Leaders must build North American unity

cantonrep.com ^ | December 5, 2006 | ROBERT A. PASTOR

[hedgetrimmer]

The election of a Democratic majority in the U.S. Congress and the inauguration of Felipe Calderon as president of Mexico offer the two countries an opportunity to reinvigorate a deteriorating relationship and, at the same time, build confidence in the idea of a true North American community. To do so, the new leaders must change the agenda from illegal immigration to North American development and resolve to narrow the income gap between Mexico and its two northern neighbors

[hedgetrimmer]

There it is again! Pastor's North American Community.

What do you suppose he means by this?

The United States, Canada and Mexico ...as they work to integrate a developing country into a First World economy.

[cripplecreek]

People will call it a conspiracy theory right up to the day they decide that our gun laws need to "mesh" with Canada's. That day will be too late.

[FlingWingFlyer]

Just another Commie bong dream put down on paper.

[ckilmer]

The press secretary for the California Republican Party is the son of illegal aliens who came the USA 35 years ago. In this article he chronicles how in recent years there has been a massive change in the number and kind of illegals coming north. Including a crimnal element that is causing a deterioration in the quality of life of Americans. Consider this article Illegal aliens murder 12 Americans daily Death toll in 2006 far overshadows total U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq, Afghanistan

People have been referring to the Captains Quarters as a rebuke to the assertions of the article. The Captain's Quarters makes the assertion that --for the numbers to be true --it would have to be the case that a small number of people were committing a lot of crimes. That is to say-- far outside the statistical norm for the USA. The problem is that he didn't actually check the federal stats. As it happens it is the case that illegals tend to be very repeat offenders.

Below are some government stats to back up the article's assertioms

From the FBI crime statistics * An estimated 16,692 persons were murdered nationwide in 2005, an increase of 3.4 percent from the 2004 figure. * Murder comprised 1.2 percent of the overall estimated number of violent crimes in 2005. (Based on Table 1.) * There were an estimated 5.6 murders per 100,000 inhabitants.

Illegal Alien Crime Wave

On April 7, 2005, the US Justice Department issued a report on criminal aliens that were incarcerated in federal and state prisons and local jails. In the population study of 55,322 illegal aliens, researchers found that they were arrested at least a total of 459,614 times, averaging about 8 arrests per illegal alien. Nearly all had more than 1 arrest. Thirty-eight percent (about 21,000) had between 2 and 5 arrests, 32 percent (about 18,000) had between 6 and 10 arrests, and 26 percent (about 15,000) had 11 or more arrests. Most of the arrests occurred after 1990. They were arrested for a total of about 700,000 criminal offenses, averaging about 13 offenses per illegal alien. One arrest incident may include multiple offenses, a fact that explains why there are nearly one and half times more offenses than arrests. Almost all of these illegal aliens were arrested for more than 1 offense. Slightly more than half of the 55,322 illegal aliens had between 2 and 10 offenses.

CRIMINAL HISTORY

More than two-thirds of the defendants charged with an immigration offense were identified as having been previously arrested. Thirty-six percent had been arrested on at least 5 prior occasions; 22%, 2 to 4 times; and 12%,1 time. Sixty-one percent of those defendants had been convicted at least once; 18%, 5 or more times; 26%, 2 to 4 times; and 17%, 1 time. Of those charged, 49% had previously been convicted of a felony: 20% of a drug offense; 18%, a violent offense; and 11%, other felony offenses. Twelve percent had previously been convicted of a misdemeanor. Defendants charged with unlawful reentry had the most extensive criminal histories. Nine in ten had been previously arrested. Of those with a prior arrest, half had been arrested on at least 5 prior occasions. Fifty-six percent of those charged with a reentry offense had previously been convicted of a violent or drug-related felony. By contrast, under half of those charged with alien smuggling, a third of those charged with unlawful entry, and just over a quarter those charged with misuse of visas and other charges had previously been arrested. The criminal histories of these defendants were generally less extensive: more than 70% had been previously arrested fewer than 5 times. Sources: US Department of Homeland Security, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, National Security Institute, National Association of Chiefs of Police, US Department of Justice

[rockinqsranch]

Wanted to know more about this guy and found this at...

http://www.american.edu/ia/cdem/staff/rpastor.html

"Dr. Pastor has combined a career of scholarship, teaching, and public policy in government and in non-governmental organizations. He was National Security Advisor for Latin America (1977-81) and has been a consultant to the Departments of State and Defense. Before coming to American, Dr. Pastor was Goodrich C. White Professor of Political Science at Emory University, and from 1985-98, he was a Fellow and Founding Director of the Carter Center's Latin American and Caribbean Program and the Democracy and China Election Projects. At The Carter Center, he founded and served as the Executive Secretary of the Council of Freely-Elected Heads of Government, a group of 32 leaders of the Americas, chaired by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. This Council mediated elections in more than thirty countries around the world."

Another one of Jimmuh Cahtah's boys.

[hedgetrimmer]

More stuff comin' at ya.

[afnamvet]

..build confidence in the idea of a true North American community.

Stopped reading there. Globalist crap.

[hedgetrimmer]

And here's an argument for South American unity...

The Big Challenges of Regional Integration
Carlos Tautz

COCHABAMBA, Bolivia, (IPS) - The second summit of the South American Community of Nations is facing several major challenges: the integration of physical and energy infrastructure for the development of the region, overcoming the high levels of inequality and poverty, and recognising and encouraging the diverse cultural identities of the region's population.

The draft of the final declaration of the Friday-Saturday summit taking place in the central Bolivian city of Cochabamba is nearly complete, and is organised around these main themes. An action plan for achieving the goals outlined has also been drawn up.

"We will thus be able to build the world's fourth largest bloc, after NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement), the European Union, and ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)," Chilean diplomat Luis Maira, who helped draft the declaration, told IPS.

It will not be an easy task, and not only because the goals are ambitious. It is not yet clear whether all of the 12 South American presidents will even throw their real support behind the South American Community of Nations, despite their declared backing for regional integration.

Argentine President Néstor Kirchner, for example, did not confirm his attendance at the summit until the last minute. In fact, not even the presence of his Foreign Minister, Jorge Taiana, was announced ahead of time.

The uncertainty about whether Kirchner would attend arises in part from the long-term love/hate relationship between Brazil and Argentina. Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is one of the driving forces behind the creation of the South American Community of Nations, which Brasilia sees as one of its foreign policy priorities.

But the rivalry between Argentina and Brazil has not stood in the way of important steps by both countries towards economic and financial integration in South America. "In January 2007, Argentina and Brazil will begin trading with each other using only the peso and the real (their respective local currencies), and not the dollar," reported Argentine Foreign Ministry official Agustín Colombo.

That measure will favour the proposed creation of a development bank by countries in the region, using only local currencies. The initiative also coincides with the projected establishment of a Banco del Sur (Bank of the South) by the region's central banks, especially those of Argentina and Venezuela.

Colombo also said the deputy foreign ministers meeting in Cochabamba agreed that the next two South American Community summits would be held in Colombia and Chile, although no specific dates have been set.

In a meeting with representatives of the parallel Social Summit for the Integration of the Peoples, Brazil's Deputy Foreign Minister Samuel Pinheiro-Guimaraes said the implementation of the South American Community would take into account "pressure that governments receive from social organisations."

The Social Summit is being held by civil society movements and non-governmental organisations from a number of Latin American countries Wednesday through Saturday in Cochabamba.

Its aim is to get the official summit to discuss concerns and issues that are not normally taken into consideration in international agreements, such as migration, social justice, and gender equality.

Nearly 3,000 people, in large part representatives of indigenous movements from Bolivia and, to a lesser extent, other Latin American countries, are taking part in the Social Summit.

"We are mobilising to set forth demands as well as proposals," said Argentine activist Graciela Rodríguez with the Hemispheric Social Alliance, which is organising the parallel civil society meet.

The aim of South American integration appears to have gained strength in the wake of the election of a number of progressive governments in Latin America. But it is not a new idea, noted Maira.

"This is the region's third historic opportunity," said the Chilean diplomat. "The first was in 1826, when (independence hero) Simón Bolívar convened a meeting in Panama to call for political integration."

"Later, in 1959, we tried to create a common South American market, with a priority on the economy. Now, as the South American Community, interest in political and economic integration will help fuel coordination of other priorities as well," he added.

But although the shared interest of a number of governments that hold certain common ideals like opposition to the "neo-liberal" free-market policies that took hold in the region in the 1990s is a factor in favour of South American integration, more than that is needed.

"The neo-liberalism that oriented the 34 governments of the Americas in 1994, when the project for the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) was launched, left its mark on the productive architecture of all of the countries in the region," said Professor Edgardo Lander from Venezuela's Central University.

"The economies of all of the countries are oriented towards exporting to the United States and Europe and towards competing with each other, which stands in the way of true integration," said Lander. The process proposed now is much more ambitious and difficult, "because it is not limited to trade aspects," he added.

"We must think about the reorganisation of the development model applied in each country, in order to put higher priority on developing the domestic market, and rethink the way we relate to the environment, how we produce, and how we consume energy," he argued.

http://insidecostarica.com/special_reports/2006-12/south_america_integration.htm

[hedgetrimmer]

Who coined the term North American unity? Who is paying Pastor?
Bush, Fox, Harper Stress North American Unity, Cooperation
Trilateral discussions in Mexico focus on trade, immigration, security

By Lauren Monsen
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington -- By working together to address shared concerns on such issues as border security, immigration and economic competitiveness, the three nations of North America can help ensure higher standards of living for all their citizens, according to the leaders of Canada, Mexico and the United States.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Mexican President Vicente Fox and U.S. President George W. Bush -- in Cancún, Mexico, for a March 30-31 trilateral summit – told reporters March 31 that the agenda of North America's Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) will be pursued through trilateral Cabinet-level meetings on trade, environmentally responsible energy policies, immigration, border security and technological innovation.

Public health and emergency management are key issues, as well, said Harper, explaining that in addition to cooperating on SPP programs, the nations planned to "develop a coordinated and comprehensive approach to preparing for a possible avian or pandemic influenza outbreak in North America."

Harper also cited the need for scientific innovation, especially development of clean technologies, a point on which Bush elaborated. "My view of the [North American] energy initiative is that we've got to be wise about the resources we have and be smart about the investment for research and development so we can change our energy habits," said Bush, referring to dependence on oil. "The truth of the matter is, we'll all be better off if we use alternative sources of energy like ethanol, or explore how to use hybrid batteries in a better way."

TRADE, BORDER SECURITY

Bush hailed the success of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which he credited with expanding the economies of Canada, Mexico and the United States since its implementation in 1994. He said all NAFTA parties should work to ensure trade under the agreement stays free and fair, and allows all three nations to remain competitive in the global economy.

On the subject of economic competition from other nations, Bush said "the challenge of a growing Chinese economy or the challenge of an Indian economy" should not be feared or sidestepped. "We ought to welcome them and position ourselves so that we can compete, and I think the [other North American] leaders share that sense of unity when it comes to being a competitive part of the world" in the 21st century, he said.

Border security within North America should not hinder trade and tourism and must facilitate legitimate travel and commerce, the three leaders agreed. They also agreed advanced technologies and close cooperation can help ensure that terrorists and criminals are denied entry.

“It's very important for us to share information and data and strategies amongst our three countries" to "prevent smugglers and terrorists and dope runners from polluting" North America, according to Bush. Fox cited the need to increase the competitiveness of "our economies, of our companies, our enterprises, our [infra]structures, and likewise, our technological and educational levels so as to face competition [with] other blocs in the world." Moreover, he said: "Security is fundamental for our future development. It is a problem and a challenge shared by the three countries" of North America.

The Mexican president, who supports Bush's proposal for a guest-worker program in the United States that likely would legitimize the status of many Mexican migrants who have entered the United States illegally, said the question of migrants "can only be solved [once] we agree upon ... the framework of a legislation that will guarantee a legal, ordered, safe and respectful migration" that recognizes the human rights of even undocumented immigrants.

The Mexican-Canadian-U.S. relationship is "excellent," Fox added, because the three countries have much in common, despite their differences. "We shall be working together," he vowed, to advance the cause of prosperity and security throughout North America.

On March 31, the White House issued two fact sheets outlining the SPP initiative's achievements and anticipated future benefits. (See " The Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America: Progress" and “The Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America: Next Step" on the White Web site.)

The next North American summit will be hosted by Canada in 2007.

[Ben Ficklin]

"The incoming government(Calderon) has explicitly supported both the Plan Puebla Panama economic integration project with Central America(and Columbia), and has also recommitted Mexico to the commercially important Security and Prosperity Partnership with Canada and the United States."

Source

It take ten to tango.

[janetgreen]

The next North American summit will be hosted by Canada in 2007.

I know many Canadians, and they don't want Mexicans invading their country either - Canada already has too many welfare recipients.

Funny how the people don't want it, only the "leaders" want this piece of crap NAU plan.

[Onelifetogive]

To do so, the new leaders must change the agenda from illegal immigration to North American development and resolve to narrow the income gap between Mexico and its two northern neighbors...

I'm all for this as long as the "leaders" will agree that the ONLY avenue to lasting prosperity is freedom, limited government and rule-of-law!

[little jeremiah]

Or this:

"resolve to narrow the income gap between Mexico and its two northern neighbors"

That's in line with Hitlery's "We're going to take things away from you for your own good" or whatever it was.

Makes me sick.

[Kimberly GG]

"Just another Commie bong dream put down on paper."


And that 'dream' is unfolding and being enacted before our very eyes.

There are those who see it exactly and with every bit of horror that it is, and those, in support of the agenda, who cleverly feign denial and are, accordingly, doing everything to distract.

Their efforts are no more than an attempt to allow the dream to unfold and be enacted before America wakes.

[Kimberly GG]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x9g3xVyJFc

If you've never seen the end of this, please watch!

[Mrs. Darla Ruth Schwerin]

Well...we are NEVER going to get a fence, wall, or anything else that even remotely resembles something to block the so and so's that illegally jump the border. Congress and everybody else doesn't give a rip that the so and so's rape and murder our women, molest our children, and just do an all-around destruction job on societal institutions. Heck, the only thing D.C. cares about is their own selfish welfare. Teddy is all but turning cartwheels since Hayworth and the other fella are no longer there to impede his communist agenda. Is the U.S going to hell in a hand basket because Teddy and his cohorts deem it to be so? And everybody else is such a coward they are just shakin' in their boots.

Regarding this B.S. of North American unity, well...that's just what it is. Duh...
I've said it before and I'll say it again, "Who the hell does Congress think they are selling us down the river to the North American Alliance. The people of the United States NEVER agreed to such an absurdity. Mexico is a flat-out leach, and they're leaching off the United States citizens. And all, yes ALL of D.C. is corrupt by subscribing to this insanity and they are utterly hateful and neglectful in doing such a thing...

[hedgetrimmer]

And all, yes ALL of D.C. is corrupt by subscribing to this insanity and they are utterly hateful and neglectful in doing such a thing...

They have spent the last two decades setting up public/private partnerships with corporations and NGOs. Through campaign contribution policy that grants corporations the same political as individuals (except with many many more resources), and doling out public money as grants to the NGOs which gives them the ability to control the political and social functionin of these groups, they have tied up their new constituency and eliminated the authority and power of citizens over their own government.

[Czar]

Well now, coming out of the closet more and more now that they see a "friendlier" Congress about to assume power.

"a true North American community" = North American Union.

If this persists, it will be worth taking to the streets to defeat it.

[Kenny Bunk]

Glad this dirty big secret is finally getting out.

American law enforcement is nigh-on helpless when it comes to the unidentifiable. If they can't "make" a criminal, they very often can't catch him. The actual identity of undocumented persons is a complete and total mystery to American Peace Officers with their computers and files "DOB, Name: Last, First, M.I.

What is an undocumented Hispanic's name? What is an Arab's actual name? Who TF are these people? Pretty much anyone they want to be that matches their documentation of the day.

Barely able to deal with the "Leroy," defense strategy among home-grown gangstas, they are more or less overwhelmed by illegal aliens who are below the usual law enforcement radar.

Many of those they catch and release because of this gap are really very bad guys, of whom they know nothing.