Mar 11

Mexican trucksOn the first anniversary of the shutdown of the Cross Border Trucking program with Mexico, the job losses are mounting for American workers as American business’s continue to lose market share from the LEGAL tariff’s Mexico instituted in retaliation for our failure to comply with our obligations under NAFTA.

57 members of Congress in addition to more than 1400 trade groups have called on President Obama, Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and US Trade Representative Ron Kirk to get the issue settled.

Secretary LaHood stated in a recent interview that they were close to a resolution to the issue.

The tariff’s, the job losses and loss of market share are the fault of people like Teamsters President James Hoffa, OOIDA mouthpiece Todd Spencer and their stooges in Congress such as Rep. Peter DeFazio of Oregon, and James Oberstar of Minnesota, who has strangely, stayed silent during this latest round of debate.

Realizing the very real possibility of the border being open to Mexican trucks who have proven to be safe and compliant with US laws and regulations, Peter DeFazio is preparing a letter for fellow congressmen demanding a renegotiation of Article 1202 of NAFTA, National Treatment of Cross-Border Trade in Services.

The purpose is to forbid Mexican trucks from access to the US and theoretically, remove the legal tariff’s which aare causing so much concern.

The letter, which was sent to OOIDA for their approval, states in part;

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Mar 09

NAFTAOne of the nation’s oldest and most corrupt labor unions is praising new, bipartisan legislation that would withdraw the United States from NAFTA, and vanquish one of the biggest enemies of American organized labor for more than 15 years.

A small but broad coalition of lawmakers from across the political spectrum came together last Thursday to sponsor a bill to repeal U.S. participation in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

The trade agreement by the United States, Canada and Mexico, NAFTA eliminated tarrifs and other trade restrictions that had been in place. The deal was originally negotiated during the term of president George H.W. Bush. Bill Clinton later embraced it over the objections of many Democratic allies, including organized labor. Clinton, in fact, had to rely on Republican votes in Congress to pass the legislation that ratified the treaty.

Their legislation would repeal the approval of NAFTA and instructs the president to notify Canada and Mexico of the U.S. withdrawal from the treaty. It has been referred to the House Ways and Means Committee for further consideration. The drive to repeal NAFTA outright also is a change in itself, where previously lawmakers had sought mostly just to reform the agreement.

One can just see the sleezy hand of James Hoffa behind this. If it passes, it has to go to the President for his signature. Fat chance and fat chance of anything before the mid terms.

MORE ON THE ISSUE

Should Democrats Stop Bashing NAFTA

We must repeal NAFTA

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Mar 09

Bus Crash in Arizona

The fatal bus crash in Arizona is being used by opportunists to oppose Mexican trucks and to add fuel to the immigration debate.

The bus belonging to TIERRA SANTA,  that rolled over on a busy interstate outside Phoenix, killing six people and leaving 16 others injured early Friday, is now being used as an example by opponents of allowing Mexican trucks on our highways (although they’ve been here for decades) and in others are using it in their vile opposition to reforming immigration and as an opportunity to bash Mexicans.

The bus, a late model Mercedes Benz Marcopolo,  was traveling from the central Mexican state of Zacatecas to Los Angeles.

It entered the United States at El Paso, Texas, and was traveling westbound on Interstate 10 with 22 passengers when it hit a pickup, veered onto the left shoulder of the road, then overcorrected in the opposite direction and rolled once before landing on its wheels. The roof of the bus was crushed and all of its windows were knocked out.

The crash occurred about 5:30 a.m. MST on the Gila River Indian Reservation near the community of Sacaton, some 25 miles south of downtown Phoenix. Two men and four women were thrown about 10 yards from the bus and killed.

The FMCSA says the bus was operating without the required %5 million dollar liability required of interstate bus companies and had been denied interstate operating authority. We also confirmed this on the FMCSA  SAFERSYS site.

A DIFFERENT STANDARD FOR BUSES

Tierra Santa, based in Los Angeles and Durango Mexico, is common of a problem we have in the United States when it concerns enforcement of motor vehicle laws between buses and big rigs.
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Mar 04
DOT Secretary Ray LaHood

Responding to a question by Senate Subcommittee on Transportation and Housing and Urban Development Chairman Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., who asked for an update on the Mexico truck program, LaHood said "We are finalizing a plan. The reason it is taking so long is there's a lot of moving parts.

Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood said this morning that the DOT was close to coming up with a proposal to allow Mexican trucks access to the United States, under the rules of NAFTA.

LaHood was testifying at a hearing about the 2011 DOT budget before the Senate Subcommittee on Transportation and Housing and Urban Development.

Responding to a question by subcommittee Chairman Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., who asked for an update on the Mexico truck program, LaHood said “We are finalizing a plan. The reason it is taking so long is there’s a lot of moving parts.”

On March 1, 56 lawmakers sent a letter to Kirk and LaHood urging the Obama administration to resolve the nearly year-long dispute that started when Congress killed the program in the 2009 appropriations bill.
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Mar 01
Mexican Truck Fleet Nuevo Lared

Trucks such as these Mexican long haul rigs are as modern and safe as anything on US highways, driven by men highly skilled in their operation

As the opponents come out from under their rocks to oppose the Mexican trucks once again, and in their opposition, costing Americans tens of thousands of jobs, it’s interesting to go back three years and review the opinions of others interested in this issue.

The following, appeared in the NEW STANDARD on March 28,2007, and the writers reasoning then resonates just as much in the renewed debate. After all, nothing is being said about the Canadians running amok in the US, breaking our cabotage rules, many who speak little or no English, and many from Muslim countries who are avowed enemies of the United States.

Michelle Chen writes:

Labor and public-interest groups are arguing that permitting Mexican truckers to drive US roads under NAFTA raises safety concerns. But the facts suggest otherwise, and some activists see a deeper problem.
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Feb 25

Mexican W900

Opponents of Mexican trucks want to ban Mexican trucks such as this one that they claim are dangerous, unsafe junk.

No, we’re not referring to (D-SC) Rep. Joe Wilson’s rude and insulting behavior during President Obama’s speech before a joint session of Congress.

Instead, we’re referring to the sophomoric letter to the US Trade Representatives office, by OOIDA President Jim Johnston on February 24.

Similar to the press release by OOIDA’s Norita Taylor that we commented on earlier, Johnston calls on U.S. trade rep to defend American jobs

Johnston made these claims:
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