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of the world can't be cured. We're determined to

find cures for the diseases that touch all our famities.

We search day in, day out, year in, year out

looking for treatments for diabetes.

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Because families are depending on us.

Life ;s ollr life'S work.

www.pfizer.com

u :z: I I

Publif;her

The Ripon Society

Prnidml Hon. Bill Fren;eel

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lAIri Halju

ComnamicationI DiRaor, Editor

Scot Chri5lenson

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C 2002

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Ripon forum • Winter 2002

THE

RIpON ]FORUM

Contents VOLUME 37 ' NUMBER I ' WINTER 2002

A Man for All Seasons .... .. ... ......... .... ... ... ... .... ... .. .... ............ .. .. ..... . 5

David Wimtoll

The TauziniDingell Bill ............................................. .. ...... ... ... .... 6

IMllter B. M cCor1llick, 1r. alld 101m D. Willdhawen

The Selective Service System ...................................................... .. 8

Scot Christenson

Welfare Reform: A M other's Work .......................... .................... 11

Rim H askills

A Ripon Interview with Shelley Moore Capito

Winning West Virginia .... .. .... ....... ..... .. .... .... ..... ..... ..................... 13

Scot Christenson

Environmental Politics vs. Environmental Policy .. .. ......... .. .......... 16

l talia Federici

Fortress North America .... ... .... ...... .... ...... ... .. ...... .... ... ..... ............. 20

Scot ChristC11S01l

The /Upon Forum (lSN 0035-5516) is published quarterlybyThe Ripon Society.

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)

Gam NdJoI, 0" oIunuue tklq,otejrom Nt'W}~ rolks 'Xir" Omgrwitmol M;isQry B()iJrd mtmlxn Snw(Jr" SMSO" CdIiIlS (R·,\1oi~) a..d C""~_,, }'''''ifer Vf"''' (R-lIash.) QJ rht Z()(}() &{JI'Nica" Naritmol Cr"Mi~"tw".

T he annual Rough Riders Award Dinner will be held May 8, 2002 at the JW Marriott hotel in Washingron, D.C. In 2001, Ripon was proud to award the Teddy Roosevelt Rough Rider saber to Senator Don Nickles, HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson, Congressman Michael G. Oxley and Congresswoman Nancy J ohnson for their achievements in public service.

Co"zmsmo" Cloy Show (R·F!o.) shorn highlighfJjrom the Rip"" ~ ~Rlol Ih1pI" RIal Progrrss" wir" Rip"" mlmHn.

Check out the Ripon Society website at www.riponsoc.org for the latest press re­leases, schedules of events, membership in­formation and more! We value your opin­ions and would like to hear from you. E­mail us at letters@riponsoc.orgormailyour comments, questions and concerns to:

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Snuuor ChlKJ Hagtl (R.Nrh) discl#Jafortign policy ""ojth form" FVprt.sn.Jative o..d RifJO'l Socitry l~j"tHt Bill Fmr .• tL

• ~.I·.ponSOC.OI·g

A Man for All Seasons Why George W Bush Will Not Suffer the Fate of Winston Churchill and George H. Bush

by navid Winston

n the late spring of 1940 as France crumbled under the jackboots of Nazi

troops, Britai n's Conservative Part)'

faced a grim reality: Neville

Chambe rl ain, a peace tim e prime

minister if ever there was one, was clearly

the wrong man in the wrongjob at the wrong

time. Britain desperately needed a prime

minister to wage war not sue for peace. \"'isely if reluctantly, the party rumed to Winston

Churchill wOOsc brilliance and ~ over

the next five years

provided the leadership

crucial to \vinning what

becune a 'Yaror survival.

Ycr,just months af­ter Churchill's glorious

victory. the Bri ti sh

people unceremoniously booted their ~conquer­

ing hero~ out on his ear

as pomvar social change

replaced the defense of the realm as the

country's most important political issue.

ingratirudc, hO\vcver, is certainly not a

trait pecu1iarto the British. George H erbert

Walker Bush met a similar fate just two years

after America's spectacular defeat ofSaddam

Hussein in the GulfWar. Bush's election in

1988 assured the continuation of Rcagan's

successful strategy to end the Cold War and

Bush's international experience proved in­

valuable during the delicate post- \var period.

D uring the Gulf War the foUowing

year, Bush's job approval numbers topped

90 percent, but it was a sluggish economy,

not the "sheik of Baghdad," that foiled the

41n president's reelection bid.

Ripon FOI'um • Winter 1001

Now, political observers in some quar­

ters are beginning to speculate on the post­

war furure of George W . Bush. The central

ques tion: Will he find himself, like

Churchill and his father before him, victo­

rious in war but done in by the public's naru­

ral tendency to put domestic priorities ahead

of foreign policy?

Clear~'. all three share a common and

awesome responsibiliry---leading in a time of

war. and they share common characteristics:

candor, integrity,courage, and intelligence. But

before we rush to commit Gcorgt! W. Bush to

the fute of his predecessors, it's important ro

remember one kt:y difference bcnvccn them:

this president came to povv'er as a "domestic

candidate,~ not a "wartime lcader.~

H is political credentials did not rely on

the kind of military and diplomatic experi­

ence that defined ChurchiU and his f.'\ther's

national political personas. Q lite the con­

trary. Bush, the ),ounger, came to the presi­

dency after raking a quite different path. He

staked his claim to the Oval Offiee on his

successful record as governor of one of the

nation's largest states. Bush's caU for com­

passionate conselVatism, tax cuts, and edu-

cation reform connected \vith voters who

relegated foreign policy experience, as they

usually do, to the political backwater of sec­

ondary issues.

D uring the 2000 campaign, the per­

ceived strengths of George H erbert W alker

Bush and Winston Churchill were the per­

ceived weaknesses of George W. l roni­

cally, like Churchill and his father, Bush's

flf~t year and likely his presidency will be defined by his performance as a wartim(:

leader. But those pundits pondering Bush's iXllitical

demise should rcmeml:x.'f"

one key difference. Un­

like hi s fa ther and

Churrhill whore dom,,­tic policies cost them their

positions, Bush's first year

has seen the centerpieces

of his campaign's domes­

tic proposals--education

refonn and tax cuts--both become law.

Bush has proven himself an able diplo­

mat and an inspiring commandcr-in-chief, but

he also hasn't forgonen the ~horse he rode in

on." He has rom an uncanny ability to lead

not just on maners of war but on important

domestic issues of peace and prosperity as well.

It is that dual leadership that sets him apart.

In May 194O, British Economic Mjn­

ister Hugh Dalton called C hurchill "The

man and the only man we have, for this

hour." Given his extraordinarypcrformance.

one could say the same of this presi­

dent.

David WillS/on iJ president of77lc Wilwon Grollp.

,

The TauzinlDingell The Stimulus Package That D oesn't Cost the us. Treasury a D ime

By Waltef" B. MCCOI"Rlick, Jt-.

tcendy, members of the U.S.

House of Representatives had the opportuni ty to vo te on

crucial legislation that affects all

Am ericans. T his bi ll could

ultimately inject up to 5500 billion a year

into our struggling economy and revitalize

our nation's hard-hit tdecem and high­

tech sectors. Best of all, it would not cost

American taxpayers a dime.

This legislation is not the much-de­

bated economic stimulus package. Rather

it is theTauzin-Dingcll lntemet Freedomand

B.",n"oo Doploym<nl Aa. Through thi,

bill, Congress can help spur billions of dollars in in\'esnnent in our nation's lnremct back­

bone; help spark renewed gro.vth in the U.S. infonnation economy and put more Ameri­

cans back to work.

When Congressmen Billy Tauzin and

John Dingell introduced this legislation early

last year, there was a clear need for regula­

tory fairness among the nation's providers

of high-speed Internet access services. fu the rules stand today, companies that de­

liver high-speed Internet access services over

cable lines operate in a deregulated environ­

ment, while companies that deliver the ex­

act same services over a telephone line face

heavy regulation. fu a result, cable modems

control 70% of the high-speed Internet ac­

cess market, while investment in broadband

via telephone lines has all but dried up.

With the U.S. economy struggling, the

need for greater investment in more broad­

band Internet access has only grown more

urgent. Today, a mere 8% of Americans

have high-speed Internet access service.

As a result, the whole range of high- tech

•

companies - hardware manufacturers,

software makers and content providers­

do not have the mass consumer audience

they need to drive sales of their next-gen­

eration products and services. Without this

mass market, many of the companies that

fueled the U.S. economic boom of the 1990s will continue to struggle.

What can get high-tech growing again?

From prominent economists at the

Brookings Institute to leaders of the infor­

mation revolution , there is widespread

agreement that the massive, nationwide

availability of high-speed Internet access

services is the spark that can jump-stan re­

newed growth. This is precisely what the

Tauzin-Dingell bill would do

Opponents of this bill have made many

desperate charges to defend their interests.

They claim, for instance, that a level play­

ing field would lead to a telecom monopoly

of high-speed Internet access. This claim is

preposterous considering that the nation is

well on its way to a cable ffiOOOJXlly of the

same market today. That won't change until

Congress makes a stand for basic regulatory

equity: that all wmpanies prwiding the same

service should play by the same rules - no

matter if that service is delivered via cable, tele­

phone or satellite broadband facilities.

Fair competition would eliminate the

disincentive to invest that has held back the

widespread availab il ity of high-speed

I nternet access services. Instead, it

would ensure rules that encourage,

rathe r than discourage, the invest­

ments nece ssary to see these se rvices

reach all America n s, giving consumers a

choice of providers and giving high-tech

companies the mass market they need to

get our infonnation economy growing again.

Given all that's going on in our world

today,you might ask why this legislation de­

serves Congress' immediate attention. The

answer is simple: For America to heal, our ea::momy must heal For Americans to go back

to ,vork, our infonnarion economy must get

back on a grmvth track. These things can only Iupp<n ifCong<= w<guank th< powotfuI

cycles ofhigh-tcchgro.vth and inn0-

vation thatcan onlycome from f.Ur competition. If we

frec-up invest-

ment in high speed access to the Internet,

we free U.S. companies to begin the process of

renewal With one vote from Congress, and

not a dime from the U.s. Treasury, we r.'I can begin to grow again. ...

Halter B. MCC"'lIIick, Jt: is Prtsidmt and CEO

oft/Jt U.S. 1H«om AsiocialiQII .

Ripon ForLim • Winltr 2002

11~-gniO\ni u8T ~dT - - --- -

n the early 1970's, Congress and the

FCC allowed competition for

telephone equipment, long distance

service, cellular and other mobile

services, infonnation services and satcl~te services. Each time, the growth of

competition brought about lower prices for

consumers, greater technological innovation,

and economic growth.

the Telecommunications Act of 1996,

which promOtes competition for local tele­

phone services. Since then, hundreds of

new com panies raised bi llions of dol ­

lars in invesunenl capi tal to compete

against the incumbent Bell Companies.

These new companies, known as Com­

petitive Local Exch ange Ca rri e rs

Ri pon FOf'um • Wlnt~r 2002

Promoting Monopolies Will Stifle Economic Growth

(CLECs), have deployed state-or-the art

technologies, such as high-speed OSLo fi­ber optic cables, and next generatio n

switches.

Despit e this enormous progress,

Congress is considering legislation that

will reverse the pro-competitive provisions

of the 1996 Telecom Act and put most of

these innovative C LECs out of business.

Why?

The Bell s argue that their high­

speed services should be exe mpted from

competition in order to encourage them

to deploy these services more quickly.

But the Bells have never followed

through on their past promises to de­

ploy advanced networks in return fo r de­

regu lation. The Bells have been given

the right to price cap regulation, infor­

mation services, cable se rvices, but did

not deploy the promised new technolo­

gies. T he Bells only deployed DSL, a

technology they invented in the late

1980's, when faced with competition

from CLECs in the last fou r years.

The Bells complain that the prices

they can charge the C LECs for leasing

portions of their network are too low. But

the statute and the FCC's rules guarantee

that the prices must allow the Bells to earn

profit. The Bells simply want a higher

profit.

The Bell s further maintain that

they should be deregulated to compete

with the cable companies' high-speed

Internet services. But t he Bell Compa­

nies and cable companie s are alre ady

regulated simi larly. The cable compa­

nies must carry thc signal s of the broad-

Il l' John O. Windhauscn

casters, just as the RBOCs carry the sig­

nals of the CLECs.

I f the Bells are deregulated, and the

CLECs eliminated, each market will have

only twO companies - the Bell Company

and the cable company. D uopolies gener­

ally do not compete - they divide up the

market between them.

The CLECs have invested enormous

sums of money O'>'tt the past 5 years to build advanced, high-speed local net\'IIOrks - CNer

556 Billion. These networks already carry

60% of the local, high-speed I nternet traf­

fic around the country. Perhaps more im­

ponant, these co mpetitive local networks

fue led our nation's tremendous economic

growth through the late 1990's.

Japan's economic stagnation teaches

us the dangt:rs of relying on large conglom­

erates pro tected from competition. By

contrast, our country's reliance on compe­

tition has made us the strongest economy

in the world. Let's not take a giant step

bacbvards and puU the rug out from under

these new entrepreneurs. Congress should

stop the Tauzin- Dingell bill in its tracks

and renew its suppon for competi­

tion fo r all local telecom services.

Jolm A. Wintlha/JS(n is presidl!1lt o/the As.roeiati()n

0/ Lrxa/ 7(/uOln IllUn iear;ons Sero;us.

On February 27, the House passed the Tauz;n ~D;ngell

Internet Freedom and Broad~ band Deployment Act (HR. 1541) on a 171·158 vote. The bill now faces an uphill battle;n the Senate.

7

The Selective Service System Insurance Policy or Cold l%r Artifact?

By Scot CIIJ"istenson

he firs t war of the 21" Century is also one of the most

unconventional conflicts the United States has bee n

involved with since fighting the Barbary Pirates in 1805.

Instead of engaging in battle against a defined and

central ized enemy. the U.S. has declared war on a

movement that transcends borders and nationalities. T his will

not be a war where teeming armies clash on the battlefield and

massive ships attempt to outmaneuver onc another on the high

seas. It will be a war where proficient high-tech intelligence

,

gathering will assist specially trained teams to ferret out terrorists

and liquidate them.

Meanwhile, the U.S. government continues as it has fo r de­

cades to gather and process the names of all able-bodied young

men in the event that a draft is needed to supply the military with

additional manpower. Every male in the United States is required

to register with Selective Service within 30 days of his 18'" birth­

day or risk being denied college loans, federal job training and gov­

emment employments. Violators may also be fined 5250,000 and!

or be sentenced up to 5 years in jail.

The purpose of the registration require­

ment is to give the United States an insur­

ance policy against any unforeseen threat

agai nst national security. But in an era

when even the Pentagon states that a draft

is ~highly unlikell. many fee l that Selec­

tive Service's S25 million annual budget is

too high a prem ium to pay. Congressma n Ron Paul (R-T X) has introduced a bilJ to

terminate Selective Service, and he is not

alone in his be lief that the age ncy has out­

lived its purpose.

Congressman Mark Foley (R-FL) stated

in a 1995 House debate "The Selective Ser­

vice, as we know it today, was created by

President Carter to respond to fea rs that

Ripon Forum · Winter 2002

regional confli cts of the Soviet Union would

grow and lead to a supe rpower showdown.

The national defense structure at that time

had been gutted and allowed the volunteer

Armed Forces to fall to dangerously low

levels ... that is not the case today. This Con­

gress has made a commi tment to a strong national defense. We intend to keep mi li­

tary personnel equipped and ready to

fight .. .I n almost 10 years of the Vietnam

war,jus[ under 2.5 million Americans we re

sent to the combat area; one of every four

of those young Americans were drafted. In

10 years we did not send the number of vol­

unteers that can be deployed from ou r shores today ... [Ending Selective Service]

will not leave the U.S. defense vulnerable.

We have 3 million vo lunteers ready to

fig ht. ft

Critics of Selective Service believe that there is little need

for draftees in IOday's military. Modern warfare has become

increasingly reliant on technology and specialized personnel to

defend U.S. interests. Gone are the days when a recruit could be

given a gun, grenade, and a few months of instruction before be­

ing sent into battle. T oday's military consists primarily of profes­

sionals who have gone through years of extensive training to handle

advanced computerized weapons and machinery. In addition, the

Gulf War demonstrated that fore ign powers could now be neu­

tralized through the usc of missiles and airpower with minimal

face- to-face confrontation benveen soldiers.

AJso at issue is the f.,ct that women are currently exempt

from the registmtion requirement, a policy that has caused re­

sentment among young men who stand to lose important ben-

ally less capable than men. The topic was initially discussed

when a shortage of nurses du ring the Second World War led

the government to contemplate drafting women to flU vacancies

in the medical field. A surge in volunteerism made the drafting

of medical personnel irrelevant and the issue was dropped. M ore

recently, President Clinton reviewed the exempt starus of women

and concluded that there was no need fo r Congress to amend the

draft law because women have not yet been put in combat roles

by the U.S. military and the current system was enough to meet

the nation's security needs.

OPposition to the draft is nothing new. T he fact of the matter

is that the draft has never really been popular. Early attempts

at conscription during the C ivil War resulted in four days of rioting because the draft laws aIlowed men to avoid service by

paying 5300, an amount most working men could not afford.

The purpose of the registration requirement is to give the United States an insurance policy against any unforeseen threat against national security.

Activist during the First World War argued that the

draft violated the liberty of Americans by removing

their freedom to choose whether to fight or not . Over

250,000 eligible men failed to register as required. In 1940, Afte r ca mpaigni ng on a platform of

isolationism, Franklin Roosevelt alarmed the

American public when he established the Selective

Service and began the first peacetime draft as the

conflict in Europe was escalating.

efits for failing to comply. As women play an ever- increasing

role in the all volunteer military, some question the fairness

of the draft when on ly women arc given the option of serving.

Some women have even expressed co ncerns that the registra­

tion exe mption reinforces the stereotype that they are gener-

Ri pon Forum • Winttr 2002

Conscription was briefly suspended at [he end

of the Second World War, but millions of young men were drafted

between 1948 and 1973 to keep the nation at a state of readi ­

ness to combat communism. Following the war in Korea, the

Vietnam conflict saw the most active, prolonged opposi tion

to the draft, prom pting the US to end the registration re-

•

quirement in 1975. Because of the Soviet invasion of Afghani­

stan, the suspension was short-lived and Preside nt Carter re­instated the registration requirement in 1980 amid much con­troversy. The system has been in place

The agency has also developed a se­ries of reforms to correct problems with

the system since the Vietnam War to en­sure fairness. Like the C ivil War, Vietnam was seen as a rich man's war where those

who had the money could buy their way out and the poor were left to do the fIght­ing. College students could avoid service if they remained in school and were mak­ing progress tOwards a degree. No more. If drafted, a college student would have to report for service at the end of the semes­te r and a college senior would have until the end of the academic year. Special ef­

fort has also been put into forming draft boards to bette r represent the communi­ties in which they serve.

The exemption of women will be less of an issue if the Health Care Personnel

Delivery System is implemented. Proposed in 1989, the plan calls for medical specialists to be registered and available for a draft in the event of an emergency mobilization. Since the

ever since and has so far survived sev­

eral attempts to dismantle it. However, Selective Service is not

without its supporte rs. Former Sec­retary of Defense William J. Perry recommended to Congress in August 1995 that the Selective Service be funded adequate ly. "This small, but important agency,~ he wrote, "should

be maintained in its current State of

The draft has never really been popular. Early attempts at conscription during the Civil War resulted in four days of rioting because the draft laws allowed men to avoid service by paying $300, an amount most working men could not afford.

readiness, and its peacetime registration program involving America's young men should be preserved to help ensure that any future draft, if needed, would be fair and equitable."

Proponents of the Selective Service point out that regardless

of the nature of recent co nflicts, the sys tem offers protection against an unforeseen cri sis. Even with the

collapse of the Soviet Union, the United States still has to be

prepa red to defend its global commitments in potentially explosive regions such as Asia . By maintaining the system in peacetime, it has been estimated that the country will save 8-10 days in the process for drafting and training troops in the event of an emergency where additional manpower is necessary. Being able to reinforce battle-weary troops a week earlier could mean the difference between victory and defeat.

10

medical speciali sts wou ld not be servi ng in a combat role, women would be expected to serve.

Although nOt perfect, Selective Service does perhaps of­fer the country an affordable safety net. The S25 million bud­

get is a relatively cheap insurance policy when considering that it is less than the cost ofa single F-16 fighter. When it comes to defending the coun try, what would make Ameri­

cans feel more secure - having an extra fighter patrolling the skies, or having a sys tem in place that has rhe ability to call upon the 13.5 million men that are currently draft eligible? The majority of Americans would probably feel safer with the latter.

SCO/ Christenson iJ the iditol' olne Ripoll rort/m

Ripon forum ' Wintn lool

Welfare Reform: A Mother~s Work oy lion Ilaskins

the 1996 welfare reform

Congress, there were

numerous predictions from

scho lars, editorial page

writers and politicians that a welfare

system that demanded work, imposed

sanctions and operated under time limits

would result in huge declines in family

income and increases in poverty and

homelessness.

Now comes the U.S. Census Bureau

with its data on family income and pov­erty for 2000, thereby permitting informed judgments about whether welfare reform

is driving poor families into the Grate

Society. For the seventh year in a row, pov­erty was down. Further, black and His­

panic households had their lowest poverty

rates ever, and the overall child poverty rate

was lower than in any year since 1976.

Similarly, black and Hispanic households

both set records for all-time high incomes.

How is the nation making such re­

markable progress against poverty and low income? T he Census Bureau report shows

that an important part of the answer is that

welfare reform has led to huge increases

Ripon forum • Winter 2002

in work and earnings by single mothers

and a revolution in how government helps

the poor. No

longer does gov­

ernment help the

poor primarily

by giving them welfare benefi ts.

The new ap ­

proach is to en­

courage, cajole

and, if necessary,

force poor and able-bodied par­

ents to take jobs.

T hen, once they

arc employed,

government pro­

vides hel p

through a system of work supports

that includes cash

earn ings subs i­

dies, pr ima rily

through the

Earned Income

Tax Credit

(EITC), medical

insurance, food subsidies, child care and

housing.

"

T he Census Bureau data show how

this new approach works. Consider the

group of about 2 million families headed

by mothers with incomes under 513,000.

In 1993 this group earned on averagc only

Sl,400 and had welfare benefits (prima­

rily cash and food stamps) of S4,400 (all

figures are adjusted for inflation). By 2000,

their earnings had increased by 130 per­cent, to S3, 1 00, and their welf.'lre benefits

had declined by a quarter to S3,300. In

addition, they enjoyed a 300 percent in­

crease in EITC income. T he nct effect was

that total income for these mothers and

children rose by a quarter, to S8,600.

Now consider the group of 2 million

mothers with incomes between 513,000

and S21,000, a group that includes many mothers leaving welfare. Earnings in ­

creased from S4,900 in 1993 to 511,700

in 2000. Similarly, EITC income increased

by nearly 200 percent. Although the wel ­

farc income of mothers in this group fell

by nearly 60 percent, their total income

increased by more than S4,000, to S17,600.

Progress against poverty over the

1993-2000 period is equally remarkable.

12

Child poverty declined by nearly a third

to 16.2 percent, its lowest level since 1976.

Moreover, for three of the past five years,

poverty among black children declined

more than in any year before 1995 and has

now reached its all-time low. Deep pov­

erty, defined as income at half the poverty

level (about 57,000) or less by the Census

Bureau, has also declined sharply and is now well below its previous historical low.

The Census Bureau reports additional

data that are even more encouraging. The

official poverty index does not include in­

come from the EITC and a few other pro­

grams, notably food stamps, that provide

non-cash benefits to low-income families.

But in recent years the Census Bureau has

been calculating an CJ;:perimental poverty measure based on a more comprehensive

definition of income that includes these

benefits. Using this broader measure, child

poverty is actually around 10 percent, rather

than the official measure of 16.2 percent.

Even more important, child poverty de­

clined more than twice as much during the

economic recovery of the 1990s as it did

during the recovery of the 19805, prima-

rily because so many more single mothers

boosted their income through earnings.

The most important conclusion to

draw from these remarkable numbers is

that the performance of low-income

mothers in leaving welfare and entering

employment is a great success story. Aided

by a strong economy, not only have they

rescued their children from poverty but

many have told researchers and reponers

that their children arc proud of them and

they arc proud of themselves.

T hese mothers have changed the very

reputation of welfare, something that no

amount of rhetoric from policymakers could have achieved.

Unde r the o ld welfare system ,

government simply gave benefits to

the poor, thereby trapping many of

them in a system of learned helplessness.

Under the new system, the poor are

expected, required, or forced to work. And

even in low-income jobs they are much

better off financially than under welfare,

because government generously subsidizes

their income. T hus a job that provides

510,000 a year in earnings is converted by

government, primarily through the EIT C

and food stamps, into a job that provides

S16,000 a year in f."Ul1ily income. In addition,

nearly all these families are eligible for

government health insurance, and many

rece ive the child tax credit, child care

subsidies, school lunch and other in-kind

benefits.

The deadline for reauthorizing the welfare reform legislation is next Octo­

ber. Although improvements are pos­

sib le and desi rable , especially to help

patents who lose their jobs because of

the slowing economy, Congress would

be wise to preserve the basic featu res of

the new welfare

work. system based on [J

Ron Haskins is a SCI/ior Fdlow of Economic

Studies ami Co- Dirt(/ot" of ItHfare I&fonn &

BC)'Qnd fot" /he Brookings lnuilulion.

Ripon Forllm • Wintt r 2002

Winning West Virginia A Ripon Interview with u.s. Representative Shelley M oore Capito

he 2000 praidtll/iol race will jore"Uer IK "111,,,,,,",d tJJ the (ltC/ion

in which tilt outcome W(lJ 'aided by one Jlalt. j ·/ rr.J.ltwr, jf can

be argued tlm/lhe d«iding SIdle was IIhl I'irginin, 7101 flQrida.

/ lad George IV 8um "01 pul/d off a crucial upset we/Dry in lite

AfOUl/lain SIal(, N Gon tool/ld haw 11M (Mugh ,!t:cloraI1XJltJ /0

win lht pmidency e'IItll tl.!lihoul florida, making 'lit tIIlire I"tCOlftl/ f= 1I11Il«lS.J(/ry. By kroll/illl tile fin! lIon-inrumkm &pllblicflll pruidemial

caH<iida/e /o corry lib/Virginia sillu 1928, 81m, dm;td Cort lhe [roed«/oral

'IXJIlS tlJaI sepamud him from tlJt (J'tl(li offiu as FlO/ida hllllg ill {he balnnet.

After wttits 0/ agO/shillg /ilignl;oll, 811Sl1 offici"lIy /oo/: Flollda and finis/ltd

willi 271 e/WOI"II/ voles /0 Core:r 266. m·1t Virginia's frw '!.lOW had prrmt'l

to be the dijJrrl"/u.

17" GOP} jol1lllllS in Ilbl I'irginia did 1101 t:nd wilh Bwlli surprise

~.Mlory. Sllllley Aloore Capilokcall/e tile first IUpllhlican rircud totllll·101m

siner /980. Tile Ripon rom", Sal down with Rtpmrntaliw Capiro 10 discuss

rlu (hanging priilital dill/au rif llhl Virginia alit! wnal In~ flllllre lzQ/ds for

IllI! statr.

RF: Both you and President Bush shocked the D NP by winning

in \ <\fest Virginia. To what do you attribute the recent GOP suc­

cess in the traditionally Democrat state?

R~p. Capiro: I think there were a few factors. First of aU, the mes­

sages President Bush and I were both keying on rang true with

most West Virginians. VVe stressed educa[ion and the importance

of leaving no child behind. We also assured the people that we

would keep West Virginia working by protecting the manufac­

turing and mining industry, giving people confidence that they

would be able to retain their jobs.

Ripon Forum • Winter 1001

Gmgraswoman Capito talKS with RF Editor ScOi ChrisJe/lJQn.

Another factor was that we both worked hard at the grassroots level. Of course I paid close attention to \-Vest Virginia, but Presi­

dent Bush took special care to come talk to West Virginians dur­

ing the campaign on several occasions, which was very impornnt

considering the stare is often passed over in presidentiaJ races and

the candidates rarely visit. It made a huge impression. AI Gore

thought he had the state wrapped up and did not visi t until just

prior to the election, and by then it was too late.

But uhimatcly it can down to being a factor of trust. Our

messages wefC sincere and West Virginians came to trust George

W. Bush to be the President, and t.rust me to be their representa­

tive in \<\fashington.

Il

RF; A1though the Democrats reclaimed the governor's office from

Republican Cecil Underwood, the GOP can only be encouraged

by the recent elections. When do you believe that therewill be GOP candidates who can realistically challenge the seats held by ScnalOr

Byrd and Senator RockcfcUer, as well as Reps. Mollahan and Rahall,

both of whom ran unopposed in the last election.

Rrp. Capito: We are so far in the minority in West Virginia - in the

state house we only have 25 out of 100 delegates, and in the

state senate only 5 out of 34 are

strong grass roots base by going out and delivering

my message in a personal way.

RF: \¥hat lessons can the GOP take from your upset

victory in WV and apply to other regions of the US?

R~p. Capito: I think the best lesson to rake away from

2000, if you look at my race, is that you can beat the

odds with a weU-managed campaign. You can beat

the money, you can beat the registration numbers,

and you can beat the tradition of electing the same

party if you truly listen to what your constituency is

sayi ng and craft your message to address their con­

cems while staying truthful. I also never tried to be

anything more than I am and people realized that I

was a real person with real problems, which helped

)>eople to relate to me. I think this helped instill a sense

of truSt. But again, it must be remembered that nothing is impos­

sible and it can be done. no matter the odds.

RF: How would you describe your constituency?

R~p. Capito; I have a very diverse constituency. First of aU, mOSt

people are su rprised to learn that West Virginia has the oldest

average age in the United States, older than Florida, so I have a

lot of mature adults. And then within my twenty counties, I

Republicans - that we don't yet

have the party infrastructure to re­

cruit candidates at the local level

and encourage them to run for

higher office. We need to foUow rhe

lead ofVllginia and some of the other

Southern states that were in a simi­

lar position, but generated their

strength from the bottom up rather

thcn of the top down. It 's going to

Because I served in the in the West Virginia State Legislature, people knew I had experience, which is very helpful for any candidate. I also try to be as upfront and candid as possible, which people seem to appreciate.

take some time, but we need to find

some people that arc \villing to stick their necks out and maybe have

to run more than once. And then of course we need to make sure

that everyone is weU funded.

RF: \\fhat strategies did you employ to defeat your opponent, Jim

Humphreys, who spent five times as much moneyon his campaign?

R~p. Capito: He did spend a lot of money, SO I tried to put to­

gether an effective three-pronged media attack with television,

radio and direct-mail, and coupled that with a good team that

worked hard to deliver the message that West Virginia needed a

seat at the other side of the table to offer diversiry in our del­

egation in Washington. I also spent a lot of energy bui lding a

"

have four counties that have some of the lowest unemployment

in West Virginia, and at the same time, ' also have four counties that

have some of the highest unemployment. I have the challenge to

tailor my agenda to meet the needs ofboth ends of the spectrum. So there is real diversity in my district and I think that characterizes

West Virginia. Plus West Virginians in general are very proud, inde­

pendent people.

RF: Which of your attributes carried the most weight with them?

R~p. Capito: Because I served in the in the West Virginia State

LegislatuTC, people knew I had experience, which is very helpful

for any candidate. I also try to be as upfront and candid as pos-

Ripon For ... m • Wintt r 1002

sible, which people seem to appreciate. I have talked a lot about

bringing up the next generation, and being a mother with two

children, my sincerity comes through. But once again, it goes back

to trust. I asked them to trust me, and they believed that they

could. I wont disappoint them.

West Virginians in general are very proud, independent people.

RF: The Democrats desperately want your seat back and believe

that a moderate like Martha Walker can defeat you in 2002. What

is it going to take to avoid being a one- term wonder?

R~p. Capito: Conti nuing my hard work at the grass roots b·d, good constituency service, and proving myself to be a good Con­

gresswoman. I'll need to be preparc.-d to defend my voting record.

so I very carefully consider every vote that I take. I' ll also have to

be ready to keep my confidence up because everyday someone

will be trying to knock me down, but I'm up fo r the challenge.

RF: West Virgi nia is one of me most beautiful states in the union.

How will you help protect the en\;ronment while not damaging

the coal and steel industry?

R~p. Capito: T hat is something we have struggled with over the

last several years. West Virginia absolutely is the most beautiful

state and its appeal to tOurists has created a very strong travel

industry, so the environment is defini tely tied to our economy on

many different levels. I agree with Christine Todd W hitman who

came to West Virginia and talked a lot :\bout striking a balance

between protecting the environment while supplying the resources

that the nation needs such as coal, natural gas. and timber. It will be

difficult, but I think we can, and will, achieve this balance.

RF: Eventually, th e coal will be mined out and there is already a

strong movement to develop alternative energy. What is the out­

look for WV when the coal indust ry has accounted for the liveli­

hood of so many fo r so long?

R~p. Capito:T hat's a great question. I think we need to be aggres­

sive in our education system and get our youth going in a differ­

ent direction Ihan following their families into the coal mines.

We need to advance people into college, improve workforce train­

ing, and strengthen skill development. T hat 's why I think Presi­

dent Bush's education reform program is going to be so impor­

tant because it is going to give us the fl exibility to transi tion our

Ripon Forum • Winter 2002

current economy to a faster-paced, more technologically driven

economy. The problem has alv ... ays been that West Virginia's economy

runs so close to the edge that it is difficult to get a toehold in some­

thing new that may take us to the next level. I think education will

be key in helping the state grow from its reliance on the manufilc­

turing industry.

I think we need to be aggressive in our education system and

get our youth going in a different direction than follo\ving their

families into the coal mincs. vVe need to advance people into col­

lege, improve workforce training, and strengthen skill development.

RF:On to another subject, how do )'ou th.ink the GO P haschangcd

to reflect the increased involvement of women in the party?

Rtp. Cllpito:The GOP has realized that women vote in large num­

bers and eare very deeply about many issues beyond the traditional

family issues. The party defi nitely has become better at communi-

cating in the tenns that women are listening, but we still need to do

more to raise the visibility of our women leaders and highlight their

accomplishments. I think women want and need to see that.

RE: As a freshman represen tative, what have you fou nd to be the

greatest challenge in moving to DC ?

Rep. Capito: The logistic of settling into a new town with a new st:\ff

and a nt.'\'\1 lifestyle. It 's just so overwhelming in the beginning. It

has also been a difficult transition because 1 still have children home

in West Virginia, but of course now they're at the age where they

ask "When arc you leaving?~ instead of "\ ,yhen are you coming

home?". But 1 think I have adjusted to the pace of DC and r.'I have become quite comfortable. W

Scot C/l1is/(m(m is flit tdifor ofThr Ripon Nmlln.

15

system,

acre s

presen'es.

signed

Water Act , and <n'«,","" Act into law, and

national marine sanctuaries. And so it

goes on and on. The first Republican­

led congress in decades - the 1041h_

passe d fourteen major pieces of

environmental legislation bet\veen 1995 and 1996. That 's more than the previous

four Democrat-led Congresses combined. So why doesn't the

American public know the truth about

the GOP's environmental legacy?

The answer is simpler than we might

want to acknowledge; we have

allowed ourselves to be defined by

our opponents. We are not getting our

message out. I am frequently asked by

reporters and others to name CREA's

Democratic counterpart. It is surprising

for people to learn there isn't one. I

simply point out that it is unnecessary

for Democrats to form an environmental

organization to express their viewpoints

and make recommendations to opinion

leaders, the public, and the press. Two

major national organizat ions already provide that se rvice for Democrats.

Those organizations are the League of Conse rvation Voters (LCV) and the

Sierra C lub.

Unlike the Sierra Club, the League

of Conservat ion Voters (LCV ) ac­

knowledges that their agenda is entirely

election focused. The LCV produces an

Unfortunately this claim is not vali­

dated by their en­

dorsements or dona­

tion patterns. For

the past three elec­

tion cycles, the LCV

has give n 83% of

their endo rsements

Democrats

(86.5% in '96; 82.4% in '98; and 80.5% in

2000). For their

PAC contributions

IIo/UIIUersjrom Dewn £mrgy Clff/J'Jrafion construct fran 'W()t~r ponds will, mllurio! Mnoud by th~ ,onl{1(1/I), j"dudjllg windmills to pump frah wour, on SUndOWII Island Bird Sanctuary.

in 1994 LCV gave 99.95% of their na­

tional PAC money and 100% of their

state PAC funds to Democrats. In 1996 they gave 80% of their national PAC

money and 100% of their state money

to Democrats. Again, in 1998,80% of

the LCV's PAC money and 100% of

their state disbursements went to

Democratic races. By contrast, 90% of

their targeted attacks have been aimed at Republicans (91.7% in '96; 86.4% in

'98; and 91.6% in 2000).

The LCV claims that this slanted

track record is caused by Republican in­

difference to the environment. They

point to their own "educational

scorecard" as proof of their un-biased

methodology. But their scorecard

to key vote; The Safe Water D rinking

Act, The National Marine Sanctuaries Prese rvation Act, The African and

Asian Elephant Conservation Acts, The

Tropical Forest Re storation Act, T he

Estuaries and Clean '-Vaters Act, cre­

ation of Black Canyon National Park,

the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Moun­

tains National Monument Act, The

NOAA Chesapeake Bay Reauthoriza­tion Act, and dozens of others like these.

Instead. in their spring 2002 scorecard, LCV scored votes on such issues as in­

ternational family planning, regulatory reform, the nominations of two mem­

bers of the Bush administration, and

even campaign finance reform.

So why doesn't the American public know the truth about the GOP's environmental legacy? We have allowed ourselves to be defined by our opponents.

The Sierra Club isn't much better

when it comes to putting the en­

vironment before partisan poli­

tics. In the 2000 elections, the

Sierra Club gave only 8, or 5% of their endorsements to Repub­

licans. That same election cycle

they gave 132 endorsemenrs to

Democrats, or 95%. In an ef­

fort to justify this obvious bias,

environmental scorecard that rate s

members of Congress, has a political

action committee, runs political adver­

tisements and endorses candidates. The

Sierra Club also engages in everyone of these activities. Both the Sierra Club

an d LCV claim to be non-partisan.

Ripon FOf'um • Winter 1001

doesn't stand up to scrutiny. The LCV actually states in the introduction to

their scorecard that "consensus action"

is excluded. In other words, the LCV

intentionally highlights partisan issues.

H ere are a few of the non-partisan, or

"consensus," actions the LCV chose not

the Sierra Club issued its own scorecard

- with only four votes being selected

to sum up an elected official's entire vot­

ing record. And again, major bipartisan

accomplishments were excluded. Of course, RepUblicans and Demo­

crats do sometimes disagree about envi-

11

ronmental issues. Then again, Mem~

bers of Congress, Governors, appointees

and other opinion leaders continu ally debate the best resolution for every i s~

sue: education reform, defense spend~

ing, social iss ues, taxes, etc. And djs~

agree ments don't only occu r between

colleagues from differe nt politi cal par~

tics; they occur between members of the

same party. Why is this important?

Because it is the duty of elected leaders

to question, probe, and debate. It is

through this process th at legislation improves and compromises are reached.

By ignoring "consensus" action , and vali­

dating only the most partisan results, the

LCV and the Sierra Club are missing

the point. They are serving to dumb

down the debate by declaring one party

victorious over another before the dis­

cussion eve n begi ns. By leve ling the

playing field and correcting the misperception that Democrats over­

whelmingly care mo re than Republi ­ca ns about the environment, the de­

bate will become more meaningful

and the end result more legitimate.

T here arc some important areas where th e environmen t would benefit

from more meaningful debate. En ­

ergy po licy, environmental perfor-

,

mance indicators, and private sector

contrib uti ons to the enviro nment are

a few of th ese issues. The Bush ad­

ministration has taken on one of the

most neglected issues of the past de-

development (of resources to ot her

countries) is to accept the inevitability

of less rigorous environmental over­

sight." 1n other words, we are harming

th e planet as a whole by advocating a

The Sierra Club isn't much better when it comes to putting the environment before partisan politics. In the 2000 elections, the Sierra Club gave only 8 - or 5% - of their endorsements to Republicans.

cade: comprehensive ene rgy policy.

M any took for granted that co nven­

tional sources of oil would always be

availab le to us from overseas. In aJuly

2001 interview on HBO, Carl Pope,

executive director of the Sierra C lub,

criticized the administ ration for pro­

posing domestic energy exp lora ti on

options and ex pressed the following sent iment: ~ You can get oil [for a rea­

so nab le pr ice], it's all sitting under

Saudi Arabia. It 's always goi ng to be there.~ Two short months later we were

forced to acknowledge that domestic en­

ergy needs are best secured from domes-

1

tic energy sources.

And if we are

piecemeal approach to meeting our own

energy needs.

This manma& islaM off of Pon O'Connor, UXaI. has m w u: a key Slopping point Jvr migratory birds.

truly to ~think

globaJly and act

lo call y", th e n

think about

this ... the United

States has the

mo st s tringent

environ m e nt al

laws in the world

and no country

on earth has

moved past the need for conve n­

tional sources of energy. ~To force

Many environ mentalists also refuse

to acknowledge that eve r y

en vironmenta l challenge does

not require a gove rn men t mandated solution. The role the private secto r

voluntari ly p lays in en vironmental

protection is alm ost completely

overlooked by the media a nd

conservation community. While

compan ies are frequently cited in the

press as bad environmental actors,

they are rarely th anked for their

environmental contributions. These

contributions are not uncommon and

will become increasingly important as

our national focus is pulled to othe r

more pressing endeavors. Unlike the

national trend with regard to

environm ental issues, when individuals

and their em ployers become involved in

conservation projects, the focus tends to

be both lo ca l and results orien ted:

cleaning a beach, raising funds to

purchase and prese rve open sp ace, monitoring the number of wild life

within a habitat and working to increase

that number. There is a definable goal

and the com munity can see tangib le

results. The projects that Devon Energy

Corporation in itiated at Su nd own

18 Ripon Forum • Winter 1001

(

ronmental con ­

sequences. At

issue is language

that leaves open

to interpretation

exactly when a

company's ac ­

tio n changes the

legal status un­

der w h ich they

operated at the

creation of the

NSR rule. Rather

than deal with

Island are marquee examples afhow the

private sector can play an important role

in the protection of our natural

treasures. However, in order for this

model to wor k on a larger sca le ,

professional environmentalists and their

fundraisers are going to have to

acknowledge that e nvironmental

contributions from corporate America

aren't limited to the role they playas the

"bad guy" in environmental organization's

fund raising letters. The use of volunteers,

and the dedication and resources they

commit, should also be encouraged

whereve r possible in environmental

prorcuion efforts.

t his ca n ten tiou s CQmpJelioll of the pond ami Ik subsequell/ plantillg of tJeg(/alirm provi<k all imporralll issue at the out- siop-U'.,"/orwildlifi·

Another area of d isagreement is

with envi ronmental performance indi­

cators an d performance standards in

general. There are those who view any

change in environmental policy or law

as a negative change. Yet, there are rules

and regulations that aren't fulfIlling their

environmental mission. Shou ld those

se t, the Cli nton administration waited

until the second half of their second

term to change the long-standing in­

te rpre tation of what it means for a

co mpany to make a "major modi fi ca­

tion .~ T he end resu lt of this ambigu ­

ity is that many co mpanies a re not

maki ng upgrade s to cleaner, newer,

Unlike the national trend with regard to environmental issues, when individuals and their employers become involved in conservation projects, the focus tends to be both local and results oriented.

policies rema in in place and divert re­

sources from other potentially benefi ­

cial proposals? Adherence to a per­

formance standard can help weed ou t

func t ional policies from Jaws and

regulations that exist to se rve no en ­

vi ronmenral benefit . One rule that

would benefit from adherence to such

a performance sta ndard is new so urce

review (NS R). NS R has given way to

numerous lawsuits and has resulted in

detrimental, albeit unintended, envi -

Ri pon Forum' Wintt r 2002

more efficient equipment in an effort

to remain essentially stati c. Byallow­

ing a great deal of time to elapse be ­

fore addressi ng t his issue, the Clinton

administration avoided dealing with

the ramification s of their own flawed

addition to an already challengi ng

ru le. T he Bush admini st ration ha s

two cho ices: ignore the problems that

are inherent in NSR and the nega tive

environmental consequences that ac­

company them, or act to make the

necessary d istinctions and encounter

the negative press that is inevitable

where changes in environmental

policy are concerned. The Bush ad ­

minis t rati on has decided to act to

make the se impo rtant distinct ions

clear and their effo rt s will no doubt

result in both environmental benefits

and fewer lawsuits.

The GO P 's environmental legacy

will co ntinue to be dete rmined by

our actions and, ju s t as

imponan t ly, by ou r ability to

communicate the se actions to others .

We will do a great service by winning

over those who believe that partisanship

plays a role in environmental prmection .

Funding and time are sc arce to any

cau se. T he less time and money spent

playing political ~gotcha~, the more of

both will be available to do the actual work

of conserving the environment for

ourselves and future generations.

ltalia Federici is president of CREA.

CREA's Board of Advisors is comprised 0/ cllrrent and fo rmer chairmen,presidents,

directors and trllHen from America's leading

ellvironmenlai organizations. For more

in/ormafioll about CREA's mission and

Board of Advisors, please v isit www.crea­

online.org.

19

Securing the US-Canada Perimeter

By Scot Ch"istenson

20

(>

t has been many years since the United States has felt that a

threat to national security could penetrate its borders. Indeed,

except fo r the War of 1812 and the raiding of Columbus,

New M exico by Pancho Villa in 1916. generations of

Americans have enjoyed the luxury of living without a real

concern of being invaded by enemy forces. Jean Jules Jusscrand,

French Ambassador to the United States in the early Twentieth

Cenrury, once remarked with much envy that America had an

advantage over European nations: "On the nanh, she has a weak

neighbor; on the south, another weak neighbor; on the east, fish;

on the west, fishn,

The evcnts of September 11 have shattered the notion that

the United States is all but impervious to external danger. Sol­

diers of O s am a bin Laden managed to enter the country and kill

thousands of Americans while causing billions of dollars in dam ­

age. America's borders suddenly seemed all too vulnerable. The

U.S. Justice Department maintains that at least a few of the par­

ticipants in the terrorist attacks entered the country from Canada,

a charge that does not si t well with Canadians. Prime M inister

Jean C hretien was quick to dismiss any allegations that there was

a Canadian connection. However, it would not be the first time

individuals residing north of the border were involved with acts

of terror against the United States.

Ripon forum • Winter 1001

Ahmed Ressam, a foUO\ver of bin Laden based

in Montreal, was apprehended in 1999 while try­

ing to smuggle 130 pounds of aplosives across the

border at Port Angeles, Washington. His inten­

tions were to destroy the Los Angeles airport while

Americans were celebrating the new millennium.

Hani Abd Rahim Al-Sayegh, suspected of partici­

pating in the bombing of the U.S. military bar­

racks in Saudi Arabia, was caught while trying to assimilate with the community in Ottawa. It is

known that dozens of organizations have been op­

erating within Canada to promote the jihad and raise funds to finance bin Laden's network.

It is possible that these individuals and their

support organizations have found that Canada

makes a convenient base to wage their war on the

United States. With fairly liberal immigration and political asy­

lum laws and an ineffectively protected border ,'Vith the United

States, Canada makes an attractive staging ground for terrorist

groups to relocate. Canada accepts nearly 30,000 foreigners seek­

ing refuge status annually; most of who can remain in the coun­

try for years while their cases are heard in court. Even after be­

ing rejected, many manage to hide within the system. Over the

past 5 years, Canada has issued thousands of deporTation war­

rants for people whose whereabouts are unknown. The United

States has a legitimate concern that at least a few ofrhese unac­

counted for people are moving within terrorist circles.

Ripon Forum • Winler 2002

Ahhough many of the terrorist groups found in Canada also

exist in the United States, the soft approach towards

combating terrorism that Canada has displayed in recent years has naturally become quite discomforting to Americans. Canada

has admirably held true to its values of isolationism and pacifism,

but it is time fot the Canadian government to become as tough as

it was during the early 19705 when separatist extremists in {hiebec

were conducting a bombing campaign. Then Prime Minister Pierre

Trudeau authorized the tracking, arrest, and detention of all suspected

terrorists. Harsh by Canadian standards, the action was successful

and the movement ,vas thwarted. With an apparently porous US­

Canada border, this kind of thoroughness is needed now

because it seems American security is only as good as

Canadian security.

Without fu ll Canadian cooperation in curtailing po­

tential enemies from entering the country, the United

States would have to consider substantially increasing se­

curity along the border and strictly enforcing screening

procedures at checkpoints. Such a move would be a fi­

nancial burden for the US in staffing and implementa­

tion costs, but devastating to the Canadian economy. 85%

of Canadian exports flow south to America and a third of

all Canadian jobs depends on this commerce. Any inter­

ruption or slow-down in trade would have serious reper­

cussions. It is fairly safe to say that Canada's economic

survival depends on the free movement of goods between

the countries. To be fair, Canada has gone Ihrough great lengths to

meet American border concerns since September 11. On

December 12, 2001, Homeland Security Director Tom

Ridge and Canadian Foreign Min ister John Manley

signed an agreement that contains several innovative

11

measures designed to create a balance between security and flow

of trade.

However, any tightening of the shared border cannot help but have some impact on movement between the two countries,

and ultimately the economy.

To avoid a financial nightmare and keep terrorists as far from

the border as possible, an option would be for the US and C2nada

to act jointly in fomt ing a perim­

eter that seals the North Ameri­

can continent. In an idea that dates

back to the 19'" Century, the agree­ment would call for the two coun­

tries to adapt identical immigration

and refugee policies and visa re­

quirements. The military of both nations would also work more

closely in safeguarding the skies

and waters, sharing intelligence

and forming special units to track

all incoming aircraft and vessels. In

doing so, the threat of incursion by

extremists would be greatly re­

duced and the border can be

opened further to facilitate the speed

and convenience of trade.

Although a joint command of a continental defense may be ideal,

the US would more than likely have to dictate policy for such a plan

to work. The thought of sacrificing any control to the US might

chafe some Canadians, but the fact of the matter is that Canada has

no outspoken enemies and it is America that is at threat. In retro­

spect, the US has actually been calling the shots in the defense of

North America for quite some time. At the outbreak ofWorid War

Two, Canada immediately joined the allies only to be relegated to a

non-leadership role two years later when the US entered the con­

ilict. From then on the US took command of continental defense

and all but left Canada out of the strategic planning for the defeat of

the Axis. With the rise of the Cold War, the North American Air

Defense Command (NORAD) was established and American

nuclear weapons were ostensible available to protect Canadian in­

terests from the Red Anny, but it was always Americans that had

their fingers on the button.

I n some ways, the US-Canada border has already lost much

of its relevance. The line has been blurred by the frequency of interaction through commerce and mass media. Canadians have

a distinct accent and vocabulary, but their speech and language is

closer to that of America than their Commonwealth mother, G reat

21

Britain. Canadians and Americans breath the same air, drink the

same water, and cheer for professional sports in leagues that have

teams representing cities in both countries.

Of course, Canadian sensitivities about sovereignty have to be respected. Canadians are understandable protective of their culture

and fear losing their identity to America. They also have a fair amount

of disdain for the majority of

Americans who seem to be apa~ thetic and lacking in respect to­

wards their northerly neighbors. President Bush referring to Great

Britain as America's "truest friend"

and his assertion that no relation­

ship is more important to the

United States that that with

Mexico follO\ving a meeting ,vith

Mexican President Vicente Fox

probably stung Canadians. How­

ever, the Eu ropean Union has

demonstrated that independent

nations can open their borders

,vithout sacrificing their identity.

No one has had a problem of con­

fusing France \vith Germany.

An open US-Canada border

would also pose a few other prob­

lems that would have to be worked

out. US imposed sanctions prevent trave] and trade \vith Cuba, while Canada has a more open relation­

ship. Conversely, concerns over the availability of guns in the United

States and the ease of their transportation into tightly regulated Canada would have to be addressed.

Another pitfall of developing an integrated continent would

be within the legal systems. Implementing identical

immigration policies is one thing, but prosecution of violators

would be another. Canada is opposed to capital punishment and

may be reluctant to extradite a suspect wanted by the United States if that person was to face the death penalty.

These obstacles aside, the forming of a North American

perimeter should be strongly considered. Most Americans feel

more secure than they did in the days following 9/ 11 , but few

feel that the US is immune from another attack. If the US

does nOt feel comfortable with Canada's security and immi­

gration policies, the US will have to enact their own along

the shared border. It is in Canada's best interest to be m inside the perimeter, not outside of it.

Scot CllriJWlSOIJ ;J tile editor of nit Rip4n Fort/tn.

Ripon Forum • Wintu 2002

HOUl do ),Oll acb/eve

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