Go Plant a Tree

It’s what real executive leadership looks like. Vice President Kamala Harris, anointed the border czar, has done precisely nothing that anyone knows about since she assumed the position. We are left to conclude that the title is more cosmetic than real.

Harris has not visited the border, even though she had time to visit the Northern border for a photo op. But, she has graciously donated copies of her book Superheroes Are Everywhere to all of those who enter the country illegally. If that isn't leaderly I don't know what is.

OK, let’s be fair. We do not know whether those books are being donated by Harris herself or whether they are purchased by the U. S. Gov. in order to enrich her. 

Anyway, in the realm of brilliant ideas, Harris is now going to have a talk with Mexican president Lopez Obrador about one of his great ideas. It's not about shutting down the border, or stopping people from getting to the border.

Harris wants to talk about a Mexican program that is guaranteed to ensure that Mexicans and Central Americans do not want to leave home. Harris believes that potential migrants will all be putting down roots by planting trees. Yes, indeed, these illegal migrants will be induced into staying home, in order to care for trees. 

The Mexican government has been promoting this project for some time now. As for its impact on the flood of illegal migrants, we all know the answer to that question.

Anyway, the Daily Mail reports on this important story:

López Obrador pitched his 'Planting Life' program, which aims to pay farmers to plant 1 billion fruit and timber trees in Mexico, to U.S. President Joe Biden at Thursday's climate change summit. 

The program has been extended to El Salvador, and Mexico wants U.S. funding to further extend it to Honduras and Guatemala.

López Obrador claims the program can help prevent farmers from leaving their land and migrating to the United States. He has also proposed that the U.S. grant six-month work visas, and eventually citizenship, to some of those who participate in the program.

So, what is it really about? It’s about opening a pathway to citizenship for Mexicans. Why did they not tell us this at first? The report continues, and explains that the farmers receive around $225 per months to tend to the trees. With money like that floating around, why would anyone leave?

Better yet, planting trees will save the planet. And for the climate conscious idiots in the Biden administration, it’s catnip. 

Opinions are mixed in Mexico on whether the program is really working and whether it can offset Mexico's other policy of encouraging the use of fossil fuels.

The program has already planted 700,000 trees in Mexico, where it pays 450,000 Mexican farmers a stipend of about $225 per month to tend the saplings.

Some critics have suggested that farmers with marginal or unprofitable natural woodlands have simply cut them down in order to plant new trees and qualify for the monthly stipend.

López Obrador says the carbon-capture from trees in the reforestation program will make a major contribution to fighting climate change. 

But at the same time, López Obrador's administration has focused on building oil refineries and burning more coal and fuel oil at power plants, while placing limits on private renewable and gas-fired electricity generation. 

The last paragraph is rich indeed. While enticing the Biden administration and Czar Harris with mumblings about climate change, the Mexican president has been building oil refineries and has been burning more coal. Yes, indeed. These people know who they are dealing with.