The larger point in the truck debate is that it demonstrates the importance of including standards in trade agreements.

Of course we don't want most Mexican trucks on our roads _ who would? But if it's a safe Mexican truck with a well-trained driver, why not?

See? Standards. And if you can include standards for trucks, you can include standards for people and the planet, too. You can include labor and environmental standards in free trade agreements.

That's what all the screaming in Genoa, Italy, was about a few weeks ago, despite the American media affectation of pretending that the demonstrators' goals are incomprehensible.