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.
My hat is yummy!
This has never been about “free” trade. No “free trade” agreement in the last 20 years has been.
“It really boils down to when everyone’s patience runs out.”
Our government should be more concerned about when OUR patience runs out, not Mexico’s.
“By “everyone”, I meant investors, as in US investors, who parked their money in Mexico without a profit, because the US changed their mind.”
Tough. Investments have risks. Investing in a country like Mexico - governed as they are - is foolish.
Even the leftists at Public Citizen have more honor than you, they suggested the US compensate everyone that the US govt screwed.
“The problem is not the way Mexico is governed. “
Yes, it is. That’s the crux of this matter. Mexico is a criminal state with no respect for property rights. Invest in that and you are a fool and deserve to lose your money. Do not come crying to me and expect a bailout or expect me to sacrifice the security of this nation (reference terrorist organizations operating with Mexican gangs for at least one reason why) just because you invested in Mexico.
“Even the leftists at Public Citizen have more honor than you, they suggested the US compensate everyone that the US govt screwed.”
There’s no honor in taking from the public purse and/or endangering national security for the interests of a few foolish investors. A conservative should realize that.
“Honest Judge, I didn’t know that foreign trade was illegal.”
This truck issue isn’t “foreign trade”.
“Honest Judge, I didn’t know that foreign trade was illegal.”
This truck issue isn’t “foreign trade”.
Of course you know that there is no compensation problem for Mexico? They won a judgement of 2 billion per year and have sanctioned retaliation.
Read the replies and you will see that the "Honest Judge" statement didn't have anything to do with trucks. It was about condoms and combs.
As a sovereign nation, we have no duty to pay. They can retaliate all they want. If the government of the United States cared about the best interests of the United States and not Mexico, this wouldn’t even be an issue. If they want their judgment, we’ll put it against the billions in aid we’ve given them over the years.
Appropriate one dollar of my tax money to pay this “judgment” by an extra-national panel in favor of the criminal nation called “Mexico” that brazenly demands we surrender (”where there is a Mexican there is Mexico”) and prepare for open political war.
The White House ain’t seen nothin’ yet.
“Do you have a comprehension problem? “
Hardly. I haven’t read all 750+ posts.
If you read all replies and you didn’t read the condoms and combs reply, you do have a comprehension problem.
If you didn’t have a comprehension problem, you’d note that I said that I HAVE NOT read all 770+ replies.
Press 2 to continue in English.
Then reread 771.
What, you want me to go back in time?
Reread 773.
BTW, I can set you up like D1. For a fee.
“BTW, I can set you up like D1. For a fee.”
I can point you to some nice folks who teach ESL. Perhaps it would help with your comprehension problem.
ok
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