* * *
I had secured an appointment to interview the spokesperson of the Kansas City Rail Project. I contacted him over the phone before I left Texas and when the interview was set, I booked a flight courtesy of the Chronicle.
I was nervous about my approach because I didn’t want to accuse him or the organization of public deception. I didn’t know enough. Maybe I would skew the interview with loaded sarcasm. It was a clever skill I possessed that often worked. People’s buttons could be pushed, and many relied on reactionary emotion when pressed. Hopefully I could pressure the P.R. spokesperson into that systematic line of questioning until he slipped up with anger and leaked out private information. I would have to wait and see.
It was rather unusual and somewhat suspect, but the spokesperson for the Kansas City Rail Project sent a limousine to pick me up from the airport with an orthodox Jewish businessman that also had an appointment there, some real estate tycoon I presumed. I knew this much because he mentioned it on the drive, he kept blathering on the phone about coming off the mainstream grid by buying enough real estate to live off of equity and rental income―he was trying to convince someone. He sounded pompous. The limousine driver carried a sign with ‘Korsakov’ and ‘Roth,’ and I made the connection when I saw the Jewish businessman lingering about baggage claim.
I was wearing a black frock coat and a black beanie with a bill, and my beard had grown longer than usual. The Jewish businessman wore typical black Jewish clothing with a beard and curling sideburns. The limousine driver was a tall African-American and wore a finely pressed black suit with reading glasses fastened to his handsome face, so I presumed we made an odd group of individuals. Then the Jewish businessman made a comment about how we would’ve gotten lynched a few decades ago because of how we looked.
A Russian communist, an orthodox Jew, and a black limousine driver―it sounded like a joke, right? My name could never elude association with Communism. I took a lot of heat for it. Conversation was minimal in the limousine although I was fascinated by the businessmen. I tried probing him into explaining some aspects of Judaism, without success. He dodged most communication, interrupted by pressing phone calls. My father had established contacts in the Hollywood area, orthodox Jews I remembered. However, they were as private as this one. He spoke on his phone in Hebrew, perhaps to avoid insignificant chatter with me, but still eyeing me as often as possible.
When we arrived at the port after a dreaded commute, the limousine driver escorted me to an office and the businessman walked in the opposite direction towards another building knowing where he was headed. He looked back at me before he vanished into some office. The whole situation was outlandish. I was escorted into a bungalow-type office where I waited for my interview until the spokesperson arrived.
He walked in with swiftness, introduced himself, and shook my hand with a firm manual labor-type grip.
I went straight to it, “So Mr. Wharton, this Kansas City port seems to be an ambitious project for future international trade coming from East Asian countries in the Pacific. What can you tell me about that?” I asked.
“Thanks Michael. Well, as you already know, international trade is increasing exponentially. We need to stay competitive in the global economy. Goods need to be provided to the people, and since the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports have been overwhelmed with shipments, the Kansas City port would serve as an alternative route to meet the increasing demand of Asian products. California and Illinois rail services are already experiencing overburdening demands, and since Kansas City sits at the hub of North American rail service, then it just seems logical to accommodate and facilitate such a task. And also, Kansas City is strategically located near three major intersections of the United States, which are accessible for fluid mobility throughout the middle of the country.”
“That’s right, the NAFTA superhighway is being constructed throughout the state of Texas in order to connect to existing supercorridors,” I said it with sarcasm but the spokesperson hadn’t noticed.
“…which is going to facilitate transportation for Mexican truckers coming from…Michoacán, right? I read a report, according to the Missouri Department of Economic Development, if I’m not mistaken, it said something about transferring the old Air Force base to a private developer to set up a new customs facility for a Mexican customs checkpoint here in the heartland of the country. Aren’t people concerned about this new customs facility though, I guess being operated by Mexicans on U.S. territory here in Kansas City?”
“I can assure you that whatever agreement the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency and the Department of Homeland Security have with the Mexican government to secure the border against terrorism and contraband smuggling…it’s definitely with best practices in mind to ensure national security and expedited transportation of goods. Nothing is concrete yet, but there’s a possibility. Security screening is already vigorously enhanced…by getting screened in Asia before departure, then with gamma-ray pre-screenings in Michoacán, Mexico, not to mention GPS tracking devices, then on to Kansas City for distribution throughout the middle of the country. Virtually, it creates no border delays and reduced shipping and labor costs…much more efficient.”
“So what you’re saying is that sealed cargo will be shipped from the Pacific without border delays and reduced screening, then there’s a possibility of Mexican customs officials being stationed in Kansas City? Oh, and you mentioned something about reduced labor costs, doesn’t that mean reducing the load for the union longshoreman in Long Beach and Los Angeles. Since you want to redirect container shipments to Mexican seaports, where I’m guessing low-skilled, low-waged, non-union workers will handle the workload…I guess I’m a bit confused. But, it’s a good thing because it’s cheaper to ship to Mexico than to the United States, right?” And so I had begun my calculated questioning pattern to encourage aggravation.
“Well, of course it’s cheaper to ship to Mexico, we’re talking about a developing country here. But it’s going to create a lot of jobs here in Kansas City for truckers, railroad workers, warehouse personnel…thousands upon thousands of jobs will be created in the private sector, and we definitely need them now, right. I mean―who are we kidding, we’re in a recession…this is like the great depression,” said the spokesperson tapping his foot while looking at his watch. It was the oldest trick in the book.
“So Mr. Wharton, walk us through what the actual process is going to look like once it’s all said and done, the logistics and transportation process,” I said, trying to keep him talking.
“Well, first of all, freight from the Pacific will leave from deepwater seaports in Asia. Then, they’ll arrive in the Lazaro Cardenas port in Michoacán, where they will be pre-screened for entry into the country to make its way to the United States. From there, they’ll connect to the NAFTA railway system making their way through Mexico City, San Luis Potosi, and also Monterrey, which is the industrial capital of Mexico. They’ll come in through the border in Laredo, Texas, then make their way up through express lanes,” I knew this to be the NAFTA supercorridors, “and make their way throughout the Midwest. And to assure you, Mexico’s commitment to international trade with the U.S. has gone above and beyond. They’ve privatized their national infrastructure and regional railroads to promote rigorous foreign investment. They’ve practically privatized all their port operations.”
I thought about Argentina and some of my relatives who lost their jobs during the economic crisis because of privatized piracy of Argentinean nationalized industries and its natural resources. Mexico would face the same humiliation on the world stage.
“Oh, that’s right. Didn’t a Kansas City-based railroad company purchase all the railroads in Mexico, basically becoming the NAFTA railway?”
“That’s right, you see, now their management falls under one single leadership, making it easier to accomplish goals,” sai
d the spokesperson.
I added, “Oh, right…a monopoly of railroad service without healthy competition.”
“Look, you’re with the Houston Chronicle, we’ve had positive reviews from reputable business and economic leaders and media alike―,”
I interrupted, “Yeah, of course you would. But what about from environmentalists, ecologists, and geographers? What about homeowners and concerned citizens, what about public interest? When are you going to release a public statement about your plans, when are you going to address issues of private property, job loss, or homeland security, huh? Hey…don’t walk away…”
“Off the record,” he turned back one last time before skipping along, “we’re trying to keep this from the public and the media because of this type of investigative nonsense. You know this type of scrutiny could produce negative reactions towards this project, what are you getting at? It could destroy our credibility, but you wouldn’t care, you’re just a muckraking journalist. You don’t care if Americans are starving or losing their jobs…the unemployment rate is as high as it was during the Great Depression. We’re trying to keep it out of public view till the people are ready. No further questions.”
5.
The NAFTA Blueprint Page 10
