Editorial

Worries about big trucks from Mexico are valid concern

Friday, August 31, 2007

Remember those days, way back when, when Mom and Dad and the kids used to play games to make the time on long-distance car trips pass more quickly? Those days before back-seat DVDs and iPods made communications nonexistent?

Remember "I Spy," "I'm going on vacation and I'm going to take my ..." and "Slug bug?" or even "Twenty Question."

And then there was the "License Plate Game." It was easy for Nebraskans to find an Iowa or a South Dakota, but a Maine or Georgia was a prize. An Alaska or Hawaii was enough to give the spotter dibs on the choice seat in the car for miles to come.

But how about Baja California or Nuevo Leon?

That could be possible soon if the U.S. Department of Transportation goes through with present plans, and the plates should be easy to spot, because they'll be bolted onto big over-the-road trucks.

Although it was expected to happen over the Labor Day weekend, the USDOT now says it won't open the border to Mexican trucks at least until Thursday, and not, said one official, until Mexico grants the same privilege to U.S. trucks.

The Teamsters union is naturally opposed to the idea, filing a lawsuit to block the pilot program from going into effect. The union naturally doesn't want low-pay foreign drivers competing with its members.

But we understand concerns about fleets of 18-wheelers rolling across our southern border. That's a frightening image in this day of weapons of mass destruction and frustrating idea for those of us opposed to the flood of undocumented workers. And, it's alarming for those of us who weave our way among vehicles 10 times the size of ours, traveling at 75 mph.

Authorities have enough trouble enforcing equipment and safety rules among American drivers, let alone those with a language barrier.

But it is only a one-year pilot program, and so far, only two Mexican carriers with a total of seven trucks have been granted permission to cross the border.

But under the plan, designed to open the border to more commercial traffic as required by the North American Free Trade Agreement, up to 100 pre-approved Mexican carriers will be able to send hundreds of trucks across the borders.

We agree that open trade is generally a good policy -- we all benefit from lower prices at the cash register, and better markets for U.S. commodities and other products.

But the border should be opened only as far as the U.S. can ensure it doesn't represent additional threats to our national security and our problems with illegal immigration and undocumented workers. The door must swing much farther toward border security before it can be allowed to swing more open to trade.

The administration should go slow when it comes to letting more big trucks to drive across the border.

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