CNN's Lou Dobbs reveals illegal political-military-industrial elite agenda to destroy Canada,US,Mex

[seafan]

Due to the critical importance of this information, I am including more text in this post, with intent of fair use.


http://www.agoracosmopolitan.com/home/Frontpage/2007/02/23/01367.html">CNN's Lou Dobbs reveals illegal political-military-industrial elite agenda to destroy Canada, the U.S., and Mexico

Canadian National Newspaper

by Traci Lawson
Friday 23. Feb 2007

CNN's Lou Dobbs reports that newspapers and other media in Canada are referring to, as innocent on-going consultations to combat "terrorism" and promote "co-operation" among U.S., Canadian, and Mexican political elites, are actually not so innocent. Talks that are being officially labelled as "Security and Prosperity Partnership" (SPP), are really aimed at destroying the independent sovereignty of the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, under the cover provided by the "War on Terror".

Elites who are linked to a industrial-military complex, are seeking to further consolidate a "North American Union" that is to be run by them. The apparent clandestine nature of these "negotiations" in itself, CNN's Lou Dobbs further reports, reveals that their sought "North American Union" (NAU) will not be in the quality-of-living related interests of Canadians, Americans, or Mexicans. The NAU is a fascistic attempt to replace the democratic foundation of constitutions in Canada and the U.S., with what Mr. Dobbs reports as a "shadow government" of elites.

The SPP was not spawned with public involvement, but by the institutional convergence of Big Business-oriented economic policies associated with North American Free Trade (NAFTA), continentalist military elite interests associated with the U.S. headquarters based North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD), and the political cover of initiated "War on Terrorism" legislation.

Former Prime Minister John Turner had led opponents against NAFTA in 1988. He charged that this Agreement which was championed by then Progressive Conservative Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, would eventually lead to the destruction of Canada, under auspices of a U.S.-based elitist political-military-industrial complex. Then Prime Minister Mulroney, who is now a principal advisor to the current Stephen Harper Conservative minority government, had denied this claim, saying that NAFTA would protect Canada's independence, and only lead to "prosperity". As it turns out, the "prosperity" in the form of the SPP would be for elites, and not for the general public which has experienced a significant undermining in quality-of-living indices. Indeed, Canada has been slipping from its former no. 1 position in quality off-living, as a result of worsening oppressive poverty in Canada.

Worsening poverty in the U.S. has also continued, as the rich become richer in that country. The U.S. has the worse gap between rich and poor of any country in the world, and the NAU agenda would further concentrate political economic power into a un-democratic fascistic elite complex.

Originally, these elites sought to take-over Canada, the United States, and Mexico, along with the Caribbean, Latin America, and South America, under the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas (FTAA). However, well organized pro-democratic opposition in parts of Latin America, and South America, led by Venezuela's Hugo Chavez stopped the FTAA.

As a result, in the absence of local democratic opposition as a result of a coordinated effort to maintain public ignorance, elites in Canada, the U.S., and Mexico, have sought to continue to purse the "conquest of North America" as a consolation prize.

.....

In Canada, the handful of elites who have succeeded in acquiring ownership to Canada's mass-media, and who are linked to the Stephen Harper government, and political elites from other political parties, have seen fit to put a "media block-out". An elite clique has placed an apparent "media block-out" on raising public awareness in Canada, on the "North American Union" (NAU) agenda. The Lou Dobbs presentation has provided the kind of critical exposure of the NAU, which has so far been sabotaged by mass-media elites in Canada, that are linked to NAU advocates in Canada. Silence on the NAU agenda in Canada, stands out as nothing short of the greatest political scandal and conspiracy in Canadian history, and is tantamount to high treason, as defined by Canadian constitutional law.

.....

Parliament in Canada, and Congress in the U.S., have been left largely out of the loop. Lawmakers in the U.S. who have heard, like Rep. Virgil Goode (R-VA), are "hell bent" on keeping a North American Union from happening, “The interests of hard-working businesses in this country, hard-working workers in this country, and the average citizen in the United States should be placed ahead, in my opinion, of some international global theory that I think would harm the United States and most of its citizenry.”

The following are quotations extracted from Lou Dobbs' coverage which aired on February 5, 2007, as well as February 21, 2007, about the apparent neo-fascist "North American Union" (NAU).

Mr. Dobbs incisively charged the NAU scheme to be "outrageous".

.....

DOBBS: The Bush administration tonight is pushing, rather publicly now, its Security and Prosperity Partnership, a plan to "integrate the economies" of the United States, Mexico, and Canada by the year 2010. You're thinking, you didn't vote for that, your congressman didn't vote for that, your senator didn't vote for that. You're correct.

It is a very ambitious plan for three very different economies and nations. It's moving forward without congressional oversight, in many cases congressional knowledge, and certainly not the approval of the American people. Nor, for that matter, the Canadian people, nor the Mexican people.

Christine Romans has our report.

.....

SYLVESTER: This partnership is being driven by the U.S. business community, which envisions ships from China docking in Mexico instead of California, Mexican truck drivers transporting cargo on a NAFTA super highway, all the way to Canada. A cornerstone of this model is a guest worker immigration program that relaxes U.S. borders.

Critics say the plan would greatly benefit Mexico but could mean the loss of American jobs and an increase in social costs to U.S. taxpayers.

ROBERT RECTOR, HERITAGE FOUNDATION: The reality is that last year they came close to passing a bill which would have allowed close to 100 million immigrants into the country, most them low skilled, over the next 20 years. That will in fact bankrupt the United States.

.....

SYLVESTER: And this Friday, another round of top-level meetings in Canada. Secretary Michael Chertoff, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez will be meeting with their Canadian and Mexican counterparts.

Now, the press releases say the focus will be on providing for the free flow of trade, helping secure borders, and keeping the U.S. competitive. But Lou, really what they're talking about is this new economic integration -- Lou.

DOBBS: And Congress is sitting basically on its hands, saying nothing, hearing nothing, apparently, as we continue to report on this outright outrageous conduct. SYLVESTER: And it is even possible that Congress may not even have a say. What we are hearing is that the Bush administration is trying to use NAFTA as the justification for doing a lot of this -- Lou.

DOBBS: This is an arrogance and abuse of power that frankly this administration is laying a claim on for the history books to be written for years to come. It's extraordinary.

If you want -- we should let our viewers know, Lisa, that if they want to write their congressmen or their senators, they can go to our Web site, loudobbs.com, and there select your congressional district and whoever's representing you and your family, or your senator, or both, and you can send an e-mail there with your thoughts on this.

This is outrageous.

.....


There is also the Trans-Texas Corridor (TTC), or NAFTA Superhighway, construction on which is scheduled to begin in 2007 by public-private partnerships (a foreign corporation, Spain’s Cintra, has already signed a contract). This system, which will parallel I-35 running north from Mexico all the way to Canada, with a branch extending I-69 also going to Canada through Port Huron, Michigan. TTC-35 will consist of six lanes for passenger cars, four for trucks, a rails system, lines for telecommunications, oil and natural gas pipelines, etc. Its size across has been estimated at four football fields; construction will result in the taking of over 500,000 acres of land from farmers and ranchers in Texas alone through eminent domain. This puts last year’s roundly (and rightly) condemned Supreme Court decision in Kelo v. New London, Conn. in a new light!

.....

Also meeting in September, this time in Miami (Sept. 15) was the Miamu Herald Americas Conference. Attendees of this confab included more business and governmental elites from Latin and South America. They focused on “free trade agreements, open democracies and security.” One attendee in particular is worth noting: Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, our El Presidente’s brother, who gave the keynote address. Gov. Bush hailed our El Presidente as the “chief Latin Americanist” in Washington. He further let the cat out of the bag by urging Congress to pass “fast track” trade promotion legislation this fall that would authorize President Bush to reopen negotiations on the stalled Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), the super-elite’s long-term goal for the Western hemisphere.

The super-elite had originally hoped to implement their FTAA by 2005, but didn’t count on the level of grass roots opposition either here or by influential South American leaders such as Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez. Chavez’s economics are wrong and I don’t think he correctly identifies his enemy -­ it isn’t President Bush personally or even “American hegemony,” but rather the emerging New International Economic Order which is transnational and globalist. As a populist, however, his instincts are sound. He understands that an FTAA would benefit the super-elite ­- many of them based in America­- at the expense of his people. To elites like Florida’s Gov. Bush, this is just capitalism: “I believe in entrepreneurial capitalism from the top of my head to the tip of my toes.” When super-elite domination of national economies is equated with free market “capitalism” and no one with visibility questions it, should we wonder when the Hugo Chavezes of the world move “leftward”?

.....

It may be useful to examine a brilliant article by Christopher S. Bentley’s entitled “Immigration & Integration,” from the July 24 issue of The New American. Bentley outlined in very clear fashion how “free trade” rhetoric is taking us into regional government and will proceed from there to world government. “Free trade” is a core tool of the emerging New World Order, currently building transnational corporatist “capitalism” that (given the collectivist ethos being ruthlessly promoted in schools at all levels) they expect will evolve naturally and easily into global socialism with the superelite wielding absolute power.

Bentley outlines the process occurs in five steps, or phases.

First, the super-elite creates a "free trade" area. This lowers barriers to the trade of goods and services among member nations, while quietly instituting a raft of political and bureaucratic controls. This was done in Europe in the late 1940s. In North America, think NAFTA / CAFTA.

Second, it creates a customs union, which adds a common external trade policy and expands the bureaucracy to implement it. Think of that common “security perimeter” planned for North America.

Third, it creates a "common market", which ends restrictions on migration and allows labour and capital to move freely across increasingly meaningless national borders of member states. “This,” Bentley wrote, “is exactly what is behind the Bush Administration’s fanatical zeal to implement its guest worker / amnesty program.” Indeed, the Bush regime’s immigration policy­or lack of­makes perfect sense if we simply accede that Bush is committed philosophically to a borderless, globalized world.

Fourth, it develops the foregoing into an economic union­which requires a fully harmonized regulatory structure, a common currency, a common tax policy and a common fiscal policy. Robert Pastor and others have advocated replacing the dollar and the peso with a common North American currency that would be called the amero.

The fifth and final phase, political union, follows almost naturally, given that since Keynes the idea of an economy­- national or global ­- not regulated to the teeth by bureaucrats hasn’t been on anyone’s radar. Political union develops out of the system of public-private partnerships, yielding a symbiosis between international bankers, other corporations, and the governmental-bureaucratic establishment.

When transnational committees of unelected bureaucrats begin overruling our laws and precedents ­ or if elected officials bow to "globalism" on their own we will know that Constitutional government is dead in Canada and the U.S.. The superelite will then be free to do as they please, which will probably be to begin integrating North America and Europe into a larger "Super-capitalist" union.

This article is an absolute MUST READ and MUST SEND to all our Congress members, letters to the editor, media outlets.

While we are in the run-up to aggression against Iran, our country is being stolen out from under us, without our knowledge, by this band of globalist elites.


This is very, very serious. It must be exposed quickly.

[Atman]

Capitalism has officially jumped the shark.

We are sooo fucked. The fascists will stop at nothing.

.

[KoKo]

1. WAIT! Why would the Heritage Foundation be against this?

Heritage is so RW that anything they say should be suspect to Progressives... :shrug:

[kenny blankenship]

3. Because it retains nationalist paleo-cons

in the mold of Patrick Buchanan. "Some nationalist paleocons", I should say, although there would also be some at Heritage who'd be 100% for crap like this.

[happydreams]

9. Yep! Nationalism is the mantra they use. Oddly they thought the US

would lose its sovereignty to the UN. But that was a decietful ploy by the fascists to drive a wedge between the Righties who want to maintain US sovereignty and those progressives opposed to the Neoliberal/IMF agenda.

Dobbs exposure is extremely important and hopefully will drive the paleocons further from the Neo-liberal Right.

Barry Goldwater attacked Reagan for his Trilateral/Neoliberal politics. If he was around today he would be raising all kinds of hell over Dobbs report.

I'm by no means a supporter of Goldwater, I think history will prove that the Left was correct on how to fight this thing.

[Elwood P Dowd]

4. There are many in the RW that are against this. (nm)

(nm)

[KoKo]

11. The question is WHY would many in the RW and Heritage be suddenly against Bush policies?

They still feed their Think Tank RW Zombies into C-Span on "WJ" where they support Bush like Hitler.

I find this hard to believe that Heritage and RW'ers would suddenly WAKE UP to Bush while their minions are working 24/7 to trash Progressive Dems and DLC Dems.

:eyes: Methinks Lou has an agenda VERY HIDDEN....but I'm hoping someone can post more detail about why I should believe Lou and Heritage are suddenly worried about America.

[originalpckelly]

29. Because Bush is a fascist not a regular paleo-con...

the paleo-cons don't like this because of the nationalistic feelings they have. That trumps everything.

[Usrename]

48. I agree (admit to a small amount of confusion) here.

"ROBERT RECTOR, HERITAGE FOUNDATION: The reality is that last year they came close to passing a bill which would have allowed close to 100 million immigrants into the country, most them low skilled, over the next 20 years. That will in fact bankrupt the United States."

I don't understand how 100M workers is going to bankrupt anything. Isn't it the "borrow and spend" policies that are endangering the economy? Is this just a bunch of hooey to keep people fooled about our economic policy?

How do more workers bankrupt a national economy?

Why haven't the economies of China or India suffered, they have the most workers?

I think this is just more voodoo distraction to prevent any organized response to the intentional damage that is being done by their class war. Yes, I believe it is true. This country's economy could be destroyed, and many people could benefit just like when the Soviet Union went south.

I know that may sound paranoid, but they really are out to get us all. Really. And none of them are stoopid, either, which is why we are loosing this fight right now.

[Blackhatjack]

2. All of this has been 'leaking out' for some time, but People are just beginning to notice...

There is no doubt that we are headed in this direction, and the rise of the corporate powers will eventually trump constitutional government if we do not act soon.

[Skidmore]

5. It has been brought up on these boards several times

and the people who bring it up are whacked as having racist agendas, even though it has been pointed out that this is corporatism on steroids. If you think things got bad after NAFTA, NAFTA was just the appetizer.

[leftstreet]

6. Or knocked as conspiracy theorists n/t

[starroute]

17. It came up last week in a thread on the Northwest Passage

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x232736#232928

The Atlantic Canadians' Declaration Against Atlantica: A Declaration by Citizens Against Atlantica

http://caa.frederictonsocial.net/declaration

Atlantica, the International Northeast Economic Region (AINER), is charting a course towards breaking down barriers for big business in Atlantic Canada, Eastern Quebec, and the Northeast United States. While Atlantica acknowledges economic distressed regions of Newfoundland, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, it seeks to perpetuate local economic hardship in these regions by lowering minimum wage and concentrating economic wealth in a proposed Atlantica triangle. This proposed triangle includes Connecticut and spreads to the three points of Boston, Albany and New York. Proponents of Atlantica, Atlantic Canada's business elite and their policy research arms, blame 'too much government' as economic burdens in our region when in reality it is the cheap sell off of our public resources, privatization of our public services and other concessions for large corporations.

Barriers slated for dismantling by the proponents of Atlantica include our national sovereignty, our labour rights, our natural resources, our environment, and our health.

Large business interests and federal government congregating in closed meetings of various kinds are working towards harmonizing Canadian and American regulations. These business interests are also looking to harmonize standards that govern and protect our precious natural resources, energy, environment, and health. These meetings include strategic allies in the government but exclude unions, environmental groups, and other civil society groups. Atlantica is flying in under the public radar with the media virtually silent on the big business plan.

[NashVegas]

7. There's Only ONE Problem With This Story

The outlet reporting it. It will be ten years before mainstream media picks up on it.

Other headlines from this publication:

Do Extra-terrestrials Exist?

Testimony claims crop circles made by "alien allies" of humanity

Doctors and Nobel Laureate suggest HIV-AIDS is bio-terrorism

[tuvor]

14. FWIW, this Canadian has never heard of "The Canadian National Newspaper".

But far be it from me to shoot the messenger if the message holds up to scrutiny.

[SidDithers]

81. Nor I, tuvor...

They do say something about a print edition on their website, but I've never heard of them. Isn't iverglas in the news biz?

Sid

[TheWatcher]

51. Your flawed logic will not save your form the eventual reality

By the time this is mainstream, it will be FAR too late.

But don't worry. American Idol will be there to make it all better.

Because things like the North American Union just DON'T HAPPEN in Pleasantville.

The North American Union is real.

Google It. Research It.

Wake Up.

Or Don't.

Sometimes I think most Americans would rather let this country be completely destroyed rather than face what's really going on under their noses.

[Subdivisions]

85. Anericans are paralyzed by fear of everything from child abduction

to terrorist attacks. I have found in my experience that about 1% of the people I know even attempt to know more about what's going on in the world beyond celebrities who suddenly lob of their hair or who suddenly up and die as weirdly as they lived.

To them, I'm the nuttiest person they know. I try to warn them and inform them as their eyes glaze over while making excuses for needing to be someplace else.

The upshot is that once they are forced to see the light, Americans have a tendency to rise up. Let's hope in this case that it's not too late to resolve it peacefully.

[oblivious]

87. I agree with you, but I am suspicious when I see this on the same page as these other stories.

I think this is an effective propaganda technique we need to be wary of by forces that would like this hugely important issue associated with "wacky conspiracy theories".

[The Backlash Cometh]

8. Time to cut to the chase, name the names.

[Spazito]

10. Here is some more info on that....

Canadian, U.S. and Mexican officials held secretive meeting on integration

02/08/07 "Ottawa Citizen" -- -- OTTAWA - Canadian, U.S. and Mexican politicians discussed using "stealth" to overcome public resistance to the integration of the three countries at a confidential meeting last year, according to documents just released under U.S. Freedom of Information laws.

Top military brass, corporate executives and diplomats also attended the meeting in Banff, Alta., where participants discussed everything from the harmonization of food and drug standards, to common immigration policies, and the pooling of energy resources.

The secret guest list of the North American Forum included then-U.S. secretary of defence Donald Rumsfeld, Canadian Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Rick Hillier, Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day, Pengrowth Corp. CEO James Kinnear and Lockheed Martin executive Ron Covais.

Presentation outlines for the forum acknowledge that the concept of North American integration - which some call a "North American Union" - is unpopular, and note that it might be tough to sell as a concept.

more

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article17005.htm


MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 9, 2007

High-level meeting aimed at integrating North America, says Council of Canadians

Ottawa – North American integration will be the primary focus of a high-level trinational meeting scheduled for February 23, says the Council of Canadians. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff will be in Ottawa to meet with Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay, Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day, Trade Minister David Emerson and their Mexican counterparts.

“While recent media reports have claimed that the meeting will focus on border security,” says Maude Barlow, national chairperson of the Council of Canadians, “we know that the goal of this meeting is to advance a much larger corporate-led agenda for North American integration – something our government has been very secretive about.”

A September 2006 report issued by the governments of Canada, the U.S. and Mexico stated that the upcoming meeting would take place in order to “review progress” on the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) and “develop concrete initiatives” in preparation for the leaders’ summit expected to take place in Kananaskis in June 2007.

“The Security and Prosperity Partnership goes beyond simply the passport issue,” says Jean-Yves Lefort, trade campaigner for the Council of Canadians. “The agreement calls for 300 policy changes in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico and gives wide-ranging powers to the business elite without any consideration for the public interest or the environment.”

The North American Competitiveness Council, a business advisory body to the SPP representing North America’s largest corporations, will be presenting recommendations at the upcoming meeting.

The Council of Canadians is demanding that Canada cease all further participation in the Security and Prosperity Partnership and that Stephen Harper consult with Canadians in a meaningful way on Canada-U.S. relations.

http://www.canadians.org/media/DI/2007/09-Feb-07.html

Edited to add this CBC article:

Top secret: Banff security meeting attracted U.S., Mexico officials
Last Updated: Thursday, September 21, 2006 | 9:15 AM MT
CBC News


A North American security meeting was secretly held in Banff last week, attracting high-profile officials from the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The North American Forum was hosted with the help of the Canada West Foundation and the Canadian Council of Chief Executives.

snip

John Larson, a spokesperson for the North American Forum, said reporters were not told about the conference. He won't confirm who attended the meeting nor will he give any concrete details about what was discussed.

"The participants joined the conference essentially knowing that it would be a private function," said Larson.

more

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/story/2006/09/21/secret-meeting.html

[seafan]

16. Thanks for this additional info, Spazito. All of this under the radar...

Cargo ships that would offload in Mexico instead of California will finish off our West Coast workers' unions by taking away their jobs permanently.

Suddenly our money would become obsolete, and thereby, our savings or investments would be immediately threatened.

Whatever Constitutional crises * has initiated will be rendered inoperable when these globalists take over, for we will no longer be under a Constitutional form of government. It will be a memory.

And that nice *little road* cutting a swath through America's heartland is scheduled to begin construction this year.



Happy Friday, everyone.

I need to go for a walk.



Beat on your Reps and Senators, people. Figuratively, of course.

[BeHereNow]

75. Do not fail to notice the US currency changes...

Ron Paul predicted it YEARS ago.
Our dollars are about to become obsolete under the
NAU.
One World currency is in the works.
One day you will have "x" amount of dollars in the bank,
and the next, you wont!
Voila!
BHN

[buzzard]

26. Spazito I don't know if you have seen these but there are some good articles.

http://www.spp.gov/

http://www.spp-psp.gc.ca/menu-en.aspx

Makes it sound so innocuous.

http://www.vivelecanada.ca/staticpages/index.php/ribbon

<a href="http://www.vivelecanada.ca/staticpages/index.php/ribbon"><img src="" alt="NO Deep integration!" title="NO Deep integration!" border='0'/></a>

[Spazito]

27. I have looked at their "sales pitch" and find interesting

the lack of detail particularly on the regulatory end of things. Here are a couple of examples that should be of concern, imo:

"To ensure food safety while facilitating trade, a Food Safety Coordinating Task Force was formed and is developing a prioritized list of standards to compare for similarities, differences, and scientific bases for the differences. These efforts will facilitate the development of North American standards and, as appropriate, the removal of differences in standards.
To enhance clarity and compatibility of energy regulation, Canadian, U.S. and Mexican regulators began regular meetings to exchange information on regulatory standards and energy market developments and to discuss bringing gas from Alaska to the North American market."

[buzzard]

28. It is a sales pitch alright, the following link has a good timeline.

http://www.vivelecanada.ca/staticpages/index.php/20060830133702539

[Spazito]

31. Excellent link!

Thanks for posting this. It is particularly interesting as of September 2001, it looks as if they have definitely fast tracked this from that date relative to the previous years. I have put this link into my folder on this issue, thanks again.

[formercia]

12. Lou Dobbs is beginning to sound like us.

Welcome Lou, to the Honorable Tin-Foil-Hat Society.

[Robson]

63. There's Even A Phrase For It - Lou Dobbs Democrats

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/11/14/Dobbs.Nov15/index.html

They believe that the free market system should work for everyone, not just the capitalist elite. As far as I'm concerned Dobbs has done more to get Democrats elected in 2006 and the public activated about issues that negatively affects most Americans, than most in Congress.

[spoony]

77. I can't help but love a populist

like him! He definitely has helped, you're right, because he reveals the failures of the misadministration and how it has negatively affected all of us.

[AzDar]

13. K & R n/t

[Morgana LaFey]

15. What I've saved so far

and this terrifies me, btw. I can't help but remember the movie "Postman" whenever I think of this.


WIKIPEDIA: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_Union


==========================================
'Flow freely' will erase face of U.S.
By D.A. KING
Published on: 06/30/06
http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/stories/0630edking.html
discussed here (impt thread): http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2706102&mesg_id=2706102


outraged over our porous borders eventually get to the obvious question: Why has the president of the United States refused to secure American borders?

Perhaps it is part of a larger plan.


intentionally unsecured borders and our government's deliberate lack of enforcement of our immigration and employment laws could be an essential step to a much larger goal: a "North American Union."

While virtually ignored in the mainstream media, the leaders of the nations of North America last year announced a plan to combine the infrastructure, security and ultimately the economies of the three nations. The linchpin of the "Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America" is the "free flow" of goods, services ... and people.

The un-stated NAFTA-World Trade Organization-based theory is simple: Borders are geopolitical abstractions — barriers to increased profit — and have become obsolete in the global economy. At present, labor is overpriced in the United States. The middle-class American Dream, while charming, is outdated.

If you like the idea of illegal, taxpayer-subsidized labor from Mexico, you will love the concept involved here: an unending flow of unskilled low-wage workers looking for a better life with no cumbersome immigration laws about which to be concerned.

Including the already signed 2004 "Totalization" agreement, yet to be considered by Congress — combining the Social Security systems of Mexico and the United States — the Bush administration seems to be following the recommendations of a little noted 2005 publication titled "Building a North American Community," released by the Council on Foreign Relations, a multinational independent foreign-policy organization.

The CFR report further recommends creation of "permanent tribunals" that could overrule American courts on matters of "unfair trade practices" and "tri-national competition" disputes.

Few could doubt that once put into place, the laws and regulations creating the corporate friendly borderless continent would be enthusiastically enforced.

Supporters of the dissolution of the Founding Fathers sovereign republic have already played the "jingoist" card in an attempt to pre-marginalize those who would dare to object to a multilingual, continental Super State dedicated to low wages and increased markets in which "trade, capital and people flow freely."

Americans with the temerity to speak up in objection to Mexican customs inspection offices in Kansas City, the "Amero" replacing the dollar and a North American Union by 2010 should prepare for a battery of invectives containing "phobes," "ists" and "isims."

The more politically correct may want to practice repeating, "I pledge allegiance to the Continent and to the Commerce for which it stands."

Suggestions for a possible new flag, anyone?


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2706102&mesg_id=2706102

[High Plains]

18. All this concern strikes me as hysterical nationalism...

...based on the sort of regional economic integration that there is in the European Union.

Isn't this just what we expect from a nativist demagogue like Lou Dobbs?

[Elwood P Dowd]

22. You're way off base.

This is the Bush crime family and a bunch of corporate crooks pushing this deal. It's strictly a business deal to benefit a few at the expense of many. They tried it with FTAA, but South America revolted against the bastards.

[keepCAblue]

57. I live in California...and this in not about hysterical nationalism

If the Bush and his neocons have it their way and divert shipping from California to Mexico, this will devastate California's economy, not to mention the thousands of lives who are dependent upon California's ports.

[w4rma]

19. The source of it all is a bit off and Lou Dobbs' contribution is only some of it.

The elitist plan does look feasible. I've read about parts of it and haven't really read a hypothesis for a totally fleshed out plan for the end. The plan makes sense.

[Emit]

20. This was posted about here on DU last summer

Don't have the DU links, but I recall this piece here:

Bush Administration Quietly Planning NAFTA Super Highway
http://www.humaneventsonline.com/article.php?id=15497

Human Events - June 12, 2006
Excerpt: Quietly but systematically, the Bush Administration is advancing the plan to build a huge NAFTA Super Highway, four football-fields-wide, through the heart of the U.S. along Interstate 35, from the Mexican border at Laredo, Tex., to the Canadian border north of Duluth, Minn. Once complete, the new road will allow containers from the Far East to enter the United States through the Mexican port of Lazaro Cardenas, bypassing the Longshoreman’s Union in the process. The Mexican trucks, without the involvement of the Teamsters Union, will drive on what will be the nation’s most modern highway straight into the heart of America. The Mexican trucks will cross border in FAST lanes, checked only electronically by the new “SENTRI” system. The first customs stop will be a Mexican customs office in Kansas City, their new Smart Port complex, a facility being built for Mexico at a cost of $3 million to the U.S. taxpayers in Kansas City.





Notice who wrote this:

Jerome R. Corsi
Mr. Corsi is the author of several books, including "Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry" (along with John O'Neill), "Black Gold Stranglehold: The Myth of Scarcity and the Politics of Oil" (along with Craig R. Smith), and "Atomic Iran: How the Terrorist Regime Bought the Bomb and American Politicians." He is a frequent guest on the G. Gordon Liddy radio show. He will soon co-author a new book with Jim Gilchrist on the Minuteman Project.

[westerebus]

62. Take a second look at the map.

I'm adjusting my tinfoil helmet,ok, done. Think global warming and population demographics. What is the first thing you notice? The coast line where the majority of the US population now lives. Fast forward forty years. How old will you be?
Now who has a growing population/birth rate and no jobs? Maybe Latin America?
Now who has the most fresh water on the north american continent? Maybe Canada?
Now who will take care of the elderly in the USA? Maybe immigrant labor?
Now why put resources into decaying coastal cities when there is a lot of under developed land in the middle of the country?
Thanks for listening. Do you think the Amero will be based on the gold standard?:evilgrin:

[Spazito]

21. News article on the meeting that took place today...

Top North American officials play down criticism that talks too secretive

OTTAWA (CP) - Top North American ministers deflected criticism that they had consulted only big business for their talks on trade and security rules, suggesting Friday there are "different venues" for public interest and labour groups to raise their concerns and suggestions.

The Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) is an ongoing dialogue between Canada, the United States and Mexico to find more common ground on issues ranging from border security to emergency preparedness. The group has an arm of business leaders that provides myriad recommendations, but has no formal mechanism for consulting the public at large.

snip

Some of the issues the ministers discussed during their meetings included finalizing a North American plan on dealing with a flu pandemic and another on a common regulatory environment in all three countries. That could include common food safety rules - Canada currently has more stringent rules for fortified products. Insiders say the value of the SPP is that it puts the weight of ministers and national leaders behind projects that might normally languish for years among bureaucrats.

snip

"The fact is, these discussions are worrisome to all Canadians. They have been incredibly secret from the get-go and there has been no public input," Layton said. "The government has not sought out the opinion of parliamentarians or the public on it. Of course the Conservatives think they know best."


more

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=3a72e600-b154-4bfa-b9e3-d2f7a587f918&k=9984

[Nikki Stone1]

23. The military end of this is already consolidating

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=20060512&articleId=2428

Since 2002, Ottawa has been quietly negotiating a far-reaching military cooperation agreement. In November 2004, Global Research published a detailed article on the subject, an abridged version of which was accepted for publication as an Op Ed piece in the Toronto Star. That article never appeared in print. More generally, the Canadian media has failed to provide coverage of an issue which strikes at the heart of Canada's territorial sovereignty.

What the current news coverage fails to acknowledge is that the US Military can cross the border and deploy troops anywhere in Canada, in our provinces, as well station American warships in Canadian territorial waters. This redesign of Canada's defense system has for the last four years been discussed behind closed doors, not in Canada, but at the Peterson Air Force base in Colorado, at the headquarters of US Northern Command (NORTHCOM).

The creation of NORTHCOM announced in April 2002, constitutes a blatant violation of both Canadian and Mexican territorial sovereignty. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld announced unilaterally that US Northern Command would have jurisdiction over the entire North American region. Canada and Mexico were presented with a fait accompli. US Northern Command's jurisdiction as outlined by the US DoD includes, in addition to the continental US, all of Canada, Mexico, as well as portions of the Caribbean, contiguous waters in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans up to 500 miles off the Mexican, US and Canadian coastlines as well as the Canadian Arctic.

NorthCom's stated mandate is to "provide a necessary focus for aerospace, land and sea defenses, and critical support for nation’s civil authorities in times of national need."

[JohnyCanuck]

24. Canada's NDP condemns Harper's push to sell out Canada

NDP = New Democratic Party of Canada.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FEBRUARY 22, 2007

NDP CONDEMNS HARPER'S PUSH TO SELL OUT CANADA

OTTAWA - The Harper government must pull out of further talks on
continental integration with the United States and Mexico or risk our
national sovereignty, says NDP Trade Critic Peter Julian (Burnaby-New
Westminster). Julian commented in advance of the February 23 meeting
to be held in Ottawa where American and Mexican officials will join
Canadian cabinet ministers to push forward the so-called "Security and
Prosperity Partnership" (SPP) agenda.
Julian was joined by NDP Energy Critic, Dennis Bevington (Western
Arctic).

Julian denounced the sellout of Canada.

"The previous Liberal government engaged Canada in a slow merger
process with the United States and Stephen Harper is accelerating the
agenda," said Julian. "The NDP demands a full debate in Parliament on
this issue. Everyday Canadians have the right to know what is being
negotiated."

Changes to some 300 policy and program areas are being promoted as
benign "efficiency" measures. The ongoing extensive consultations in
the SPP process will lead to an unacceptable level of regulatory
harmonization with the surrender of Canadian energy, immigration,
health care, food safety, and environmental policies and to complete
military integration with the US.

"Canada is not the gas tank of the United States. NAFTA already locks
us into supplying energy to the United States even if ordinary
Canadians go without; a North American Union would only make this
worse," said Bevington.

"Canadians should know that the SPP process supports a North American
Union (NAU). The NDP rejects the secretive process surrounding these
ongoing discussions. Canadians will never support a political ideology
which aims at turning North America into a fortress for corporate
interests and neglects the interests of ordinary Canadians. Canadian
sovereignty is not for sale to the highest bidder and the federal
government has no authority to push for a NAU without a mandate from
Canadians," said Julian.

Julian reiterated the NDP's full support for civil society demands
that North American leaders discuss issues vital to the public
interest: the growing prosperity gap in Canada, Mexico, and the US;
the need for guarantees of universal access to public health services;
and for immediate joint efforts to combat global warming rather than
North American Integration.

-30-

For more information, please contact:
Office of Peter Julian, 613-992-4214
Ian Capstick, Press Secretary, 613-720-6400

http://www.vivelecanada.ca/article.php/20070222143429458

[seafan]

25. More from your link:

United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (left) confers with Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay (centre) and Mexican Secretary of Foreign Affairs Patrica Espinosa (right). (CP PHOTO/Fred Chartrand)


Feb. 23, 2007

The SPP's business arm, called the North America Competitiveness Council, rejected the criticism as misguided, saying that there was nothing secretive about their work or that of the partnership. Tom D'Aquino of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives said there hasn't been public input because most people aren't clued in to the issues.

D'OH! Maybe that's because Corporate Media aren't reporting on it?



And....

"How do we take a lot of issues that are really quite important but frankly quite boring, they're not terribly exciting, and bring those to the public light so that people will discuss them? All I can say is that the more of this discussion that we have, the better ... and probably the faster that it will be to get results."

.... so the *little people* shouldn't worry. You'll only hear about all this when we are *finished.*


We The People won't take this lying down, Mr. D'Aquino.

[srulifsonmiles]

30. No, do you think?

Please tell me you aren't just figuring this out now?

So little, so late.

I guess maybe a nation does get the president they deserve.

Truth hurts eh?

[lovuian]

32. NWO conquers Canada and Mexico in one sweepOil wins

The Oil wells of Mexico and the Tar Sands of canada

lots and lots of oil to play with

Lots of workers for cheap labor

problem is I think Canada really gets the short end of the stick

Destruction of Universal Health Social Security all social programs

A New World Order

[Spazito]

33. Yep, we had Darth Cheney up here in a "private" visit to the

tar sands early last year. I am sure he was just interested in the process, right! :sarcasm:

Actually, the citizens of Canada, Mexico and the United States will get the short stick in this. "Harmonization" benefits only the corporations whose profits are now being "restricted" by regulation. Corporations like: Pharmaceuticals, Oil companies, etc, etc, etc, and, I am sure it is just coincidence, the regulations in Canada are tighter than in the US but harmonization will fix that we can be sure.

[seafan]

34. Tony Snow: 'A North American Union with a common currency is urban legend.'

http://www.rabble.ca/for_the_sake_of_argument.shtml?x=57496">From the U.S.: Surrendering our sovereignty

by Cliff Kinkaid
February 23, 2007

.....the “Security and Prosperity Partnership Ministerial Meeting” in Canada today is a subject worthy of some attention from our major media. It springs from a process, set in motion by President Bush about two years ago, involving what many conservatives see as surrender of U.S. sovereignty to a trilateral entity that could assume the form of a North American Union, much like the European Union that now dictates to the citizens of 27 European states.


“The Security and Prosperity Partnership was launched in 2005 to ensure continued economic prosperity in Canada, the United States and Mexico, and to increase the security of citizens in all three countries,” says a release from the Canadian government.
It sounds innocent enough. Those in attendance are supposed to include, from the government of Canada: Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Stockwell Day, Minister of Public Safety, and Maxime Bernier, Minister of Industry.
Their Mexican and U.S. counterparts are Secretary of Foreign Affairs Patricia Espinosa, Secretary of the Interior Francisco Javier Ramírez Acuña, Secretary of Economy Eduardo Sojo Garza-Aldape, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff, and Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez.


The Canadian government says that a “media availability” will be held so that photographs can be taken and a few questions asked of the various officials. My question would be: what is the legal basis for the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP)? My research can find no legal basis for this complicated process, now about two years old, involving the futures of our three countries. ......
A Canadian report describes the SPP as “an international framework for trilateral and bilateral cooperation in North America” that is “not a formal international treaty” or “an overarching binding legal agreement.” But what is an “international framework” that commits U.S. officials from various federal agencies to working with officials of two other countries? Why is such a process not subjected to congressional scrutiny and approval?


It sounds suspiciously like the “non-binding resolution” that the House passed opposing President Bush's policy in Iraq, except for the fact that, on the basis of this allegedly unsigned SPP document, federal officials have entered into other agreements with the governments of Mexico and Canada which have been signed. In other words, this is a non-binding agreement or announcement that has binding consequences on the American people.
The SPP refers, for example, to a “signed” agreement with Mexico on consumer goods and a “signed” agreement with Canada on pipeline regulations. They are described by the SPP as “accomplishments.” Who signed these documents? It doesn't say. Why should they be signed when the original agreement creating the SPP is not? It doesn't explain.

White House spokesman Tony Snow has cavalierly dismissed concerns about this process, saying the charge that the U.S. is being submerged in a North American Union and developing a common currency with Canada and Mexico is an “urban legend.”

.....

(more interesting points in the piece)

[bananarepublican]

45. Therefore it must be true! n/t

[UTUSN]

35. Yeah-yeah, it's a Jerome CORSI conspiracy theory going WILD on the board TONIGHT!!1

*******QUOTE*******

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article3994.htm

.... In a column posted yesterday on Salon.com, Joe Conason writes: "Preferring to avoid public scrutiny for obvious reasons, executives at the Carlyle Group usually say nothing about their firm's connections with the Bush dynasty. But last April 23, Carlyle managing director David Rubenstein spoke quite frankly about the comfy sinecure he provided to George W. Bush more than a decade ago -- and how useless Bush turned out to be. Whether he knew it or not, Rubenstein's remarks to the Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Association were recorded."

Rubenstein said, "We put (Bush) on the board and (he) spent three years. Came to all the meetings. Told a lot of jokes. Not that many clean ones. And after a while I kind of said to him, after about three years - you know, I'm not sure this is really for you. Maybe you should do something else. Because I don't think you're adding that much value to the board. You don't know that much about the company.

Rubenstein continued: "He said, 'Well, I think I'm getting out of this business anyway. And I don't really like it that much. So I'm probably going to resign from the board.' And I said, thanks - didn't think I'd ever see him again. His name is George W. Bush. He became President of the United States. So you know if you said to me, name 25 million people who would maybe be President of the United States, he wouldn't have been in that category. So you never know. Anyway, I haven't been invited to the White House for any things." ....

********UNQUOTE*******

************QUOTE*************

http://www.spp.gov/

Security and Prosperity Partnership Of North America

http://www.spp.gov/myths_vs_facts.asp Text
Myth vs. Fact
Myth: The SPP was an agreement signed by Presidents Bush and his Mexican and Canadian counterparts in Waco, TX, on March 23, 2005.

Fact: The SPP is a dialogue to increase security and enhance prosperity among the three countries. The SPP is not an agreement nor is it a treaty. In fact, no agreement was ever signed.

Myth: The SPP is a movement to merge the United States, Mexico, and Canada into a North American Union and establish a common currency.

Fact: The cooperative efforts under the SPP, which can be found in detail at www.spp.gov, seek to make the United States, Canada and Mexico open to legitimate trade and closed to terrorism and crime. It does not change our courts or legislative processes and respects the sovereignty of the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The SPP in no way, shape or form considers the creation of a European Union-like structure or a common currency. The SPP does not attempt to modify our sovereignty or currency or change the American system of government designed by our Founding Fathers. ....more



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Security_and_Prosperity_Partnership_of_North_America

Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
.... Canadian criticism has also been directed at the North American Competitiveness Council (NACC), a committee made up of 10 CEOs each from Mexico, the United States and Canada, which has been asked to reduce the over 300 recommendations in the SPP down to about 30 achievable goals. NACC members include CEOs from Wal-Mart, Chevron, Lockheed Martin, FedEx, General Electric and Ford, among others. Of the ten Canadian CEOs on the NACC, nine are members of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives, the driving force behind the North American Free Trade Agreement, and the Canadian representative on the trinational Task Force on the Future of North America, whose recommendations led to the creation of the SPP.

The NACC will meet with government reps from all three countries to discuss their proposals in September 2006.


http://www.humaneventsonline.com/article.php?id=14965

North American Union to Replace USA?

by Jerome R. Corsi
Posted May 19, 2006

.... President Bush intends to abrogate U.S. sovereignty to the North American Union, a new economic and political entity which the President is quietly forming, much as the European Union has formed.

The blueprint President Bush is following was laid out in a 2005 report entitled "Building a North American Community" published by the left-of-center Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). The CFR report connects the dots between the Bush administration's actual policy on illegal immigration and the drive to create the North American Union: ....


http://www.humaneventsonline.com/article.php?id=15497

Bush Administration Quietly Plans NAFTA Super Highway

by Jerome R. Corsi
Posted Jun 12, 2006

.... A good reason Bush does not want to secure the border with Mexico may be that the administration is trying to create express lanes for Mexican trucks to bring containers with cheap Far East goods into the heart of the U.S., all without the involvement of any U.S. union workers on the docks or in the trucks.

Mr. Corsi is the author of several books, including "Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry" (along with John O'Neill), "Black Gold Stranglehold: The Myth of Scarcity and the Politics of Oil" (along with Craig R. Smith), and "Atomic Iran: How the Terrorist Regime Bought the Bomb and American Politicians." He is a frequent guest on the G. Gordon Liddy radio show. He will soon co-author a new book with Jim Gilchrist on the Minuteman Project.

http://www.humaneventsonline.com/article.php?id=15623

North American Union Would Trump U.S. Supreme Court

by Jerome R. Corsi
Posted Jun 19, 2006

The Bush Administration is pushing to create a North American Union out of the work on-going in the Department of Commerce under the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America in the NAFTA office headed by Geri Word. A key part of the plan is to expand the NAFTA tribunals into a North American Union court system that would have supremacy over all U.S. law, even over the U.S. Supreme Court, in any matter related to the trilateral political and economic integration of the United States, Canada and Mexico. ....

http://www.wnd.com/news/archives.asp?AUTHOR_ID=246

Coming soon to U.S.: Mexican customs office

Monday, June 05, 2006 by Jerome R. Corsi -- Kansas City is planning to allow the Mexican government to open a Mexican customs office in conjunction with the Kansas City SmartPort. This will be the first foreign customs facility allowed to operate on U.S. soil.

Southern border blurs for global trade

Thursday, June 01, 2006 by Jerome R. Corsi -- The Texas segment of the NAFTA Super Corridor is moving rapidly toward approval. When built, the Trans-Texas Corridor, or TTC, will be a major super-highway with six lanes mo ...

Bush border policy linked to Carlyle deal?

Tuesday, May 23, 2006 by Jerome R. Corsi -- In January 2004, the Carlyle Group put together a new team to begin investing in Mexico. The team consisted of Luis T鬬ez, who was then an executive vice president of Desc, one of Mexico's larges ...

Immigration reform spells death for GOP

Friday, May 19, 2006 by Jerome R. Corsi -- To measure what exactly the Senate is doing in putting together a "Comprehensive Immigration Reform" bill, we have to ask what is going to change after the bill is passed: No illegal immigrant currently in the United Stat ...

Border fence will never be built

Thursday, May 18, 2006 by Jerome R. Corsi -- The Senate voted to approve the amendment submitted by Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., to build a 370-mile section of triple-layered fence along the Mexican border. Now the Bush administration is trying to push this as a victory for conservative ...


http://mediamatters.org/items/200408060010

MMFA investigates: Who is Jerome Corsi, co-author of Swift Boat Vets attack book?

....
• Corsi on Islam: "a worthless, dangerous Satanic religion"

• Corsi on Catholicism: "Boy buggering in both Islam and Catholicism is okay with the Pope as long as it isn't reported by the liberal press"

• Corsi on Muslims: "RAGHEADS are Boy-Bumpers as clearly as they are Women-Haters -- it all goes together"

• Corsi on "John F*ing Commie Kerry": "After he married TerRAHsa, didn't John Kerry begin practicing Judiasm? He also has paternal grandparents that were Jewish. What religion is John Kerry?"

• Corsi on Senator "FAT HOG" Clinton: "Anybody ask why HELLary couldn't keep BJ Bill satisfied? Not lesbo or anything, is she?" ....

********UNQUOTE*******

[Spazito]

36. Hmmm, I see lots of links to mainstream articles, etc, instead

of crap from Corsi, except for yours and maybe one other. The meeting in Banff and the meeting today are factual. Corsi is no part of my concern about the issue, but because he has chosen to address it does not negate the facts around it. Just ignore Corsi and search out what others might have to say about it, you might be surprised.

[seafan]

37. Whaddya know..... there's a hush-hush *energy deal* between Mexico and Canada in today's report.

From the Ottawa Citizen, February 23, 2007:

By Mike Blanchfield

.....

The council report (of the three-country North American Competitiveness Council (NACC)) won't contain any overt plans to smother their countries' sovereignty, but the Citizen has learned it will contain a potentially lucrative idea for Canadian energy companies: that Mexico consider allowing joint ventures with Canada's energy sector to help it boost productivity in its underperforming oil and gas industry.
That is significant because Mexico's constitution forbids foreign companies from participating in production or exploration in its state-owned oil and gas industry. The strict controls on its monopoly, Pemex, are rooted in Mexico's 1930s revolt against foreign oil interests and are deeply ingrained in its national psyche.


Mexican President Felipe Calderon came to power last year, albeit by a slim margin, on a platform that in part advocated some degree of foreign intervention in Pemex, which has hemorrhaged billions in recent years, making it the only one of the world's major oil companies to actually lose money.
Pemex lacks the technology to tap deep reserves in the Gulf of Mexico and refine enough gasoline to meet its domestic needs.


"The Mexicans are genuinely looking to Canada, both our historical example, our technology, what we've done because they realize that with the huge energy resources that they have, they're still locked up and they have to dramatically reform their system," said Tom D'Aquino, the president of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives, and Canada's senior member of NACC.
"How do you do that facing a constitutional prohibition? Is there any way to do it?" Mr. D'Aquino asked in an interview yesterday. "Our conclusion is: Yes, there is. Like so many things in life, if the right schemes are put together."


But Mr. D'Aquino says the NACC report will tread carefully in this territory because any discussion of foreign intervention in Mexico's energy sector will trigger the same backlash that has plagued discussion of the Security and Prosperity Partnership since U.S. President George W. Bush, and former Canadian and Mexican leaders, Paul Martin and Vicente Fox, founded it two years ago: That it is an undemocratic plan to impose economic hegemony on the continent.


In the U.S., right-wing commentators say any talk of further integration of North America will erode U.S. security and long-term economic prosperity. On the fringes of the far right, there are loud whispers among hardened conspiracy theorists this is part of a secret plot to eventually overthrow the U.S. government.
In Canada, the condemnation of the SPP comes from the political left, namely the NDP and the Council of Canadians.
They say the SPP is selling out Canada's sovereignty and any further integration will compromise the ability to make our own rules on immigration, the environment, health, food safety, and education, and could lead to the U.S. stealing our natural resources.

So, let's just *get rid of EVERYBODY'S Constitutional laws*, and then we can get around the existing prohibitions....

[burrowowl]

38. They have been at it for decades

Iran-Contra and before that the creation of the banana republics, etc. I glad some people are waking up.

[sanskritwarrior]

39. Not this NAU crap again

A conspiracy theory in search of an audience.......

[UTUSN]

41. Yip, bookmark it, it will NEVER DIE!!1 n/t

[TheWatcher]

52. Unlike You, of course

An Apathetic Sheep in search of Meadow to Graze In.

[sanskritwarrior]

72. LOL

I think much like the Watcher in Earth X you have lost the ability to see and hear what's really going on......

[northamericancitizen]

40. K & R

[seafan]

42. Report calls for regulations and standards in financial services, transportation, food, agriculture

More Mexican labour needed in oil patch, executives say, February 23, 2007

By STEVEN CHASE

OTTAWA — Canada and Mexico should accelerate efforts to import temporary Mexican energy workers to alleviate the skills shortage in Alberta and other provinces as oil sands development ramps up, top North American CEOs will recommend today.
They will also call for Canada, the United States and Mexico to start work on harmonizing regulations and standards in three sectors: financial services, transportation, and food and agriculture, The Globe and Mail has learned.

The 30 chief executive officers make up the North American Competitiveness Council, formed last year to advise political leaders on strengthening economic ties between Canada, the United States and Mexico.
They're tabling a 63-page report with 51 recommendations today as top politicians from all three countries meet in Ottawa to advance a continental security and prosperity partnership first struck in 2005. They include U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, Mexican Secretary of Foreign Affairs Patricia Espinosa, Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay and Industry Minister Maxime Bernier.

The report will also call for contingency plans to quickly reopen North American borders after a terrorist attack or natural disaster occurs.
CEOs will argue that Mexico stands to benefit in the long run from training people to help develop its own energy sector.
Members of the council include Dominic D'Alessandro of Manulife Financial, Paul Desmarais Jr. of Power Corp. of Canada and Michael Sabia of BCE Inc.
The group counts seven other Canadian CEOs as members, as well as 10 American and 10 Mexican chief executives.

They're recommending both short-term goals for 2008 and longer-term targets for 2010.

.....

From Brooks Alberta Business News:

Top North American officials play down criticism that talks too secretive

JENNIFER DITCHBURN
Friday, February 23, 2007

OTTAWA (CP) - Top North American ministers deflected criticism that they had consulted only big business for their talks on trade and security rules, suggesting Friday there are "different venues" for public interest and labour groups to raise their concerns and suggestions.

.....

The issue of public consultation was at least identified during their meetings. In the final statement released by the ministers, they said they discussed the "importance of transparency and communication with stakeholders and the public."

NDP Leader Jack Layton raised the issue during Friday's question period in the Commons.

"The fact is, these discussions are worrisome to all Canadians. They have been incredibly secret from the get-go and there has been no public input," Layton said. "The government has not sought out the opinion of parliamentarians or the public on it. Of course the Conservatives think they know best."

.....

[seafan]

43. The public absolutely has a right to know what is being planned.

From Guelph Mercury, February 23, 2007:

.....

The meetings in Ottawa are part of the Security and Prosperity Partnership or SPP, a strategy drawn up by Canada, Mexico and the United States two years ago to improve the continent's collective competitiveness and public safety.
Their mostly regulatory activities have gone on largely unnoticed, with eye-glazing proposals on items like navigational accuracy and duty-free liberalization.
But over the past several months, more and more groups have been asking questions about bigger issues -- such as moves to integrate the North American energy market or develop common food safety standards -- complaining that there is no public input into the meetings, nor any clearance from legislators on actions taken.

Dark allegations of an attempt to model North America after the European Union circulate on the Internet and even among politicians in both Canada and the U.S.
"We're looking at potentially 300 different areas where Canada is accepting lower American standards," New Democrat MP Peter Julian said yesterday. "If we're talking about fundamental changes to the various policies we've adopted as a country, then the public absolutely has to have that debate."

Comments like those have spurred a counter-offensive by government officials.
"The SPP is legal and in no way violates the Constitution or affects the legal authorities of the participating executive agencies," reads the U.S. website.
And the Canadian take: "The SPP outlines an agenda for co-operation among the three countries, while respecting each country's sovereignty, culture and laws."

MacKay addressed the concerns this week.

"It's ensuring that Canada's sovereignty, Canada's interests and Canada's prosperity and security are going to be advanced through this partnership and through these very open and high-level dialogues," MacKay said.
Still, the Canadian government provided no official briefing on what was expected from the meetings, which include MacKay, Industry Minister Maxime Bernier and Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day and their Mexican and American counterparts.

.....

[Robson]

88. Coincidence or collusion

Can anyone doubt that the elections in USA, Mexico, Canada of three multi-national conservative corporatists, with 2 out of 3 of the elections being won with questionable legitimacy, was anything but a mere coincidence?

[RB TexLa]

44. It is really a shame that a NeoKnowNothing party would be able to draw such

support from Dems. I wonder of the NeoKnowNothings would get more votes from natavist liberals or the Klan.

[Elwood P Dowd]

50. So you support the corporate consolidation of North America

by the Bush Crime Family. You make me wanna' puke.

I knew you supported NAFTA, CAFTA, FTAA, and all the other corporate fake free trade deals, but now you support this? Tell me why? Also, tell me why you call yourself a democrat? Why do continue to support the agenda of the Bush family?

[High Plains]

53. That kind of cheap shot bullshit doesn't belong on this board.

There is tremendous nativist hysteria being drummed up predominantly by right-wing loons like Corsi over this issue. It's akin to all those fears about black helicopters and One World Government.

The issue is regional economic and security integration. I don't see the European Union, which has advanced to limited political integration, as a disaster. Nor do most Europeans.

The question is who is going to determine how integration works and who benefits. There is, as always, reason for legitimate concern about corporate domination of this process, and it deserves to be watched closely.

Why do I get the feeling that DUers who are screaming about this are the same ones who railed against the Dubai port deal and who spewing spittle about illegal immigration?

"Also, tell me why you call yourself a Democrat? Why do you continue to support the agende of Jerome Corsi?"

That kind of stuff is cheap bullshit. See how it works?

[JohnyCanuck]

55. and it deserves to be watched closely.

By who? The corporately controlled, mainstream, whore media refuses to cover it, and DUers and non-corporate types are not being invited to these confabs where the decisions are being taken. So just how effectively can we "watch closely" what is being decided on our behalf? I guess we are supposed to trust the politicians who rely on their corporate sponsors to win elections and who have a record (especially in the US) of using spin, propaganda, bullshit and outright lies when they deem it necessary to get a desired policy through.

Opening up the Security and Prosperity Partnership

By Stuart Trew

The Hill Times, February 19, 2007

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Homeland Security czar Michael Chertoff will be in Ottawa on Friday, Feb. 23, to discuss the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP) with their Canadian and Mexican counterparts. If you're a little fuzzy on exactly what this tri-national agreement entails, that's because except for an exclusive team of MPs and chief executive officers, you have been categorically left out of the discussion.

This is not an oversight. In fact, the SPP was designed to dodge Parliamentary or public debate so that its more than 300 recommendations on sector deregulation, policy harmonization, and security and energy integration between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico can be implemented fairly rapidly by the executive branches in each country. It's about making policy behind-closed doors. (emphasis added) Or, in the words of a June 2005 SPP report, it's about "roundtables with stakeholders, meetings with business groups and briefing sessions with legislatures."

Since then-prime minister Paul Martin, U.S. President George W. Bush and then-Mexican president Vicente Fox ratified the SPP in March 2005, working groups comprised of bureaucrats and CEOs from all three countries have been integrating Canadian and U.S. policies around food and drug safety, anti-terrorism, the environment, immigration and energy, all without legislative review. Only those MPs whose portfolios touch the SPP directly–Industry, Public Safety, Foreign Affairs and International Trade–have been regularly included in tri-lateral discussions.

The private sector has fared much better. At the March 2006 SPP summit in Cancun, Mexico, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Bush and Fox created the North American Competitiveness Council (NACC), comprised of 10 CEOs from each country, to come up with a blue sky scenario for North American integration. Council members include representatives from Wal-Mart, Lockheed Martin, Merck, General Motors, Home Depot, Linamar and Suncor. It is expected that they too will converge in Ottawa this Friday to report on their recommendations for North American integration.

A top priority of the NACC is "energy integration." As we learned in CBC reports last month, this includes a five-fold increase in Alberta oil sands production. Canadians and most of their official federal parties seem intent on meeting Kyoto targets by significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Energy integration will make meeting those targets physically impossible.

But the SPP is clearly not about what the Canadian public wants. It's about shielding from public debate what corporate Canada wants. (emphasis added)

http://canadians.org/media/council/2007/19-Feb-07.html

Here is a snip from the Canadian New Democratic Party's recent press release on SPP/NAU:

“The previous Liberal government engaged Canada in a slow merger process with the United States and Stephen Harper is accelerating the agenda,” said Julian. “The NDP demands a full debate in Parliament on this issue. Everyday Canadians have the right to know what is being negotiated.”

Changes to some 300 policy and program areas are being promoted as benign “efficiency” measures. The ongoing extensive consultations in the SPP process will lead to an unacceptable level of regulatory harmonization with the surrender of Canadian energy, immigration, health care, food safety, and environmental policies and to complete military integration with the US.

“Canada is not the gas tank of the United States. NAFTA already locks us into supplying energy to the United States even if ordinary Canadians go without; a North American Union would only make this worse,” said Bevington.

“Canadians should know that the SPP process supports a North American Union (NAU). The NDP rejects the secretive process surrounding these ongoing discussions (emphasis added). Canadians will never support a political ideology which aims at turning North America into a fortress for corporate interests and neglects the interests of ordinary Canadians. Canadian sovereignty is not for sale to the highest bidder and the federal government has no authority to push for a NAU without a mandate from Canadians,” said Julian.

http://www.ndp.ca/page/4927

And excuse for being leery and no offense to you and any other US DUers, but I want the least possible integration with any country governed by the likes of your crazy-ass, war criminal, war mongering mindfucks.

[BeHereNow]

65. I wached it on C-Span last night- the rebroadcast, that is.

Innoculous rhetoric by all three participants.
They never really said anything which is exactly why
we should all be very concerned.

They are not hiding their alliance, but they are
not exactly revealing what the plan is-
However it should be noted that on the very
day of their meeting, the Shrub announced his
plan to allow trucks from Mexico further into the
states than previously allowed.
No discussion, no debate and no Congress.

The trucking unions are going to go ballistic.
We will probably start to see war on the public
highways with attacks on Mexican trucks and drivers.

I think I'll take the back roads when possible.

BHN

[SidDithers]

82. Wait, you mean this ultra-secret, pinky-swear...

backroom deal is being broadcast on C-Span?

Imagine that.

Sid

[hansberrym]

58. Then why do you spread such cheap shot bullshit ?!

That kind of cheap shot bullshit doesn't belong on this board.
Posted by High Plains
There is tremendous nativist hysteria being drummed up predominantly by right-wing loons like Corsi over this issue. It's akin to all those fears about black helicopters and One World Government.

The issue is regional economic and security integration. I don't see the European Union, which has advanced to limited political integration, as a disaster. Nor do most Europeans.

The question is who is going to determine how integration works and who benefits. There is, as always, reason for legitimate concern about corporate domination of this process, and it deserves to be watched closely.

Why do I get the feeling that DUers who are screaming about this are the same ones who railed against the Dubai port deal and who spewing spittle about illegal immigration?

"Also, tell me why you call yourself a Democrat? Why do you continue to support the agende of Jerome Corsi?"

That kind of stuff is cheap bullshit. See how it works?



Why yes, I Do see how that works. Anyone who disagrees with you apparently is a supporter of Corsi, or a nativist, or a right wing loon, as you imply in the first sentence of your post.

There is tremendous nativist hysteria being drummed up predominantly by right-wing loons like Corsi over this issue. It's akin to all those fears about black helicopters and One World Government.


What you have not addressed is how econimoic integration is beneficial to the average US citizen; or how it affects the sovereignty of the US; or why would one be foolish enough to believe that the integration planned is merely economic and security focused -but not in the least an integration of political systems.


You also fail to mention that the EU began is much the same way and yet now is poised to become a full fledged political union with a constitution that supercedes the constitutions of the individual member states. The defeat of the EU Consitution by the votes of citizens of France has slowed the momentum for a more complete political union of the nations of the EU, but it is now impossible to deny that the goal of those who pushed for economic integration was, and still is, a political union.


I do not see how undermining the US Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and all the protections our political system now provides is a good thing. But you are free to make your case.




The issue is regional economic and security integration. I don't see the European Union, which has advanced to limited political integration, as a disaster. Nor do most Europeans.

Most US Americans do not think our present Union is a disaster. Why don't you make your case and explain why the US Constitution is deficient?


The question is who is going to determine how integration works and who benefits. There is, as always, reason for legitimate concern about corporate domination of this process, and it deserves to be watched closely.


You are jumping ahead of yourself. The question of whether there will be integration at all has not been decided. It has not even been asked -the citizens have been kept in the dark. Why is that? Who benefits indeed!

[High Plains]

74. Hmmm, so many points of attack...

First, thanks for taking the time to try to deconstruct my post.

Second, I do not accuse all who are up in arms about this issue of being Corsi supporters. In fact, I was quoting verbatim from another poster who was accusing anyone who disagreed with him of being a supporter of the Bush crime family. All I did was substitute the name Corsi for Bush. Attacking someone who disagrees with you as being a Bush (or Corsi or Hitler or Castro) supporter is cheap bullshit. That point I was trying to make apparently went over your head. My apologies.

Third, yes, how regional integration would affect citizens' quality of life and the sovereignity of the US are important questions. I did not have time to write an essay on them. This is sort of the globalism argument writ small. Does international trade and integration bring benefits? Unless we are talking about retreating into Fortress America, we may as well do it as efficiently as possible. That doesn't mean we roll over for corporate interests, though.

As for US sovereignty, I'm not really too worried. The US has done quite well at maintaining its sovereignty, thank you. We routinely ignore international accords when we feel like it. Talking about a regional trade agreement as if it is going to undermine the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the American Way of Life is sheer hyperbole.

These are important issues. There are legitimate concerns. It would be nice if they could be discussed on this board in a reasonable manner.

As for the European Union and its dreadful march toward political unification, well, I guess the good citizens of Europe have sort of put a crimp in that. What happened to the all powerful One Worlders?

[hansberrym]

76. Indeed there are !

Second, I do not accuse all who are up in arms about this issue of being Corsi supporters. In fact, I was quoting verbatim from another poster who was accusing anyone who disagreed with him of being a supporter of the Bush crime family. All I did was substitute the name Corsi for Bush. Attacking someone who disagrees with you as being a Bush (or Corsi or Hitler or Castro) supporter is cheap bullshit. That point I was trying to make apparently went over your head. My apologies.


Except the poster you were responding to was of course responding to a still earlier poster who painted those in opposition to the NAU as nativists. So your "turn about is fair play" claim doesn't fit. The poster you were responding to was making that claim already -but apparently it went right over your head.


Third, yes, how regional integration would affect citizens' quality of life and the sovereignity of the US are important questions. I did not have time to write an essay on them. This is sort of the globalism argument writ small. Does international trade and integration bring benefits? Unless we are talking about retreating into Fortress America, we may as well do it as efficiently as possible. That doesn't mean we roll over for corporate interests, though.

As for US sovereignty, I'm not really too worried. The US has done quite well at maintaining its sovereignty, thank you. We routinely ignore international accords when we feel like it. Talking about a regional trade agreement as if it is going to undermine the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the American Way of Life is sheer hyperbole.


Who is talking about retreating to fortress america? That is the Mother of All False Dichotomies and is hardly the basis for reasonable argument.

Our choices are not integration or isolation. We are now an independent nation that engages heavily in trade all over the planet and we have the trade deficits to prove it. Furthermore we admit near a million legal immigrants a year, we admit many more on tempory work visas, and our borders are relatively open. Anyone who would label the USA as fortress america/isolationist in terms of trade and immigration policy would truly be engaging in hyperbole.


As for the European Union and its dreadful march toward political unification, well, I guess the good citizens of Europe have sort of put a crimp in that. What happened to the all powerful One Worlders?


Thank God for the French!

The One Worlders are busy making war on Iraq, and trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the citizens of the nation states that the One Worlders hope to "integrate" out of existence.

[Kurovski]

46. K&R.(nt)

[and-justice-for-all]

47. The Heritage Foundation??!! (vomit) nt

[and-justice-for-all]

49. I just sent this to my Senator...nt

[Devon77]

54. has anyone read the judicialwatch documents?

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=JUD20070211&articleId=4750

The North American Forum presentations discussed immigration and border enforcement; full economic and energy integration including infrastructure and transportation; a North American investment fund; and common customs and duties. The idea of a carbon tax was raised as a means to combat so-called global warming. References to the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) occur throughout the documents.

The notes for the presentations document the need to overcome popular opposition to North American integration: “To what degree does a concept of North America help/hinder solving problems between the three countries?…While a vision is appealing working on the infrastructure might yield more benefit and bring more people on board (‘evolution by stealth’).”
“It is not encouraging to see the phrase ‘evolution by stealth’ in reference to important policy debates such as North American integration and cooperation,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “These documents provide more information to Americans concerned about the Security and Prosperity Partnership. The more transparency, the better.”

http://www.judicialwatch.org/archive/2007/NORTHCOMCoverLtr.pdf
http://www.judicialwatch.org/archive/2007/ADMKeatingDocsBanff.pdf
http://www.judicialwatch.org/archive/2007/POLADBoltonNotesBanff.pdf
http://www.judicialwatch.org/archive/2007/MGVolcheffNotesBanff.pdf

[seafan]

68. Fantastic links, Devon77! The next North American Forum is Oct 12-14, 2007.

...in Puerto Vallarta. Might be a good time to show up and voice some opinion.

Thanks again for posting these links to the FOIA documents.

[Devon77]

86. The media isn't going to cover it

no problem, fortunately I had them saved on my computer so I knew the filenames and could find them.

[bagrman]

56. Okay heres your home work. This is so new

that when you try to tell your friends about it their just going to laugh at you and scream conspiracy. Little do they realize that all of our political system and our capitalistic system is a conspiracy. This might be a ridicules idea, but you need to print out the above article and mail it to your rep. in washington, and then also email it to every one in your address book and go and get some news outlets emails so you can send it to them also. I know it will take a little effort on your part but to get our country back it's going to take a lot more, consider this a primer. I know , I know, you don't have a stamp, it's raining, the mail box is buried in the snow, there are a lot of excuses you can use but the best one will be when your grand children look at you and ask what you did to try to prevent this mess. You have but one life to give to your country, don't waste it.


Latr

[ensho]

59. kick

(ensho formerly donsu)

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

61. Kick.

[Marrah_G]

60. This will lead to the end of the US as we know it

In my opinion the country will fragment over this issue. The destruction of our transportation, shipping industries and the last of our manufacturing industry, will bring a revolution to our lands. I believe this will be the final straw that breaks the back of the American empire. To those who think it cannot happen, remember even Rome fell, when it over reached it's borders. When an Empire becomes to large and populous it is impossible to control under one umbrella of power and I do believe an Empire is what they are seeking.

[Robson]

64. Bush Now Wants Mexican 18 Wheelers In the USA

As if our roads aren't dangerous enough now with too many unsafe American trucks. Bush now wants to allow Mexican 18 wheelers to go far into our country. American workers are caught in a downward spiral of wages and benefits helped along by outsourcing and illegal immigration, and now Bush wants to help Mexico to haul truckloads from their ports into America. American users of our highways will be the sacrificial lambs. BTW I've never forgiven Clinton about NAFTA. I agree that this works toward the neo-con goal of one North America. Where are the Democrats in Congress on this?

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/02/23/ap/politics/mainD8NFL1OG1.shtml

[Robson]

83. Check Out Kansas Smart Port

I'd like to know why I don't hear anything on this proposal from the Democratic Party, or for that matter either party, on this move to shift port jobs from California to Mexico and eventually shift sovereign soil of Mexico to Kansas, all supposedly authorized in NAFTA.

The only mouthpiece on this is Lou Dobbs. That's what scares me about Hillary.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kansas_City_SmartPort

http://www.naftasuperhighway.info/

[Danger Mouse]

66. This is very ominous...and should NOT be just dismissed as a conspiracy theory...

in fact, it bears further investigation, and we should all make ourselves aware of what is going on.
Do YOU trust Bush to 'integrate' us in such a way that is in OUR best interests?
Sounds very bad, no matter how you slice it, imho.

[AzDar]

67. Kick!

:kick:

[lies and propaganda]

69. HOLY SHIT! This wasnt moved to the 911 forum/???/

Because I damn sure know there have been many many posts on DU about the superhighway and Dobbs that have been banished straight to the place where all things everyone of us doesnt agree on goes to.

[nonconformist]

70. Kick. nt

[mikehiggins]

71. How has it come to this?

Our laws, our rights and our democratic (sorta) form of government, sacrificed to a god of corporate greed "for our own good."

How does this happen? DOes anyone REALLY beleive this stuff will help our nation, or is it all driven by raw greed from first to last? And do even the super-rich beleive that they will somehow be spared when the consequences of their actions come home to roost in anarchy and violence?

There is no guarantee that our way of life, and governance, will continue into the future no matter what the pollyannas among us seem to think. The Bushoids have already pushed this nation pretty far down the road towards totalitarian rule. How much more do you think it will take? COuld this tri-partite arrangement be the final straw? Looks like it, and even more so when you consider the lengths everyone concerned are going to in order for this to remain below the radar.

If I was Lou Dobbs, I'd think twice before flying anywhere, anytime soon.

[wryter2000]

73. Hmmm

The U.S. has the worse gap between rich and poor of any country in the world Aside from using "worse" where they mean "worst," is this statement actually true?

[GreenZoneLT]

78. Just one problem

Lou Dobbs is a nativist idiot, and you can't trust anything he reports.

[knight_of_the_star]

79. Ad hominem doesn't apply here, thanks

And what you just posted is a textbook example. Shoot the messenger, ignore the message.

[Lorien]

80. Kick n/t

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

89. Kick! eom

[Leopolds Ghost]

84. The recently-passed CAFTA has mandated the destruction of Costa Rica's socialist economy

And will prevent "socialist" laws from being enacted in Nicaragua and El Salvador under popularly elected, neo-socialist regimes there.

NAFTA/CAFTA/SPP would similarly outlaw Congress from passing any
laws that would do the same thing here, e.g. Universal Healthcare
or utility/telecom re-regulation (say goodbye forever to the
pre-1996 competition in broadcasting.)

Thanks, Clintons / Bushes!