.

JOSE: COMING UP NEXT ON "HORIZONTE" -- >> AND WITH THAT, THAT ENDS OUR PRESENTATION.

JOSE: THE DEFENSE TEAM FOR PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP CLOSED AT THE DEFENSE AT THE SENATE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL.

WE'LL HAVE ANALYSIS OF THE PROCEEDINGS.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> AND HISTORIC TRADE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE U.S., MEXICO AND CANADA IS SIGNED INTO LAW BY THE PRESIDENT.

>>> AND ARIZONA CELEBRATES NATIONAL SCHOOL CHOICE WEEK, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE EDUCATIONAL OPTIONS FOR CHILDREN LIVING IN ARIZONA.

ALL THIS STRAIGHT AHEAD ON "HORIZONTE."

ANNOUNCER: "HORIZONTE" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE FRIENDS OF ARIZONA PBS, MEMBERS OF YOUR PBS STATION.

THANK YOU.

JOSE: WELCOME TO "HORIZONTE," I'M JOSE CARDENAS, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THE BAR FOR IMPEACHMENT CANNOT BE SET THIS LOW.

HOUSE MANAGERS, MEMBERS OF THE SENATE, DANGER, DANGER, DANGER.

THESE ARTICLES MUST BE REJECTED.

THE CONSTITUTION REQUIRES IT.

JUSTICE DEMANDS IT.

>> SO THE IDEA WE'RE GOING TO START IMPEACHING PRESIDENTS BY DECIDES IF THEY HAVE ILLICIT MOTIVES, IF WE CAN SHOW THEY DISAGREE WITH INTERAGENCY CONSENSUS, IT'S FUNDAMENTALLY CONTRARY TO THE CONSTITUTION AND FUNDAMENTALLY ANTI-DEMOCRATIC.

JOSE: PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S LEGAL TEAM WRAPPED UP ITS CASE IN THE PRESIDENT'S IMPEACHMENT TRIAL.

SENATORS ARE QUESTIONING HOUSE IMPEACHMENT MANAGERS AS WELL AS THE WHITE HOUSE DEFENSE TEAM, AND A VOTE OF WHETHER TO CALL WITNESSES IS STILL UP IN THE AIR.

JOINING ME WITH THEIR ANALYSIS ARE MARCUS DELARTINO AND ART HAMILTON, FOUNDER OF THE HAMILTON GROUP.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON "HORIZONTE."

>> THANK YOU.

JOSE: MARCUS, YOU SAW THE CLOSING STATEMENTS, NOT REALLY IN THE SAME AS A TRIAL, BUT THE SUMMARIES BY THE PRESIDENT'S DEFENSE TEAM, DANGER, DANGER, DANGER, AND YOU JUST CAN'T DO THIS IS BASICALLY WHAT THEY SAID.

YOUR ASSESSMENT OF THE STRENGTH AND HOW PERSUASIVE THEIR CASE WAS?

>> I THOUGHT IT WAS FAIRLY PERSUASIVE.

I WOULDN'T SAY IT WAS THE GREATEST ARGUMENT OF ALL TIME BUT I WILL SAY I WAS MOVED BY HIS DISCUSSION ABOUT THE STANDARD.

WE NEED TO HAVE A HIGHER STANDARD IN THE BODY, IN THE SENATE.

ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO WHAT THE HOUSE STANDARD WAS AND THAT WAS MOVING FOR ME, BUT I THINK OVERALL, IT IS CERTAINLY ENOUGH TO GET ACROSS THE FINISH LINE, AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT, I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE THE VOTES TO IMPEACH THE PRESIDENT AT THE END OF THE DAY.

FROM THAT STANDARD, IT IS A SUCCESS.

FROM THE GREAT ORATORY SKILLS OF ALL TIME IN THE U.S.

SENATE, I WOULD NOT PUT IT THERE BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION.

JOSE: WE KNEW GOING IN THEY HAVEN'T HAVE THE VOTES.

>> I KNOW, I'VE BEEN SAYING IT SIX MONTHS, IT'S DRIVING ME CRAZY.

JOSE: IS IT THE BASIS THERE IS NO BASIS TO IMPEACH THE PRESIDENT, IF THIS IS A STANDARD?

>> SEEMS THAT'S THE PROBLEM ON THE OTHER END.

IF, IN FACT, WHAT HAS BEEN DONE IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO IMPEACH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE STANDARD WILL BE DOWN THE ROAD.

IT MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT FOR CONVICTION, BUT IT SEEMS TO BE THE HOUSE, I BELIEVE, HAD ADEQUATE REASON TO VOTE ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT AND THE CONDUCT THEY THOUGHT WAS CONTRARY TO THE PRESIDENT'S RESPONSIBILITIES WERE LITIGATED.

THE SENATE REMAINS THE JUDGMENT OF FACT IN AN IMPEACHMENT CASE AND IT'S THEIRS TO DECIDE.

JOSE: WHAT ARE THE ARGUMENTS -- ONE OF THE ARGUMENTS THAT HAS WEIGHT IS WE'RE SO CLOSE TO AN ELECTION, LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE.

>> AGAIN, I THINK THE CONSTITUTION DOES NOT NECESSARILY MAKE THE DISTINCTION THAT IF, IN FACT, WITHIN A YEAR OF AN ELECTION, THEN YOU OUGHT NOT BRING ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT, IF THEY ARE JUSTIFIED.

THAT'S VERY MUCH AKIN TO SENATOR McCONNELL DECIDING WITH 11 MONTHS TO GO IN OBAMA'S TERM HE WAS ENTITLED TO A SUPREME COURT NOMINEE.

I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU WANT TO BE CAREFUL.

I WAS NEVER ONE TO BELIEVE THAT THIS IMPEACHMENT WAS A GOOD IDEA, BUT IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT, THE CONSTITUTION SAID FOR THE TERM OF THE PRESIDENT OR ANY OTHER OFFICIAL, SUBJECT TO IMPEACHMENT.

JOSE: MARCUS, SIMILAR TO WHAT WAS DISCUSSED BEFORE THE PRESIDENT'S DEFENSE TEAM MADE THE CASE WAS ALONG THE LINES OF DON'T BELIEVE WHAT WE'VE HEARD, DON'T BELIEVE THE TRANSCRIPT.

THE DON'T BELIEVE.

NONE OF THAT IS TRUE.

ARE YOU GOING TO BELIEVE YOUR LYING EYES OR ME?

HOW MUCH OF THAT MADE ITS WAY INTO THE PRESIDENT'S DEFENSE TEAMS ARGUMENTS?

>> YOU KNOW, A LITTLE.

THE ONE THING I WANT TO GIVE YOU A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ON ONE PART OF THIS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT JOHN BOLTON IN THE LAST FEW DAYS AND SPECIFICALLY ABOUT HIS BOOK, AND HERE'S MY HANG-UP WITH JOHN BOLTON AND THE BOOK IS THAT I'VE WORKED ON SEVERAL PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS AND THERE'S ALWAYS A NUMBER OF BOOKS THAT COME OUT FROM PRESIDENTIAL STAFF, AND I WILL TELL YOU, I KNOW SPECIFIC CASES AND SPECIFIC TIMES WHERE WHAT WAS IN THE BOOK IS COMPLETELY FACTUALLY INACCURATE.

IT IS ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE.

I KNOW THE AUTHOR AND I KNOW THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND I WAS THERE.

AND SO FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I CAN'T PROVE OR KNOW WHETHER JOHN BOLTON IS PUTTING SOMETHING IN THE BOOK THAT IS BLATANTLY NOT TRUE OR BLATANTLY IS TRUE.

BECAUSE I HAVE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE HAVING GONE THROUGH, THIS WORKING ON CAMPAIGNS WITH THESE PEOPLE.

THAT FACTORS INTO MY DECISION.

JOSE: ART, WOULDN'T WE WANT TO HEAR JOHN BOLTON?

PEOPLE CAN ASSESS HIS CREDIBILITY BUT THE PRESIDENT'S DEFENSE ALL ALONG AND THE TEAM IN THE LAST FEW DAYS IS YOU HAVE NOBODY SAYING THAT NOW THERE IS SOMEBODY WHO WOULD SAY THAT.

>> THAT IS CORRECT, AND THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WORK DIRECTLY FOR BOLTON WHEN HE WAS IN THE ADMINISTRATION WHO, IN FACT, DID TESTIFY, DID TESTIFY UNDER OATH AS TO THINKS THEY SAID WERE SAID AND SHARED BY HIM AND THING THEY KNEW AND PLACES WHERE HE HAD BEEN.

I'M WITH MARCUS IN TERMS IF YOU CAN'T MAKE A JUDGMENT ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT YOU CAN BELIEVE IT, BUT OUR UNWILLINGNESS TO HEAR IT, UNWILLINGNESS TO HAVE HIM COME AND TESTIFY AND TO SPEAK HIS TRUTH UNDER OATH, SUBJECT TO ALL THE PENALTIES ATTACHED, IF YOU DON'T TELL THE TRUTH.

I THINK IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO MOVE PAST.

I THINK FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO HAVE FIRSTHAND INFORMATION AND THAT'S WHAT THEY ALLEGE, I THINK WE OUGHT TO ASK THEM TO COME FORWARD, HEAR WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY AND LET THE SENATE JUDGE THAT.

IF THEY DON'T HAVE CREDIBILITY OR THE CREDIBILITY IS INSUFFICIENT TO MOVE THE SENATE, SO BE IT.

OUR ALMOST FEAR OF HEARING INFORMATION WE DON'T WANT TO HEAR, THINGS THAT MIGHT CONFUSE US, WITH FACTS WE DON'T WANT TO CONSIDER BOTHERS ME A GREAT DEAL.

JOSE: I HEARD YOU SAY YOU'RE SKEPTICAL BASED ON PAST EXPERIENCE, BUT DO YOU THINK THAT THAT SHOULD BE THE REASON NOT TO HEAR FROM JOHN BOLTON?

>> NO, AND I SHOULD CLARIFY, WHAT I MEAN, NOT JUST SKEPTICAL OF JOHN BOLTON, I'M SKEPTICAL OF EVERY BOOK THAT COMES OUT OF WHITE HOUSE STAFF BECAUSE THEY WANT TO MAKE MONEY AT THE END OF THE DAY AND MAKE BOOK SALE.

I FIND IRONY THAT AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS, THE STRATEGY, AT LEAST FOR THE DEMOCRATS, IS TO MOVE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO GET OUT OF THE SITUATION EXACTLY AS MR.

HAMILTON SAYS, WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO THE ELECTION AND ARE WE TAKING AWAY THE VOTERS' CHOICE?

NOW THAT'S SWITCHED OVER A LITTLE BIT AND NOW THE REPUBLICANS WANT TO GET THIS OVER AS QUICKLY AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES, AND THE DEMOCRATS DON'T MIND STRETCHING IT OUT.

IT LOOKS TODAY LIKE THEY DON'T HAVE THE VOTES TO CALL WITNESSES.

I EXPECT THAT TO HOLD AND THEN I THINK THIS WILL BE OVER, YOU KNOW, FAIRLY SHORTLY.

JOSE: ACTUALLY, ON THAT LAST POINT, MY UNDERSTANDING IS WHILE THEY DON'T HAVE CONFIRMED THE VOTES TO CALL THE WITNESSES, McCONNELL IS MEETING WITH HIS CAUCUS, SAID HE DOESN'T HAVE ENOUGH VOTES RIGHT NOW TO STOP IT FROM KNOW HADDING.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS GOING TO HAPPEN, ART?

LAST QUESTION.

>> I DON'T KNOW, I THINK THERE ARE FOLKS UP IN THE AIR.

ALL MEMBERS OF THE SENATE ARE CONSIDERING OPTIONS LOOKING AT POLITICAL FUTURES AS WELL AS THE FACTS BEFORE THEM.

IF I HAD TO MAKE A JUDGMENT TODAY, AND IT'S A RISKY THING DO, I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE THE VOTES.

I DON'T THINK THE VOTES ARE COMMITTED.

PEOPLE ARE GOING TO CHANGE.

POLLINGS CHANGING, THE BOYS AND GIRLS LOOKING AT THE OUIJA BOARDS AND THIS IS A PRECARIOUS PLACE TO SIT WHETHER YOU ARE PRO OR CON.

JOSE: SO NEXT SHOW WE'LL HAVE OUR OUIJA BOARDS OUT AND FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON "HORIZONTE" TO TALK ABOUT IT.

>>> COMING UP LATER IN THE SHOW, ARIZONA FAMILIES CELEBRATE NATIONAL SCHOOL CHOICE WEEK BRINGING EDUCATIONAL AWARENESS TO OPTIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

>> WANT TO LEARN SOMETHING THAT IS EDUCATIONAL LIKE NOVA.

HORIZON, EVERY WEEK, IF YOU ASK ME ON A FRIDAY, THE LAST SEVEN DAYS, IT MIGHT BE NATURE, IT MIGHT BE FRONT LINE, IT MIGHT BE BUSINESS NEWS, I JUST COULDN'T IMAGINE TRYING TO NAVIGATE THE WORLD WITHOUT THE PROGRAMS THAT I DEPEND ON.

.

JOSE: PRESIDENT TRUMP SIGNED THE UNITED STATES, MEXICO, CANADA AGREEMENT KNOWN AS USMCA INTO LAW AT A CEREMONY AT THE WHITE HOUSE, THE TRADE DEAL SIGNIFIES ONE OF TRUMP'S SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO REPLACE THE NAFTA, THE NORTH AMERICAN FREE TRADE AGREEMENT.

>> THE USMCA IS ESTIMATED TO ADD 1.2% TO GDP AND CREATE COUNTLESS NEW AMERICAN JOBS.

IT WILL MAKE OUR BLUE COLLAR BOOM, WHICH IS BEYOND ANYBODY'S EXPECTATIONS, EVEN BIGGER, STRONGER AND MORE EXTRAORDINARY, DELIVERING MASSIVE GAINS FOR THE LOYAL CITIZENS OF OUR NATION.

JOSE: JOINING ME TO TALK ABOUT THE AGREEMENT IS JONAS GAMSO ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT ASU'S THUNDERBIRD SCHOOL OF GLOBAL MANAGEMENT AND ARIZONA STATE REPRESENTATIVE LORENZO SIERRA.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON "HORIZONTE".

PROFESSOR, TELL US HOW SIGNIFICANT THIS AGREEMENT IS.

IT DOES SEEM TO BE A PRETTY GOOD DAY FOR THE PRESIDENT IN THIS REGARD?

>> SURE, POLITICALLY, IT'S DEFINITELY A GOOD DAY FOR THE PRESIDENT.

I THINK THAT HE'S ABLE TO SAY HE SAW IT THROUGH ONE OF HIS SIGNATURE CAMPAIGN PROMISES.

I THINK IT'S ALSO NOT SUCH A BAD THING FOR DEMOCRATS TOO, WE'LL GET INTO THAT IN A LITTLE WHILE.

IN TERMS OF HOW BIG OF A DEAL THE AGREEMENT IS SUBSTANTIVELY, I THINK THAT THE FIRST THING THAT I THINK THIS AGREEMENT SHOULD BE THOUGHT OF, NOT AS A TOTAL REIMAGINING OR REORIENTATION OF TRADE ACROSS THE THREE COUNTRIES BUT MORE AS AN UPDATE AND MODERNIZATION OF NAFTA.

NAFTA WENT INTO EFFECT IN 1994 AND OBVIOUSLY, THE WORLD HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY SINCE THEN.

TRADE HAS CHANGED AND THE NATURE OF U.S.

TRADE AGREEMENT HAVE CHANGED.

AN UPDATE WAS APPROPRIATE AND REFORMS IN THE USMCA ARE SENSIBLE WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE CURRENT WORLD WE LIVE IN.

JOSE: LORENZO, THERE WAS BIPARTISAN SUPPORT FROM THIS, AND THE DEMOCRATS GOT A LOT OF WHAT THEY WANTED IN THIS AGREEMENT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

PEOPLE LIKE ARIZONA'S OWN GREG STANTON WERE THERE AT THE TABLE, NEGOTIATING THIS.

AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TOTALITY OF WHAT WAS SIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT, THERE WAS A LOT OF WORKER PROTECTIONS THAT WERE IN THERE THAT WEREN'T IN THE ORIGINAL DRAFTS OF THE RELOOKING AT NAFTA, AND THOSE ARE GOING TO BE PROTECTING AMERICAN WORKERS PROTECTING MEXICAN WORKERS, PROTECTING ALL THE WORKERS UP AND DOWN THE CONTINENT.

SO FROM THAT STANDPOINT, IT WAS A BIG WIN AND THE AFL-CIO BECAME STRONG PROPONENTS OF THE TRADE AGREEMENT BECAUSE OF THE WORKER PROTECTIONS.

JOSE: YOU MENTIONED DEMOCRATS WERE AT THE NEGOTIATING TABLE, BUT THEY WEREN'T AT THE SIGNING TABLE.

>> THEY WEREN'T AT THE SIGNING TABLE TODAY, AND IT'S QUITE DISAPPOINTING BECAUSE WE EVEN MAKE BIPARTISANSHIP A PARTISAN ISSUE AND THE PRESIDENT, WHETHER HE REFUSED, FORGOT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE SOME INVITATIONS GOT LOST IN THE MAIL, BUT NOT A SINGLE DEMOCRAT WAS INVITED TO TODAY'S SIGNING CEREMONY, EVEN THOUGH THE AMOUNT OF INPUT THAT DEMOCRATS HAD INTO THIS PROCESS WAS SIGNIFICANT, AND MIND YOU, THIS GOT THROUGH A DEMOCRATIC HOUSE, A HOUSE MAJORITY.

IT WAS REALLY DISAPPOINTING TO SEE HOW PETTY THAT HAD BECOME, TO SEE THE PRESIDENT DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WHEN THIS WAS ONE OF THE VERY FEW OPPORTUNITIES WHERE WE HAD BIPARTISAN SUPPORT ON SOMETHING THAT MEANS SO MUCH, NOT ONLY TO ARIZONA BUT THE ENTIRE CONTINENT.

JOSE: PROFESSOR, LORENZO WAS TALKING ABOUT THE WORKER PROTECTIONS THAT WERE OF IMPORTANCE TO THE DEMOCRATS.

WHEN THE DEAL WAS FIRST ANNOUNCED IN TERMS OF THE DEMOCRATS HAD APPROVED IT, MEXICO AND TO A LESSER DEGREE CANADA SAID, WAIT A MINUTE, WE DIDN'T AGREE TO SOME OF THESE DETAILS.

HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT THAT SINCE?

>> HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT THAT SINCE AND THE AGREEMENT IS GOING TO GO INTO FORCE AS IS.

THE COUNTRIES WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVISIT THE AGREEMENT SIX YEARS FROM NOW, THAT'S ONE OF THE AMENDMENTS TO THE USMCA, A SUNSET CLAUSE WHERE THE THREE COUNTRIES HAVE TO REVISIT IN SIX YEARS AND DECIDE IF THEY WANT TO CONTINUE ON WITH IT.

IF ONE OF THEM ELECTS NOT TO CONTINUE ON, THE AGREEMENT IS IN PLACE FOR 16 YEARS.

IT'S NOT LIKE OVERNIGHT IT'S OVER, BUT IT IS WORTH MENTIONING THAT ALL THREE COUNTRIES HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVISIT IT.

I THINK, IN THE END, THERE WAS A LOT OF PRESSURE ON THE COUNTRIES TO GET THIS THING DONE.

BY THE TIME THE HOUSE RATIFIED THE AGREEMENT, MEXICO RATIFIED IT, CANADA SIGNALED INTENT TO RATIFY IT, I THINK AT THAT POINT IT'S DIFFICULT TO GO BACK AND SAY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE POLITICAL PROCESS OF REWRITING BIG ASPECTS OF THIS OR NEGOTIATING BIG ASPECTS OF IT.

JOSE: WHILE WE WERE TALKING, WE HAD PICTURES OF THE SCREEN OF AGRICULTURE IN ARIZONA.

THAT'S A BIG PART OF ARIZONA'S TRADE.

HOW IMPORTANT IS THIS AGREEMENT TO ARIZONA?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WE HAVE BINATIONAL GROWERS IN OUR STATE, SO THEY GO FROM ONE COUNTRY TO THE NEXT DEPENDING ON THE WEATHER AND THE CLIMATE.

I THINK SOME OF THE TOMATO FARMERS THAT YOU HAVE SHOWN HAVE BIG FIELDS THAT ARE HERE AND ALSO IN MEXICO.

THE BACK AND FORTH TRANSPORTATION OF FOOD IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL, BUT IF YOU TAKE IT A STEP FURTHER, THE BACK AND FORTH OF TOURISTS AS WELL IS EXTREMELY CRITICAL IN TERMS OF WHAT IT MEANS TO OUR ECONOMY?

I LOOK FORWARD TO EVERYONE LOOKING AT THIS AGREEMENT AND MAYBE EXPANDING IT STATEWIDE SO WE CAN INCREASE OUR TOURISM ZONE, SO WE CAN DECREASE OUR BORDER WAIT TIMES SO FOOD TRUCKS AREN'T WAITING HOURS AND HOURS AT THE BORDER WHILE THEIR VEGETABLES AND FRUITS ARE SPOILING IN REALTIME.

JOSE: PROFESSOR, ONE OF THOSE UPDATES, AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT WOULD BE AN UPDATE, AS OPPOSED TO TO A REAL CHANGE, THEY DELETED THE PROVISIONS ON ARBITRATION OF ISSUES, TRADE ISSUES BETWEEN THE COUNTRIES.

HOW SIGNIFICANT IS THAT?

>> RIGHT, SO ACTUALLY IT'S THE INVESTMENT.

THEY DELETED THE ARBITRATION PANELS THAT CAN SETTLE DISPUTES BETWEEN FOREIGN INVESTORS AND GOVERNMENTS.

IMAGINE I HAVE A COMPANY BASED IN PHOENIX AND MAKE A FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN MEXICO AND THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT IMPLEMENTS A POLICY THAT THREATENS THE RETURN ON MY INVESTMENT.

UNDER THE RULES OF NAFTA, I WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BRING THE GOVERNMENT TO COURT AND THE COURT WOULD HAVE BEEN A THIRD PARTY ARBITRATION PANEL, SO NOT A COURT THAT'S OFFICIALLY PART OF THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT OR PART OF THE U.S.

GOVERNMENT, AND SO THIS WOULD IN THEORY HAVE BEEN AN INDEPENDENT PANEL AND ONE THAT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN PREDISPOSED AGAINST ME AS A FOREIGN INVESTOR.

THAT WAS THE RULE UNDER NAFTA.

USMCA REPEALS MOST OF THOSE COURTS.

IF I'M AN INVESTOR AND GET INTO DISPUTE WITH THE GOVERNMENT OR THE GOVERNMENT IMPLEMENTS A POLICY THAT CAN POTENTIALLY HURT ME, I HAVE TO GO TO THE LOCAL COURTS.

FROM THE INVESTOR'S PERSPECTIVE, THIS IS PROBLEMATIC, THERE IS CONCERN THAT THE COURTS MAY BE BIASED IN SOME WAY OR ANOTHER.

TO PUT IT INTO CONTEXT, I WAS LOOKING AT STATISTICS THIS MORNING, AND THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM CONSIDERS MEXICO'S JUDICIAL INDEPENDENCE TO BE RANKED 113 OUT OF 137 COUNTRIES.

CAN YOU IMAGINE IF YOU'RE A FOREIGN INVESTOR, YOU DON'T WANT TO FACE THE MEXICAN COURT IN A DISPUTE AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT.

NOW THAT SAID, THERE WAS CRITICISM OF THE PANELS ON THE BASIS THAT COMPANIES WERE ABLE TO SUE THE GOVERNMENT IF THE GOVERNMENT IMPLEMENTS A NEW ENVIRONMENTAL OR LABOR LAW.

I THINK THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION FOR POLICYMAKERS TO WEIGH THE PERSPECTIVES OF THESE TWO DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS, INVESTORS ON THE ONE HAND AND PEOPLE CONCERNED ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL AND LABOR STANDARDS ON THE OTHER HAND.

JOSE: LAST QUESTION, IS THAT A GOOD OR BAD CHANGE, FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE?

>> WELL, I MEAN, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I THINK THAT IT IS A -- HARD TO SAY.

IT'S ULTIMATELY A GOOD CHANGE IF IT LEADS TO STRICTER ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS ACROSS MEXICO.

JOSE: THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON "HORIZONTE" TO TALK ABOUT THIS.

>> THANK YOU.

JOSE: VERY IMPORTANT AGREEMENT.

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JOSE: COME VISIT "HORIZONTE" ONLINE, TO GET THERE VISIT -- WATCH PREVIOUS EPISODES, SEE WHAT'S COMING UP ON FUTURE SHOWS, AND SEARCH FOR INDIVIDUAL SHOW TOPICS UNDER THE SHOW ARCHIVES TAB.

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR "HORIZONTE" AT AZPBS.ORG/HORIZONTE.

>>> WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU, IF YOU HAVE COMMENTS, STORY IDEAS OR QUESTIONS, E-MAIL US AT -- .

JOSE: IT'S NATIONAL SCHOOL CHOICE WEEK WHERE VARIOUS EVENTS TAKE PLACE ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE DIFFERENT K-12 EDUCATION OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO FAMILIES AND CHILDREN, AND THE BENEFITS OF SCHOOL CHOICE.

JOINING ME IS SARAH RABBON, WELCOME TO "HORIZONTE."

>> THANK YOU.

JOSE: AS WE INDICATED IN THE INTRODUCTION, THIS IS A REALLY BIG THING, NATIONWIDE AND GOING ON FOR MANY YEARS.

>> ABSOLUTELY HAS, AND IT'S GROWN.

NOW WE HAVE OVER 50,000 EVENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, ALL CELEBRATING EDUCATION OPTIONS FOR FAMILIES.

HIGHLIGHTING WONDERFUL SCHOOLS.

GREAT PUBLIC SCHOOLS, CHARTER SCHOOLS, PRIVATE SCHOOLS, HOME SCHOOLS, MICROSCHOOLS, ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

JOSE: I GET IT IS IMPORTANT TO CELEBRATE SUCCESS TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT, BUT IS THAT THE ONLY BENEFIT AND ONLY PURPOSE OF THE NATIONAL SCHOOL WEEK?

>> WELL, I THINK, IN MY MIND, THE PURCHASE -- THE BEAUTY OF NATIONAL SCHOOL CHOICE WEEK IS TO SHOW FAMILIES AND PARENTS ALL OF THE OPTIONS THEY HAVE OUT THERE AS FAR AS K-12 EDUCATION AND BEYOND.

SO THAT IS WHY I REALLY LIKE BEING INVOLVED IN NATIONAL SCHOOL CHOICE WEEK.

WE HAVE SO MANY OPTIONS IN ARIZONA FOR FAMILIES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, AND OFTEN PARENTS DON'T REALIZE THE OPTIONS ARE OUT THERE.

SO WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ALL OF THE THINGS THAT THEY CAN HAVE ACCESS TO AS FAR AS THEIR CHILD'S EDUCATION.

JOSE: WE HAVE PICTURES ON THE SCREEN AS YOU WERE TALKING.

THIS YEAR'S EVENT, THE ARIZONA ONE, THE FOCUS WAS LAST SATURDAY.

>> IT WAS.

JOSE: WHAT KIND OF THINGS WENT ON THERE.

>> GOSH, WE HAD SCHOOLS FROM ALL OF THE SECTORS INCLUDING THE NATION'S FIRST MICROSCHOOL.

ARIZONA HAS THE VERY FIRST MICROSCHOOL OF THE NATION.

>> TELL US WHAT THAT IS?

>> WHAT YOU MIGHT THINK, A TINY SCHOOL.

8 TO 10 KIDS IN A CLASS, MIXED AGE RANGE, MASTERY BASED, STUDENT CENTERED, STUDENT FOCUSED.

JOSE: KIND OF LIKE LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE SCHOOL.

>> ALMOST LIKE THE RETURN TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL OR ONE-ROOM SCHOOLHOUSE.

ONE OTHER OPTION MAKING AN IMPACT IN RURAL AREAS SO WE HAVE THE FIRST MICROSCHOOL ON TRIBAL LAND IN SAN CARLOS, ARIZONA, MAKING A REAL DIFFERENCE FOR FAMILIES.

JOSE: ONE OF THE THINGS YOU AND I TALKED ABOUT OFF CAMERA WAS THE FACT THAT THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A TIE-IN WITH THE GOVERNOR'S STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS THIS YEAR.

>> YES, IT WAS VERY INTERESTING.

THE GOVERNOR SAID 300 PEOPLE ARE MOVING HERE EVERY DAY TO ARIZONA, AND WHETHER WE CAN SAY BEAUTIFUL WEATHER, I THINK IT MIGHT HAVE TO DO WITH EDUCATION OPTIONS AS WE FOUNDED THE STATE -- THE SCHOOL FAIR LAST SATURDAY.

WE HAD FAMILIES THAT HAD JUST MOVED HERE.

THEY HAD JUST GOTTEN INTO TOWN FROM PENNSYLVANIA, FLORIDA, TEXAS, COLORADO, KANSAS, MY BIRTH PLACE, AND THEY WERE ALL THERE TO FIND OUT WHAT OPTIONS WERE AVAILABLE TO THEM.

JOSE: GIVE US A SENSE, FOR WHAT IT IS THE SCHOOLS DO AT THE FAIR THAT ENABLES THEM TO EDUCATE THOSE PARENTS YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT WHY THEY MIGHT CHOOSE THIS SCHOOL VERSUS THAT SCHOOL, THIS PROGRAM VERSUS THAT PROGRAM.

>> THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE TO OFFER YOUR CHILD.

A S.T.E.M.

PROGRAM PERHAPS, IS YOUR CHILD INTO ARTS.

WE HAVE AN ARTS-CENTERED CURRICULUM OR SCIENCE, ROBOTICS.

WE HAD A SCHOOL THAT HAD THEIR ROBOTS THERE, THAT THE KIDS PARTICIPATE AND DO ROBOTICS COMPETITIONS.

I THINK IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PARENTS TO SEE WHAT IS OUT THERE, INCLUDING FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND LEARNING DIFFERENCES.

ARIZONA HAS MANY OPTIONS FOR THOSE FAMILIES, PROGRAMS LIKE SCHOLARSHIP TAX CREDITS AND EMPOWER.

SCHOLARSHIP ACCOUNTS THAT ALLOW FAMILIES ALL INCOMES THE ABILITY TO ACCESS A PRIVATE SPECIAL SCHOOL FOR THEIR CHILD IF THEY HAVE A LEARNING DIFFERENCE.

JOSE: I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ASSOCIATE SCHOOL CHOICE WITH THE ALTERNATIVES TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS PARTICIPATE IN NOT ONLY THE DAY THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FAIR BUT THE WEEK'S ACTIVITIES.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

IN MY MIND, I HAVE FIVE CHILDREN, THEY HAVE ALL BENEFITTED FROM ARIZONA'S CHOICE OPTIONS.

WE HAVE AMAZING DISTRICT SCHOOLS, AMAZING CHARTER SCHOOLS, AMAZING PRIVATE SCHOOLS.

HOME SCHOOL FREEDOMS IN ARIZONA, AMAZING CHOICE FOR FAMILIES.

ALL ABOUT WHAT WORKS BEST FOR YOUR INDIVIDUAL CHILD.

KIDS ARE DIFFERENT.

KIDS ARE ALL UNIQUE AND WE WANT ALL THE CHILDREN TO HAVE THE BEST FIT.

THAT'S WHAT THE BEAUTY OF NATIONAL SCHOOL CHOICE WEEK, IS NOT ONE SCHOOL VERSUS ANOTHER, IT'S ABOUT SHOWCASING THE OPTIONS AND EVERYTHING OUT THERE FOR ARIZONA FAMILIES.

JOSE: AND WHAT DOES THE REST OF THE WEEK CONSIST OF?

>> WELL, TODAY AT THE CAPITOL, THEY WERE CELEBRATING CATHOLIC SCHOOLS AT THE CAPITOL TODAY, AND THEN TOMORROW WILL BE THE MICROSCHOOL DAY AT THE CAPITOL WHERE OVER 300 MICROSCHOOL STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE STATE WILL COME DOWN TO THE CAPITOL WITH PRENDE SCHOOLS AND WELCOMED AND MEET LEGISLATORS AND SEE THE CAPITOL.

A DAY TO CELEBRATE ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS.

JOSE: A WEEK TO CELEBRATE.

>> A WEEK!

A WEEK!

>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

JOSE: THAT IS OUR SHOW FOR TONIGHT FOR "HORIZONTE" AND ARIZONA PBS, I'M JOSE CARDENAS.

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JOSE: "HORIZONTE" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE FRIENDS OF ARIZONA PBS, MEMBERS OF YOUR PBS STATION.

THANK YOU.