Mexico could retaliate if U.S. blocks trucks, Kolbe warns

Arizona Daily Star ^ | Novembere 30 2007 | Gabriela Rico

[yorkie]

Economic retaliation from Mexico is a real threat if U.S. lawmakers repeal a provision that allows Mexican truckers access to the U.S. interior, according to former U.S. Rep. Jim Kolbe.

"If Congress succeeds in blocking (the program) I believe Mexico could retaliate, as they are entitled to do," the Arizona Republican told members of the Southern Arizona Logistics Education Organization in Tucson on Thursday.

Kolbe, who retired at the beginning of the year after 11 terms in Congress, is the new chairman of the Canamex Corridor Task Force and part of a three-member committee appointed to monitor the cross-border truck program, which has faced strong opposition from some trucking union members and politicians.

He warned that if our southern neighbors "lose patience," U.S. companies could face higher tariffs on trade entering Mexico.

"It's not an idle threat," Kolbe said. "And it sends a bad message to Mexico and Latin America about how seriously we take our obligations."

The trucking program, a provision of the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement, began in September. Before that, Mexican trucks were restricted to driving within a commercial border zone.

Attempts by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters to block the entry of Mexican trucks into the U.S. failed. The Senate then approved a proposal prohibiting the Transportation Department from spending money on the program, but it continues while Congress debates a larger transportation bill that contains the provision.

[G Larry]

America won’t be able to benefit from Mexico’s prosperity!?!?

If they don’t buy American made goods we will have a trade deficit with them???

I think Mexico needs our stuff worse than we need their money.

[Nathan Zachary]

"He warned that if our southern neighbors "lose patience," U.S. companies could face higher tariffs on trade entering Mexico."

That is like shooting their own foot off. Let them. We don't want mexican trucks on our roads until they play by the same rules we have to, it's that simple.

So smarten up Jim Kolbe, and put America first for a change. That means all Mexican trucks MUST be properly insured by a illegitimate insurer, there can be NO interstating by Mexican/foriegn truck drivers; Mexican drivers MUST have a proper drivers license, and that means proper training. They must NOT be criminals. They may only drive 10 hours in accordance with the regulations our truck drivers have to follow. Proper border inspection station should be in place BEFORE the flood gates are opened to prevent semi loads of illegals and their complete amphetamine drug labs from entering the country.

[Hop A Long Cassidy]

>>>Almost 300 million guns vs. what?

Maybe they threaten to stop sending illegals to work as slaves in meat processing plants.

Oh No! This is series.

Maybe they threaten to cut off the drug traffic migrating northward and across our shared borders.

Oh No! This is really series. This is hughes.

[meyer]

Economic retaliation from Mexico is a real threat if U.S. lawmakers repeal a provision that allows Mexican truckers access to the U.S. interior, according to former U.S. Rep. Jim Kolbe.

Retaliate?? What are they going to do, stop sending cheap labor over the border?!

[umgud]

Let’s all be honest about the opposition to this.

Mexico has swarmed us with invaders who are subsidized by us taxpayers while sending 10’s of billions of dollars back home.

They are prolific and generally successful in their attemts to ship drugs accross the border.

They weren’t with us on Iraq and sympathize with the Pali’s.

And, you can bet bet this is a one-way street in that few US trucks will be able to safely enter Mexico.

We don’t trust them and they haven’t given us any reason to do so.

This kinda feels like a slap in the face.

[Philly Nomad]

Well, that’s a good thing. We can use the Mexican Drivers’ freedom as an excuse for US Truckers to be freed from burdensome US Regulations.

[A_Tradition_Continues]

Kolbe enjoys receiving things from the South.

[yorkie]

FTA:

Kolbe was recently appointed to chair the Canamex Corridor Task Force by Gov. Janet Napolitano. The corridor, which runs from Mexico City through Tucson north to Edmonton, Alberta, is a federally designated "high priority" route for the movement of trade.

It amazes me how these politicians "know what's better" for our country, than it's own citizens. >:(

[Nathan Zachary]

"I have no problem with going into Canada, other then I CANT READ FRENCH!"

where in Canada (besides Q-bec) do you have to read french? I travel every week through Canada, I never see any signs in written in French only. You may see the occasional "rue" on a street sign, but "st" is written on it as well, something like "rue Hunterite st".

[cripplecreek]

U.S. companies could face higher tariffs on trade entering Mexico.

Trade? They must mean truckloads of used cars and cash.

[Yogafist]

Absolutely, or better yet, start charging a huge tax on money sent to Mexico and apply it to the institutions, like hospitals, that are being driven out of business by illegals.

[LachlanMinnesota]

There is no way Mexico will retaliate...not in a million years.

Maybe our companies that move to Mexico for cheap labor will refrain from doing so if they knew they could not ship their goods back to the US.

I wonder how accurate this dude's study of the trucking industry will be when he plays the role of an advocate. Any bests that the study will say that it is wildly successful and that it would be wonderful if we could cooperate more with the Mexes?

[norton]

"He warned that if our southern neighbors "lose patience," U.S. companies could face higher tariffs on trade entering Mexico.

They are going to lose patience with us?

"It's not an idle threat," Kolbe said. "And it sends a bad message to Mexico and Latin America about how seriously we take our obligations."

Mr. Kolbe, you ignorant political slut, we have no obligation to mexico other than not to intervene in their government or invade without reason. They have the same obligations to us and have happily ignored them forever - just as you did during your tenure at the government trough.

PS: In a word - who needs the other the most - them or us?

[Hunterite]

where in Canada (besides Q-bec) do you have to read french? I travel every week through Canada, I never see any signs in written in French only. You may see the occasional “rue” on a street sign, but “st” is written on it as well, something like “rue Hunterite st”.

***************

Quebec

[djf]

This kinda feels like a slap in the face.


Kinda?
Sorta?


Ya think?

[onja]

Not particularly.

RINO as any of them, only openly-gay Republican Congressman, not exactly the best party-follower. Might not actually be that bad that we got Giffords (Dem) in. She seems a lot more conservative than Kolbe.

[Let's Roll]

I’ve been saying that for years. In this age of ‘puters, wire transfers etc. - that shouldn’t be that difficult.

Of course that would open some sort of black market business in the transfer of funds, but if a bounty were put on stopping that - say a percentage of the funds involved - the country of Mexico would find their coffers seriously dwindling.

Before anyone starts hand wringing about Mexico going commie, may I point out that if we keep expanding our underclass with Mexico’s undesirables the US is going to go commie. How is that better?

[Sig Sauer P220]

Haven’t they already retaliated by sending 60 million illegals into this country?

[Iron Munro]

"Mexico could retaliate, as they are entitled to do ..."

It looks like they have been practicing already:

"Mexican incursions inflame border situation House panel told of shootings by gunmen in Mexican military uniforms..."
"Armed men in Mexican military uniforms have illegally crossed into the United States to provide cover for drug smugglers, and have fired upon U.S. Border Patrol agents on several occasions, a congressional panel was told Tuesday."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11226144

"Chertoff downplays Mexican military incursions Homeland Security chief insists reports of past 10 years 'overblown'..."
"While acknowledging the Border Patrol reports of crossings by uniformed troops, Chertoff told reporters in Washington yesterday he believes many of the incursions could have been innocent mistakes"

http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=49817