Ted Cruz 2016 : TPA Senate Vote Good : TPA is NOT Secret Agrement (TPA & TPP Different) : 2015-06-12

Texas Supporting Senator Ted Cruz ^ | 2015-06-12 | Toby Marie Walker

[Patton@Bastogne]

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A Note to Conservatives on Trade Agreements


Senator Cruz entirely understands the widespread suspicion of the President. Nobody has been more vocal in pointing out the President’s lawlessness or more passionate about fighting his usurpation of congressional authority.

Senator Cruz would not and will not give President Obama one more inch of unrestricted power.



There have been a lot of questions and concerns about 2the ongoing Pacific trade negotiations. Many of those concerns, fueled by the media, stem from confusion about Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) and the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Let’s unpack the issues one by one.



What are TPA and TPP?


TPA stands for Trade Promotion Authority, also known as “fast track”. TPA is a process by which trade agreements are approved by Congress. Through TPA, Congress sets out up-front objectives for the Executive branch to achieve in free trade negotiations; in exchange for following those objectives, Congress agrees to hold an up-or-down vote on trade agreements without amendments. For the past 80 years, it has proven virtually impossible to negotiate free-trade agreements without the fast-track process.



TPP stands for Trans-Pacific Partnership. TPP is a specific trade agreement currently being negotiated by the United States and 11 other countries, including Canada, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. China is not a negotiating partner. There is no final language on TPP because negotiations are still ongoing and have been since late 2009. Neither the Senate nor the House has voted yet on the TPP. There will be no vote on TPP until the negotiations are over and the final agreement is sent to Congress.



Some Key Facts:


· Neither the Senate nor the House has voted yet on the TPP.

· Congress is the only entity that can make U.S. law and nothing about TPP or TPA could change that.

· TPA gives the Congress more control up-front over free trade agreements.

· TPA mandates transparency by requiring all trade agreements (including TPP) to be made public for at least 60 days before the Congress can act on them.



Does TPA give up the Senate’s treaty power?

No. Under the Constitution, there are two ways to make binding law: (1) through a treaty, ratified by two-thirds of the Senate, or (2) through legislation passed by a majority of both Houses of Congress. TPA employs the second constitutional path, as trade bills always have done. It has long been recognized that the Constitution’s Origination Clause applies to trade bills, requiring the House of Representatives’ involvement.



Does the United States give up Sovereignty by entering into TPP?

No. Nothing in the agreement forces Congress to change any law. TPA explicitly provides that nothing in any trade agreement can change U.S. law. Congress is the only entity that can make U.S. law, and Congress is the only entity that can change U.S. law. Nothing about TPP or TPA could change that.



Does Senator Ted Cruz support TPP?

Senator Cruz has not taken a position either in favor or against TPP. He will wait until the agreement is finalized and he has a chance to study it carefully to ensure that the agreement will open more markets to American-made products, create jobs, and grow our economy. Senator Cruz has dedicated his professional career to defending U.S. sovereignty and the U.S. Constitution. He will not support any trade agreement that would diminish or undermine either.



Does Senator Ted Cruz support TPA?

Yes. Senator Cruz voted in favor of TPA earlier this year because it breaks the logjam that is preventing the U.S. from entering into trade deals that are good for American workers, American businesses, and our economy. Ronald Reagan emphatically supported free trade, and Senator Cruz does as well. He ran for Senate promising to support free trade, and he is honoring that commitment to the voters.

Free trade helps American farmers, ranchers, and manufacturers; indeed, one in five American jobs depends on trade, in Texas alone 3 million jobs depend on trade. When we open up foreign markets, we create American jobs.

TPA also strengthens Congress’ hand in trade negotiations, and provides transparency by making the agreement (including TPP) public for at least 60 days before the Congress can act on any final agreement. Without TPA, there is no such transparency, and the Congress’ role in trade agreements is weaker.



Is TPA Constitutional?

TPA and similar trade authority has been upheld by the Supreme Court as constitutional for more than 100 years.



Does TPA give the President more authority?

No. TPA ensures that Congress has the ability to set the objectives up-front for free trade agreements.

Trade Promotion Authority has been used to reduce trade barriers since FDR. When Harry Reid took over the Senate, he killed it. History demonstrates that it is almost impossible to negotiate a free-trade agreement without TPA. Right now without TPA, America is unable to negotiate free-trade agreements, putting the United States at a disadvantage to China, which is taking the lead world-wide. It is not in America’s interests to have China writing the rules of international trade.

Moreover, Obama is going to be president for just 18 more months. TPA is six-year legislation. If we want the next president (hopefully a Republican) to be able to negotiate free-trade agreements to restart our economy and create jobs here at home then we must reinstate TPA. With a Republican president in office, Senate Democrats would almost certainly vote party-line to block TPA, so now is the only realistic chance.



How can Senator Cruz trust Obama?

He doesn’t. Not at all. No part of Senator Cruz’s support for TPA was based on trusting Obama. However, under TPA, every trade deal is still subject to approval by Congress. If the Obama Administration tries to do something terrible in a trade agreement, Congress can vote it down. And most congressional Democrats will always vote no—because union bosses oppose free trade, so do most Democrats—which means a handful of conservative congressional Republicans have the votes to kill any bad deal. That’s a serious check on presidential power.



Isn’t TPP a “living agreement”?

That particular phrase—a foolish and misleading way to put it—is found in the “summary” portion of one particular section of the draft agreement. That section allows member nations to amend the agreement in the future, expressly subject to the approval of their governments. Thus, if some amendment were proposed in the future, Congress would have to approve it before it went into effect.



But isn’t TPA a secret agreement?

No, it is not. The full text of TPA (fast track) is public. What the Senate just voted for was TPA, not TPP.

Right now, the text of TPP is classified. That is a mistake. Senator Cruz has vigorously called on the Obama administration to make the full text of TPP open to the public immediately. The text being hidden naturally only fuels concerns about what might be in it. Senator Cruz has read the current draft of TPP, and it should be made public now.



Critically, under TPA, TPP cannot be voted on until after the text has been public for 60 days. Therefore, everyone will be able to read it long before it comes up for a vote.



Couldn’t Obama use a trade agreement to grant amnesty to illegal immigrants?

No. There is one section of TPP that concerns immigration, but it affects only foreign nations—the United States has explicitly declined to sign on to that section.

Moreover, Senator Cruz introduced a TPA amendment to expressly prohibit any trade deal from attempting to alter our immigration laws. [LINK to release.]

Two Republican Senators (Lindsey Graham and Rand Paul) blocked the Senate’s consideration of that amendment, but the House of Representatives has agreed to include that language in the final text of the trade legislation. Thus, assuming the House honors that public commitment, federal law will explicitly prohibit any trade deal from impacting immigration.

And, regardless, no trade agreement can change U.S. law; only Congress can change U.S. law.









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[SoConPubbie]

Really? What has been happening with the White House for the past six years.

Are you all MIA and just now been found?

Whether the Congress Acts or Acts by doing nothing, they still have the capability to stop Obama in his tracks.

The people you should be blaming sit in Congress and are not doing their duty.

[xzins]

Show me a link to the TPP deal or admit it’s a secret negotiation.

[TNMOUTH]

Can you or any other of the supposed offended on here, tell me WHY Hunter supported it?

[TNMOUTH]

LOL...ok, genius, since you are soooo Conservative, who do you support?

[firebrand]

Everyone keeps stating things that we already know. These things are supposed to be comforting. They are part of the PLOT—yes, I’m not afraid to say it.

Patton, you are wrong on this. And Cruz saying the trade act should be viewable is wiggling to get out of the backlash to his reprehensible vote in the Senate.

You cannot have an invisible bill and then fast track, even with the PROMISED viewing period. There will be too much pressure to approve it. It’s not fair, and we won’t stand for it.

[Lakeshark]

I have read that Hunter did not support it, are you sure he did, or just presuming he did?

[SoConPubbie]

    Daily Digest Ted Cruz Ping!

    If you want on/off this ping list, please let me know.
    Please beware, this is a high-volume ping list!

    CRUZ or LOSE!

TED CRUZ CHANNELS PAUL RYAN: ‘A LOT OF MISINFORMATION’ ON OBAMATRADE

Sen. Ted Cruz on the Hugh Hewitt Show (Today- 20 minutes)

Ted Cruz: Now That Erdogan Has Lost the Elections, It's Time To Do Business With Turkey Against ISIS

Ted Cruz adds anti-sharia activist to his staff…while the Muslim jihadists in America cry foul!

Ted Cruz fights GOP approach on Obamacare subsidies

Vanity: What Is Ted Cruz Doing???

Cruz's new strategy is a recipe for disaster

Sen. Cruz: Texans are Sojourners for Life

Ted Cruz takes Q on Fast Track at TPP at WRKO Town Hall Southern NH University 5-30-2015

[LibertyLA]

Here’s the VOTE - republicans who voted against it:

NAYs —ONLY 6 Republicans!

Casey (D-PA)

Collins (R-ME)

Lee (R-UT)

Paul (R-KY)

Sessions (R-AL)

Shelby (R-AL)

The only republicans not willing to sell out to Obama.

[WIBamian]

Not Transnational Progressivists, like Walker or Cruz.

But I would actively campaign and donate my hard-earned money to Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions or Governor Palin if they were to run for the Presidency of the United States.

Otherwise, I will show up on election day and vote only for U.S. Constitutional-supporting candidates at the local, state and federal level.

Your rage against us Conservatives for not obeying the GOPe orders to vote for Jeb, Walker, Huck, and Cruz must be making you c-r-a-z-y.

Tell me, how many holes have you punched in the wall, today, because Freepers are standing firm against the ObamaTrade evil?

[Lakeshark]

You know I've been on the Cruz train for some time now. I am surprised you are willing to let what appears to be a huge error go.

I am willing to wait and hear this be defended, or understand it better, hopefully he can do so. I have to say, I'm not happy with his vote or position on this issue right now.

I don't think we need to make a knee jerk effort to defend him if he's wrong. I'm willing to listen, but this is NOT going well IMHO. I'm not throwing him under the bus, that's too easy, but neither am I going to try to dfend the indefensible.

[firebrand]

It sounds as though this is a brick in the wall for bringing about the NWO...

No, it IS the New World Order. If international corporations can sue formerly sovereign national states, it is over.

[who knows what evil?]

Sessions and Collins??? People in high rises, beware! Pigs are going airborne as we speak...

[SoConPubbie]

I disagree. Cruz is treating thinking conservatives like debating opponents, where he lays out his position and the reasons behind it. If thinking conservatives disagree, they can (and do) lay out their positions and rationale in an opposing statement.

Exactly!

[Jane Long]

TPA fast tracks TPP.

TPA gives Congress only up or down vote, not room to debate.

TPA holds *promise* that any trade legislation will be publicly posted. We see how that’s worked out, so far (i.e. Boehner’s 60 day posting promise...that he’s backtracked on.) This piece/promise mean nothing to me...based on Boehner’s (GOP *leadership’s* past history.)

[tanknetter]

So, Cruz goes into great detail about the “good” provisions of TPA that he supports, but at best you can claim he gave a glossed-over inference to the filibuster with his “up and down vote” comment.

And Cruz is the guy who used the filibuster to great effect in shutting down the government. Right.

[TNMOUTH]

There were a list of 34 Republicans who voted and almost killed the vote last night. Hunter was not on the list.

[FR_addict]

Sarah gets it!

PALIN SLAMS OBAMATRADE AS ANOTHER ‘DON’T PASS IT ’TIL WE KNOW WHAT’S IN IT!’
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3299544/posts?page=1

[TNMOUTH]

Ok, so tell me WHO on the Federal level you will support? Sessions isn’t as Conservative as you think. Palin ain’t running.

So, I guess you will go for Hillary then?

[SoConPubbie]

So am I. That being said, what I have read, so far, about this, all the naysayers notwithstanding, seems to show that TPA and TPP not only is constitutional and long standing process, only being refused to Richard Nixon, but the current TPA drastically improves the process by making it more open and more restrictive on the President. Add in the amendments that are being offered by Ryan and Cruz (Illegal Immigration and Global Warming) and I have to support it.

I believe a lot of what is being posted is by political operatives of one stripe or another or by supporters of Rand Paul, etc.

I also normally despise Paul Ryan for being the Mitt Romney Mini-Me that he is, but his amendments to the process are a good thing.

[SoConPubbie]

I am willing to wait and hear this be defended, or understand it better, hopefully he can do so. I have to say, I'm not happy with his vote or position on this issue right now.

So am I. That being said, what I have read, so far, about this, all the naysayers notwithstanding, seems to show that TPA and TPP not only is constitutional and long standing process, only being refused to Richard Nixon, but the current TPA drastically improves the process by making it more open and more restrictive on the President. Add in the amendments that are being offered by Ryan and Cruz (Illegal Immigration and Global Warming) and I have to support it.

I believe a lot of what is being posted is by political operatives of one stripe or another or by supporters of Rand Paul, etc.

I also normally despise Paul Ryan for being the Mitt Romney Mini-Me that he is, but his amendments to the process are a good thing.