To the Point
Mexico Seeks a Way Out of Its Drug War
Mexico's war on drug traffic is failing, and its violent cartels have gone multinational. Can local and national government maintain control? How can the US help its southern neighbor from becoming a failed state? Also, Congresswoman Maxine Waters goes on the defensive, and the prospects for same-sex marriage in California.
By Warren Olney • • 50m ListenMexico's war on drug traffic is failing, and its violent cartels have gone multinational. Can local and national government maintain control? How can the US help its southern neighbor from becoming a failed state? Also, Congresswoman Maxine Waters goes on the defensive, and same-sex marriages may begin again next week in California… or they might not. We unravel the legal possibilities.
Banner image: Police officers place markers next to the bodies of several men killed by drug traffickers in the bar in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, on April 28, 2010. Photo: Jesus Alcazar/AFP/Getty Images
In this episode
3 storiesCongresswoman Maxine Waters Goes on the Defensive
Congress is out of session, and California Democrat Maxine Waters seized the moment today in Washington to mount a public defense against charges by the Ethics Committee which has so far failed to set a date for a hearing. Perry Bacon, Jr. is a national political reporter for the Washington Post .
Read the story8 minIs Mexico Becoming a 'Failed State?'
President Felipe Calderón admits that his war on drug traffic is in trouble, and that Mexico's criminal gangs "want to replace the state." After almost four years of bloody warfare, cartels that sometimes outgun the army are smuggling more drugs than ever and expanding into other activities.
Read the story34 minLegal Snag May Block Prop 8 Proponents from Appealing
Yesterday, federal district Judge Vaughn Walker ruled that same-sex marriage should go into effect now in California, but stayed his order until Wednesday to allow a chance for appeal. He also said the only right to appeal lies with Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Democratic Attorney General Jerry Brown .
Read the story9 min
