The Coalition to Block the North American Union news conference held at the Hotel Marriott on Canal Street in New Orleans on April 21 was covered by the New Orleans Times Picayune, ABC TV, NBC TV, CBS TV, and assorted bloggers.

Remarks at our news conference were delivered by me, John McManus (President of the John Birch Society), Tom Kilgannon (President of Freedom Alliance), and Richard Norman of the Richard Norman Company. Statements were read from Congressman Ron Paul, Congressman Tom Tancredo, Teamsters Union President James P. Hoffa, Jr., and Virginia Congressman Virgil Goode.

The Establishment media still doesn’t get it. A report in USA Today (4-21-08) referred to what was once the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) as the North American Leaders Summit. Obviously, the name was changed to protect the guilty.

President Bush pronounced his support for liberal trade policies over the "scare tactics" of economic isolation. The AP referred to this meeting as a trilateral tradition that began near Mr. Bush’s Texas ranch in 2005, and an AP story said "it is more like a progress report on how the three nations are integrating". A State Department official said "the progress tends to be incremental".

That’s the way the European Union (EU) was created: integration was achieved incrementally under the banner of free trade.

The debate over the meaning of the Second Amendment, relating to Supreme Court consideration of the Washington, D.C. ban on handguns (District of Columbia v. Heller), has brought forth much good information concerning the intentions of those who wrote and ratified the amendment. However, there is additional overlooked proof that the Second Amendment was intended to guarantee individuals the right to own and keep firearms, rather than guaranteeing states the right to maintain militias.

Letters written to the members of the First Congress by their constituents show that popular understanding of the Second Amendment also saw the amendment as a protection of individual rights.

Samuel Nasson, writing to his Massachusetts Congressman George Thatcher, praised the amendment that "secured the right to keep arms for Common and Extraordinary Occations [sic] such as to secure ourselves against the wild Beast and also to amuse us by fowling and for our Defense against a Common Enemy." Nasson clearly recognized both self-defense and hunting as being covered by the amendment, in addition to providing an armed militia.

Joseph Jones of Virginia, thanking Congressman James Madison for sending a copy of the proposed amendments, noted with approval that "they are calculated to secure the personal rights of the people …." James Sullivan of Massachusetts was confident that Americans would not surrender their liberty because "the People have got a habit of understanding their own Interest and cannot loose [lose] the use of Arms."

Within the next few months we will find out whether the Supreme Court will uphold the Second Amendment, recognizing the right to be armed for both "Common and Extraordinary" occasions, or twist it to suit the personal preferences of a few justices.

For Immediate Release

Contact: Charles Orndorff
703-938-9626 info@conservativeusa.org

New Orleans, April 24, 2008 -a broad coalition declared on Monday that the planned 'North American Union' (NAU) is a threat to American independence during the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) summit of 'North American Leaders' in New Orleans, April 21-22, with U.S. President George Bush, Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada, and President Felipe Calderon of Mexico.

At a news conference in New Orleans, coalition leader Howard Phillips stated "It's long past time for the American media to do its duty and report to the American people those steps being taken by the Bush Administration to incrementally move the United States into a North American Union, via the so-called Security and Prosperity Partnership and a NAFTA Superhighway system.

"With no approval by Congress, his Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) is working to bureaucratically harmonize the policies of the three North American countries through more than 20 unelected, unaccountable Executive Branch working groups."

Phillips continued, "We are here today to urge the American media and the American people to examine the evidence and to support House Concurrent Resolution 40, introduced by Congressman Virgil Goode (VA) to call a halt to the SPP and the NAU and the proposed NAFTA Superhighways."

Three Congressional leaders delivered remarks via statements.

Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX) stated "As we all know, there have been significant moves recently to expand the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) initiated by President Bush and his Mexican and Canadian counterparts in 2005. One such plan is to construct a so-called ‘NAFTA Superhighway’. I have opposed this project from the beginning, signing on as a co-sponsor of House Concurrent Resolution 40 expressing Congressional disapproval of the NAFTA Superhighway and any moves towards a North American Union."

Congressman Virgil Goode (R-VA) stated "Today’s news conference will allow the news media covering the New Orleans meeting to the three nation’s leaders to be able to offer a full report so that Americans will be able to understand the implications that the Security and Prosperity Partnership holds for our country. The power of the grassroots cannot be underestimated. United we can assure the sovereignty of the United States of America."

Congressman Tom Tancredo R-CO) warned that "Nearly two years ago I voiced many of my concerns to Secretary of State Carlos Gutierrez in a letter. One recommendation on pandemic control suggests that in the event of a public health crisis, ‘…all borders and major roads remain open…to allow the unimpeded flow of domestic and international commerce.’" The most troubling recommendations, however, were contained in a section entitled ‘Improving Cross-Border Mobility (Goods/Services/People. …a reasonable grace period should be established at border crossings during which time people without documents are educated about their options and allowed to pass.’ I asked the Commerce Department to suspend U.S. participation in the SPP until the serious questions of sovereignty raised by these recommendations could be addressed."

Richard Norman, President of the Richard Norman Co. stated that "Secrecy is the great friend of tyranny. If President Bush has nothing to hide and has no hidden agenda then let him propose a treaty and let it be debated in the United States Senate and broadcast on CSPAN for the world to see. "While he and everyone in his administration deny the plan for a North American Union and a NAFTA Superhighway, the plans continue under other names. I call on President Bush today to quit playing footsie under the table with the leaders of Mexico and Canada and to come clean on what his plans are for our nation. In my opinion, the blood of patriots was not spilled on American battlefields so we could give our country and our sovereignty away to a North American Union."

Canadian Action Party Leader, Connie Fogal stated, "As the three leaders of Canada, U.S.A. and Mexico meet once again in their annual summit since 2005 (this year in April in New Orleans) to discuss their respective progress on the integration of our three countries into one geographical super structure already being turned over to the rule of and administration by the financial/military/corporate elite of North America, and as they meet to discuss their progress on the dismantling of the constitutional rights and freedoms of the citizens of each country, I am proud to participate with the Coalition to Block the North American Union in the press conference April 21, 2008 in full opposition to this integration."

John McManus, President of the John Birch Society stated, "Mr. Bush, Senor Calderon, and Mr. Harper will claim that their goals include only the promotion of trade and the protection of the three nations from possible terrorism. But former Mexican President Vicente Fox is not alone in making clear the intention to create ‘connections and institutions similar to those created by the European Union.’ He therefore openly confirmed the existence of a long-range plan to duplicate for the entire Western Hemisphere the sovereignty-compromising effect of the European Union on its 27 member states.

Thomas P. Kilgannon, President of Freedom Alliance stated, "There are those in our nation who strongly advocate a North American Community, and the SPP moves them one step closer to their dream. Our goal here today is to ensure that the United States remains ‘a government of the people, by the people, for the people,’ and to see that all aspects of the SPP are open to public scrutiny as well as Congressional oversight and approval."

In addition, a new website was launched, the NAU War Room (www.NAUWarRoom.org) combining facts and action resources to empower citizens to stop the SPP.

Howard Phillips is the Chairman of The Conservative Caucus, a non-partisan, nationwide, grassroots public policy advocacy group which opposes the Security and Prosperity Partnership, NAFTA, the World Trade Organization, and other threats to America’s independence.

A life-long political activist, Mr.Phillips headed two federal agencies during the Nixon Administration, spearheaded efforts to support freedom fighters in Central America and Angola, led a campaign to end judicial tyranny, and founded a third political party, the U.S. Taxpayers Party in 1992, which was later renamed The Constitution Party. He ran as a presidential candidate for that party three times. (A complete bio can be found at www.conservativeusa.org/hpbio.htm.)

Coalition members include many prominent U.S. political activists including Phyllis Schlafly, Bay Buchanan, and 90 other state and national leaders concerned about the North American Union, and works directly with over 40 members of Congress in seeking to halt the SPP.

Full statements, bios and more information is available at our electronic press kit: www.conservativeusa.org/news.

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Theologically conservative Episcopalians have won a court victory that, unfortunately, could seriously erode the First Amendment protections of churches.

Coalition To Block The North American Union
c/o The Conservative Caucus, 450 Maple Avenue East, Vienna, VA 22180
703-938-9626 • www.ConservativeUSA.org

For immediate release
Contact: Charles Orndorff

New Orleans, Louisiana – Prominent public policy activists opposing a North American Union (NAU) among the United States, Canada, and Mexico will challenge President Bush’s avowed intention to economically integrate the three countries when Mr. Bush meets in New Orleans on April 21 and 22 with the heads of Mexico and Canada.

Event: News Conference to challenge the closed door summit of the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) of North America, being conducted by President George Bush of the United States with Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada and President Felipe Calderon of Mexico.

Date and Time: Monday, April 21, 2008 at 11 A.M.

Location: New Orleans Marriott Hotel, 555 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA 70130

Sponsor: Coalition to Block the North American Union

Spokesmen:

DUNCAN HUNTER TAKES THE LEAD IN DEMANDING CONSTRUCTION OF A BORDER FENCE

Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA) may no longer be a presidential candidate, but he is making good use of his final year in the House of Representatives. Hunter has introduced a bill (HR 5124) to require the building of "two-layered, 14-foot reinforced fencing" along the Mexican border. This would reverse the impact of last year’s end-of-session amendment that gutted the previously passed pro-fence legislation.

HR 5124 needs a large number of cosponsors to gain momentum toward passage. Contact your representative and ask him to sign on to the bill if he has not already done so.

The bill currently has these nineteen cosponsors: Rep Brian Bilbray [R-CA], Rep Ginny Brown-Waite, [R-FL], Rep. John Campbell [R-CA], Rep. Shelley Moore Capito [R-WV],

Rep. Howard Coble [R-NC], Rep. David Dreier [R-CA], Rep. Trent Franks [R-AZ], Rep. Phil Gingrey [R-GA], Rep. Virgil Goode, Jr. [R-VA], Rep. Sam Graves [R-MO], Rep. Ralph Hall [R-TX], Rep. Sam Johnson [R-TX], Rep. Kenny Marchant [R-TX], Rep. Sue Wilkins Myrick [R-NC], Rep. Ted Poe [R-TX], Rep. Dana Rohrabacher [R-CA], Rep. Edward Royce [R-CA], Rep. Jim Saxton [R-NJ], and Rep Sullivan, John [R-OK]

ILLEGAL ALIENS FLEE WHEN FACED WHEN FACED WITH PENALTIES, FEWER JOBS

Apologists for illegal aliens claim that it would be impossible to remove the millions now in the United States. Those of us who believe that the law should be upheld have claimed that by enforcing the laws against employment of illegals and stepping up efforts to catch illegals it would be possible to stimulate a massive "self-deportation". Faced with the possibility of being caught, and without the lure of a job, most illegals would voluntarily go somewhere else.

Prince William County in Virginia has now provided strong proof that we are right about self-deportation. The county’s Board of Supervisors recently approved an effort by local police and other county employees to identify and arrest illegal aliens. At the same time, the housing slump has eroded employment opportunities.

The result, according to The Washington Post (a consistently pro-illegal paper which has been intensely critical of Prince Williams new policy), has been a massive departure from the county. Businesses that catered mainly to illegal immigrants find themselves threatened with bankruptcy. Spanish-language masses have suffered a sharp drop in attendance. School attendance has shown a similar trend in neighborhoods with a high proportion of illegal aliens.

Because Prince William is one of the few counties following a strong enforcement policy, and because jobs are still available elsewhere, many of the illegals are merely moving to another part of the U.S. However, a nationwide policy would soon result in a flood of departures.

I hope to have the Chairman of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors, Corey Stewart, as a guest on my weekly TV show, Conservative Roundtable. Stewart has been the leader in pushing through this highly effective enforcement.

SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS U.S. CONSTITUTION AND INDEPENDENCE AGAINST BUSH CHALLENGE

The attempt by President Bush to force Texas to submit to the International Court of Justice (often known as the World Court) was foiled by the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled on March 25 that states are not bound by rulings of the World Court.

Even liberal Justice John Paul Stevens joined the majority in the 6-3 decision. Justices David Souter, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, and Steven Breyer agreed with Bush that the U.S. should surrender its independence and submit to the World Court.

The World Court had demanded, under the provisions of the Vienna Convention, that the Texas courts reopen the death penalty conviction of Ernesto Medellin. Medellin was found guilty of the rape and murder of two teenage girls. However, he is a Mexican citizen, and under the Vienna Convention should have been told of his right to contact the Mexican consulate. No such notice was given, and the World Court considered this reason to consider overturning the conviction and setting Medellin free.

The majority decision, written by Chief Justice John Roberts, insisted that although the United States was, at the time, a party to that provision of the Vienna Convention (the U.S. has since withdrawn), Congress has never provided any statutory mechanism for enforcement. Only Congress, having all legislative power at the national level, can make a treaty the "supreme law of the land" (Article VI, paragraph 2 of the Constitution).

This lengthy controversy should stand as a warning against the many treaties currently awaiting Senate action. The United Nations Law of the Sea Treaty (UNLOST), International Court Treaty, as well as various treaties relating to the rights of women, children, etc., threaten the possibility of losing American independence and finding ourselves subject to a foreign court with different standards of justice. Given the possibility that the next president may reshape the Supreme Court, we cannot be sure that the Court will serve as a roadblock during the next confrontation.