Progressive future of NAFTA: The European Union. Time for Hands Across the Border.

This great article in The Nation by Jeff Faux of the Economic Policy Institute suggests that progressives in Canada, Mexico and the United States are now bound together by the corporation-centered NAFTA to improve the continent-wide rules and regulations that are driving wages down and granting corporations ever more autonomy.

We need a North American Department of Labor, a North American minimum wage, a North American Environmental Protection Agency and (ultimately, in my view) a North American legislature.

He is smart enough to focus on populist legislators (and not just calling on the 'groups' of environmentalists, labor unions and churches to do the work) as one key ingredient in the progressive coalition to build up a North American progressive constitution that lifts up living standards instead of driving down wages for all.

I know some populist state legislators in Illinois that would be interested. Anyone know some Mexican or Canadian legislators (state or provincial) that want to collaborate on a new deal for North America? Email me at dan@djw.info to see about organizing a Canada-Mexico-US caucus!