Miles and Miles
of Texas

I'm no fan of the Republic of Texas in general and except for Willie Nelson, Bob Wills and Molly Ivins it hasn't produced all that much that I would miss (disclosure - I am NOT a Dallas Cowboys fan). It would be fine with me if they continued to build the border wall entirely around the state, though maybe if they could leave El Paso and Austin on my side of the wall, I would appreciate it. Maybe I've been too hasty in my judgement though, as it appears that a few more Texans get what is going on than British Columbians. For those of you who may wonder what a protest in Texas has to do with the BC Rail Scam, see NAFTA-NASCO SuperHighway from almost a year ago, over at BC Mary's place.

The Trans-Texas Corridor is just a southern section of the NAFTA-NASCO Superhighway, while the Campbell Government's new vision for what used to be BC Rail and the Gateway Project are the northwestern terminus. Of course the object of the project (along with SPP) is the total integration of North America in a way that will satisfy the greed of the trans-national corporate elite, who generally are based in the USA, even if they do keep most of their money elsewhere. According to a story published in Raw Story concerning an upcoming report on Lou Dobbs: (emphasis - kc)

As Senators Clinton and Obama prepared to debate in their state, Texans were marching in protest over the NAFTA superhighway known as the Trans-Texas Corridor, or I-69, the primary purpose of which is to speed the delivery of goods coming in from Mexico to proposed inland ports.

The TTC is planned to span the state of Texas from Laredo, on the Mexican border, to Texarkana, on the border with Arkansas, to continue north to Canada. The projected cost is $183 billion over fifty years, with no American companies expressing interest in financing it.

With no public approval required to begin construction, repeated calls against the TTC at public meetings, with seldom a word of support, may easily go unheeded. (hmmm, sounds familiar -kc)

"This is about international--global companies that are coming in and having their way with our politicians," says Terri Hall of TexasTURF. "It doesn't matter what does to the people in the path," she continues, "it doesn't matter what it does to our way of life..."

"Citizens here," says an unidentified man at a public hearing, "are not going to bear the burden so Wal-Mart can get their cargo into the U.S. cheaper and faster."

Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX) is among opponents of the TTC, doubting the intentions of those planning its construction. He cites millions of acres subject to eminent domain, which the state promises to use against landowners who protest, and also notes that he has yet to encounter a person that supports the TTC.

It's heartening to hear some Texans are concerned about these issues as well. After all let us not forget how it took thousands of Mexicans under Santa Anna almost two weeks to kill Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie, William Travis and 186 of their comrades at the Alamo. Just over a month later Sam Houston defeated General and President (well, "self proclaimed dictator" - don't we wish presidents went to war these days?) Santa Anna while outnumbered by two to one at San Jacinto, leading to the creation of the Republic of Texas. That's the kind of people the dozen or so of us in British Columbia who are aware of and opposed to the greedy wet dreams of the Bu$hies, Harper and Campbell can appreciate as allies in the fight.

After all, Texas does have a few things to make up for, like Tom Delay, the Bushes* and the murder of John F. Kennedy.

 

Deep within
my heart,
...lies a melody

 

(* Many, if not most, Texans will point out that the Bushes are Yankees - But it was Texas oil and attractive tax rates for the rich that lured the Bushies to become residents. The tax rates in New England being far too onerous for their kind.)