The truck drivers’ argument that Mexican trucks are unsafe is spurious — a flimsy cover for protectionism. Data from the Department of Transportation show that Mexican trucks and drivers operating in the United States — along the border and in the pilot program — have a better inspection record, with fewer violations, than their American counterparts.
By ARTURO SARUKHAN Nobody can argue that Mexico hasn’t worked tirelessly for more than a decade to avoid a dispute with the United States over Mexican long-haul trucks traveling through this country. But free and fair trade hit another red light this past week. The U.S. Congress, which has now killed a modest and highly successful U.S.-Mexico trucking demonstration program, has sadly left my government no choice but to impose countermeasures after years of restraint and goodwill. Then and now, this was never about the safety of American roads or drivers; it was and has been about protectionism, pure and ….Read More
I continue to be amazed that with all of the evidence showing the success of the Cross Border Demonstration Program, the “Union Brothers” continue to push the falsehoods and lies of Jim Hoffa and his gang of thugs. I imagine though, you tell the same lies long enough, you begin to believe them. Here is a good example! When the Mexican government announced Monday that it will apply tariffs to U.S. exports it was clear that this was done in direct retaliation to the Obama administration decision to halt the Mexican trucking pilot program. The cross-border trucking program, which came ….Read More
“He can never satisfy the Teamsters, because their alleged safety concerns are a smokescreen for naked self-interest.”
There are many good articles out there this morning decrying the Teamsters and others for getting us into this mess we’re in today, but I am going to liberally quote this excellent report from the Lone Star Times LST leads off with one of Jim Hoffa’s oft repeated lies about the program. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters hailed the end of the road for the trucking program, and issued a sharp rebuke of Mexico’s retaliatory action Monday. “The right response from Mexico would be to make sure its drivers and trucks are safe enough to use our highways without endangering ….Read More
In a paid press release today, James Hoffa of the Teamsters had this to say in response to the news that Mexico is in the process of making retaliatory tariff’s a reality. As is usually the case, Hoffa has a large problem with the truth. The lies in this press release are highlighted. Mexican Government Would Raise Tariffs Over Safety Issue WASHINGTON, March 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa today said the Mexican government’s threat to raise tariffs on U.S. exports is an absurd overreaction to the shutdown of the unsafe cross-border trucking pilot program. Congress ended the ….Read More
You asked for it, you got it! MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico says it will increase tariffs on about 90 U.S. products in retaliation for last week’s decision to cancel a pilot program that allowed some Mexican trucks to transport goods within the United States. The Mexican Economy Department says the U.S. decision violates a provision of the North American Free Trade Agreement that was supposed to have opened cross-border trucking years ago. Department officials told a news conference Monday that the measure will affect about $2.4 billion in trade: 90 agricultural and industrial products from 40 U.S. states. It ….Read More
WASHINGTON – The Obama administration will try to reinvent a program to allow Mexican trucks full access to U.S. highways. An 18-month pilot program that allowed a few Mexican trucks beyond a border buffer zone died when President Barack Obama signed a $410 billion spending bill yesterday. The bill barred spending on the program. Debbie Mesloh, a spokeswoman for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, said Obama has told the office to work with Congress, the Transportation and State departments and Mexican officials to come up with legislation to create “a new trucking project that will meet the legitimate ….Read More
Further signs of the deterioration of America’s society and values were evident Tuesday night with the passage of the pork laden FY09 Omnibus Appropriations Bill that funds the government through September 09. Based on lies and misrepresentations by insignificant little men such as Teamsters President James Hoffa and OOIDA’s Todd Spencer, Section 136 pulling funding for the successful Mexican Cross Border Demonstration Program remained intact. The final vote was 62 to 35 with 2 abstaining. A Congressionally mandated Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General Final Report released last Tuesday, appears to expose the lies of these organizations who have ….Read More