TX governor rapped for paving way for construction of Trans-Texas Corridor

One News Now ^ | August 24, 2007 | Chad Groening

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Texas Governor Rick Perry is being called to task by an author and investigative journalist for vetoing bills that would have blocked construction of the controversial Trans-Texas Corridor.

Dr. Jerome Corsi has been one of the leading voices warning the American public about the consequences of the Trans-Texas Corridor, which will be part of a superhighway -- purported to be four football fields wide -- that will allow Mexican trucks to enter the U.S. and traverse the core of the country all the way to Canada. The best-selling author asserts that Governor Perry cleared the way for construction to begin in his state when he vetoed several bills passed by the Legislature that would have stalled the project.

"Governor Perry has been 100 percent gung-ho in building this road," says Corsi. "The Legislature voted a two-year moratorium, it voted a redefinition of eminent domain -- [and] Governor Perry vetoed them. [On] at least one of those measures, he waited until the Texas Legislature was out of session so it couldn't even override his veto."

Corsi says it is unfortunate that there has been political pressure to get the project started. "The Federal Highway Administration's lawyer wrote letters threatening the Texas Legislature to cut off federal highway funds if they got in the way of this Trans-Texas Corridor," he says.

Corsi believes the same pressure will be applied on other states, like Oklahoma, to go along with the project. He suggests that would mean a loss of more American jobs and could pose a threat to U.S. sovereignty.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Trans-Texas Corridor PING!

[Paperdoll]

Bump for later read.

[Jim Robinson]

I thought it was all Bush’s fault.

[Secret Agent Man]

Who do you you think is behind this? Damn straight Bush is.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Everything is Bush’s fault. :-)

[txzman]

Follow the money on this one....

[GOP Poet]

bookmark

[mazza]

And we don’t even own it! Rumor has it that SPAIN is leasing this highway from each individual state. For 100 years!

[Griddlee]

Obviously global warming is the reason for the need for a highway 4 football fields wide to Canada.

The warming of the frozen wastes of Canada will be a magnet for the migration of hundreds of millions of people from the hot lands of the south.

Or maybe Canadians have an overwhelming need for zillions tons of burritos from Mexico.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT

[Kimberly GG]

This is soooo much bigger than GWB...but he has been a tool used to advance the bipartisan CFR/OBL agenda and if you check out the timeline, much progress has been made.

Is it a coincidence that both Canada and Mexico have elected leadership that will continue to advance this agenda?

Which is the U.S. Presidential candidate? Of course there is one.

But one thing is for certain, we KNOW it is neither Duncan Hunter nor Tom Tancredo!!

[nicmarlo]

Rumor has it that SPAIN is leasing this highway from each individual state. For 100 years!

It's no rumor, and it's more than just Spain which has leases.

From Eagle Forum:

• "On March 23, 2005, the United States, Canada and Mexico entered into an unprecedented trilateral Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) to establish a common security strategy and promote economic growth, competitiveness and quality of life. . . . All three countries have agreed to create a single, integrated program for North American trusted travelers by 2008." Press release from U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 6-27-05.

• The Texas segment (known as the Trans-Texas Corridor) will begin construction next year. . . . In April 2006, TxDOT released a 4000-page Environmental Impact Statement that describes a corridor that will be 1200 feet wide (the size of four football fields). It will parallel Interstate 35, and be five lanes north and five lanes south (3 cars, 2 trucks). In the middle will be pipelines and rail lines. It will also have a 200-foot wide utility corridor. The corridor will start in Laredo, Texas, run past Austin to the Texas-Oklahoma border. However, the plans ultimately call for building some 4,000 miles of highway-railway-utility super-corridors throughout Texas over the next 50 years, using some 584,000 acres of what is now Texas farm and ranchland, at an estimated cost of $184 billion. . . . This NAFTA superhighway will connect with ports in Mexico (specifically Manzanillo and Lazaro Cardenas) for NAFTA trade. The plan is to ship containers of cheap goods produced by under-market labor in China and the Far East into North America via Mexican ports. From the Mexican ports, Mexican truck drivers and railroad workers will transport the goods across the Mexican border with Texas. Once in the U.S., the routes will proceed north to Kansas City along the NAFTA Super-Highway, ready to be expanded by the Trans-Texas Corridor and NAFTA railroad routes being put in place by Kansas City Southern." Point of View, Commentary by Kerby Anderson, 10-20-06.

• "What is NASCO? It is a non-profit 501(c)(6) organization that functions as a trade association and sometimes lobbying group for the public and private entities that are members. NASCO is an acronym for North America's SuperCorridor Coalition. . . . According to the groups' website, NASCO is 'dedicated to developing the world's first international, integrated and secure, multi-modal transportation system along the International Mid-Continent Trade and Transportation Corridor.' . . . The city of Kansas City, Mo, and the Kansas City SmartPort are both listed on the NASCO website as NASCO members. The Kansas City Area Development Council has directly confirmed that the Kansas City SmartPort intends to build a Mexican customs facility to facilitate out-going traffic headed to Mexico. . . . The Kansas City SmartPort brochure could not be more explicit: 'Kansas City offers the opportunity for sealed cargo containers to travel to Mexican port cities with virtually no border delays. It will streamline shipments from Asia.'" Posted by Jerome Corsi, Human Events, 6-26-06.

• "This spring, city officials signed off on a 50-year lease for the Mexican facility, with an option for 50 more years. . . . The council earlier this year earmarked $2.5 million in loans and $600,000 in direct aid to SmartPort, which would build and own the inland customs facility and sublet it to the Mexican government through agreements with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. . . . The Mexican government would have no significant investment and would occupy the customs facility operation rent-free. . . . SmartPort set up the deal to avoid imposing any expenses on Mexico above its ordinary border costs. . . . SmartPort meanwhile is seeking a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration to purchase high-tech gamma-ray screening devices for drive-through inspections of truck cargo. . . . Confusion and secrecy have been hallmarks of the ambitious project. At the outset, Gutierrez and others have said the customs facility would be sovereign Mexican soil similar to a foreign embassy. This has changed." Posted by the Kansas City Star, 7-18-06

• "Kansas City, Missouri is planning to allow the Mexican government to open a Mexican customs office in conjunction with the Kansas City SmartPort. This will be the first foreign customs facility allowed to operate on U.S. soil. . . . Supercargo ships, carrying goods made by cheap labor in the Far East and China, will unload in the Mexican port at Lazaro Cardenas, eliminating the need to use costly union longshoremen workers in Los Angeles or Long Beach. Rather than transporting the containers by trucks from the West Coast, using Teamster drivers, or on rail, with the assistance of railroad labor in the United Transportation Union, the containers will be loaded onto Mexican non-union railroads at Lazaro Cardenas. At Monterrey, Mexico, the containers will then be loaded onto Mexican non-union semi-trailer trucks that will cross the border at Laredo, Texas, to begin their journey north along the Trans-Texas Corridor, the first leg of the planned continental NAFTA Super Corridor." Posted by Jerome Corsi on WorldNetDaily, 6-5-06.

• "On a single day in June, an Australian-Spanish partnership paid $3.6 billion to lease the Indiana Toll Road. An Australian company bought a 99-year lease on Virginia's Pocahontas Parkway, and Texas officials decided to let a Spanish-American partnership build and run a toll road from Austin to Seguin for 50 years. . . . Last year, the city [Chicago] sold a 99-year lease on the eight-mile Chicago Skyway for $1.83 billion. The buyer was the same consortium that leased the Indiana Toll Road: Macquarie Infrastructure Group of Sydney, Australia, and Cintra Concesiones de Infraestructuras de Transporte of Madrid, Spain." Associated Press, 7-15-06.

• "Homeland Security officials, who initially said there are about 850 terminals nationwide, now say there are 3,200 terminals, up to about 80 percent of which are operated by foreign companies and countries." Posted by the Washington Times, 3-8-06.

[hershey]

Every politician voting on the road should be forced to disclose their investment portfolios, where they have every nickel and dime squirreled away for retirement. You can be sure money is behind this, big money, big business, and anything collateral to building a road...concrete, warehouses, trucking — think about who might prosper initially. A whole lot of somebodies are drooling over the prospect of lining their pockets bigtime. It’s all about greed.

[nicmarlo]

Construction of Highway in Mexico

NASCO Map of Corridor

NASCO Members: United States

• Texas Dept. of Transportation
• Iowa Department of Transportation
• State of Oklahoma
• Minnesota Dept. of Transportation
• Bell County, Texas
• Denton County, Texas
• Tarrant County, Texas
• Webb County, Texas
• Jackson County, Missouri
• City of Denton, Texas
• City of Ft. Worth, Texas
• City of Gainesville, Texas
• City of Kansas City, Missouri
• International Trade Institute of the Americas
• Free Trade Alliance San Antonio
• Port San Antonio
• United States - Mexico Chamber of Commerce
• Kansas City SmartPort
• The Ardmore Development Authority, City of Ardmore, Oklahoma
• Belton Economic Development Corporation
• The Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
• The Allen Group
• Hillwood - Alliance Texas
• The Ambassador Bridge Detroit/Windsor Crossing
• American Airlines
• Blackwood, Langworthy & Tyson, an established Kansas City law firm
• Cadre Technologies
• Franco Eleuteri & Associates
• EWI Risk Services, Inc.
• GrowthNet Trading, LLC
• International Bank of Commerce
• Lockheed Martin
• Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores
• PROTECT-US, Inc.
• Scrub Oak Technologies
• Strasburger & Price Law Firm
• Trans Am Group
• Yellow Roadway Corporation Worldwide

The NAFTA Superhighway

Michael Kraft Charlotte Conservative | August 21, 2007

Today the leaders of the three major nations of North America met to discuss a unified North American Union.

Why the president of our nation is looking to set our country back to the pace of our neighbors is beyond me.

President Bush is determined to give away our high quality of life in exchange for a short term underclass.

One of the key elements in this process is the superhighway that will allow for ease of travel from the 51st state (Mexico) through Kansas City to the 52nd state (Canada).

They even have plans for the contract to be given to a spanish construction company. I can only assume this will make it easier to print up the bilingual street signs that would pollute the plains of Kansas.

[snip]

[WorkerbeeCitizen]

Thanx for the ping.

Nice ti see you around again.

[nicmarlo]

Thanks...careful, though, for the next week, you might get lambasted with pings. : )

[GiovannaNicoletta]

bookmark

[nicmarlo]

This is soooo much bigger than GWB...but he has been a tool used to advance the bipartisan CFR/OBL agenda...But one thing is for certain, we KNOW it is neither Duncan Hunter nor Tom Tancredo!!

Add Ron Paul to that list of anti-CFR/OBL'ers, as well.

[WorkerbeeCitizen]

I thrive on pings :)

[nicmarlo]

Now you’ve done it! : )

[nicmarlo]

Opensecrets.org

NASCO Lobbying Expenditures North America's Supercorridor Coalition 2005

Subsidiary	Lobbying Firm Hired	Report Type	Amount
North America's Supercorridor Coalition	BKSH & Assoc	MID-YEAR REPORT	$20,000
North America's Supercorridor Coalition	BKSH & Assoc	YEAR-END REPORT	$20,000
North America's Supercorridor Coalition	Lemunyon Group	MID-YEAR REPORT	$40,000
North America's Supercorridor Coalition	Lemunyon Group	YEAR-END REPORT	$40,000
North America's Supercorridor Coalition	Lemunyon Group	MID-YEAR REPORT	$40,000
North America's Supercorridor Coalition	O'Connor & Hannan	MID-YEAR TERMINATION (NO ACTIVITY)	$0

[nicmarlo]

BKSH & Associates

In 1984, a group of former political campaign strategists and senior Capitol Hill professionals came together to form the bipartisan government relations firm of BKSH & Associates. Twenty-three years later, BKSH is a leading global government relations firm that brings strategic counsel, advocacy and a political campaign model to our clients.

The key to BKSH’s longevity and success is due in part to three specific and fundamental ideas: 1) our commitment to our clients’ objectives, 2) our history of innovative and tactical thinking, and 3) our breadth of service from team size, to practice area, to our global posture.

Our Professionals

Charlie Black
Scott Pastrick
Stefan Bailey
Paul Brown
Kristin Calabrese
Lisa Cotter Colangelo
Mark Disler
Jim Healey
Andie King
Jerry Klepner
Michelle Maiwurm
Rich Meade
Chuck Merin
M.B. Oglesby, Jr.
Gardner Peckham
Gabe Rozsa
Ronna Sable Weber
Victoria Schiller
Keith Smith
Patrick Templeton
Becky Weber
Paul Weiss

[nicmarlo]

Lemunyon Group

Glenn B. LeMunyon
President of LeMunyon Group, L.L.C., a Washington, D.C. based full service government affairs practice. Previously, Mr. LeMunyon spent nearly four years as a senior lobbyist for Winston & Strawn, a large Chicago-based law firm. Mr. LeMunyon has worked effectively in the past with clients in many issue areas including: American Airlines, Lockheed Martin, Verizon, Honda North America, Alliance Airport, Port of Brownsville, National Geographic, Marinette Marine, Yellow Corporation, Union Pacific, and Fannie Mae. He maintains extremely close Member and staff contacts in the House and the Senate, Leadership, and in the appropriations and infrastructure committees.

Kaitlyn A. Saxe
he latest addition to The LeMunyon Group. Ms. Saxe comes straight from Capitol Hill where she was Director of Office Resources in the personal office of Congressman Tom Reynolds, Chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee. During her time of service in Congressman Reynolds' office, Ms. Saxe focused on special projects and worked on building and maintaining coalitions.

[Liz]

Bracewell & Giuliani Firm Advises Cintra in First Privatization of Toll Road in Texas

DALLAS (March 1, 2007) Bracewell & Giuliani LLP advised Cintra Concesiones de Infraestructuras de Transporte, S.A., a Spanish transportation company, in its successful bid to develop State Highway 121 into a toll road through Collin and Denton counties.

The award to Cintra, approved by the Texas Transportation Commission, is the first privatization of a Texas toll road. Bracewell is acting as project counsel to Cintra with respect to the 50-year concession from the Texas Department of Transportation. Cintra will pay a $2.1 billion upfront and annual lease payments totaling $700 million. "Cintra was awarded this project because of its proven expertise and competitive proposal," said Thomas O. Moore, partner with Bracewell & Giuliani. "This is the largest transportation deal of 2007. This is one of only five deals in the country."

Three firms have competed for the Comprehensive Development Agreement for State Highway 121 since last summer. The proposals were reviewed and scored based on selection criteria set forth by the Regional Transportation Council, the metropolitan planning agency for the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

This CDA is a public-private partnership that allows the provider to handle all facets of developing the toll road, including completing construction and operating and maintaining the corridor. Cintra, a subsidiary of Grupo Ferrovial specialized in toll roads and car parks, is one of the world's leading private-sector developers of transport infrastructure. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1803916/posts

==========================================

Bracewell & Giuliani Firm Advises Grupo Santander in Acquisition of Leading U.S. Auto Finance Company NEW YORK (September 25, 2006) –Bracewell & Giuliani advised Banco Santander Central Hispano, S.A. (SAN.MC, STD.N) (a bank that traded with blacklisted Iranian Bank) in its agreement to acquire 90 percent of the U.S. auto financing company, Drive Financial Services, for approximately US $651 million.

====================================================

Voters should keep in mind: when Rooty Giuliani campaigns on the Mideast, the WOT and his 9/11 "credentials," Globalist Rooty and his Globalist backers are preparing to profit bigtime off the US government (that's us, the taxpayers).

BACKUP As a PR gimmick, Giuliani recently sold one of the several businesses he is involved in, which revolve around investment banking, global security, and international legal representation.

The Washington Post reported that one of his companies, Giuliani Capital Advisors "was sold for an undisclosed amount as Giuliani was preparing his run for president." The Post article also discloses that Giuliani’s secretive lobbying firm, Giuliani Partners, has made more than $100 million over the last five years and that Giulaini's clients "are required to sign confidentiality agreements, so they do not comment about the work they receive or how much they are paying for it.

Though now running for president, Giuliani refuses to identify his clients, disclose his compensation, or reveal any details about Giuliani Partners. He also declined to be interviewed about the firm."

The paper provided some details, based "on a review of corporate, government and court records, along with scores of interviews with clients and government officials who have interacted with Giuliani Partners."
READ HERE http://breakingnews.nypost.com/dynamic/stories/G/GIULIANIS_BUSINESS?SITE=NYNYP&SECTION=HOME
FR POSTED http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1833794/posts?page=46

Giuliani companies (that we know of) include:

(1) Giuliani Capital Advisors, LLC (AKA Giuliani Partners LLC),
(2) Giuliani Group,
(3) Giuliani-Kerik (re-named Giuliani Security and Safety, after the departure of the tainted ex-Police Commissioner),
(4) Giuliani-Van Essen,
(5) Bracewell & Giuliani LLP law firm (based in Texas with global interests), and
(6) Giuliani Security & Safety, Asia

Attorneys Bracewell & Giuliani's January Closings in Kazakhstan Total US $1.625 Billion
lawfuel.com | February 22, 2007
FR Posted on 02/26/2007 by Jim Robinson
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1791780/posts

ALMATY, Kazakhstan -- LAWFUEL - Law News, US Law Firms -- Bracewell & Giuliani LLP closed three cases in January for a total of US $1.625 billion, acting as international counsel for the offering of corporate debt and solidifying their place as the premier legal authority on Kazakhstani business affairs in the Caspian region. “We continue to thrive and grow in Kazakhstan, mirroring the country itself,” said Greg Vojack, managing partner for the firm's offices in Kazakhstan. “As Kazakhstan transitions into a prosperous free marketplace after the fall of Soviet Russia, its fine-tuned monetary policies are helping the country’s financial sectors grow faster than New York.” ~snip~

Established in 1994, Bracewell's presence in the Republic of Kazakhstan has helped clients capture significant opportunities in the Caspian Region. The firm's energy and finance attorneys provided groundbreaking guidance to create the legal and financial infrastructure in that emerging nation and today actively advise energy and financial companies in the region and the government of Kazakhstan. ~snip~

MORE BACKGROUND Giuliani firm has Venezuela ties
MiamiHerald.com | Thu, Mar. 15, 2007 | BETH REINHARD
Posted on 03/15/2007 3:26:41 AM PDT by Condor 63
The law firm headlined by presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani does business with a company tied to Venezuelan leader Hugo Chávez, who has called President Bush ``the devil.'' Bracewell & Giuliani lobbies on behalf of Texas-based Citgo Petroleum, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Venezuelan oil company controlled by Chávez. The Bush administration said last year that Venezuela was ''not cooperating fully'' with antiterrorism efforts, stopping one step short of grouping the country with state sponsors of terrorism like Iran, Syria and Cuba. Giuliani, the former New York City mayor best known for his leadership after the Sept. 11 terrorism attacks, does not personally lobby for Citgo, though he is a senior partner at the firm and shares in its profits. (Excerpt) Read more at miamiherald.com ...

[Borax Queen]

It’s all in your head...

:0)

[nicmarlo]

oui! : )

[nicmarlo]

Giuliani companies (that we know of) include:

(1) Giuliani Capital Advisors, LLC (AKA Giuliani Partners LLC),
(2) Giuliani Group,
(3) Giuliani-Kerik (re-named Giuliani Security and Safety, after the departure of the tainted ex-Police Commissioner),
(4) Giuliani-Van Essen,
(5) Bracewell & Giuliani LLP law firm (based in Texas with global interests), and
(6) Giuliani Security & Safety, Asia

BTTT!

[BaylorDad]

...that will allow Mexican trucks to enter the U.S. and traverse the core of the country all the way to Canada.

There already here. What idiot thinks that all Mexican trucks are waiting to cross one port of entry? Mexican trucks and buses are already here. Products "Made in Mexico" are almost as common as those "Made in China". I will never understand the hysteria about the TTC. What jobs lost? US manufacturing jobs have been shifting overseas long before the TTC was ever conceived.

[nicmarlo]

"If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel, nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you; and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen."

-- Samuel Adams

[wolfcreek]

I know you hate the traffic conditions on I35. Do you want to see 2 or 3 thousand more trucks on that roadway?

You, I and most of the posters will be dead by the time the TTC is finished. If and when the TTC come to past, then we’ll talk about the Mexican trucks. (somebody’s trying to put the cart before the horse)

[BaylorDad]

"If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel, nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you; and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen." -- Samuel Adams

I fail to see the relevance of the quote to this thread. Do you think there would not be a port of entry at the border? Do you suggest any port of entry is ceding a portion of our liberty. I guess my response is, WHAT?

[nicmarlo]

I will never understand the hysteria about the TTC. What jobs lost?...I fail to see the relevance of the quote to this thread.

It's all about greed by corporate greedholders and American sell outs. You think it's no big deal...Sam Adams wouldn't agree.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Bracewell & Giuliani Firm Advises Cintra in First Privatization of Toll Road in Texas

That contract was ultimately awarded to the North Texas Tollway Authority. You could say that it's a public-public partnership. :-)

[nicmarlo]

Ain’t that just interesting?!

[Liz]

Bracewell & Giuliani Firm Advised Cintra in First Privatization of Toll Road in Texas............... That contract was ultimately awarded to the North Texas Tollway Authority. You could say that it's a public-public partnership.

I wonder what Bracewell & Giuliani's percentage of the North Texas Tollway Authority contract is? And for how long?

[Borax Queen]

Thanks for the pings.

[yorkie]

Thanks for the ping! I was just posting on a Giuliani thread about this very thing, not realizing this one was even here!

[yorkie]

Thanks for the ping, Liz! I just posted this link on another thread:

Know your RINO

http://www.knowyourrino.com/Pres08/Giuliani.htm

[nicmarlo]

yw; does this mean you’re keeping up tonight, hehehe! j/k

[nicmarlo]

ah...that is the wonder of many people thinking about similar things. : )

[yorkie]

Great minds..............................

[nicmarlo]

indeed...we have very great minds, lol!

[BaylorDad]

It's all about greed by corporate greedholders and American sell outs.

I'm sorry, but in a capitalist system, all profit is not greed. In a socialist system all profit is greed. As for me and my business, I prefer the former. If you can get the capital together and do it for zero profit, put your bid in. Only a true socialist would call stockholders, "greedholders".

[nicmarlo]

No, only a true socialist would justify selling out America by having it SINK to Mexico’s level as corporate greedholders profit; the result of the greedholders and sell-outs is that three countries are equalizing as American taxpayers foot the bill for the “equalization”.

[nicmarlo]

a capitalist system

A capitalist system would not have CONTRIVED "free" markets, as is going on with NAFTA and the NAU.

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

But its not supposed to exist it’s not real it’s black helicopter stuff !

Yea Right ...

[Calpernia]

Cintras will be leasing our (NJ) toll roads too. It should be known that these lease agreements carry non-compete clauses. Meaning, roads not owned by this lease cannot be kept in better or more accessable condition than their own.

These toll road leases include any road that is decided to have a toll put on it too.

[nicmarlo]

It should be known that these lease agreements carry non-compete clauses. Meaning, roads not owned by this lease cannot be kept in better or more accessable condition than their own.

Exactly. Real "free market" there, ain't it?

[monkapotamus]

"'Governor Perry has been 100 percent gung-ho in building this road,' says Corsi. 'The Legislature voted a two-year moratorium, it voted a redefinition of eminent domain -- [and] Governor Perry vetoed them. [On] at least one of those measures, he waited until the Texas Legislature was out of session so it couldn't even override his veto.'"