COLUMN: Don’t hold breath for the ‘amero’
At this very moment, as you read my column, our government is quietly plotting to subvert American sovereignty.
Without any public approval or congressional oversight, the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (an unholy alliance of foreign consortiums, government officials and powerful elites) is building a “North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Superhighway” that would connect Mexico, the United States and Canada. Its ultimate goal: an integrated North American Union with its own currency, cross-national government, and virtually borderless travel-just like the European Union.
No, the above wasn’t the latest cover story in The National Inquirer-most of it came straight from Ron Paul’s campaign Web site. But if this story sounds like sensationalistic drivel, that’s because it is.
The North American Union is the creation of Jerome Corsi, a man with a history of making stuff up. In 2004, for example, Corsi coauthored “Unfit for Command,” a libelous attack on John Kerry’s decorated military service that may have cost Kerry the presidency.
Since Corsi first “exposed” plans for a NAU a couple years ago, the story has spread like wildfire across the blogosphere, right-wing Web sites and talk radio. The myth has also been central to Ron Paul’s message-he has even introduced the issue before national audiences at presidential debates. It has resonated with millions of Americans because it preys on their nativistic prejudices and (often legitimate) concerns about globalization.
To be fair, the NAU theory (like any good conspiracy theory) has some basis in fact. The facts have been so distorted by the paranoiac fringe, however, that the NAU theory bears little resemblance to reality.
There is a substantial road in the works. In 2002, Republican Gov. Rick Perry of Texas unveiled a proposal for the “Trans-Texas Corridor.” The road, while highly unpopular with some Texans, was approved by the state legislature and the governor. But it is a state initiative, not a covert and concerted effort to build a “NAFTA Superhighway.”
In fact, the “NAFTA Superhighway” that Paul, Corsi, and others bemoan, already exists. The Federal Highway Administration has noted that it sometimes describes Interstate 35 as the “NAFTA Superhighway” because it carries a substantial amount of international trade with Mexico, the United States and Canada. Interstate 35 is a rather ordinary highway-nothing that imperils our sovereignty.
There are no secret plans to construct a new road-at least not one on the scale that the conspiracy theorists claim. At most, there are improvements being planned to the existing highway system. These improvements are being considered by several states, independently, and are meant to facilitate trade, not dismantle the United States of America.
As for the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America, the “unholy alliance”: It exists. But it’s little more than a boring bureaucracy. It is not an agreement or treaty, but merely a dialogue among countries. The only government mandate that the SPP has is to increase security cooperation against terror threats and improve trade across North America.
For conspiracy theorists, the “smoking gun” is a report by the Council on Foreign Relations, titled “Building a North American Community.” Despite its somewhat ominous title, though, the report never even hints at a NAU. Instead, like the SPP, it proposes fairly sensible policies regarding areas of common concern among Mexico, the U.S. and Canada. And because the CFR is not itself a government entity, its recommendations would have to be enacted into law.
What about the “amero,” the rumored currency of the NAU? Some political scientists have entertained the idea, but there is currently no evidence the federal government plans to ditch the dollar. Absent a constitutional amendment, the “amero” isn’t remotely possible. Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution gives Congress the power “to coin money, regulate the value thereof … and fix the standard of weights and measure.”
The most absurd claim made by the NAU faithful is that the Bush administration is complicit in the scheme to undermine America’s sovereignty. What interest would this administration have to merge the U.S. with Mexico and Canada, thereby forfeiting their power? This is the same administration, mind you, that refuses to sign onto the International Criminal Court and the Kyoto Protocol in the name of sovereignty.
So this conspiracy theory is bunk. But don’t take this liberal’s word for it. The NAU theory has come under heavy friendly fire, too.
Jed Babbin, editor of the conservative newspaper Human Events, for which Corsi writes, compared people who believe in an impending NAU to those who believe in Bigfoot.
Michael Medved, a far-right talk show host, has called the theory “ludicrous,” “childish,” “ill-informed,” “manipulative” and “brain dead.”
Charles Krauthammer, a prominent conservative thinker and writer, said, “I love (the NAU theory) because if you ever doubt your own sanity, all you have to do is read this stuff and realize that you’re OK.”
And if your theory is too crazy for Krauthammer, then perhaps it’s time you do doubt your own sanity.