From the audio of the interview (WRKO Town Hall with Ted Cruz, May 30, 2015, Hour 2), for TPA, the legislation has been 6 years in making. President should have an authority to negotiate the trade deal until it is finalized, then send the bill to the Congress for up-or-down vote with no amendment. (Otherwise, President has to go back and re-negotiate. How long will it take to get it done? That's why it is called “Fast Track”)
In response to people who are afraid that he voted to give more power to Obama, he said that he didn't trust Obama at all. Obama won't be in the office in 19 months. He looked into the future for the next president to have an authority to negotiate. Hopefully, the next president will be a Republican, especially him. Now is the time to get it passed with Democrats. If we wait for the next administration (Republican), Democrats in Congress will vote it down no matter what.
For TPP, he said it was stupid to have the text classified. He READ the TPP. It was relatively a straightforward trade agreement. He didn’t have weeks to study each paragraph closely. Unfortunately, from the past history of the administration’s abuse of power, the secrecy gives the impression that they are hiding something horrible in the bill. Fortunately, under TPA they have to make any trade agreement, including TPP, PUBLIC FOR 60 DAYS BEFORE THE COGRESS CAN VOTE ON IT. People can study closely at this time. But personally HE WANTED THE TEXT PUBLIC RIGHT NOW.
Love,
Isara
“Fortunately, under TPA they have to make any trade agreement, including TPP, PUBLIC FOR 60 DAYS BEFORE THE CONGRESS CAN VOTE ON IT.”
That is odd, because the Senate has already passed TPP, and Boehner wants the House to pass it this week. Obama will sign it immediately. Senator Sessions has studied the bill and he says it turns the country over to global governance. That is why it is secret; it would cause such an outcry that it would not pass. Cruz and the Republicans are traitors; I don’t care anymore what Cruz says about the Constitution, he is a liar. And, anyone now who still promotes free trade is not dealing with a full deck. Free trade has gutted the country’s manufacturing base. That is why 93 million Americans have no job.