem remains Mexico's recalcitrance in embracing meaningful economic reform that would allow its own people to stay.  Despite the two most recent elections, Mexico still follows a quasi-socialist system of wealth redistribution that they really can't afford and that fosters a dependence on failed economics.  And they still haven't broken up the family monopolies that control (inefficiently) huge swaths of business sectors there.  And don't even get me started on the clusterfuck that is Pemex.

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I'll bet the next administration begins to turn the tide on the sliding dollar, but we'll see.