PRE-SPP SUMMIT CONFERENCE REVEALS TRUE ELITIST MINDSET
PART 1 OF 2
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PATRICK WOOD
AUGUST 26, 2007
NEWSWITHVIEWS.COM
THE AUGUST 21, 2007 SECURITY AND PROSPERITY PARTNERSHIP (SPP) SUMMIT IN
MONTEBELLO, QUEBEC WITH U.S. PRESIDENT BUSH, CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER HARPER AND
MEXICAN PRESIDENT CALDERON WAS HELD BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. NOTHING OF SUBSTANCE HAS
BEEN REPORTED BY THE PRESS, EVEN THOUGH SEVERAL MAJOR MEDIA OUTLETS ATTENDED
THE EVENT.
TO UNDERSTAND WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED, WE CAN TURN TO AN AUGUST 13 POLICY
CONFERENCE THAT WAS HELD IN WASHINGTON, DC. TITLED "THE MONTEBELLO SUMMIT AND
THE FUTURE OF NORTH AMERICA," THE CONFERENCE PRESENTED THREE PANELS OF GLOBAL
THINKERS, INCLUDING DR. ROBERT A. PASTOR, TO PROGNOSTICATE ON THE PAST, PRESENT
AND FUTURE OF THE SECURITY AND PROSPERITY PARTNERSHIP (SPP) AND NORTH AMERICA.
THESE ARE THE ACADEMICS WHO REPRESENT THE POLICY LEADING UP TO EACH ANNUAL
SPP SUMMIT.
NOT COINCIDENTALLY, THE CONFERENCE WAS SCHEDULED JUST ONE WEEK PRIOR TO THE
SPP SUMMIT HELD IN MONTEBELLO, QUEBEC, WHERE THE HEADS OF STATE WOULD
COLLABORATE ON ISSUES OF "DEEP INTEGRATION" BETWEEN THE THREE NATIONS.
THE CONFERENCE ORGANIZER, PROFESSOR CHRISTOPHER SANDS, IS A SENIOR FELLOW AT
HUDSON, A COLLEAGUE OF DR. ROBERT PASTOR AT AMERICAN UNIVERSITY AND A MEMBER
OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO THE U.S. SECTION OF THE NORTH AMERICAN
COMPETITIVENESS COUNCIL.
THE CONFERENCE THEME WAS CENTERED AROUND SANDS' WHITE PAPER (CO-AUTHORED WITH
CANADIAN GREG ANDERSON ) ENTITLED, ""NEGOTIATING NORTH AMERICA: THE SECURITY
AND PROSPERITY PARTNERSHIP."
HTTP://HUDSON.ORG/FILES/PDF_UPLOAD/HUDSONNEGOTIATINGNORTHAMERICAADVANCEPROOF2.PDF
SANDS AND ANDERSON CONCLUDED THEIR 35 PAGE PAPER BY EXPLAINING THE NEED TO
"FIX THE SHORT-COMINGS OF THE PRESENT PROCESS TO ADDRESS THE GROWING NEED FOR
COOPERATION IN THE MANAGEMENT OF CONTINENTAL ECONOMIC INTEGRATION AND
SECURITY." (P. 31)
ROBERT PASTOR WAS NOT SO FORGIVING OF THE SPP PROCESS, EVEN THOUGH HE WAS THE
ONE WHO ORIGINALLY SUGGESTED IT IN 2003. PASTOR OPENLY CRITICIZED SPP AS
BEING TOO BUREAUCRATIC, TOO SLOW AND TOO VAGUE TO BE OF ANY GOOD. NOTE CAREFULLY
THOUGH, THAT CRITICS OF SPP ARE BEING HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR! ALL OF THE
PANELISTS POINTEDLY ADDRESSED PUBLIC CRITICISM AND SANDS AND ANDERSON WROTE,
"WHAT U.S. NEGOTIATORS MUST REALIZE IS THAT NORTH AMERICA IN THE INTERNET AGE
CAN BECOME AN ECHO CHAMBER IN WHICH CANADIAN AND MEXICAN FEARS ARE AMPLIFIED
BY U.S.-BASED CRITICISM, AND WHEN THE LATTER GOES UNANSWERED, THE EFFECT IS
CORROSIVE TO PUBLIC SUPPORT IN ALL THREE COUNTRIES. WORSE, AFTER A PERIOD OF
REVERBERATING RECRIMINATIONS WHEN BREAKTHROUGH AGREEMENT IS ACHIEVED, THE
CANADIANS AND MEXICANS WILL BE MORE ANXIOUS AND RESISTANT TO NORTH AMERICAN
COOPERATION THAN BEFORE AND THE U.S. PUBLIC MORE HOSTILE AND SKEPTICAL AS WELL."; (P.
31)
THEIR CONCERN OVER PUBLIC SUPPORT IS CURIOUS. WHAT PUBLIC SUPPORT?
PASTOR SHED SOME LIGHT ON THIS WHEN HE STATED,
"PUBLIC OPINION INDICATES THAT A STRONG MAJORITY BELIEVE IN A COMMON SECURITY
PERIMETER. A MAJORITY IN ALL THREE COUNTRIES ARE IN FAVOR OF MOVING TOWARDS
AN ECONOMIC UNION, ALTHOUGH I THINK THEY MEAN A CUSTOMS UNION, IF THEY FELT
THAT IT WOULD IMPROVE THEIR STANDARD OF LIVING AND NOT HARM THEIR CULTURE OR
THEIR ENVIRONMENT. AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY WOULD LIKE GREATER COORDINATION OF
ENVIRONMENTAL, TRANSPORTATION AND DEFENSE POLICIES. MORE MODEST MAJORITIES IN
FAVOR OF MIGRATION, ENERGY AND BANKING COORDINATION AMONG OUR THREE COUNTRIES."
WHATEVER OPINION POLLS PASTOR IS REFERRING TO, THEY FLY IN THE FACE OF THE
RECENT FT/HARRIS POLL MENTIONED IN "GLOBAL BACKLASH AGAINST GLOBALIZATION,"
HTTP://WWW.AUGUSTREVIEW.COM/NEWS_COMMENTARY/NORTH_AMERICAN_UNION/GLOBAL_BACKLASH_AG
AINST_GLOBALIZATION?_2007072672/ WHERE ONLY 20 PERCENT OF THOSE POLLED WERE
SOLIDLY IN FAVOR OF GLOBALIZATION. STILL, THE MOST DISTURBING FACT IS THAT
PASTOR USES MADE-UP STATISTICS TO JUSTIFY HIS PRE-CONCEIVED POSITION. THIS
WRITER HAS OFTEN OBSERVED THIS TYPE OF SELF-JUSTIFICATION OVER MANY YEARS.
WHEN CHALLENGED ABOUT CLAIMS OF PUBLIC SUPPORT, ELITISTS LIKE PASTOR WILL
BACKPEDAL AND SAY THAT IF THE PUBLIC ONLY KNEW WHAT THEY KNOW, THEN OF COURSE
THEY WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF GLOBALIZATION! BUT IN FACT, THE PUBLIC DOESN'T KNOW.
THE ELITIST PRESUMPTION TO KNOW THE PUBLIC MIND IS STAGGERING.
A SINGLE DISSENTING VOICE WAS ALLOWED ON THE PANEL, NAMELY, DR. JOHN FONTE,
WHO IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR AMERICAN COMMON CULTURE AT THE HUDSON
INSTITUTE. FONTE'S REBUTTAL WAS SO SUCCINCT AND AUTHORITATIVE THAT IT IS REPEATED
BELOW IN ITS ENTIRETY.
PANEL 3: AFTER MONTEBELLO: THE VIEW FROM THE SUMMIT, - AND WHERE WE GO FROM
HERE - DR. JOHN FONTE
MY VISION OF THE FUTURE OF NORTH AMERICA IS RATHER DIFFERENT FROM THE ONE YOU
HAVE HEARD. I SEE A 21ST CENTURY NORTH AMERICAN CONSISTING OF THREE
INDEPENDENT DEMOCRATIC NATION STATES, THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, AND MEXICO. THERE
WOULD BE REASONABLE COOPERATION AND SECURITY AND TRADE, BUT AS SOVEREIGN
DEMOCRATIC STATES, THEY WOULD RULE THEMSELVES. FOR EXAMPLE, AMERICAN BORDER SECURITY
WOULD BE DETERMINED BY AMERICANS. CANADIAN TRADE, ECONOMIC, AND ENERGY POLICIES
WOULD BE DETERMINED BY CANADIANS. AND IF SOME OF THOSE €“ AMERICA DIDN€™T LIKE
SOME OF THOSE POLICIES, WELL, THAT IS CALLED DEMOCRACY.
MEXICAN EDUCATION AND CULTURAL POLICY WOULD BE DETERMINED BY MEXICANS. THUS,
MEXICAN SCHOOLS, FOR EXAMPLE, WOULD CONTINUE TO PROMOTE MEXICAN IDENTITY TO
MEXICAN STUDENTS, NOT, AS RECOMMENDED BY THE COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS, TO,
QUOTE, GIVE STUDENTS A GREATER SENSE OF NORTH AMERICAN IDENTITY. I WOULD EXPECT
THAT MOST ORDINARY CITIZENS IN THE UNITED STATES, CANADA AND MEXICO, WOULD
PREFER THEIR EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS FOCUSED ON THEIR OWN NATIONAL IDENTITY AND
HISTORY.
NOW, LET€™S LOOK AT SOME BROAD €“ WHAT I SEE AS BROAD PROBLEMS WITH THE SPP IN
GENERAL. ONE IS CONCEPTUAL, PHILOSOPHICAL. THERE IS IN A SENSE A DEMOCRACY
DEFICIT IN TERMS OF PROCESS. AND, TWO, IN TERMS OF THE SUBSTANCE OF THE POLICIES
THEMSELVES, WHICH I€™LL LOOK AT €“ EXAMINE THAT: BORDER SECURITY,
IMMIGRATION, AND HOW IT MESHES WITH THE TRADITIONAL AMERICAN CONCEPT OF THE ASSIMILATION
OF IMMIGRANTS, WHAT WE USED TO PROUDLY CALL AMERICANIZATION.
ON THE FIRST POINT, DEMOCRACY DEFICIT, THE SPP HAS SOME VERY FAR-REACHING
GOALS: THE HARMONIZATION OF REGULATION, STANDARDS, BORDER IMMIGRATION POLICIES.
THE LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY FOR SPP IS SUPPOSEDLY IN THE FINE PRINT
IN NAFTA. BUT, AS HAS BEEN POINTED OUT, THERE IS NO CONGRESSIONAL
AUTHORIZATION FOR SPP. THERE HAVE BEEN NO FUNDS APPROPRIATED BY CONGRESS DIRECTLY FOR SPC €“
SPP. THERE IS LITTLE OVERSIGHT OR CONGREGATIONAL HEARINGS, NO REAL PUBLIC
INVOLVEMENT. IT IS NOT A TREATY, NO REAL TRANSPARENCY, EXCEPT FOR THE MATERIAL
RELEASED RELUCTANTLY AFTER FREEDOM-OF-INFORMATION REQUESTS.
ACTUALLY, JUST AS AN ASIDE, I WAS RATHER ASTOUNDED BY THE LAST PANEL WHEN THE
QUESTION WAS, SHOULD WE KNOW WHO WAS ACTUALLY ATTENDING THESE MEETINGS, AND
THE PERSON ON THE PANEL SAID, WELL, THAT REALLY WOULDN€™T SERVE ANY PURPOSE IF
YOU ESSENTIALLY KNOW WHO IS COMING OR NOT. THIS TELLS US SOMETHING ABOUT THE
MINDSET AT WORK.
IN SHORT, THE SPP CONTAINS NONE OF THE REGULAR PROCEDURES OF AMERICAN
CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY. AS THE ANDERSON-SANDS PAPER POINTS OUT, THERE HAS BEEN A
LACK OF RESPONSE TO CONGRESS BY THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION.
NOW, UNLIKE SOME, I DON€™T BELIEVE A CONSPIRACY IS AT WORK; NEVERTHELESS, THE
NORTH AMERICAN INTEGRATION PROCESS, THE NSPP, IS DEEPLY FLAWED BOTH
CONCEPTUALLY AND ADMINISTRATIVELY. OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE AREAS OF COOPERATION THAT ARE
BEING PURSUED BY SPP AND OTHERS THAT MAKE SENSE IN HEALTH REGULATIONS, TRADE,
INTELLIGENCE COOPERATION AND SO ON. HOWEVER, THE ISSUE IS A BORDER SECURITY, IN
IMMIGRATIONS, THAT ARE ISSUES IN AMERICA THAT WILL BE DECIDED BY THE CONGRESS
OF THE UNITED STATES, NOT DELEGATED TO EXECUTIVE BRANCH OFFICIALS AND
TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATE EXECUTIVES.
LET€™S LOOK AT SOME SPECIFICS: BORDER SECURITY. IT€™S CLEAR THAT THE SPP
DOCUMENT, AS IT STATES, THE IMMEDIATE NUMBER-ONE PRIORITY IS, QUOTE, €œTO FACILITATE
THE MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE ACROSS BORDERS OF NORTH AMERICA.€ NOW, UNLIKE ADAM
SMITH IN €œTHE WEALTH OF NATIONS,€ SPP DOES NOT PUT €“ DOES INDEED PUT COMMERCE
OVER SECURITY. REMEMBER SMITH PUT SECURITY OVER COMMERCE IN THE WEALTH OF
NATIONS.
JIM EDWARDS WRITES IN A BACKGROUND PAPER FOR THE CENTER FOR IMMIGRATION STUDY
€“ I URGE YOU TO READ THAT, ALONG WITH THE JUDICIAL WATCH€™S FREEDOM
INFORMATION NOTE, WHICH ARE VERY INTERESTING ON WHAT €“ OF SOME OF THE REPORTS ON SOME
OF THE MEETINGS. EDWARDS SAYS THE SPP REPORTS PRIORITIZE SPEED OVER SECURITY. I
THINK THAT IS RIGHT. WE€™LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE HERE. THE NORTH AMERICAN
COMPETITIVENESS COUNCIL REPORT OF FEBRUARY 2007 HAVE THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATION:
DEVELOP AND ADOPT A LOW-COST, EASILY ATTAINABLE ID AND
CITIZENSHIP-VERIFICATION DOCUMENT AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO A PASSPORT. AND THAT IS ALMOST AN INVITATION
TO FRAUD GIVEN WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT FRAUDULENT DOCUMENTS IN THE IMMIGRATION
BUSINESS IN THE LAST 10 YEARS.
THESE PRIORITIES ARE VAGUELY WRITTEN AND AMBIGUOUS, BUT IMPLICIT IS THE
SUGGESTION THERE SHOULD BE ONE BORDER FOR ALL OF NORTH AMERICA. INDEED, THERE IS A
DISCUSSION BY THE TRAVELER SCREENING SYSTEM WORKING GROUP OF ONE CARD, AND
THIS HAS BEEN €“ THIS IS THE SUGGESTION. IT IS SOMEWHAT AMBIGUOUS IN SPP. WELL,
THIS IS AN ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL ISSUE. ARE WE TALKING ABOUT ONE BORDER FOR NORTH
AMERICA, OR WHEN YOU CROSS THE MEXICAN- GUATEMALAN BORDER, ARE YOU IN THE
UNITED STATES, IN WHICH CASE OUR SECURITY IS DEPENDENT ON MEXICAN-BORDER SECURITY.
THE IMPLICATION OF IN SPP IS A YES, BUT, AS I SAY, IT€™S AMBIGUOUS. IT WOULD
MAKE MUCH MORE SENSE IN TERMS OF BORDER SECURITY AND THE WAR ON TERROR IF WE
HAD A LAYERED SYSTEM OF BORDERS. SURE, A NORTH AMERICAN OUTER BORDER WOULD BE
FINE, BUT THEN EVEN TOUGHER BORDERS €“ U.S.-MEXICAN BORDER AND THE U.S.-CANADIAN
BORDER €“ TOUGHER AS THE ADMINISTRATION IS NOW BELATEDLY SAYING THE LAST FEW
WEEKS THAT IT PLANS ON DOING.
ONE OF THE PROBLEMS IS THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN DOMINATED BY CORPORATE SPECIAL
INTERESTS AND NOT BY THE NATIONAL SECURITY INTERESTS, BY BORDER SECURITY
INTERESTS OF THE UNITED STATES. AND I BELIEVE THAT OVERALL THAT PROPOSALS IN SPP
WOULD ACTUALLY WEAKEN BORDER SECURITY. FOR PART TWO CLICK BELOW.
CLICK HERE FOR PART -----> 2, HTTP://WWW.NEWSWITHVIEWS.COM/WOOD/PATRICK26.HTM
© 2007 PATRICK WOOD - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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PATRICK M. WOOD IS EDITOR OF THE AUGUST REVIEW, WHICH BUILDS ON HIS ORIGINAL
RESEARCH WITH THE LATE DR. ANTONY C. SUTTON, WHO WAS FORMERLY A SENIOR FELLOW
AT THE HOOVER INSTITUTION FOR WAR, PEACE AND REVOLUTION AT STANFORD
UNIVERSITY. THEIR 1977-1982 NEWSLETTER
