Posted on 03/08/2016 7:28:37 AM PST by xzins
A new CFR-sponsored Independent Task Force report, North America: Time for a New Focus, asserts that elevating and prioritizing the Canada-Mexico-U.S. relationship offers the best opportunity for strengthening the United States and its place in the world.
"It is time to put North America at the forefront of U.S. policy," the report says. "The development and implementation of a strategy for U.S. economic, energy, security, environmental, and societal cooperation with its two neighbors can strengthen the United States at home and enhance its influence abroad."
by David H. Petraeus, retired U.S. Army general and chairman of the KKR Global Institute, and Robert B. Zoellick, former president of the World Bank Group and chairman of Goldman Sachs's International Advisors, the Task Force is composed of a diverse and distinguished group of experts that includes former government officials, scholars, and others. The project is directed by CFR Senior Fellow for Latin America Studies Shannon K. O'Neil.
The Task Force proposes a comprehensive set of recommendations for deepening North American integration, concentrating on four pivotal areas—energy, economic competitiveness, security, and community. These include:
***Capitalizing on North America's promising energy outlook.***
The North American countries need a regional energy strategy to strengthen the continent's energy infrastructure, expand energy exports, support Mexico's historic reforms, improve safety, and encourage harmonized policies to promote energy conservation and reduce carbon emissions.
"For economic, environmental, and diplomatic reasons, the Task Force recommends that the U.S. government encourage increased energy connections with Canada and Mexico. The U.S. government should approve additional pipeline capacity, including the Keystone XL pipeline," the report says. "The Task Force also proposes that the United States end restrictions on energy exports, including oil and LNG (liquefied natural gas)."
***Bolstering economic competitiveness through the freer movement of goods and services across borders.***
Upgrading infrastructure and policies across borders would interconnect national economies securely and efficiently. Recognizing trilateral economic interests, the United States should also include Canada and Mexico in its negotiations for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and other free trade agreements.
"The United States' ability to compete in a dynamic and competitive world economy would be strengthened by enhanced economic ties with Canada and Mexico," the report explains. "The Task Force recommends working toward the free and unimpeded movement of goods and services across North America's common borders."
***Strengthening security through a unified continental strategy and "continuous border innovation."***
While working toward the goal of a unified security strategy for North America, the United States and Canada should support Mexican efforts to strengthen the democratic rule of law, dismantle criminal networks, contribute to the development of resilient and cohesive communities, and reduce arms smuggling and drug consumption.
"The United States should shift from border-centric security toward a strategy of combining perimeter protection with security in depth through the use of intelligence, risk assessment, shared capabilities, and joint actions throughout the region," the report says.
***Fostering a North American community through comprehensive immigration reform, workforce development, and the creation of a mobility accord to facilitate the movement of workers.***
The U.S. Congress should pass comprehensive immigration reforms. To better aid the movement of North American workers, the three countries should also create a North American Mobility Accord, expand visas for skilled workers, streamline recognition of professional credentials, and develop a regional educational innovation strategy.
"The Task Force strongly recommends the passage of comprehensive federal immigration reform that secures U.S. borders, prevents illegal entry, provides visas on the basis of economic need, invites talented and skilled people to settle in the United States, and offers a pathway to legalization for undocumented immigrants now in the United States," the report says.
Petraeus? You gotta be kiddin' me, what is this joker having to do with anything ever since the b!+ch set him up?
the bidding of his masters
Should change the title to: CFR: Goldman Sachs, Open Boarders and Ted Cruz supporters. This should be another huge red flag for Cruzers but of course it won’t be. And they call Trumpers cultists? LOL.
Sounds like they are advocating the Destruction of the United States as it is Defined in the US Constitution, isn’t that TREASON???
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ABSOLUTELY!
CFR is pouring millions in anti-Trump ads in support of Ted Cruz.
I noticed they did not say to put USA first.
In Canada you can’t work for more than 5 years as an American. Here we’ve taken in Canadians for years...who work in companies for years...even retiring with them...seems the U.S. could at least tighten that up a bit.
Putting America at the forefront of national policy would be a jolt to our Marxist, America-hating chief executive.
Is there any doubt left that the Republican Party and its media lackeys have been stage managed by forces and factions that spit upon the founding principles of this nation. Oligarchs - America’s aristocracy, American’s monarchy, unmerited power derived from birthright- not ability or intelligence or ethical standards. A state of mind governed by the accumulation of wealth and control of human destinies with allegiance to no nation, no people, no history, no tradition other than the exercise of dominion over the minds of otherwise free and unfettered beings. Now it is their time to watch America rise up in defiance standing shoulder to shoulder against the very evils that our Founding Fathers warned us against in word and deed. Sons of Liberty, grab your manhood and advance upon the forces of Ultimate Stupidity.
Make that ‘executives’.
The past 30 or so years of them.
This didn’t just start in jan of ‘09.
3 separate countries
3 sets of laws
1 set of consumers
1 Business merger
Conquering without weapons for the good of all North Americans
The combined political leanings would surely be leftist.
The intentionally said “North America” tinamina.
They want a one nation North America to start. Then it will be a one nation “Continental Earth Confederacy”, and then “Earth Union”.
I’m beginning to regard Cruz as something of a Trojan horse.
The globalist connections of his wife are troubling at the very least.
I think the idea of submerging US sovereignty is the point of any such agreement. I don’t trust these people. The idea of simply encouraging economic ties could be done without “submerging” US sovereignty, but that would miss the point for these people.
National sovereignty is the #1 issue this time out. This is exactly why Trump has the traction he has. I have many times said that while I prefer Cruz as a life-long constitutionalist who is strong on the border, Trump is my second choice precisely because of his stance on national sovereignty not just on the border but across the board.
If we are going to be building bridges to our neighbors, I want someone in charge who is a devout constitutionalist (Cruz), or at the very least a born deal-maker whose instincts are in the right place (Trump).
I am interested in this CFR report; I’d like to hear what Cruz has to say about it. Like I say, reciprocal agreements between Canada and the US don’t have to be a threat to either of our sovereignties... but that doesn’t seem to be what CFR is interested in.
Quoting from the article: In 2011, when he was running for the Republican Senate nomination, Cruz had called the CFR “a pernicious nest of snakes” that is “working to undermine our sovereignty.”
It may be that he knows whereof he speaks.
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Fred Thompson was on CFR too, and almost ALL of FR supported him!
This is a nothing burger.
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