Posted on 08/19/2010 9:03:34 AM PDT by VU4G10
MEXICO CITY (AP) -- Mexico said Monday it will increase tariffs on a total of 99 U.S. products to pressure Washington to lift a ban on Mexican cargo trucks entering the United States.
Last year, Mexico added tariffs to 89 products after the U.S. canceled a pilot program that allowed some Mexican trucks to transport goods into the United State.
The Economy Department said the latest step will affect about $2.5 billion worth of trade involving agricultural and industrial products from 43 U.S. states. It said the list of products would be released later this week.
The department said the suspension of the pilot program violated the North American Free Trade Agreement, in which the United States agreed to open its roads to Mexican trucks.
"We have to act firmly so we can sensitize U.S. authorities about the urgent need to open that sector, which transport 70 percent of the commercial volume between both countries," Economy Secretary Bruno Ferrari said in the statement.
U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk regretted Mexico's decision and said the Obama administration is committed to resolving the dispute.
"Mexico is an important U.S. export market and President Obama understands the economic pain that these tariffs cause for American farmers, companies and workers," Kirk said in a statement.
A pilot program begun in 2007 that allowed a few Mexican trucks beyond a border buffer zone ended last week when Obama signed a sweeping bill that barred spending on it.
The trucking program is one of the last and largest disputes between the U.S. and Mexico involving 1994 NAFTA accords.
In 2001, Mexico took the case before a dispute-resolution panel, which recommended that the United States comply with the program and allow Mexican trucks within its borders.
This story’s been out for several minutes, has Obama issued an apology to Mexico yet?
It’s in his “out” basket...
It’s under his mirror, so they’ll find it in a matter of seconds—”Time to look at MEEEE! Oh, there it is—get this out to Mexico.”
He’s on vacation. Might take a few minutes longer than usual.
Obama has himself between the hammer and the anvil. The unions on one side, Mexico on the other. He will piss off one or the other.
Didn’t zer0 say he was all for NAFTA in 2008 while he sent people to Canada to discuss banning it?
The way zero operates, might want to put a tick mark in the "both" column. If there's an option to make the peon's suffer more, O will find it.
Can we increase the tariffs on illegal aliens from Mexico?
No kidding. We could easily slam Meh-heee-co so much harder. They want to tax the gringo goods. No prob. What say we tax remittances from their Illegals at 50%.
we need to place a 50% tariff on all U.S. currencies [Western Union or in peoples pocket] going to Mexico.
That will shut him up...
We need to pull out of Nafta.
Then charge 90% tariffs and duties on Mexican products to pay for the social and criminal justice costs of all the illegals.
Ping!
If you want on, or off this S. Texas/Mexico ping list, please FReepMail me.
That graphic is hilarious! Love the masked wrestler.
“We currently have a trade deficit of about $5 Billion a month with Mexico. It was a trade SURPLUS before NAFTA. Thanks, RINOS”
Right. And NAFTA was not exactly real great for Mexican farmers either which has driven many to abandon agriculture and go north. Two years ago Cheap surplus corn from the US was killing those Mexican farmers. All NAFTA has done is to breed further instability in Mexico.
The arbitration panel, who ruled for Mexico, says that the US has the right to set truck standards, whether that be driver standards, safety standards, insurance standards, enviro standards, or any standard, as long as the standard is the same for Mexican trucks as it is for US or Canadian trucks.
And, if a Mexican truck pulls up the border, and doesn't meet the standards, then the US can legally deny that Mexican truck entry.
But that is not what happened. The US took the position that, collectively, Mexican trucks are not as likely to meet US standards as, collectively, US trucks.
So, even if an individual Mexican truck, or many, many individual Mexican trucks do meet US standards, they are not allowed entry.
It would be funny to add the Frito Bandido plastered to the grill. Man! I miss the 1960s you could still do stuff like the Frito Bandido without fear.
And what’s that thing up on the sombrero? Is that a Chupacabra? Or a rabid Chiuaua?
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