Act Now to Stop Oklahoma NAFTA Superhighway!

May 21 2008 Volume 10, Issue 12

Act Now to Stop Oklahoma NAFTA Superhighway!
Despite massive public opposition, on Tuesday, April 29th, the Oklahoma state legislature approved a bill to allow creation of "Smart Ports" and continuation of the NAFTA Superhighway system in Oklahoma. The bill is on Governor Brad Henry's desk. This bill, according to Oklahoma Senator Randy Brogdon, infringes on the State's rights. The road will be regulated under international law, and the bill waives the State's 11th Amendment protection from being sued in federal court. This bill must be stopped immediately.
Oklahomans for Sovereignty and Free Enterprise (www.ok-safe.com/), or OK-SAFE, is a group of concerned citizens, formed specifically to fight extension of the NAFTA super-highway from Texas through Oklahoma to Kansas. They also fight other efforts to establish the North American Union. Their educational efforts have been so successful, both with state legislators and members of the general public that a similar bill was defeated last year. Also, an anti-Real ID bill passed unanimously in both the House and Senate last year. And the Senate passed a resolution acknowledging that construction of NAFTA corridors is part of attempts to create a North American Union, and urging Congress "to withdraw…from the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America and any other activity which seeks to create a North American Union."
Opposition to the NAFTA super-corridor has been so strong in Oklahoma, in fact, that Tiffany Melvin and Frank Conde, the executive director and communications/special projects director, respectively, of North America's SuperCorridor Coalition (NASCO) personally met with the Senate Transportation committee last year. Melkin said their visit was an effort "to eliminate public confusion about NASCO and the SuperCorridor." Yet during their address to legislators, audio access to the meeting was somehow turned off, and citizen participants were not allowed their promised time to rebut or question NASCO's presentation.
There is significant support for NAFTA superhighways in Oklahoma's public sector. Oklahoma Senator Debbe Leftwich serves as NASCO's Secretary, and Dawn Sullivan, a planning and research division engineer for Oklahoma's Department of Transportation (ODOT), is a member of NASCO. ODOT's annual NASCO dues are $25,000 taxpayer dollars. Another major supporter has been Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett.
Mayor Cornett signed the "Kansas City Declaration" in 2004 at the North American Trade Corridor Partnership (NAITCP) in Kansas City. The "Kansas City Declaration" is defined in the "Summit Report from the 2004 NAITCP" meeting as being "The Declaration of North American Integration." Also among the 90 signers was Kay Barnes, former Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri.
This document recorded participants' "shared vision of future cooperation for communities along the NAFTA Trade Corridor in Canada, the United States and Mexico (concluding the) economic vitality and social integration of our communities demand open, dynamic and secure borders." Mayor Cornett also called for the economic integration of North America in a video interview at the U.S. Conference of Mayors in June of 2004.
In a June 25, 2007, interview with Dr. Jerome Corsi, Mayor Cornett repudiated his signing "The Declaration of North American Integration," saying "It was a pretty stupid thing to get involved with." He further stated, ""I am opposed to the extension of the Trans-Texas Corridor into Oklahoma if the whole point (emphasis mine) is to make it cheaper to transport containers from China coming through Mexican ports."
Adam Rott, founder of Oklahoma Corridor Watch (http://www.oklahomacorridor watch.com) expressed guarded optimism at Cornett's repudiation, wondering, "to what extent Cornett's decision was just politically expedient. Back (in 2004) Mayor Cornett didn't answer my phone calls," Rott said, "but I would like to see what actual steps Cornett is going to take to solidify his repudiation of this declaration."
Rott's caution seems justified. The NAFTA Superhighway is designed to come right through the middle of Oklahoma City, and Mayor Cornett's very clear support of integration was taken in the shadows of a private meeting, without the knowledge and support of his constituents.
Michael Shaw, President of Freedom Advocates (www.freedomadvocates.org), very clearly outlined the dangers inherent in these NAFTA superhighways at last year's Freedom 21 conference when he said, "The Trans Texas Corridor is the literal pathway to the economic equalization of nations. The consequence of creating this (public private partnership) includes an economic, and perhaps a military, Trojan Horse that will be given open landing in America and a colossal road to infuse political/economic Sustainable globalism throughout America. In order to meet the global economic equalization objectives (Sustainable Development) requires global management of trade. Managed trade necessarily means bringing down American production and ultimately middle class standards of living. American economic submission and political regionalization is designed to lead to a borderless world – The Trans-Texas Corridor is designed as a step toward world governance."
On a positive note, the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) website (http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/PPP/legislation.htm) does not yet indicate Oklahoma is among the 21 states that have passed public-private partnership enabling legislation, which the FHWA considers essential to allow private investment consortia to lease existing toll roads or build new toll roads in a state.
It is quite obvious the extent toward which more and more of our government officials have been working overtime, in secret, to establish the North American Union. They are working feverishly to achieve their treacherous objectives in relative secrecy, and without the advice and consent of the citizens they were elected to serve.
Oklahomans are battling what could well be the next Oklahoma land rush--only this time the state will be taking the land back from the people.
ACTION TO TAKE
FLOOD THE FOLLOWING OFFICES WITH CALLS!
Call Governor Henry at (405) 521-2342. Tell him to veto the Smart Port and NAFTA Superhighway bill.
Call Mayor Mick Cornett at (405) 297-2424, or email him at mayor@okc.gov. Tell him to immediately issue a written statement repudiating any involvement with any North American integration activities, and acknowledging such integration represents a significant threat to Oklahoma's, and the nation's sovereignty.
Call Senator Leftwich at (405) 521-5557. Tell her you want her to resign her NASCO membership.
Call ODOT's Planning and Research Office at (405) 521-2704. Tell them you want ODOT to cease any and all planning or activities associated with establishing a Smart Port in Oklahoma City, or utilization of any Oklahoma state highway as a NAFTA Superhighway.
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