Passport Fees and Canada

Fees for US Passports are going up by a large amount. While it is true that new technology and the addition of a lot of people to work for the State Dept to help process and review passport requests caused an increase in costs, I have severe doubts on those costs equating with an across the board 35% increase. Some passport-related items, which have always been free services, are going up by large amounts (in one case, from free to $450!).

In general, I have no issue with raising costs. However, the requirement for passports hurts our closest ally, Canada, and those states that rely on Canadians and Americans crossing the border regularly (like New York, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Washington, et al).

I know from personal experience that Canada does an excellent job patrolling and protecting its borders. Canada is concerned with terrorism to a similar degree as America, and is vigilant in scrutinizing those that come in and those who might sneak in to its country. The people recognize that as America goes, so goes Canada in many regards, so they are mindful of keeping very good relations with their southerly neighbor.

Having such restrictive rules between Canada and America is a mistake, especially when a great deal of exports and imports cross-pollinate between the two countries (America, for example, gets a huge portion of its energy, wood, diamonds, and gas/oil from Canada, Canada gets a large amount of consumer goods from America). These two nations need each other and should be fostering cooperation and anti-antagonistic approaches to border crossing, imports/exports, and military needs.

In some regards, I think that America and Canada need to sign treaties to become one nation. Then, over the next decade or so afterward, America could incorporate many of the positive attributes of Canada's society (social health care, better banking regulations, etc.) while Canada would benefit from unlimited access to American consumerism, a larger pool of workers, and a much bigger military structure to help it with its borders. However, Canadians would never go for that; they are a proud people, and rightfully so.

Since that won't happen, America needs to step back, take a deep breath, and think of ways to allow Canada to do its job, relax restrictions between the two borders, and work WITH Canada on security and other issues rather than constantly pissing off its northerly neighbor. There is no need for the antagonism with this close ally. And, if American would stop fighting with them, it would have more time, money, and energy to fight battles that need fighting, like against the drug barons in Mexico, the continuing crusade in Iraq and Afghanistan, and against a still stagnant economy.