The Obama desired Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) a.k.a. “fast track authority” and Trans Pacific Partnership, the 6000 page – secret from the public – monstrosity of a multilateral trade agreement are close to congressional approval, primarily with Republican votes. As pointed out by the Libertarian Republic blog, the debate is over whether or not to allow president Obama to fast track the TPP agreement. Fast tracking would limit congress to an up or down vote, preventing them from holding debate on specific parts of the agreement.
Iowa’s two Senators and the likes of Ted Cruz and others who have announced their support have a great deal to answer for to the American people. There can be nothing good about TPP, that Obama also likes, that cannot be had without TPA and such package deals should always be worrisome for any implications regarding sovereignty and constitutional safeguards. TPA provides Obama the power with minimal acquiescence from Democrats to install thoroughly regrettable provisions. The political tone deafness from Republicans is also incredible. Who are they listening to? Most certainly they owe the voters who sent them to the Senate based upon their assurances that they would stop the lawlessness, overreach, and unconstitutional actions of President Obama.
Senators Grassley and Cruz should certainly know better. It is inconceivable to us that they would vote for a bill that Obama is very eager to see passed but will not permit its contents to be revealed to the American people.
Senator Ernst appears to have made an extremely disappointing choice. Campaigning as a conservative, committed to helping bring under control an out of control, rogue president, she has instead seem to have succumbed to the blandishments of Mitch and the establishment GOP… long practiced at any capitulation they might deem necessary to protect their fiefdoms…for a trade theory that under Obama will have no application
Did Mitch assure Senator Ernst that she would find out what’s in the bill after its passed? Worse yet, does she think that’s OK? Fast track enables Obama to minimize resistance to anything he agrees to, supposedly allowing the entire Congress to vote but not to amend. The Senate’s roll is reduced accordingly.
Nothing giving or sustaining any such repugnant provisions should pass. Breitbart reports:
Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) is pressuring House GOP leadership, particularly Majority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy , to delay plans to muscle Obamatrade through the House of Representatives quickly. . . .
“I write to you today to request that you delay any vote on fast-track authority for the Executive until the President has made public all text and information pertaining to the new economic union known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership Commission, as well the ‘Living Agreement’ authority,” Hunter wrote to McCarthy, his fellow California Republican. “My concern is that this allows the President and the members of the union to change the agreement and its membership following adoption.”
Hunter’s concern is well founded.
Despite claims from some Obamatrade proponents to the contrary, if Congress approves Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) which would fast-track and all but ensure the approval of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) Pacific Rim trade deal, the “Living Agreement” inside the TPP would allow President Obama and the other TPP nations to add China or any other country for that matter to the deal without seeking approval from Congress.
Hunter’s letter continues by noting that the TPP Commission would create a new global governance, ceding U.S. sovereignty to foreign and global interests, something . . .
In the case of TPP, to approve fast-track would be to authorize the President to finalize this new Commission before we even know its authority and reach. Fast-track would also guarantee the President – and his foreign negotiating partners – ratification of this international Commission without the Constitutional treaty vote or even a Senate cloture vote. Shouldn’t we know the details of this new economic union before – not after – we have surrendered our ability to revise it, rewrite it, or regard it as a treaty?
Continue reading Breitbart here.
The more you read about this trade deal, the creepier the actions of Republican senators and many GOP House members become.
Many of these people were sent to congress by voters with two specific mandates:
1) Obama cannot be trusted on anything…proven over and over, and,
2) If Obama is for it, vote against it!
Pretty simple. And if they were to have adhered to it, there was a chance this great Republic would have survived the next 18 months.
But alas, there’s a 3rd mandate voters should have observed: Don’t trust Republicans either! From Scott S. Powell at Investors Business Daily:
Obama Can’t Be Trusted With This Trade Deal
DLH with R Mall
