I know the issue of Mexican trucks and drivers having access to American Highways is a sore issue with a lot of us. Before I make any comments I have a link you might look at first.
CLICK HERE
OOIDA's President made a strong comment to President Bush several years ago on the subject too.
Here's my take. It's going to happen, deal with it.
Ever since deregulation, NAFTA CAFTA, and any other free trade issues, we've benefited, and we've suffered. We've seen lower prices with cheaper labor costs abroad. We've seen good paying American jobs go out of the country. It's a fact of life. We can't build a wall around our nation and revert to some sort of protectionism. We'd be a third world country in no time.
The problem is, it's the middle class men and women who suffer the most. Many of us never were able to or never availed ourselves of continued education, and there are numerous reasons for this, which I won't go into here. Many of us do not have the means or skills to qualify for the high paying jobs. I'm not feeling sorry for myself, I made choices and I blew chances as many of us have. I knew when I choose trucking as a profession many years ago I'd never be a rich man, but it seems that proportionally, our salaries don't increase sufficiently to keep pace with the cost of living. Frankly I don't see any improvement and with the imminent invasion of truckers competing for freight and jobs in this country I don't see how it will get any better.
Now for the safety issue. Do you think for one minute that the trucks we see streaming across the border and on our highways are going to be the safest trucks on the road? Do you think that emission standards will be as strict for Mexican trucks as they are for American Trucks? Do you think that the promised enforcement will materialize? Do you think that our border patrol keeps out illegal immigrants? Do you believe in the tooth fairy? How many of our great governmental agencies ever live up to their hype and promises? Just like illegal immigration, once the door is open there will be little, if any enforcement and then the mantra will be, "well they're here, we can't enforce it", just like the war on drugs and gun control and any other enforcement our elected politicians are afraid to tackle. They might offend big business and all of the other powerful lobbies they depend on for contributions and votes. I know this is a side issue, I've said it before and I'll say it again here. IN THIS COUNTRY WE HAVE THE BEST POLITICAL AND JUDICIAL SYSTEM THAT MONEY CAN BUY.
So what are my predictions? The borders will be open to any and all. Enforcement of the proposed rules and guidelines for foreign trucks and drivers will be ignored. Scenes line the one above will be more common. Trucking companies just like agriculture and construction and the service industry will find ways to hire cheaper labor and well take it in the rear fenders again.
Picture above could be your next 'new' truck.
Enjoy the day
Flat Tire
4 comments:
I have no illusions about the ability of the government to police our borders or our trucks or another nation's trucks. In general, Mexican trucks will police themselves. If they do a bad job getting safely from A to B, they're going to lose business. Most people don't want to crash their trucks. They want to get their safely. That self-interest will go a lot further than random and occasional inspections.
Thanks for writing,
Russ
On Mar 13, 2007, at 12:45 AM, W J Andy Andrews wrote:
Anyone who thinks that Mexican Trucks and drivers will be subect to strict controls and inspections believes that our border agents keep out illegal aliens.
Russell Roberts
Professor of Economics
J. Fish and Lillian F. Smith Distinguished Scholar at the Mercatus Center
Department of Economics
4400 University Dr.
MSN 3G4
George Mason University
Fairfax, VA. 22030
The comment that shows "w j andy andrews said" was submitted by Professor Russell Roberts. My comment to his post follows.
Dear Professor Roberts:
I’m flattered that you took the time to add your comments. I never realized my blog would attract such attention.
I’d be very curious how a fellow professor Walter Williams at GMU would have to say on the subject.
I continue to learn from respected scholars in academia, but at the same time I must weigh theories and idealism against pragmatism and the real world I live in.
Enjoy the day
W J Andy Andrews
this is just another stepping stone in the future path of destruction of america. our once great goverment is selling out to capitalism and eventually to a dictatorship. americans, meaning the middle class, enjoy what little you have, it wont be long before the goverment takes it.
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