Tom Friedman has a piece in the New York Times in which he describes the tripartite groupings in Mexican society as "Narcos, Noes and Naftas". Nice alliteration, but amazingly in its eyes - closed lack of awareness. According to Friedman the power in the country splits between narcotics smugglers, public employees in unions (the No) and the meritocratic middle class that has arisen out of the industries that started after Nafta. Friedman says that the no group depend on the proceeds of the Mexican state oil company Pemex that funds nearly half of the government. He posits that this group -- who he calls middle class conservatives -- will block change until the oil starts to run out. At that point, the Naftas will take over.
First, I have to point out the hilarity of Friedman realizing that the Mexican public employee unions whose members feast at the trough of public spending are a force which blocks positive change in Mexico, even as Friedman lauds US increases in public spending to pay for the same class of public employees in America. How strange is that! It is also striking that Friedman lauds those who have arisen due to the free market and private enterprise in Mexico at the same time that he regularly villifies that same group in the USA.
More important, however, is Friedman's simply wishing away the group he calls the Narcos. Unless something is done quickly, Mexico will see much of its industry vanish as foreign firms pull out of a country ravaged by non-stop drug violence. The Mexican government has made some attempts to get the situation under control, but more is needed and quickly. there may be no Naftas or Noes left unless action is taken promptly.
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