GIve California back to the Mexicans

There is talk amongst right-wing pundits across America, 99% of whom don't reside in the Southwest, that Mexico is attempting a so-called "reconquista" of the American Southwest, and that this is an outrage. Is it such a bad thing that Mexico is attempting to take the Southwestern states back? Time for a history lesson methinks.

After the War of 1812 and the second straight defeat of the mighty British Empire, young little America began to realize that it wasn't really so little anymore. And for the first time since the election of George Washington to the Presidency, America was united. In the aftermath of the surprisingly successful War of 1812, America had entered into the "Era of Good Fealings" - probably the only such era in American history. And that lasted until 1825.

Democrats wanted to ride the new wave of national pride all the way to the Pacific Coast, while Whigs prefered to focus on the already-acquired Louisiana Territory. Southerners (and the Democrats who were based largely in the South at this time) saw California and they drooled over it. Why? Because California would make for such a lovely slave state, with its warm climate. New Mexico and Arizona were sort of in the way, but they could be slave states as well. Nevermind the fact that the residents in CA, AZ, and NM were morally opposed to the slave power. Forward with Manifest Destiny!

This all came to head with the election of President James Polk, a Southerner, a Democrat, and a supporter of westward expansion. Polk was controversial because, like his fellow Democrats, he wanted California, which would make for such a lovely addition to the Cotton Empire. Most Northern Whigs did NOT want California - the addition of even just one more slave state would mean the Northern states would be outnumbered in Congress. But Polk was President, so full steam ahead to California!

Only one problem. California was part of Mexico. As was Arizona and New Mexico. So we needed to come up with a reason to declare war on Mexico. Polk put some soldiers in disputed territory near the Rio-Grande River in Texas, and some Mexicans might or might not have actually attacked those American soldiers. Anyway, Polk used that as reason to go to war. Quickly we marched to California and gobbled that up along with AZ and NM, and Mexico was left wondering "wtf mates?"

As you MIGHT be able to tell, I sympathize with Mexico. If they want to "reconquista" land that is rightfully theres, then they can have at it. We stole it from them; they have every right to "steal" it back. Lou Dobbs and Pat Buchanan can shut up.