Posted on 09/11/2007 5:09:04 PM PDT by ruination
WASHINGTON - The Senate voted Tuesday to ban Mexican trucks from U.S. roadways, rekindling a more than decade-old trade dispute with Mexico.
By a 74-24 vote, the Senate approved a proposal by Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., prohibiting the Transportation Department from spending money on a North American Free Trade Agreement pilot program giving Mexican trucks access to U.S. highways.
The proposal is part of a $106 billion transportation and housing spending bill that the Senate hopes to vote on later this week. The House approved a similar provision to Dorgan's in July as part of its version of the transportation spending bill.
Supporters of Dorgan's amendment argued the trucks are not yet proven safe. Opponents said the U.S. is applying tougher standards to Mexican trucks than to Canadian trucks and failing to live up to its NAFTA obligations.
Until last week, Mexican trucks were restricted to driving within a commercial border zone that stretched about 20 miles from the U.S.-Mexican boundary, 75 miles in Arizona. One truck has traveled deep into the U.S. interior as part of the pilot program.
Blocking the trucks would help Democrats curry favor with organized labor, an important ally for the 2008 presidential elections.
"Why the urgency? Why not stand up for the (truck) standards that we've created and developed in this country?" Dorgan asked.
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who drafted a Republican alternative to Dorgan's amendment, said the attempt to block the trucks appeared to be about limiting competition and may amount to discrimination against Mexico.
"I would never allow an unsafe truck on our highways, particularly Texas highways," he said.
Under NAFTA, Mexico can seek retaliation against the U.S. for failing to adhere to the treaty's requirements, including retaining tariffs on goods that the treaty eliminates, said Sidney Weintraub, a professor emeritus at the University of Texas LBJ School of Public Affairs in Austin.
The trucking program allows up to 100 Mexican carriers to send their trucks on U.S. roadways for delivery and pickup of cargo. None can carry hazardous material or haul cargo between U.S. points.
So far, the Department of Transportation has granted a single Mexican carrier, Transportes Olympic, access to U.S. roads after a more than decade-long dispute over the NAFTA provision opening up the roadways.
One of the carrier's trucks crossed the border in Laredo, Texas last week and delivered its cargo in North Carolina on Monday and was expected to return to Mexico late this week after a stop in Decatur, Ala.
The transportation bill is S. 1789.
No. Not superior. Just born to a different nation, that's all.
You expect your family to support you and work with you in your life to ensure a modicum of success. It appears that in Nature, this is the way Nature's God set it up. Acting in this manner seems to lead to social stability and prosperity for groups which act this way.
A nation is an extended family, or so it was supposed to be.
And so we believe our extended family should act in our interests.
What's 'superior' about that?
Too bad many pubbies, along with Clinton and Bush (remember Clinton signed NAFTA), seem to think that we NEED Mexican trucks, Mexican truck drivers, and (illegal) Mexican cargo driving through our local communities.
After reading your previous posts I'm sure you understand that we know what's best for you.
Thanks for the reponse, but you’re just not going to get anywhere by labeling me a fool. You buy into this insane free for all and I don’t.
It also gives them a leg up in the eyes of conservative voters that don't want the amnesty wool pulled over their own eyes.
If someone was assaulted at a union meeting, I would call that behavior thuggery. Do you believe that union members have a right to take violence on someone for views that the union does not like?
Unions are legalized cartels created and maintained through coercive legislation. The purpose of a union is the same as any monopoly: to limit competition and increase prices. As a university professor, I have never had the opportunity to cross a picket line. If university faculty organized a union, I would be the first to cross the line.
Courtesy of Ladycalif.
Simply put, there is not a fixed number jobs that nations compete over. Trade works to produce more jobs.
Amen. I hate to give the Dems credit for anything, but if they can pull off blocking those Mexican trucks from coming in to our country good for them. BTW our trucks still cannot go into Mexico.
NAFTA = Not A Fair Trade Agreement.
I agree. That comment in the title wasn’t put there by me.
All the more reason to oppose their entry.
Every one of those Republican Senators just gave the finger to their constituents.
Precisely.
And that's what happened to construction and meat packing, used to be jobs with wages where a family could be supported, no more. These "higher than thou" types think Americans are all college educated high brows. Not every American should be required to have a college education to get by. Some people are better with their hands and very talented in construction. Not everyone gets to be a rocket scientist (can you say "would you like fries with that?")
In short, Is this really good news or okay news or bad news or a combo of all three?
It looks as if a higher power deleted that commentary in the title, which I didn’t put there!
I don’t know what happened to American society. It seems, in 2007, that Americans are supposed to be thrilled that their neighbors are jobless, because socks are $1 cheaper at Wal-Mart.
It looks as if a higher power deleted that commentary in the title, which I didn’t put there!
I did a temporary stint as a distribution supervisor in Chicago for about 8 drivers, Chicago teamsters. I had a few problems, including one grievance, but the biggest headache was the maintenance bills. I could not believe the cost of maintenance on the trucks.
The higher the bill, the higher my blood pressure.
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