Do not attempt to adjust the dial;
we are in control.
Sit back,
watch American Idol
while we make deals in secret
to take your homes,
your land,
your churches,
your schools
and your towns.
The Trans Texas Corridor is the Texas leg of the NAFTA Superhighway/Corridor
I know that some of you STILL don’t believe this and others will find it hard to believe.
BELIEVE IT!
RECOMMEND on Daily Kos NOW! America needs to know what’s coming!
“This one issue is driving a huge stake into the heart of the Republican party and creating a new populist revolt that crosses party lines.”
David Van Os, Democratic candidate for Texas Attorney General 2006
The following article is from a conservative news source. I include it here to illustrate that Republicans and Democrats are joining forces on this issue. Some of the information presented in the extended article is skewed/inaccurate with my findings.
From Human Events Online: The National CONSERVATIVE Weekly
Quietly but systematically, the Bush Administration is advancing the plan to build a huge NAFTA Super Highway…
Once complete, the new road will allow containers from the Far East to enter the United States through the Mexican port of Lazaro Cardenas, bypassing the Longshoreman’s Union in the process. The Mexican trucks, without the involvement of the Teamsters Union, will drive on what will be the nation’s most modern highway straight into the heart of America. The Mexican trucks will cross border in FAST lanes, checked only electronically by the new “SENTRI” system. The first customs stop will be a Mexican customs office in Kansas City, their new Smart Port complex…
…The American public is largely asleep…
W A K E U P A M E R I C A N P U B L I C!
As you can see, they don’t plan to stop this monstrosity in Texas. They plan to come straight to YOUR front door! It’s NOT TOO LATE to STOP it! The way to stop the NAFTA Super Highway, the only way, is to stop the Texas leg that is called the Trans Texas Corridor(TTC) ! The way to stop the TTC, the only way, is to elect Democrats who will fight it to Texas statewide offices.
A few facts:
- The TTC Texas land grab (584,000 acres) is the single biggest eminent domain land grab in the history of the United States.
- Every incumbent Republican who holds a statewide office took what appears to be TTC bribe money. (Independent candidate for governor, Carol Strayhorn also took money.*)
- 9.5 Million or about 45% of all Texans live within 50 miles of I-35 which is in the path of the TTC!
- I-35 is the backbone of the broader, international NASCO Corridor
- Tolls for 50 years estimated at $.44 to $.64 per mile
- The point of entry into the United States will be in Lazaro Cardenas, Mexico
- The drop off point will be in Kansas City
- For additional information see my previous diary, Shhhh! Don’t Tell The Media!
- TTC Fact Sheet
* Independent candidate for governor, Carol Strayhorn took over $13,000.00 from Zachry when she ran for Comptroller of Public Accounts four years ago. Chris Bell, Democratic candidate for governor, has urged her to return nearly $30,000.00 she’s accepted in campaign contributions since 2000 from the Zachry family. Zachry Construction Corp. is partnered with Cintra, a corporation based in Madrid, Spain, to develop the Trans Texas Corridor.
There has been scant reporting on this issue by, what David Van Os calls, “The Corporate Embedded Media.” Most of Texas is unaware. Most of America is unaware. The deals are made in secret meetings behind closed doors. Secret enabling clauses are buried throughout different legislative bills.
Faith Chatham wrote A Trans Texas Corridor/NAFTA Parable and in one of her comments she describes some of the sneaky language:
Some of the language of the legislation in Texas
- exempts TDoT from compliance with Historical Significance Landmark regulation
- allows TDoT to perform their own ENVIRONMENTAL /ECOLOGICAL IMPACT STUDIES!
- prevents the release of proposals or research acquired by TDoT or their agents/consultants while researching the TTC until after a final contract is let unless the private entity approves the release EVEN IF ORDERED BY SUBPOENA OR COURT ORDER!
- exempts TTC negotiations by TDoT from open meetings laws
- permits TDoT to transfer a PUBLIC ROAD which is currently under public usage to at toll authority without public hearing or vote
This language is in a number of bills “authored” by various members of both houses. They are determined if it gets shot down once or twice to have it snaking its way through another path.
Oh, and the private backers who are given the 50 year concessions “to recoup” their investment get to set their own rates without legislative or commission oversight!
This TTC boondoggle exposes the hypocrisy of the Republican hype about securing our boarders. How do you secure an area ¼ mile wide with trucks from Mexico driving 80 mph all the way to Kansas City? Who inspects those trucks and the freight? Who watches them along their journey up the corridor?
THE NEW WORLD DISORDER
Trans-Texas Corridor paved
with campaign contributions?
San Antonio construction company, capital consortium from Spain stand to gainPosted: July 12, 2006
1:00 a.m. EasternBy Jerome R. Corsi
© 2006 WorldNetDaily.comThe contractors building the Trans-Texas Corridor – a massive statewide transportation network critics claim is an important part of the controversial proposed integration of the U.S. and Mexico – have made large contributions to the campaigns of Texas politicians, including Republican Gov. Rick Perry.
As WND has reported, opposition is mounting to the little-publicized efforts by the Bush administration, aided by corporate and political elites of the U.S., Mexico and Canada, including the Council on Foreign Relations, to push North America into a European Union-style merger. Critics of the Trans-Texas Corridor see the massive project – ironically funded by Spain – as part of this movement to integrate the U.S., Mexico and Canada.
Since 2000, Zachry has contributed heavily in Texas Supreme Court campaigns. House and Senate members and Supreme Court Justices have also received significant contributions from Zachary. Lt. Governor David Dewhurst accepted $51,000.00 in “campaign contributions” from the Zachry family last year as he helped push through more pieces of TTC enabling legislation, with more changes to the Transportation Code in one session than have been enacted in the past 100 years!
Closed door meetings between TxDot and toll road proponents and sealed records are hot topics in the Attorney General’s and Lt. Governor’s races. Attorney General Gregg Abbot has not filed one legal action to protect the public from collusion between toll proponents and elected state officials and bureaucrats. Democrat Lt. Governor Candidate Maria Luisa Alvarado and Attorney General Candidate David Van Os are not accepting any campaign contributions from Zachry or other known participants in the TTC project.
I have lived in Texas all my life and I can assure you that there will be blood shed if the government attempts to take land where families have lived for generations. Below is a statement from a land owner printed in The Victoria Advocate
Local resident Rhonda Kutschur also spoke during the hearing.
“I am one of those Texans that lives on property that has been in the family for five generations. Our great-great grandfather is buried there. His log cabin is there. And you want to come right through the middle of it,” said Kutschur. “I do not have a problem with progress, and I do not have a problem with spending my tax dollars as long as I know what it’s being spent on. TxDOT works for me, so why don’t you tell me what you’re spending my money on. I want to know. If I had the power to, I’d fire every one of you. I don’t want to spend my tax dollars to build something, have someone else run it and reap all the benefits. I am an American Indian. You stole from me once. Please don’t steal from me again.”
After the hearing, Rhonda Kutschur, a Republican precinct chairman, took David’s information and flyers and promised to campaign for him.
From the same article, here is what David Van Os had to say and a description of what his wife, Rachel, did:
The candidate for attorney general commended the TxDOT staff for the professional and courteous way they handled their responsibilities during the meeting knowing they are dealing with something very unpopular with the public.
Then he blasted the project itself.
“This project, if followed through and completed as planned, will be one of the biggest single exercises of forcible eminent domain in the history of the entire United States,” said Van Os. “We are talking about 1/2 million acres of private property, mostly good farm and ranch land. If this huge thing goes through, no eminent domain project will be off limits. It will be a big green light. Private property will lose its sovereignty. This forcible eminent domain will destroy the proper balance between the individual and government with respect to the individual’s ability to control his or her own property.” Van Os urged those in attendance to fight against the proposal, which he called the “first leg of a NAFTA highway.”
“There is no legislation that can’t be repealed, and no politician that can’t be fired at election time,” said Van Os. “This thing has got to be stopped. It will destroy many things that are precious to us. We’re going to stop this. I know we’re going to stop it. I urge you my fellow citizens to fight this dad gum thing till hell freezes over if you have to. Fight it and beat it.”
Van Os’ wife, Rachel, gave perhaps the most dramatic display of the possible affect of the proposed corridor as she ripped a Texas map along the proposed route.
“I urge y’all to stand and fight for your rights and save beautiful Texas,” she said.
“Fire the out-of-touch, silk-stocking crowd in Austin who think public office is an invitation for the hogs to come to the trough.”
David Van Os says, “NO to the Trans Texas Corridor!”
The TTC can still be derailed but it won’t be easy. David Van Os and all the other Texas Statewide Candidates are strongly opposed to the TTC.
The Texas Department of Transportation has hosted hearings in each county in the path of the TTC. Their slick power point presentation is long on razzle-dazzle and short on some critical information. They offer the public an opportunity to voice opinions. Click the picture to hear David’s fire breathing speech. Hundreds of angry Texans have attended each hearing and they have spoken out vehemently against the TTC. Republicans are just as angry about it as the Democrats.
HELP US Stop it now before it comes to your door!
In addition to attending the TTC hearings, David is traveling to every county in Texas on his Whistle Stop Tour. He is raising awareness of this issue and of the corrupt take over of our government by the “corporate robber barons.” He has vowed to “Fight them until hell freezes over then fight them on the ice!”
By driving to all 254 counties in this HUGE state, David is taking his message to the people and letting them know that every person counts, every county counts. He is talking to all the people, not just pre selected audiences. He tells Texans the truth using plain language and not the focus group tested words that most political consultants might prefer. He trusts the people to show up and to see his message. As you can see, the Whistlestop tour is turning Texas blue!
Texas is a BIG state! It takes a lot of driving and a lot of gas. David’s wife Rachel does the driving. The people, who will benefit from having a “People’s Lawyer” in the Office of Attorney General, should provide the gas.
David’s message is bold as you can see by his Notice to Big Oil Billboard. He put this billboard right in Big Oil’s back yard! That’s downtown Dallas, Texas you see in the background. We call this the Blogger’s Notice to Big Oil because, last month, the rent on this board was completely paid for by donations from the bloggosphere.
If 160 people give $10.01 today we can pay the rent for another month.
LISTEN!!!
David’s challenge to the Big Oil Monopolies
part one
part two
The Trans Texas and NAFTA Corridors are not the answer to our transportation problems. Surely we can develop a smarter plan that will solve our ever growing transportation needs, keep our country secure, be environmentally friendly and have a minimal impact on our precious resources. We need to start thinking smaller not bigger, less vehicles not more, when it comes to building roads.
Like most issues, this one is not black and white. A direct route to transport goods will cut down on the cost of those goods at the store. However, the lower the prices of the goods, the more America imports. The more America imports the less we manufacture. The less we manufacture, the fewer jobs for Americans.
America needs to start manufacturing our own products again! Bring jobs back to America! We need our farmland to feed our expanding population. We need different, better, progressive ways to transport people and goods.
Texas needs your help today! If you help us now, you won’t have to face this fight!
Thank you to Faith Chatham for her contributions to this diary.
Cross posted and front paged at ePluribus Media
Cross posted at Texas Kaos
Cross posted at Daily Kos
