Bush plans to make a North American Union similar to the European Union

In an international news conference in Guadalajara, Mexico on August 8, Howard Phillips, Chairman of the Coalition to Block the North American Union, will call for President Obama to fulfill his pledge to restore transparency and citizen involvement in the summit, and to abandon the Bush scheme of creating a North American Union similar to the European Union. As a candidate for President, Barack Obama submitted an op-ed to The Dallas Morning News published on February 20, 2008, which said "Starting my first year in office, I will convene annual meetings with Mr. Calderon and the prime minister of Canada. Unlike similar summits under President Bush, these will be conducted with a level of transparency that represents the close ties among our three countries. We will seek the active and open involvement of citizens, labor, the private sector and non-governmental organizations[emphasis added] in setting the agenda and making progress." Read the article (outside link)