Mexico border governors: Security and Commerce

Coincidence? No way.

The nomination of Bill Richardson as secretary of commerce should help spur economic development in the Borderland because the New Mexico governor has been working to improve business ties among El Paso, Southern New Mexico and Northern Mexico, officials said.

In naming Richardson as his choice for the job on Wednesday, President-elect Barack Obama called Richardson a leading "economic diplomat for America" who will be one of his key economic advisers.

"Bill has seen from just about every angle what makes our economy work and what keeps it from working better," Obama said.

Congratulations to Bill Richardson!

And, about that d*mn fence?

Public officials on Wednesday signed a letter asking President-elect Barack Obama and his Cabinet to stop construction of the more than $2.6 billion fence along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Sen. Eliot Shapleigh, Eastridge/Mid-Valley city Rep. Steve Ortega, County Attorney José Rodríguez and Grants and Projects Liaison Karl McElhaney, who represented U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes, called construction of the fence damaging to U.S.-Mexico trade and hurtful for relationships with Mexico and Latin America.

The letter, which will be sent Friday, states that it would be irresponsible to continue spending billions on the fence during a financial crisis.

It's about time we start addressing our problems with common sense not PR and ideology.