It is this reporter's opinion that in another display of the power of American citizens working together, we have stopped an invasion on our nation’s highways by Mexican trucks.
The debate over Mexican trucks pouring into the United States has been waged in Congress, in the courts, in protests, at the border, and on the presidential campaign trail.
Since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was passed in 1993, there has been a push to permit Mexican long-haul trucks to enter the United States. But now the United States Senate has voted to eliminate federal funding for the Mexican trucking pilot program.
Once again, the people, rising up in righteous anger, have expressed their opposition by saying, “No amnesty, no Mexican trucking.” You the people did it through your thousands of calls, faxes, e-mails, letters, and face-to-face confrontations.
You made it happen! You showed again that fighting back can work.
The Senate dealt a blow to the Bush plan to give Mexican trucking the right to free access to U.S. roads and highways. A bipartisan majority voted 74-24 to pass an amendment offered by Sen. Byron Dorgan, D–N.D., to remove funding for the Mexican trucking demonstration project. Sen. Arlen Specter, R–Pa., joined Dorgan as co-sponsor of his amendment.
It has been an exciting debate in which opponents of Mexican trucking have cited underage Mexican truckers and their lack of driving skills, their lack of sobriety, their use of drugs, their long hours without sleep; smuggling of illegals; hauling of illegal substances; horrendous traffic jams; driving violations; damage to highway infrastructure; a lack of front-to-back inspection, and faulty equipment.
And what about motorists’ insurance? The uninsured Mexican trucks would cause a myriad of insurance problems to Americans including skyrocketing car insurance rates.
Another issue was the impact the Mexican trucks would have on our truckers, our teamsters in the United States. It would cost American truckers their jobs through lower wages paid to the Mexican truckers.
In the midst of the debate came a fiery collision in Mexico that occurred between two trucks carrying highly combustible chemicals that killed more than two dozen people.
Sen. Dorgan praised the U.S. Senate for its action, calling the decision “a vote for safety.” The Senate action represents a turning of the tide on the senseless headlong rush this country has been engaged in to dismantle safety standards and to destroy a quality of life it took generations to achieve.
Teamster General President Jim Hoffa praised the Senate for slamming the door on the Bush administration’s illegal and reckless plan to open our borders to trucks from Mexico. Says Hoffa, “The American people have spoken and Congress has spoken. Now it’s time for the Bush administration to listen to the people. We don’t want to share our highways with dangerous trucks from Mexico.”
The American people have spoken. Mr. Bush, did you get the message?
© 2007 Newsmax. All rights reserved.
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