NORTH AMERICAN UNION? Obama selects free-trader to be U.S. trade representative Ron Kirk is President-elect Obama's pick to be front-man on Trade. Kirk made his name in politics serving as mayor of Dallas, where he was known as a staunch supporter of Free Trade agreements, and NAFTA in particular. He was a big proponent of the trade corridor from Mexico up through Texas, a road he once referred to as a "NAFTA Freeway". His nomination was welcomed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the National Association of Manufacturers. Advocates for a change in trade policy are not so happy. Lori Wallach (Global Trade Watch): There's clearly been a GAP between President-elect OBAMA's pledges to the American public to truly transform our failed trade policy, and some of the very important economic appointments he's made to help implement or at least support the failed status quo. [...] Critics say the appointment (of Kirk) falls in line with others by OBAMA, and they don't like what they see. BILL TUCKER: Now, the apparent contradiction in OBAMA's words and actions has activists on another front worry. Last February [2009] OBAMA pledged that he would RESUME the Security and Prosperity Partnership talks between Mexico and Canada that President Bush initiated. LOU DOBBS: The old boss is starting to look a lot like the new boss when it comes to the issues of off-shoring, Free Trade, this is troubling indeed. [Video downloaded from YouTube on 28 March 2009]