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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[tanknetter]

This leaves out an incredibly important point: TPA prevents a Senate filibuster and mandates a simple majority yes/no vote.

In this way it’s similiar to the budget reconciliation process used to ram through Obamacare after the Dems lost their Senate supermajority when Scott Brown won Teddy Kennedy’s seat.

Cruz certainly knows this. Knows how much easier it’ll be to ram through TPP under these rules. Knows that jerks like McCain and Graham will vote for it.

I don’t know what he’s doing here - if he were smart (and he IS) he’d be advocating for a revised TPA that preserves the filibuster.

[lodi90]

Key point is that TPP is a done deal if TPA passes. They’ve been negotiating it for 6 years. This rush to pass it now is 100% beltway whoring for K Street money. Disgusting.

[jsanders2001]

> Contrary to what the political hacks think, we’re not stupid.

At lot of us don’t have the background to understand what “the real issues” are and we need it in laymen’s terms. I am stupid when it comes to his issue. I admit it so please enlighten so we understand what wasn’t addressed in the PR...

[Gaffer]

Technically, yes. Can’t change existing US law, supposedly.

It does not, however, keep Obama from tacking on stupid liberal tricks like banning ammunition or weapons importation from other countries or any other stupid liberal quirky taints. Why? because he pretty much has that power anyway, but he has to do that on his own executive accord and take the heat for it. Additionally, these actions can be undone by the next President.

Via a TPA sanctioned trade pact, and it becomes law and cannot be undone - and the Congress takes the heat for it.

ObamaTrade? It’s just another way to spell T-U-R-D.

[lodi90]

I don’t know what he’s doing here - if he were smart (and he IS) he’d be advocating for a revised TPA that preserves the filibuster.

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What Cruz is doing is running for POTUS. Obviously the big donors have told him TPP is the price of their support. Cruz doesn’t want his fingerprints on it so he supports TPA which lowers the vote required to 50 for passage.

[isthisnickcool]

Here is an email that the Cruz campaign (I donated to them previously) sent me two days ago. It is terrible and sounds not only childish but as if he is doing me a favor by running. My response was if running for president is too damn hard for him he should stop, plus because of his support of this trade BS I no longer support him:

I'm about to ask you to make a sacrifice in the next 48 hours. But before I do, I want you to know: I wouldn't ask you if I hadn't already done it myself.

Please let me briefly explain.

You see, running for President of the United States is a significant sacrifice. Only through prayer and many late night discussions with my wife, family, and closest friends did I make THE decision.

And I must share with you -- I've committed to sacrificing a great deal for our campaign:

>>> Time with my family; Spending almost every day on the campaign trail or fighting on the Senate floor means precious little time spent with my wife, Heidi, and my daughters -- the very family that gives me the motivation and drive to fight.

>>> Health and sleep; My runoff campaign for the Senate in 2012 took a toll, but now I'm sacrificing even more sleep with long nights and constant travel. And the pizza diet is a staple on the campaign trail.

>>> Finances; the cost of campaigning back and forth across the country for president is increasingly expensive, but Heidi and I are willing to invest our livelihoods into this sacrifice.

>>> Personal time; You think of this the least, but as a candidate, my days are no longer my own. Days start before dawn and many times don't end until early the next morning. There is almost no personal time when you run for president.

****, I've chosen to sacrifice part of mine and my families lives to run for President -- but I think you will agree with me that the sacrifice is well worth it.

Unless courageous conservatives are willing to make tough sacrifices to stand up and fight, we will not be able to restore America.

Today, I'm asking you to make a sacrifice ****. Will you join me by making a special, one-time gift to my campaign?

I've asked my staff to put together these secure links below so you can make an instant and secure sacrificial gift -- it can be done in just 5 minutes.

I CAN SACRIFICE $35 TO RESTORE AMERICA >>

I CAN SACRIFICE $100 TO RESTORE AMERICA >>

I CAN SACRIFICE $250 TO RESTORE AMERICA >>

I CAN SACRIFICE $1000 TO RESTORE AMERICA >>

Will you be a courageous conservative and make a special gift today to help restore America? I can only reach this goal with your help.

I wouldn't ask you if 1) I wasn't willing to make the same sacrifice myself; and 2) the stakes weren't so high.

***, time is critical, and if you will, please make this special gift in the next 48 hours -- I would be so grateful.

For liberty,

Ted Cruz

P.S. I've chosen to make some steep, necessary sacrifices in our fight to restore America. Will you join me with your gift of $250 or $100? OR if $35 or $10 is a stretch gift for you, I will be grateful for every dollar you can sacrifice and will ensure it is faithfully used""".

[Soul of the South]

We don’t need any more trade agreements. I have yet to see any benefit for the American economy or the American worker from the trade agreements enacted over the past 30 years. Instead we have:

1) 55,000 closed manufacturing plants
2) Loss of millions of manufacturing and manufacturing support jobs.
3) Higher trade deficits - Where is the promised export boom?
4) Declining standard of living for the average American for the first time in our nation’s history.
5) Decimation of the middle class
6) Less tariff revenue for the treasury
7) The industrialization and rise of China as an economic an military threat to the sovereignty of the United States

Can someone provide quantitative proof of the economic and social benefits from these trade deals? TPP is supposed to be modeled on the EU. How’s that working out for the Europeans other than Germany?

[OpusatFR]

“Only through prayer...” “ I CAN SACRIFICE $35 TO RESTORE AMERICA >>

I CAN SACRIFICE $100 TO RESTORE AMERICA >>

I CAN SACRIFICE $250 TO RESTORE AMERICA >>

I CAN SACRIFICE $1000 TO RESTORE AMERICA”

Are you sure this wasn’t from Creflo Dollar?

I truly despise the use of religion to flog a candidate.

[Gaffer]

Yes. My thoughts also. He’s attracted some big business PACs and donors and this is the price of support.

Of all the candidates, I like him the best and would vote for him, but it does not mean at the same time I will not fight him on this TPA/TPP thing. It’s WRONG, period. But if it is inevitable, I want to wait until there is an American in the White House before it is approved over my objections.

[jsanders2001]

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

[tanknetter]

Agreed, I’ve been split between Cruz and Walker. Still am, but up until now Cruz was starting to make headway because of Walkers stupid fumbles and the growing differentiation between them.

This might be a reset for me on their ideological component. And if all other things end up equal by the time my primary rolls around next year, Walker ultimately has the plus of having beaten the crap out of the unions up in Wisconsin.

And ALL Cruz has to do here for me is refuse to support TPA if it doesn’t reinsert the Senate filibuster. I’m fine with the rest of the provisions.

[bkepley]

It’s no use Ted...we all know you’re a commie.

[Guenevere]

Bttt

[Kenny]

“Many of those concerns are fueled by the press.”

Those concerns should be enough reason to stop this thing. Why should the American people have to be terrififed of their government?

This is not a once-in-a-lifetime shot, put it on a back burner until the people can accept it. I hate the false urgency this Congress attaches to every damn piece of legislation that comes down the pike. It's only because they know it's crap and, like Obamacare, if they don't hurry and shove it down our throats, it may not fly.

[Gaffer]

It isn’t just Cruz. All of the Congressional incumbent candidates are doing it as well as the other candidates - except for Paul (whom I wouldn’t vote for).

They are very thankful that this secret TPP is closed until the TPA is passed. Because their support translates into big business CoC money. It is disgusting and very disappointing.

[OpusatFR]

“We don’t need any more trade agreements. I have yet to see any benefit for the American economy or the American worker from the trade agreements enacted over the past 30 years. Instead we have:”

I would add this: The inability of the lower, uneducated classes to move out of poverty because the stepping stones to a middle class income have been destroyed by exporting manufacturing jobs.

The government has created a permanent welfare class unable to move out of it. A college education isn’t the answer for the majority who would thrive in a manufacturing era, but fail in an academic one.

[jsanders2001]

I guess if this gets passed we’ll start hearing about a new one world currency. Islam via ISIS is already working on the one world religion aspect.

[Gaffer]

Jobs in this country have been destroyed by an entitlement system and tax code that is completely out of control.

[OpusatFR]

“Jobs in this country have been destroyed by an entitlement system and tax code that is completely out of control.”

On purpose.

[Gaffer]

I’m guessing maybe that, but then again it might turn out that the standard unit of currency could be a single 22LR cartridge. Bigger denominations would be larger calibers.