OLD SUPPLY AND DEMAND RULE AT WORK ON OUR SOUTHERN BORDER

The United States standard of living, even in these tough economic
times, sets the pace for the rest of the world. We drive bigger cars,
live in larger houses and spend more money per person than any
country on Earth, and there are, according to the U.S. Census Bureau,
more than 306 million of us. We are the envy of the other 6.4 billion
people inhabiting this planet. We are also the consumers who support
the economies of several countries, and some of that consumerism is
in the illegal drug trade. Just like Japan exports Toyotas and Hondas
to satiate our appetite for vehicles, Mexican drug cartels will stop
short of nothing to meet the American demand for illicit drugs.

With any product that sells well there is natural competition in the
supply chain. Everyone wants to corner the market. In Mexico, rival
drug cartels are at war, all wanting to control the American drug
market. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is in Mexico this
week and has caught some flak for admitting U.S. complicity in the
drug war along our border with Mexico. All Clinton was referring to
is the oldest rule of commerce: Supply meets demand.

The casualties in the border drug war has cost more lives, 7,200, in
a year, almost 20 per day and, so far, it's been one-sided. Killing
is just another part of conducting a business that rakes in $15
billion annually. Since Felipe Calderon, the Mexican president, took
office and declared war on the cartels, the attacks have become more
brazen. Last May, Mexico City's top cop was ambushed and killed in
Culiacan. Just last month Police Chief Roberto Orduna of Ciudad
Juarez, one of Mexico's most violent cities, quit. Drug gangs
threatened to kill a police officer every 48 hours until he stepped
down. It was no bluff, They had already killed the deputy police
chief and more than 50 officers last year. President Calderon
mobilized more than 45,000 troops to throttle down the cartels and
the U.S. is providing financial, intelligence and tactical aid.
Secretary Clinton is seeking to supply Mexico with three Black Hawk
helicopters to help in the war effort, and there is a possibility
President Barack Obama would put National Guard troops along the
border. That would certainly slow down the drug trade, however, the
Mexican government doesn't like that idea. In 2006, Mexicans sent $23
billion back home. After oil, money sent home by immigrants, legal
and not, is Mexico's second-largest source of foreign income.

No matter what America does to close off the border with Mexico,
illegal immigration and drugs will continue to be vexing problems
until demand falls off. So far, the trend lines would make any
businessman happy.