By Henry Lamb
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Every time the saviors of sovereignty call out the troops to stomp the life out of the Law of the Sea Treaty, it appears that they succeed - but the damn thing won't die. It just keeps coming back, and coming back again.
President Clinton repaired, reworked, polished and shined the thing, and then parked it in the U.S. Senate. Fortunately, the saviors of sovereignty stomped it to a pulp. Then, while other sovereignty-stealers lurked in other legislation, John F. Turner talked his pal, Dick Cheney, into talking his pal, George Bush, into quietly resurrecting the Law of the Sea Treaty, again, in 2004. Before anyone was the wiser, the Foreign Relations Committee, then-chaired by Senator Richard Lugar, passed the thing unanimously.
And then all hell broke loose.
Sovereignty-minded organizations and individuals from across the nation besieged the Senate switchboard and email channels. Sovereignty savior, Senator James Inhofe, cried foul, and suddenly, there was not sufficient support to ratify the treaty. Tennessee Senator Bill Frist, then-Majority Leader, stomped the life out of it again - or so it appeared.
Now, John Turner, and has globalist friends in the State Department, are at it again. Turner is the Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs. He was in charge of the Fish and Wildlife Service during George H.W. Bush's term. He calls Wyoming home, as does his friend, Dick Cheney. The two are old fishing buddies, and both have a track record of hob-nobbing on the boards of directors of major corporations. Turner serves on the boards of Ashland, Inc.; Peabody Energy; and International Paper. He also has a long history with a variety of environmental organizations. Until he went to work for the government, he was president and chief executive officer of The Conservation Fund.
Nothing about the treaty has changed since 2004. It is just as horrible today, as it was the last time it was stomped. The only thing that is different is the make-up of the Senate. The Republican administration must think the Democrat-controlled Senate will be more receptive to the sovereignty-swallowing treaty than was the Republican majority.
Any elected official who reads Article 2(3), and is not enraged at the idea of ratification, should be sent packing, and retrained in Constitution 101. The article clearly says:
"... sovereignty over the territorial sea is exercised subject to this Convention and to other rules of international law."
Not only would this treaty give the U.N. jurisdiction over the open seas - 70 percent of the Earth's surface - it would require that U.S. sovereignty over U.S. territorial seas be exercised "...subject to this Convention and other rules of international law." Outrageous! And this is one of the least offensive provisions.
The treaty also creates an International Seabed Authority with the power to levy a $250,000 tax (application fee) on anyone who wishes to explore the seabed. It would also tax (royalties) everything that might be excavated from the seabed. It requires technology transfer from the nations that have technology, to the nations that don't - under the supervision of the U.N., of course. A more thorough analysis of the treaty is available here.
Sovereignty saviors, conservatives for the most part, are already reeling from the administration's failure to enforce immigration laws; its pursuit of the integration of Mexico, Canada, with the United States through the Security and Prosperity Partnership; and the mealy-mouthed, teeter-totter talk about limiting and capping carbon dioxide emissions. This announcement about the reintroduction of the Law of the Sea Treaty cannot be reconciled with anything bearing a conservative label.
Of all the so-called "environmental" treaties that have come down the pike in recent years, none are as comprehensive, or as important to the creation of global governance, as the Law of the Sea Treaty. Absolute authority over 70 percent of the Earth's surface and taxing power for an international agency under the control of the U.N., create a situation that should give nightmares to every American.
This treaty must be stopped. Constituents in every state should require their Senators to take a public position on this treaty. As many times as this thing as been before the Senate, no Senator can get by with the usual "...I'll take your concerns into consideration as I listen to the debate."
Every Senator knows today whether he or she will vote for or against ratification. Voters need to know now, not after the vote is taken.
This time, Americans need to stomp this thing to death, cut off its head, and bury it deep. Never again should this treaty threaten the sovereignty of the United States of America.
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