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Majority of U.S. Presidential Candidates duck Security and Prosperity Partnership issue American Public Responds with Emphatic “NO” to SPP Edited by George Adams
WASHIGTON, DC – While 82% of the American public opposes the Security and Prosperity Partnership Agreement (SPP), [that includes the U.S. Bush administration sponsored North American Union (NAU) agenda]the majority of U.S. Presidential candidates from both parties have not stated a position on the controversial project. U.S. Freedom Foundation has now released the results of a single-question poll of the general public and 17 major Presidential candidates on the SPP Agreement between the Bush Administration and the governments of Mexico and Canada. U.S. Presidential candidates were asked, “If elected, would you support or eliminate the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) Agreement the Bush Administration has implemented with the governments of Mexico and Canada?” Each campaign was also allowed to submit policy statements of any length on the issue in addition to or in lieu of a “support” or “eliminate” response. Inquires were made in-writing and by phone to 16 of 17 campaigns and followed-up by phone. The lone exception was Sen. Fred Thompson, who was unable to be contacted by phone. Each campaign was given two weeks to respond. Only four of nine Republicans replied that they would eliminate SPP if elected. The remaining five failed to respond. John Edwards, the only Democrat to respond, said he “was concerned…about undemocratic policymaking,” and would continue to study the issue. Edwards’ full statement can be found below. Foundation President John E. Stone says that while online polls are unscientific, the results of the USFF poll are nevertheless significant based on similar results from other online surveys such as the 20 August 2007 Lou Dobbs/CNN poll showing 98% of Lou Dobbs viewers opposed to the SPP Agreement. “It is deeply troubling that the majority of presidential candidates from both parties fail to state a position on an issue that is so blatantly repugnant to the American people,” says Stone. “We can only hope that it is truly an oversight on the part of their campaigns, and that it will be corrected in short order.” The Foundation today called on national media to pursue each candidate until a clear answer is provided on the issue. “The logical assumption must be made that with public opinion so stacked against SPP, continued failure to state a position clearly indicates SPP support.” says Stone. Candidate Responses on SPP-NAU agenda: Eliminate
Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-AR) Undecided Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) with voiced concerns.* No Response
Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) *John Edwards Campaign Statement on SPP “Senator John Edwards is concerned about bilateral and multilateral frameworks in the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) Agreement that lead to undemocratic policymaking. For example, while the core NAFTA agreement failed to include any labor standards, its Chapter 11 gave corporations sweeping rights to challenge national laws in secretive tribunals, putting investor profits ahead of American sovereignty and protections for health and the environment. The policymaking groups within the SPP present a similar risk – policies written in secret by big businesses that put corporate profits ahead of workers and families – that Senator Edwards’ campaign will continue to study.”
Public Opinion The USFF Online Public Opinion Poll asked, “Do you support or oppose the Security and Prosperity Agreement (SPP) between the United States, Mexico, and Canada? Support 3% Oppose 82% Neither 2% Undecided 12%
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