With a shoestring budget , coalition foes have worked for 3 years to win over the American public . They have signed a Declaration of War against NAFTA , written alternative menus featuring toxic - laden Mexican produce for a Trade Representative dinner , driven caravans through states showing signs of Mexico 's environmental degradation , and financed an office for " anti - NAFTA czar " former Indiana congressman Jim Jontz . NAFTA 's anti - community proponents are spending money to convince Congress to pass NAFTA , bypassing the voters . Both sides are cranking up lobbying efforts for this week 's conclusion of talks over labor and environment side agreements , which the opposition calls a fig leaf .
With a shoestring budget, NAFTA foes have worked for 3 years to win over the American public. They have signed a Declaration of War against NAFTA, written alternative menus featuring toxic-laden Mexican produce for a Trade Representative dinner, driven caravans through states showing films of Mexico's environmental degradation, and financed an office for "anti-NAFTA czar" former Indiana congressman Jim Jontz. NAFTA's business-community proponents are spending millions to convince Congress to pass NAFTA, bypassing the voters. Both sides are cranking up lobbying efforts for this week's conclusion of talks over labor and environment side agreements, which the opposition calls a fig leaf.