Eagle Forum of Alabama -

From Independence to Interdependence
The Erosion of US Sovereignty
By Margaret Brown, Policy Director, Eagle Forum of Alabama

The road to national independence was stained with the blood of patriots who gave their lives to bring forth a nation unlike any other - one based on the recognition of unalienable God-given rights. This unique foundation has produced a nation unmatched in the history of the world in its freedom, prosperity, opportunity and strength. One would naturally expect those who have tasted such blessings to be committed even at the cost of their lives to preserving such a nation, not only for their children but also as a beacon for the rest of the world. Sadly, however, there are those in national leadership who imagine greater benefits to be realized by trading our national sovereignty for interdependence in regional unions with nations that lack any understanding of our founding principles. Through the years their numbers have grown, as has the success of their efforts. Following the formation of the United Nations, national sovereignty began to be diminished gradually through treaties, which, according to our constitution, must be ratified by a two-thirds vote of the Senate. Since about 1990, however, trade agreements, which have often passed by the barest majority, have become the primary means of erosion. The US appears to be on a similar path to that followed by the European Union which evolved from a trade body into an economic and political partnership. The following timeline summarizes important milestones on the road from independence to interdependence:

July 4, 1776	The Declaration of Independence is signed.
1945	The United Nations is formed, and the independence of the United States begins to erode little by little as various UN treaties are signed.
1957	European Economic Community (Common Market) is formed by the Treaty of Rome.
1991	The Treaty of the European Union (Maastricht Treaty) amends the Treaty of Rome. It establishes freedom of movement for citizens of member countries, allowing them to live in any member country and vote in local elections, establishes a European Parliament and European Court of Justice and sets a timeline for adopting a common currency.
1990	President George H. W. Bush announces the Enterprise for the Americas Initiative with the goal of achieving hemispheric free trade by 2000, beginning with the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). President Bush, in a UN address, speaks of the "collective strength of the world community expressed by the UN ... an historic movement towards a new world order ... a new partnership of nations".
1992	United Nations Commission on Global Governance established.
July 18, 1993	Henry Kissinger writes in the Los Angeles Time concerning NAFTA, "What Congress will have before it is not a conventional trade agreement, but the architecture of a new international system ... a first step toward a new world order."
January 1, 1994	NAFTA, establishing a free trade area between Canada, Mexico and the US, takes effect.
1994	The Summit of the Americas initiates a process to integrate the economies of the Western Hemisphere into a single free trade arrangement, the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). Commission on Global Governance releases its final report, Our Global Neighborhood. Campaign for UN Reform organized to lobby for global governance.
January 1, 1995	World Trade Organization formed.
1999	UN Charter for Global Democracy consolidates recommendations of Commission on Global Governance into 12 principles.
2000	Mexico's President, Vicente Fox, states, "Eventually, our long-range objective is to establish with the United States, but also with Canada, our other regional partner, an ensemble of connections and institutions similar to those created by the European Union, with the goal of attending to future themes [such as] the future prosperity of North America and the movement of capital, goods, services and persons." President Fox proposes Plan Puebla Panama (PPP) and the InterAmerican Development Bank proposes IIRSA, to integrate the economies and infrastructure (transportation, energy and telecommunications) of Mexico/Central America, and South American countries, respectively. PPP's multimodal highway corridor would link to the US through the Trans-Texas Corridor.
January 2001	President George W. Bush is inaugurated.
April 20-22, 2001	Organization of American States holds its 3rd Summit of the Americas in Quebec City. President Bush signs the Quebec Declaration calling for the "integration of the Americas".
July 13, 2001	Congressman Henry Hyde, chairman of the House Committee on International Relations, delivers a speech at Ft. Benning, GA, to the graduating class of the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation proposing a "Commonwealth of the Americas".
2002	President Bush announces that the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) is a priority in his administration and Congress gives him "fast track" authority to negotiate it. Euro adopted as currency by 12 European countries.
March 23, 2005	President Bush, President Vicente Fox of Mexico and Prime Minister Martin of Canada issue a joint statement announcing the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP).
March 11, 2005	Texas Transportation Dept. signs a "long-term strategic partnership" with the Spanish company Cintra-Zachry to develop and operate for 50 years the Trans-Texas Corridor, the first leg of the International Mid-Continent Trade & Transportation Corridor between Mexico and Canada.
May 2005	The Council on Foreign Relations issues a task force report entitled "Building a North American Community", which offers a plan of implementation for the SPP which the Bush Administration appears to be implementing through 30 working groups in the Department of Commerce. The report recommends "a common security perimeter" around the 3 countries by 2010; the free flow of goods, capital and people; information and intelligence sharing; and a permanent tribunal for dispute resolution.
June 9, 2005	Robert Pastor, director of the Center for North American Studies at American University, vice chairman of the CFR Task Force and author of Toward a North American Community, is called to testify before Senator Lugar's Foreign Relations Committee. He endorses the CFR report and expands upon it with ideas from his book, such as a super-regional governance board, a North American ID card, and a common currency called the Amero.
July 28, 2005	CAFTA (between the US, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic) becomes law. Some of its components include: elimination of agricultural subsidies, opening all public services to private investment, ironclad government guarantees to foreign investors, opening all government purchases to transnational bids, enforcement of environmental laws, and granting transnationals the right to sue countries in private international courts.
March 2006	President Bush and the leaders of Mexico and Canada meet in Cancun on the anniversary of the SPP agreement to review progress and to direct their ministers to move forward on the agenda.

Currently, working groups in the Department of Commerce are busy implementing the SPP. Negotiations on FTAA are stalled, but could resume at any time. Several multimodal superhighway corridors connecting Central American, Mexican, US and Canadian ports are under construction to accommodate traffic associated with NAFTA. "Inland ports" are being located along these routes, with a Mexican customs office at the Kansas City port. US infrastructure is increasingly coming under foreign control. The Department of Homeland Security reports that up to 80% of our ports are operated by foreign companies. Foreigners are buying and operating US bridges and toll roads. Sale of the Birmingham Water Works to a French company was under consideration, but fortunately did not go through as foreign sales have in several US cities. President Bush has instructed the Department of Transportation to defy Congress by issuing regulations allowing greater foreign ownership of US airlines. The President also recently approved the sale of a British defense contractor that supplies the Pentagon with critical parts to a company connected to the government of United Arab Emirates. Trade agreements have caused our manufacturing base to move overseas. We rely on foreign suppliers for much of our petroleum and metals. Many US industries have a significant percentage of foreign ownership. More than 53% of our federal debt is held by foreign entities. 230 years ago we declared ourselves independent, and our forefathers fought and died that it might be so. Are we letting this priceless gift slip through our fingers?

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