January 23, 2007 -- As Europe and Southeast Asia moves further towards free trade and transit areas, George Bush's fascist/fortress America now requires Canadians and Mexicans -- our so-called "NAFTA partners" -- to have passports to enter the United States. In addition, American travelers to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, the Bahamas, and Caribbean islands are now required to have a passport to enter the United States. The Bush/Michael Chertoff policies on entry into the United States have resulted in drastic financial losses for the U.S. travel and hospitality industries. According to our European correspondent, the 86,000 attendees at the largest Nordic Travel Expo in Helsinki, Finland, held between January 18 and 21, 2007, heard some sobering statistics about travel to the United States from Europe.. Although travel from the Nordic nations to destinations around the world, travel from the same countries to the United States is decreasing. Travel from the Nordic nations to the United States between 2005 and 2006 was down 18 percent from previous years. Travel also decreased in the years immediately following 9/11.
Prospective European travelers to the United States cited the Homeland Security Department's insistence on collecting intrusive privacy-related information from travelers as a major reason for avoiding travel to the United States. The lack of restrictions by other countries on international tourists makes them more attractive travel destinations. The Discover America - Visit USA Committee representative at the Nordic Travel Expo got and earful from expo attendees and promised to do all he can to make travel to the United States more attractive and easier. Nothing will happen until the Homeland Security Department is purged of its neo-cons who "discover" new threats in shampoo bottles, toothpaste tubes, and breast milk every day.

Achtung! Welcome to America.