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Wednesday, 18 March 2009 11:08 |
The issue might seem arcane to most people. But judging from the amount of international news coverage and commentary, the world is watching intently as the US Congress said it will cancel a NAFTA program that allowed some Mexican trucks to make long-haul deliveries north of the border. It's another case of "do as I say, not as I do" while at the same time global leaders denounce protectionism. Newly appointed USTR Ron Kirk and team had better get this issue fixed promptly, because right now the US is sending the exact wrong message to the rest of the world by backtracking on an established agreement (the US Senate voted 92-5 today to confirm Kirk)...
The US economy remains the dominant global growth engine. What the US says and does is watched and scrutinized since it will take our economy to help correct the worldwide recession. The Obama Administration and Congress have been walking a tight rope trying to balance the economic needs of the country versus their campaign promises to constituencies such as organized labor. Mexico understandably put retaliatory tariffs on a number of US goods in response to the trucking debacle; but the whole issue could have been quietly resolved earlier. But the time comes when a mess like this just needs to be cleaned up. As Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (Republican-TX) said according to Bloomberg News before the USTR vote, “The most urgent issue the new trade representative will need to face is Mexico…We all know that this must be solved.”
Starting two years ago, Truth About Trade & Technology was well out in front on this issue. Board member Tim Burrack authored 'Keep on Truckin'' (March 15, 2007) and 'Trucking in Reverse' (September 19, 2007) which can be viewed using the following links:
Trucking in Reverse
By Tim Burrack
Sept. 19, 2007
http://www.truthabouttrade.org/content/view/10926/50/lang,en/
Keep on Truckin'
By Tim Burrack
March 15, 2007
http://www.truthabouttrade.org/content/view/10921/50/lang,en/
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