Free Republic

U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) warns: It appears there will be another attempt by Tuesday to force through new executive powers for President Obama. A vote for TAA next week is a vote to send fast-track to the President’s desk and to grant him these broad new executive authorities. If that happens, it will empower the President to form a Pacific Union encompassing 40 percent of the world’s economy and 12 nations—each with one equal vote. ... Fast-track will not only apply to the Pacific Union, but can expedite an unlimited number of yet-unseen international compacts for six years. There...

Sensing his free trade agenda was hours from a stunning defeat, President Barack Obama visited Capitol Hill in person on Friday morning to make a personal plea for his own party's support. Democrats ignored him. And now, the prospects for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the biggest free trade deal in history, to be finalized and adopted are grim, unless Republicans can find a way within days to revive the bills and rescue Obama's biggest second-term legislative priority. The House overwhelmingly rejected the first in a series of trade bills Friday, with Democrats voting against a program that aids displaced workers —...

The trade fight in the House looks bad for the White House this morning, while no one still knows what the actual trade agreement will look like in its final form. Ted Cruz explained to Hugh Hewitt that support for the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) didn’t mean approval for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a point he wants to emphasize so much that Cruz put it on his website: Historically, since FDR virtually every president has had fast track authority. What fast track provides is simply if a free trade agreement is negotiated, that Congress will vote on it up or down...

The secretive, hugely impacting Obamatrade deal is another behind-closed-doors fast-tracked D.C. deal that screams "don't pass it 'til we know what's in it!" Yet politicians are going along to get along, supporting Obama's pet project while ignoring the public's right to know what's in this monumental international trade deal. This, despite the President's track record proving he hasn't got it in him to put American workers first. If Congress hands this secretive deal to Obama on a silver platter, admitting to not even reading it first, then shame on us for letting another one slide. This is fast-tracked, friends. Like...

"The World Trade Organization (WTO) has rejected the United States' appeal of the international body's October ruling against meat labeling that Canada and Mexico say is too costly for their livestock producers."

 SEE: Top Nine Myths About Trade Promotion Authority And The Trans-Pacific Partnership Under “Myth 1: TPA and U.S. FTAs are unconstitutional and undemocratic!” we find: ”Finally, it’s important to reiterate that, contrary to some claims, FTAs are not treaties (which are typically “self-executing,” require two-thirds approval by the Senate, and have the force of law upon ratification).” Now, with regard to the language contained in constitutions see: 16 Am Jur 2d Constitutional law Meaning of Language Ordinary meaning, generally ”Words or terms used in a constitution, being dependent on ratification by the people voting upon it, must be understood in...

The House of Representatives will vote Friday on a bill to establish what's called TPA, or trade promotion authority. A yes vote would be a huge win for conservatives, free-market principles and American leadership. Still, there's a lot of confusion out there about what exactly TPA is. It's not a trade deal, but a process in Congress for considering trade deals. Sounds complicated, I know, but it's actually pretty simple. If Congress establishes TPA, the public will be able to read the text of a trade deal well before Congress votes on it. So if you want to know more...

Washington, DC1031 Despite staying largely silent on the issue—he’s quietly supported it for weeks, but hasn’t said anything at all in quite a long time—Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker crossed most conservatives by coming out in support of Obamatrade on Thursday evening in an interview with Bloomberg’s Mark Halperin. Walker, Bloomberg’s Halperin and John McCormick wrote, “expressed agreement with President Barack Obama on the pressing issue of fast-track trade legislation.” “Walker said he supports giving Obama the authority to submit trade agreements to Congress for an expedited, up-or-down vote without amendments,” they wrote, before quoting Walker himself. “If we don’t go...

The number of House Republicans coming out against Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) is growing rapidly. The controversial measure would fast track trade deals including the highly secretive Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (T-TIP) and Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA)—collectively Obamatrade. Approximately 40 House Republicans are on record against the deal, just a few short hours ahead of the vote. GOP leadership is getting steadily more desperate in its attempts to lobby members to support it at the 11th hour.

President Barack Obama and his aides launched a full-court press to save his trade package on Thursday, as House Democrats’ internal struggles pushed Obama’s top legislative priority perilously close to defeat. As Obama made phone calls to reluctant Democrats from the White House, Chief of Staff Denis McDonough, Treasury Secretary Jack Lew and Labor Secretary Tom Perez went face-to-face with trade opponents including AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka in a testy closed meeting on Capitol Hill. It was unclear whether the White House was making any progress. Rep. Sandy Levin (D-Mich.) asked McDonough whether the president could use his leverage with...

The House on Thursday just barely advance legislation that would provide President Obama with "fast track" trade negotiating powers, overcoming the opposition of almost every Democrat and a significant block of conservative Republicans. The rule for considering these bills passed by a vote of 217-212, a vote that was only made possible thanks to the late decision of eight Democrats to vote for it, a rare show of support from Democrats who normally vote against Republicans at this stage of the legislative process. That Democratic support was sorely needed, as nearly three dozen Republicans voted against the measure. Passage of...

Passing this corporate giveaway masquerading as a “free trade deal” is a lengthy process; a process that begins today with a Senate vote on Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), also known as “fast track.” Passing TPA would be Congress agreeing to neuter itself to a yes or no vote on a trade pact and ceding its power to amend it. Even worse, it would give trade deals this expedited process for six years, thus outlasting the current Administration, and applying to other “trade” deals like the TTIP. Mind you, TPA is being voted on while the TPP text remains completely hidden...

Rep Dave Brat (R) Virginia told us WHAT TO DO ! " GLENN: All right. So Friday is the day. The vote happens TOMORROW. And, Dave, what should people do? Should we call our congressmen? DAVE: Yeah. Right. Ask your congressmen to explain to youwhat they know about it.And if they don’t tell you anything, say,I don’t trust the current regime. And I want A NO VOTE out of you.I mean, that’s what —the phone calls coming into my district are 21 against.And I’m voting my constituents and my principles. And in a year, if we sort this thing out...

Hoping to attract more conservative support for the Fast Track trade authority deal that will probably be voted on today, Rep. Paul Ryan is trying to address some major concerns that conservatives have with the bill by offering an amendment that would prevent the president from negotiating any changes to US immigration or climate change law. Wall Street Journal: [.....WSJ quote.....] I don't think these concerns are "far fetched" at all, and Ryan's amendment is both wise and prudent. The fact that Congress has a vote on whether to accept the final deal - just like they have an up...

A new trade deal is making its way through Congress, and Congressman Dave Brat has a lot of concerns about some of the provisions in the bill. The unusual thing about this bill is that many strong conservatives are lining up on opposite sides of the fence. Some are for it, like Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and Ben Sasse. But Dave Brat and Mike Lee oppose it. Rep. Brat shared light on the issue on Thursday’s radio show. LISTEN: (AUDIO-AT-LINK)GLENN: There are two things going on in the country that I just don’t know what to make of. And one...

Today, I'm sending this to the Georgia delegation in D.C. I'd urge you to do something similar for YOUR state's guys. Time grows short, people. Very short! (The links to the House and Senate web addys are below.) Since his elevation to the office, Obama has made crystal clear his hatred for America and all she once represented. He and Jarrett have done all they can to weaken and ultimately destroy this nation. I write to you with a very simple message: While my specific interest at the moment is the sovereignty destroying so-called Fast Track Trade measure, until he...

Why it’s absurd for conservatives to oppose a free-trade deal just because the White House wants it. As far as I can tell, there are two general objections to the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) the White House is pushing for. The first one is wrong, but at least substantive. The other, which has picked up some currency on the Right, is simplistic and partisan. So there’s something for everybody! First, some background. The Trans Pacific Partnership, a trade deal with Asian nations that the White House and congressional Republican leadership both want, would still have to survive an up-or-down House...

WASHINGTON, DC – As the 12th round of closed-door negotiations continue, Congressman Darrell Issa (R-CA) today released the draft intellectual property chapter of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) on KeepTheWebOPEN.com, while calling on US Trade Representative Ron Kirk to publicly release the latest text U.S. negotiators are seeking to include in the agreement. TPP is being negotiated by the United States, Australia, Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam, but because the Obama Administration has kept citizens, many-stakeholders and Congress in the dark, little is known about the intellectual property (IP) rights chapter of TPP beyond rumors and...

In a joint appearance on Sean Hannity’s radio show on Wednesday, Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) and Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) warned against the passage of the so-called Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) currently being considered by the Congress. Sessions argued it was more than just a framework for a process for the president of the United States to use in negotiating trade agreements, but instead was creating an economic union with wide-ranging powers. “I’ve been there three times and I can tell you it is far more than a trade agreement,” he said. “It is a creating of an economic union....

Having led the world in free and open markets for generations, America now faces a choice as simple as it is consequential: lead on trade, or get left behind. The decision should be clear. Congress is considering whether to renew Trade Promotion Authority (TPA). TPA is a process between Congress and the administration for negotiating trade deals that has existed in some form for over 80 years. With TPA, Congress has greater influence over trade agreements, and U.S. negotiators hold a stronger position to secure a good deal for American producers, consumers and workers. Absent TPA, the President has the...