Posted on 11/15/2004 1:59:37 AM PST by West Coast Conservative
North American national borders would be virtually eliminated under plans being considered by senior business and political leaders from Canada, the United States and Mexico for a "NAFTA-plus," continent-wide, customs-free zone with a common approach to trade, energy, immigration, law enforcement and security.
A tri-national task force, chaired by former Liberal Party deputy prime minister John Manley, with the full backing of all three governments, is plotting the roadmap for this new, bolder alliance meant to compete with the European Union. William Weld, former governor of Massachusetts and Pedro Aspe, former Mexican finance minister, join Manley on the panel that reports directly to the Council on Foreign Relations.
The mission has the formal blessing of Tom Ridge, U.S. Homeland Security secretary, who is close with President Bush.
The committee is scheduled to issue its report next spring.
The elimination of borders along the lines of the EU experiment seems to be high on the agenda of the panel.
"I think we've had 11 years of incrementalism, and during that time we've seen the EU expand its borders, eliminate borders among (member) countries and launch a common currency," explains Manley in the diplomatic magazine Embassy. "We're going to have to provide a vision that is more bold than incrementalism. What's the choice? Europe has made enormous steps in the years since NAFTA was signed. China has been going through a transformative process. In Canada, our only leverage is access to the U.S. market. If we're not going to develop and pursue how we use our advantage of location to be the foundation for future prosperity, then we are going to have to figure out another vision."
The "NAFTA-plus" plan has also been referred to as "deep integration." Skeptics see it as a plan to eliminate national sovereignty and erode the American concept of representative government accountable to the people under the framework of the Constitution.
Discussions so far indicate that Canada, under the new agreement, would immediately sign on to the U.S. strategic missile defense initiative. Canada would also make its vast lumber resources available to the U.S. and Mexican markets and provide more open access to the northern neighbor's oil, natural gas and hydro-electric power resources.
Other members of the task force include: Canadian Finance Minister Michael Wilson and Nelson Cunningham of Henry Kissinger's consulting firm, Kissinger McLarty Associates.
Typo in title.
OVER MY DEAD BODY!,
United States of North/Central America?
No thanks.
I'm with you.
Ah this is nothing to get worked up over. It's the end of self-determination for the citizens of the United States, but that's not so bad. Sure our forefathers fought and died to give us that self-determination, but that's not so much. Sure we fought a number of wars and sacrificed millions of our youth to purchase and preserve that self-determination, but that's no reason not to give it away.
I'm just so happy to have great leaders who care so much for this nation, and my tagline expresses the grounds for that perfectly.
If this passes, and I believe it will, you can stick a fork in this nation. It's done. Your vote will essentially be meaningless in the future.
Those who make the real decisions for this nation will be part of a multi-national committee. Oh how I love this, let me count the ways.
Thanks.
If it passes it is the end of this country as we know it, it will also be the end of the GOP.
Believe me I live in Canuckistan, I dont understand why canadian conservatives support this idea.
WTF!!!!
When did the CFR take over these united States of America?
I have a feeling this just thinktank stuff.
I would urge folks not to dismiss the topic on this thread. It is not just think thank blather. It is known as the FTAA, the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas, and it doesn't just include the U.S., Canada and Mexico. By the time it is fully implemented it will include most nations in the Western, Hemisphere. Each of those nations will have representatives sitting on a trade board/commission that will determine policies far removed from trade alone.
Please read up on this nonsense and object to it.
This has been discussed for a long time. If it is anything like the EU, we would have to vote for it. I can't see Americans going for this. Nationalism and a desire to assert our sovereignty is running high in the American mind right now. We can see the difference between ourselves and the EU that basically ran a foot race seeing who could give up their sovereignty fastest. That more than anything else it what stands in the way of peaceful relations with the EU. They reason differently from ourselves. Besides Americans are tired of the flood from Mexico and South America. It brings all sorts of financial problems. Look at CA who can't keep their hospitals open because too many Hispanics are sucking off the system. Trade partners, yes. Free immigration, no. Unless of course they were just passing through to Canada then we could make money shipping them up :)
"[The spirit of party] opens the door to foreign influence and corruption. (...)
The great rule of conduct for us in regard to foreign nations is, in extending
our commercial relations to have with them as little political connection as
possible. (...) " ---George Washington
RIDGE GET A CLUE!!
If their planning it, it will only be a matter of time before it will be implemented. We need to cut this in the bud.
For all those Freepers so elated by the Bush win, I say, congratulations! All the creeps are coming out of the woodwork. We have the neocons still in place, the one worlders. the perpetual war crazies unleashed by the mandate where a majority stayed home. I am so proud that I had the good sense to vote principle over politics and the Constitution Party. Now if we can just get the CIA purged to eliminate any discourse from the intelligence agencies, the President will have clear sailing. The resemblance between the American experience and the German experience before WW II is striking.
????? this ideas has been around for about a decade.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.