In support of Trade Promotion Authority

http://stevedeace.com ^ | June 17, 2015 | Joel Kurtinitis

[SoConPubbie]

Have you read the secret bill behind the secret doors?

Myth 5: TPP is being negotiated via a dangerous and unprecedented level of secrecy!

Totally false. Probably the most-repeated myth right now isn’t even related to TPA but instead to the TPP, which is still being negotiated. According to the anti-TPA script, the TPP is so secret that nobody knows what’s in it, and—much like Obamacare legislation—nobody, not even Congress, will know what’s in it until the agreement is passed into law. Once again, however, nothing could be further from the truth:

• First, Obama’s USTR and Congress have been consulting on the TPP since December 14, 2009, when then-USTR Kirk notified Congress that President Obama intended to enter into TPP negotiations. USTR then held initial consultations with Congress in 2010 and, according to a January 2015 fact-sheet, has since held almost 1,700 congressional briefings on TPP alone. USTR also previewed various TPP proposals with key congressional committees before taking them to our trading partners. (Odd that the TPP talks have been going on for six years, but the vast majority of these “secrecy” complaints have only emerged in the last few months, huh?)
• Second, USTR has provided “access to the full negotiating texts for any Member of Congress, including for Members to view at their convenience in the Capitol, accompanied by staff members with appropriate security clearance.” This access began in 2012, and several House members and senators—both supportive of TPA (like Mike Lee) and opposed (like Sens. Jeff Sessions and Elizabeth Warren, as well as Rep. Rosa DeLauro)—have reviewed the draft negotiating texts. Moreover, the level of security surrounding these TPP texts isn’t part of some scary Obama administration plot; it’s set by Congress (which, as you’ll recall, is controlled by Republicans these days). A U.S. government official confirmed to me that “the Senate and House security offices determine the procedures for viewing classified material in the Capitol reading room where the TPP text is kept for Members—not the administration… some people claim that it’s more difficult to view military or intelligence information, but it’s all subject to the same rules that are set and enforced by Capitol security.”
• Third, USTR has engaged the public on the TPP via published reports and “stakeholder meetings” with groups like labor unions, consumer groups, and, of course, corporations and trade associations. Some of these stakeholders have even reviewed the negotiating texts and US proposals. Admittedly, the official texts aren’t available to the general public, but this is common practice for all FTAs (as a quick Google search reveals) and for good reason: just like other high-value negotiations among private parties or governments, revealing draft proposals before a deal is struck emboldens the opposition, undermines the parties’ negotiating positions, and exposes negotiators to public scrutiny over provisions that might not even be in a final deal. Publishing draft FTA texts would make completing a deal difficult, if not impossible, and it’s thus no coincidence the most vocal advocates for “full transparency” in free trade negotiations are actually those most opposed to free trade.It’s also important to understand just how unoriginal this “secrecy” canard is:
  

  Today's history lesson: Nutty ol' Perot on NAFTA's scary secrecy. Sound familiar? #TPP #TPA https://t.co/YLjlJfusUr pic.twitter.com/l1LGWPftzV
  
  — Scott Lincicome (@scottlincicome) June 5, 2015

Yes, protectionists have been using the same “secrecy” lines for over 20 years. In fact, if you replaced “NAFTA” with “TPP” in those old Ross Perot commercials, they’d be almost indistinguishable from the ones on our TVs today.

• Finally, unlike the oft-analogized Obamacare legislation, the actual text of any final TPP deal will be required by law to be publicly available (online) for months—yes, months—before Congress votes on it. As you can see from the table below (source), under TPA the president must make the entire text of any trade agreement, including TPP, available to the public for 60 days before he can even sign it.Once it’s signed, Congress will have weeks, maybe months, to scour the deal, hold “mock markups” in various committees, and suggest changes to the agreement before the president sends Congress legislation implementing the FTA for a final vote. Also, within 105 days of the FTA’s signing, the U.S. International Trade Commission must issue a report on the deal’s economic impact—again prior those bills being submitted to Congress. And once the bills finally are submitted, Congress will then have up to 90 legislative days (which is like five months in normal human days) to review the bills and hold final votes.

Bottom line: when or if TPA is passed, the general public will have months—and if the presidential elections interfere, maybe years—to review the TPP before Congress acts on it. Think that’s crazy? Well, it’s precisely what happened to U.S. FTAs with Colombia, Panama and South Korea, which were signed by President Bush but sat around (online) for years before they were submitted to, and passed by, Congress in 2011.

[FourtySeven]

Ok this is very helpful and it answers my questions, at least mostly, in my post 29. However I'm still left wondering: Why is President Obama so eager to pass TPA? Isn't that a fact, that he wants this passed? If so, why is Cruz not wary of this fact? Doesn't Obama's enthusiasm for the bill give Cruz pause?

I can see, given what you have posted here, how in the long term it's in the Republican interest (and really American interest) to have TPA (since its been taken away by Reid apparently a while ago) since we can't really negotiate trade deals (with tarrifs as part of said deals) without such legislation originating in the House. And that is what TPA takes care of, ceding that ability (as a negotiation tactic) to the Executive.

I can see and understand all that but honestly, even though Obama has only 18 months left in his term, do we even want to give him this authority even with only 18 months left? Don't we believe he can still do tremendous damage even in just 18 months? It's not like it's only 2-5 months. 18 months, that's a year and a half.

We know he has every intent to harm this country, because he believes we are "too prosperous" like the good Marxist he is. We all know this is a fact, as far as Obama goes. So do we really want to give him 18 months to negotiate trade deals?

I guess it's a rock and a hard place situation, because again we don't want a Republican president to not have this authority, and we know the Dems would torpedo such attempts. But still, it just seems too early. Why not wait until next year, say around Jan or Feb of next year, limiting Obama as much as possible?

[tennmountainman]

That is not my question.

Have you read the secret bill in the secret room?

It is a yes or no question.

[Tilted Irish Kilt]

cotton1706 :" This is all smoke an mirrors and outright lies."
Why do you think they call it “fast track”?
In other words, rush through with no debate (and no amendments).
Negotiate (alone), sign, then strong-arm it through.
We’ve seen this dance many times before."

Agreed with 'smoke and mirrors'.. absoutely true
I haven't seen ANYTHING from this _resident that justifies any trust in him over the last 6 years.
Too much 'OVER REACH'
For example :
IRS with discrimination against Conservative groups.
IRS used to tax Corporations and individuals into bogus "Green energy" SUBMISSION.
Refusal over the last 2 years of IRS giving up Lerner Memos, after saying they were purged, then finding them , them not releasing due to possibly double eamils.(deny/delay)
State Dept. giving up Sect. of Sate emails in a timely manner, still more than timely ! (deny/delay)
A GOP more complicit with administration and Chamber of Commerce , rather than the stated will of the Citizenry
Six years claiming "Global Warming", cheating and adjusting records to fit 'false science'.
Six years of economic recovery, whereas the truth is six years of obfiscation , and outright LIES !
Financial and military arms support for Lybian Rebels affiliated with Al Quada, resulting in the murder of Our Ambassodore and three others,
and then lied to the American people for almost 2 years about the the circumstances regarding this planned attack ,
when he knew the truth.
Trading a deserter and untold $ missions of dollars and given up 6 Isalamic Commanders who want to destroy us,
and now ,..we are to trust him ?
What planet do you live on ..? For sure it isn't this planet ,... or have anything to do with reality !!

Lucky9teen , I believe you are an Obungler troll , or bought and paid for by the GOPe !

[Bobby_Taxpayer]

BUT...why is this the most pressing issue on Congress’s plate? Let’s get a balanced budget done first before they sell the farm.

[dware]

Congress has granted every U.S. president since FDR some form of trade negotiating authority

This supposes Obola is a legitimate president. He's not. AND, Congress ALREADY reviews and approves trade agreements. Let them do it. No "Fast Track" necessary. "Fast Track" = pass it to find out what's in it. No thanks.

[Enlightened1]

Hey you forgot BARF ALERT on your subject title! How is it wise TO LOWER VOTING STANDARDS THAT HAVE BEEN IN PLACE FOR OVER 200 YEARS???? I get that it makes it easier to bribe congress, but don't you think they are corrupt enough???? Do you really think they can be trusted after they have been caught in lies over and over again? Let's not LOWER THE VOTING STANDARDS that George Washington put in over 200 years ago. LET NOT LIMIT THE DEBATE TO 60 DAY ONLY..., from the current unlimited time that it is already in place now. Now if neither of the above convince you. That fact that even Obama went to congress should concern you deeply. If it does not concern you then YOU HAVE LEARNED NOTHING from this Administration, the DRUNK Boehner or his fellow collaborator McConnell. Good grief... WAKE THE F*CK UP!!!!

[Enlightened1]

Hey you forgot BARF ALERT on your subject title!

How is it wise TO LOWER VOTING STANDARDS THAT HAVE BEEN IN PLACE FOR OVER 200 YEARS????

I get that it makes it easier to bribe congress, but don’t you think they are corrupt enough???? Do you really think they can be trusted after they have been caught in lies over and over again?

Let’s not LOWER THE VOTING STANDARDS that George Washington put in over 200 years ago.

LET NOT LIMIT THE DEBATE TO 60 DAY ONLY..., from the current unlimited time that it is already in place now.

Now if neither of the above convince you. That fact that even Obama went to congress should concern you deeply. If it does not concern you then YOU HAVE LEARNED NOTHING from this Administration, the DRUNK Boehner or his fellow collaborator McConnell.

Good grief... WAKE THE F*CK UP!!!!

[cynwoody]

You forgot the link: https://www.tedcruz.org/a-note-to-conservatives-on-trade-agreements/

[tennmountainman]

Where is the text for the secret bill in the secret room?

[justa-hairyape]

So those poor uncompetitive businesses that are forced to compete with communist slave labor need to lose ? That is the facts of this agreement. You are targeting businesses for destruction and you admit that.

[conservativejoy]

Then if TPA is passed, TPP will automatically be declared null and void, because it does not meet the restrictions of TPA.

[cotton1706]

“Now re-read the article. The Supreme Court has already blessed fast-track.”

I did read the article. And so what that the Court has blessed it. It shouldn’t be given to any other president of any party, ever!

The president can negotiate some deal, then submit it to congress, the people representatives, which can then discuss it, debate it, and decide if it is good for the nation. And revise and amend it if necessary.

If foreign governments don’t like the fact that we have decided to have two separate departments involved in trade deals, that’s too damn bad. It’s called a check to power, which oligarchs always oppose.

[conservativejoy]

Good luck with Mrs Ippi. She has the absurd notion that bills that are voted down go to the President’s desk. She then thinks that he can veto a bill that didn’t pass and that it gets voted on again and has to have 2/3 against. I don’t know where she gets this nonsense, but facts don’t faze her.

[libbylu]

I received an email from Trey Gowdy and Senator Scott this morning explaining the new TPA is a good thing.

[Tzfat]

The more I studied it, the more I saw the merits.

Yeah, right. You and Cruz are the only people who understand. The rest of us are too stupid to know that giving Obama a blank check with TPA and hoping he won't cash it with TPP will all work out OK.

Cruz admits that TPP may not be good - but the only way to kill TPP is to kill TPA. But no, you guys are principled geniuses.

[Tzfat]

If you carefully read the particulars of the article, you’ll see that TPA does the opposite of giving Obama power.

Utter nonsense. Defeating TAA and hence TPA, will put the nail in the TPP coffin. Passing them gives Obama an excellent chance of getting TPP.

You do know that TPA is also called "Fast Track Authority" don't you? That is by very definition GIVING THE MARXIST OBAMA POWER. You have really drunk the Koolaid...

[conservativejoy]

TPA puts restrictions on the President that he currently doesn’t have. It requires Congress to be involved in negotiations and requires transparency of the trade deal, something that we have not had to this point. And no, it doesn’t guarantee TPP will pass. It guarantees that if the deal does not meet the restrictions of TPA, it will be DOA.

We have too many folks up for re election, nobody trusts Obama, and TPP will be voted on late 2016, with an unprecedented level of scrutiny.

TPP is not going to happen.

[conservativejoy]

No country will agree to getting the rug pulled out from under them after agreement is reached. That is why TPA requires Congress to be involved During negotiations. That way amendments are not needed and countries can sign the agreement knowing it is not going to be changed.

[Lucky9teen]

It amazes me that conservatives are reacting like liberals here...not reading the facts presented before them, denying what they mean or twisting them to fit what they have in their head.

I just don’t get what is so hard to understand...