4um: URGENT: Senate Vote Could Block Mexican Truck Program

Title: URGENT: Senate Vote Could Block Mexican Truck Program - Take Action
Source: Daily Kos
URL Source: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/9/10/133239/604
Published: Sep 10, 2007
Author: Teamster Power
Post Date: 2007-09-10 19:18:21 by Zipporah
Keywords: None
Views: 154
Comments: 4

by TeamsterPower

Mon Sep 10, 2007 at 12:19:21 PM PDT

The House passed a similar measure in May that passed by the overwhelming margin of 411-3.

This is a bi-partisan, commen-sense, grass-roots issue. Americans of all political persuasions are outraged that the Bush administration would disregard the will of Congress and the majority of citizens who do not want this plan to move forward.

Americans can see through the Bush smokescreen. They see the potential danger, environmental and economic impacts to our nation if this so-called pilot project moves forward.

Everthing about this program has been done under the radar. Just weeks before the pilot program was announced, the DOT denied it was even being considered. There was no public record, no public comment period. Nothing.

Two weeks ago, the DOT was planning to unlock our borders over Labor Day weekend. The Teamsters, Sierra Club and others filed a lawsuit to block that move. The lawsuit continues, as does our pressure on Congress.

The green light to give Mexican trucks open access to U.S. roads and higways was given under the cover of darkness. The first Mexican truck given access to our nation's highways rolled across the border shortly before 1 a.m. Saturday.

One dangerous truck on our highways is too many. And it may very well be that no truck in this pilot project will cross the border uninspected. But what happens in September 2008, when George Bush is months away from leaving the Oval Office? Will he approve the full-scale opening of our borders?

Fewer than 10% of the trucks coming into our country from Mexico are being inspected now. An anticipated 30,000 Mexican trucks are expected to one day get full access to our highways. How many of them do you think the DOT will actually inspect?

Even today, the DOT's own inspector general says the agency, the Mexican Government and state agencies are not 100% ready to handle the anticipated traffic from the pilot program.

According to the AP:

The inspector general's report to Congress said the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association had made progress in addressing Congress' requirements.

But it also said the administration had no coordinated plans for checking trucks and drivers participating in the test program, and that the motor carrier safety group needed to do more to help enforce the English requirements for drivers.

Five states told the inspector general's office they were not ready to enforce the safety rules for the trucks during the pilot project. Twenty-six states raised one or more concerns.

There is still time to act. Here is a list of senators that the Teamsters are targeting for this action:

Brownback (KS)
Bunning (KY)
Burr (NC)
Cantwell (WA)
Coleman (MN)
Collins (ME)

Corker (TN)
Cornyn (TX)
Dole (NC)
Ensign (NV)
Graham (SC)
Grassley (IA)

Gregg (NH)
Hagel (NE)
Hutchison (TX)
Lincoln (AR)
Lugar (IN)
Martinez (FL)
Murkowski (AK)
Nelson (NE)
Nelson (FL)

Pryor (AR)
Roberts (KS)
Salazar (CO)
Shelby (AL)

If your senator is on this list, and even if he or she is not, send them an email now.

UPDATE: Reid says Dorgan-Specter amendment will be introduced tomorrow morning.

..this does answer the question about the Teamsters.. I was mistaken in believing that they were not behind their members on this issue..

Back in 1977 when I was in the fledgling microcomputer biz, I went to an industry expo in Chicago and set up a display booth.

At the loading dock I was informed by two Teamsters (wearing leather vests and no shirts) that I was only allowed to carry in one box of supplies and the rest of our equipment was going to be moved by The Teamsters, or else.

I hate those fucking goons, and I'm going to laff my ass of when that mob-run conspiracy finally collapses.

If we really want to make America better, we should let the Mexican truckers break the Teamsters, then boot the alien truckers out.

I mean, suppose some competitor to the FEDERAL RESERVE BANK was moving in and threatening the FED's power. Would you help the FED boot the competition and maintain their criminal monopoly?

Why would any American want to protect the artificially high wages of the Teamsters gained through violence and extortion?

These goons would rather intimidate everyone than explain why we should support them, and it's only now that they are politely asking for help from the majority.

And, the hypocrisy of union labor is stark for anyone who cares to look. If for instance a union trucker is on layoff or on strike, he isn't allowed to drive for a non union company to feed his family (assuming the strike fund is depleted) But, he can work as a non union electrician or plumber and compete with AFL-CIO mechanics in another field, with no danger of crossing the goons that run his union.

The same goes for union workers in every other trade. They can't work in their own field but they can work non union and compete with union labor in others, even though they're supposed to show solidarity with all AFL-CIO affiliates that are fighting labor grievances.

But if I want to drive a "scab" truck to feed my family then I can expect a rifle bullet through my windshield and the shooter to get clean away with it.

As I said before, every time there's a strike, bullets pierce non union trucks and buses, and if the target was a bus load of civil rights agitators from "up Nawth" the FBI would go door to door to find that rifle.

But they have never found a single shooter who fired on rolling stock during a Teamsters strike. Nor have they ever threatened to de-certify the union if the goons didn't give up the shooter.