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.
Toadster, this thread is rated 30 points above your cognitive level, just read and learn.
LOL. I didn't realize the mexicans were crossing the border in fancy, new tech, floating trucks from Duck Dodgers 22nd century. I stand corrected.
Therefore it had to have been agreed to by the Senate and signed by the President.
When did all this happen?? and who were the big players??
See post #201. NAFTA is not a treaty.
lol
Loading and unloading a truck at the border is highly inefficient. I think that Americans could drive in Mexico even given the wage differential. The condition of Mexican roads and insurance cost seem to be larger barriers than labor rates.
“I could be persuaded to oppose this agreement if there is not reasonable enforcement of safety standards”
Ain’t gonna happen.
“and American trucks do not get fair access to Mexican roads.”
YOU drive valuable merchandise into Mexico.....American truckers know better.
NAFTA is not a treaty, and has no constitutional legal force.
The NAFTA Implementation Act is Public Law 103-182, I believe.
And you equate trucking with horse and buggys? LOL
Hear hear, D1.
It appears the majority in both houses of congress are now fully attuned to the sentiment of the American people on this and related issues and are acting/voting accordingly. Took 'em long enough. Guess they want to keep those cushy jobs.
The President, otoh, obviously doesn't give a damn. Full steam ahead on that globalist agenda.
“Should Mexico get their priorities straight and stop aiding, abetting, and promoting La Reconquista, perhaps we could have a serious discussion about cross-border trade.”
And not until.......Calderon just gave Americans the middle finger!
But my question is why did they become obsolete?
"I would never allow an unsafe truck on our highways, particularly Texas highways," he said.
When is Cornyn up for reelection? He needs to be FIRED! I never thought I would see the day that I would agree with the unions and the RATS but this is something that I'm very happy about. I KNOW the RATs are only doing this because they want the union support. The GOP is too stupid to understand that they're throwing the election to the RATS in 08! Can you say "Madam President?"
You keep quoting this econ101 stuff but you have not yet address others' point that the econ101 stuff only works within a given economic parameters. Throw in a peasant who only needs $25 dollars a week and your little rose colored contruct goes right in the crapper.
I'm tired of economic pie in the sky theory who's practical result is a slowly declining std of living for AMericans, while everybody else sees improvement.
“This reads more like your own wishful thinking than fact.”
Once the Senate ratifies a treaty, it cannot selectively choose which sections it will abide by. Violate any of the agreed-upon provisions, and your country is in violation of that treaty. That’s the way its always been.
OK. I’ll bite. To what areas of efficiency do you suggest we transfer our efforts? What can we do more effeciently that won’t be negated by third world wages?
Yep. I dare the critics on this thread to drive their SUV into Baja......double dare them. Then come back and let me know about driving a trailer load of consumer merchandise south.....
If they live, and after they've paid the mexican police protection money to return to the US border.....lol, they can come back on this thread and preach about free trade and open borders....
So that’d make it 100 points above your level.
Actually, I'm pretty happy about it too. ;o)
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