Bush came into office hoping to transform our relationship with Mexico, he saw them as very close partners and hoped to essentially open the border between us.
Most people were so glad Clinton was gone that we were willing to give Bush the benefit of the doubt, but there was a lot of doubt about opening the border.
The September 11 attacks changed all that in several ways. First, it put border issues on the back burner. Secondly, it made border security much more important than open border considerations, although it is true that Bush has tried to keep his dream alive. But what made it politically easy for conservatives to oppose Bush on this issue was really Fox's doing. When Mexico drug its feet in acknowledging 911, when they did nothing to help in Afghanistan, opposed us openly in the UN during the run-up to the Iraq war, when they openly sided with France against us, any sympathy on the part of conservatives for a pro-Mexico border policy died.
In discussions with Mexicans about the border, I have told them that a reform of our Mexico policy was almost a sure thing, and for 200 soldiers Fox could have had it cinched. Honduras managed to send 200, Mexico sided with France and killed any notion of an open border for probably a decade if not for good. Any idea that Mexico was our loyal and trusted partner died when they sided against us in the war.
http://www.judicialwatch.org/5979.shtml
Sep 26, 2006 Contact: Press Office
202-646-5188
Newly Uncovered Commerce Department Documents Detail “Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America”
U.S. Government Working Groups & Business Leaders Seek to “Harmonize” Regulations with Canada and Mexico
(Washington, DC) -- Judicial Watch, the public interest organization that promotes transparency, accountability and integrity in government, politics and the law, today released records obtained under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) from the International Trade Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce concerning the “Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America.”
On March 23, 2005, heads of government Vincente Fox, George W. Bush, and Paul Martin launched the North American partnership at a meeting in Waco, Texas, with the expressed goal of “a safer, more prosperous North America.” According to the documents, the partnership’s “working groups” include government and business leaders from the United States, Mexico and Canada, who are addressing a variety of topics, including movement of goods between countries, traveler security, energy, environment and health. Proponents of the partnership claim its purpose is to increase security and prosperity for all three nations through enhanced cooperation. Critics maintain the partnership will sacrifice U.S. sovereignty by establishing a “North American Union,” with open borders and a common currency.
The Commerce Department also provided substantial documentation concerning the North American Competitiveness Council. The council consists of 30 members, 10 each from the United States, Mexico and Canada. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Council of the Americas “agreed to jointly lead the U.S. Secretariat.” Documents describing the North American Competitiveness Council’s launch, its recommendations, and meeting minutes were also uncovered by Judicial Watch’s FOIA request, which was filed on August 15, 2006.
The council’s recommendations to the North American “partnership” include advice on how to handle an international disease outbreak: “It is also essential that throughout a pandemic all borders and major roads remain open…” With respect to border enforcement, the council recommends that, “A reasonable grace period should be established at border crossings, during which time people lacking documents are educated about their options and allowed to pass.” The council also makes recommendations on energy issues such as the “…enhanced integration of the Mexican [electricity] grid with that of the United States.”
“Many Americans are interested in where this North American partnership process is going,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “Given all that is at stake, the federal government has a responsibility to make sure this process is transparent and open to public scrutiny -- so the release of these documents is an important step forward.”
The newly released documents include contact lists, meeting agenda and minutes, recommendations, fact sheets, speakers’ quotes, action items, and procedural guidelines. The records are available on the Judicial Watch Internet site: www.JudicialWatch.org.
###
Select from the list below to view the "Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America" FOIA Documents
Section I - SPP Contact Lists and Organization Charts
http://www.judicialwatch.org/archive/2006/SPPFOIADocsSecI.pdf
Section II - SPP Regulatory Cooperation Symposium
http://www.judicialwatch.org/archive/2006/SPPFOIADocsSecII.pdf
Section III - SPP Meeting with Commerce Secretary Gutierrez, March 15, 2006.
http://www.judicialwatch.org/archive/2006/SPPFOIADocsSecIII.pdf
Section IV - Launch of the North American Competitiveness Council (NACC), May 26, 2006.
http://www.judicialwatch.org/archive/2006/SPPFOIADocsSecIV.pdf
Section V - Final Recommendations of the U.S. Section of the NACC.
http://www.judicialwatch.org/archive/2006/SPPFOIADocsSecV.pdf
Section VI - Launch of the NACC with SPP Ministers, June 15, 2006.
http://www.judicialwatch.org/archive/2006/SPPFOIADocsSecVI.pdf
Section VII - NACC Documents
http://www.judicialwatch.org/archive/2006/SPPFOIADocsSecVII.pdf
Section VIII - Prof. Robert A. Pastor’s Seminar on Building a North American Community, September 21, 2005.
http://www.judicialwatch.org/archive/2006/SPPFOIADocsSecVIII.pdf
"Mexico was our loyal and trusted partner...."
Bull. It was always a one-way street. Does Messico even have another benefactor? Other third-world nations usually have a bunch of them. If the US became a moonscape tomorrow, Messico would shrivel and die soon afterward.
When Mexico drug its feet in acknowledging 911, when they did nothing to help in Afghanistan, opposed us openly in the UN during the run-up to the Iraq war, when they openly sided with France against us, any sympathy on the part of conservatives for a pro-Mexico border policy died.I was living in Cuernavaca on 9-11. Mexican media had non-stop coverage, cancelled it's national fiestas (scheduled for 9-15) around the world in sympathy with the U.S. and hardly "dug in its feet". Constitutionally, the only way Mexico can commit troops abroad is if they are directly attacked (even their decision to enter WWII, when Mexican ships were sunk by German U-boats, was questioned at the time). It didn't help that the British were caught spying on U.N. Ambassador Aguillar Zinser, which certainly tilted the Mexican diplomatic corps against helping the Brits. And, by extention, the U.S.
This wall -- much of which is being built in areas where Homeland Security says it's useless and other measures are better suited, is going to increase immigrration, not lower it. Right now, you have a lot of "commuter illegals" who work in the U.S., but return home regularly (where I live, right on the border, sometimes daily). If these people can't get home to take care of their families, you can be sure they're going to bring their families to the U.S. You won't have anchor babies... you'll have anchor grannies and cousins as well.
Well put.
I live on the border and I have never believed Mexico was a "friend" to the US, in spite of hearing many politicians characterize them as "Our friendly neighbor to the south" for many years.
I was angry at Mexico's reaction to 9/11 and have been amazed that more people don't see it the way you do. I don't lay all the blame on Fox for the reaction- the citizens of Mexico did not stand up and support the US, so it seems he was representing how his citizens felt.
I was working at a Port of Entry on 9/11 and I don't remember a single Mexican traveling into this country expressing any type of sympathy or support for the US, that day or the days and weeks afterward. They were angry about it being harder and taking longer to cross the border. Several even stated that they felt that 9/11 happened because the US "tries to run the world" and things of that type.
No, Mexico is not our friend, and many of their citizens do not respect us, many of their people choose to come here to use this country to gain a better life, most do not want to be part of our country, and only want to be citizens for the benefits.