Thread: Say It Ain’t So, Brian Bilbray!!!

Say It Ain’t So, Brian Bilbray! Time To Dump U.S-Mexico Interparliamentary Meetings

On June 7th and 8th, 2008, the 47th Annual Mexico-U.S. Interparliamentary Group Meeting was held, in Monterrey, a prosperous city in northern Mexico.

It’s an annual meeting, of selected members of the U.S. Congress and the Mexican Congress, alternating between the U.S. and Mexico, to discuss issues of bilateral interest. And it’s been going on for 47 years.

These annual get-togethers are much more highly-publicized in Mexico than in the U.S., where they are mostly ignored. If you follow the hyper-links in this article, you’ll see that most of my sources—and the most informative sources—are from the Mexican and Spanish-language media (my translations).

You may have the impression that the "Interparliamentary", as I refer to it hereafter, is just a useless gabfest, a waste of the taxpayers’ money.

Would that it were so! It would be better if it were just a useless gabfest. The Interparliamentary is now developing into more than a gabfest. It’s becoming another vehicle for Mexican politicians—with the help of American collaborators—to meddle in U.S. immigration policy.

And who knows—the Interparliamentary could serve as a nucleus for a future North American Union parliament!

This year, the U.S. congressional delegation consisted of 11 members. It was headed up by Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT).

The Mexican delegation, however, held higher-ranking members, including Mexican Speaker of the House, Ruth Zavaleta, and the Leader of the Mexican Senate, Santiago Creel (mentioned in my most recent Memo from Mexico column as a non-exemplar of family values). It was also attended by Mexican Ambassador to the U.S., Arturo Sarukhan, and the governor of Nuevo Leon, the state of which Monterrey is the capital.

As for Senator Dodd, what did he have in mind for the meeting?

The Connecticut Democrat said before departing for Mexico:

"The United States and Mexico share much more than a common border. We share a history, and more importantly, we share a future. I look forward to a weekend of robust discussion of how our two nations can continue to work together for the common good of our citizens, our nations, and our region."

The biggest issue on the table at this year’s Interparliamentary was the proposed "Plan Merida", a controversial aid program to help Mexico fight drug cartels, which is still pending in the U.S. Congress. Both the Senate and House versions included various accountability measures making part of the aid conditional on a "certification" of corruption and human rights issues. This is the objectionable part to Mexico—because it’s seen as meddling in Mexican affairs. They want the aid with no strings attached!

At the opening of the Interparliamentary, Ruth Zavaleta, Mexican Speaker of the House, declared that

"For the initiative to be successful our rights must be respected and any intentions to intervene in affairs that concern only Mexicans must be put aside". (Mexican Lawmaker Rejects Conditions on Drug Aid, Mark Walsh, AP ,San Diego Union-Tribune, June 7, 2008]

I think it’s just great that Speaker Zavaleta is so concerned about Mexican sovereignty! I wish our own leaders were equally concerned about U.S. sovereignty.

As it turns out, most of them weren’t, when it comes to Mexican meddling in U.S. immigration policy.

After hearing from Mexican legislators on the Merida proposal, Dodd said that

"We heard from everyone here the common message that this language has got to be changed. Our friends in Mexico needed to vent and explain how this issue was not handled well. Anything that smacks of certification is a nonstarter." [U.S. Lawmakers to Review Mexico Aid Terms, Mark Walsh, Washington Post, June 8, 2008

Just a few days later, back in Washington, D.C., the U.S. House approved legislation that still included human rights certification for Mexican law enforcement authorities. However, Senator Dodd, who had been in Mexico, said that the certification part was "highly offensive" to Mexico, and he spoke of the "big concerns, huge concerns" about certification.

According to Dodd, "I don’t have the details, but we’re going to have something that is no certification". The senator suggested that when the Senate approves the measure, the certification would be modified to become "guidelines that we all agree on "—but not requirements. [U.S. House Approves Human Rights Rules for Mexico Anti-Drug Aid, By Nicholas Johnston, Bloomberg, June 10th, 2008]

Whatever you think of the Merida Initiative, it’s pretty obvious that the Interparliamentary Meeting is influencing U.S. legislation.

By the way, while I’m on the subject, the Mexican media has reported that Leslie Bassett, a U.S. diplomat in Mexico, has proposed the integration of the Merida Initiative with the notorious SPP (Security and Prosperity Partnership). [Proponen Incorporar Iniciativa Mérida al ASPAN, El Universal, June 9, 2008

Then, of course, there’s immigration. That’s a perennial topic at the Interparliamentary.

And it’s a real study in contrast. When they discuss the Merida Initiative, Mexican officials are indignant, condemning the prospect of Gringos Meddling in Mexico—even if, as in the proposed initiative, America is footing the bill!

But they regard immigration as a “bilateralâ€

Traitors.

Yep, and Dodd is doing the dirty for them . in gang banger talk he' their little B***H . Where are the Provost Marshalls that arrest Traitors ?

More proof that our leaders no longer represent American citizens over foreign citizens. How much clearer can it be?

Let's let Mexico dictate what our immigration system should be, while Mexico refuses any American oversight of billions of American taxpayer dollars...............

This is beyond incompetence. It is insane !