Posted on 06/13/2015 4:07:12 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
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 the 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.
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.
Like we gave Obama all he asked for before the new Congress could be seated. Right......
Cruz’s wife heidi is also on the Council of Foreign Relations. How does one become a member of the CFR?
There are two types of membership life and term membership, which lasts for 5 years. Only US citizens native born or naturalized) and permanent residents who have applied for Us citizenship. A candidate for life membership must be nominated in writing by one council member and seconded by a minimum of three others (strongly to be encouraged to be other CFR members)
Corporate membership (250 in total) is divided into basic, Premium ($25,000 +) and Presidents Circle ($50,000 +) All corporate executive members have opportunities to hear distinguished speakers, such as overseas presidents and prime ministers, chairmen and CEOs of multinational corporations and US officials and Congressmen. President and premim members are also entitled to other benefits, including attendance at small private dinners or receptions with senior American officials and world leaders.
Did anyone know that Mikhail Gorbachev is listed as a member of CFR? Did anyone know that Bill and Hillary Clintom Jimmy Carter, John kerry, John McCain are also members. Interesting is it not!
“You do know that Walker supports TPA as well, don’t you?”
Not only does Walker support TPA, he announced his support on the eve of a very important congressional vote on the matter. You may have read that Walker visited Congress just a few weeks ago and came away having earned the respect and friendship of many GOP congressman. Now he uses his influence to help his ally Paul Ryan pass this bill.
One could argue that even though he didn’t personally vote on it, he timed his support announcement for maximum impact on the House vote. If someone were being honest and not simply targeting one certain candidate to try to tear him down, they would have to admit that if TPA is really a “hill to die on” and “anyone who supports it is guilty of treason, blah blah blah...” then Walker can no longer be supported either.
I trust Cruz.
But Washington is a “twisted wilderness of mirrors”. Reality is distorted to the point that liberty is dying while everyone cheers.
We must never forget:
Somewhere within boundaries of illusion, lies & deception is reality of Modern Day Liberalism.
It will take a balance of tough old heads and quick young leaders to defeat those who would destroy US.
A “no” vote was the Constitutional vote, right?
Scott Walker to Republicans: Vote ‘Yes’ for Fast Track on Obama’s ‘Progressive’ Trade Deal
http://dailysurge.com/2015/06/ugh-scott-walker-to-republicans-vote-for-fast-track-on-tpp/#
Cruz relies on some obscure Supreme Court case from 100 years ago to justify his clearly unconstitutional position.
He apparently is one of those guys that follows Supreme Court precedent rather than the actual wording of the constitution.
We have no one, maybe the Don.
It’s the TPP but apparently the US will not be signing onto that section. This is discussed briefly near the end of the posted article.
But 2nd Division. You are his greatest supporter against all comers on FR. You should know the answer.
Sorry guys, I know talking points when I see them.
What I get from this entire charade is that the TPP has to be kept secret because if the American public read the thing and realized how thoroughly they were being screwed by the global corporatist elite they would put up too much of a fuss.
I guess I’m just not as smart as Cruz and all his supporters, but it seems to me that this means not letting the TPP pass in its current form is the best possible outcome here.
Do any of you Ted Cruz fans care to enumerate for me all the ways in which life in the USA has improved since the passage of NAFTA?
I agree
Walker cannot betray and still have my trust either. This issue too important.
Read book “The Selling of Free Trade” by MacArthur about inception and effect of NAFTA. then go to border and check out the now.
Shame on these people. Fair trade. Not free trade.
That doesn't excuse Cruz. Cruz is a constitutional scholar and should know that redefining a treaty and calling it a trade agreement is circumventing the Constitution.
Walker didn't go to Harvard, so he can plead ignorance. Cruz has no excuse.
Right now I don't have a candidate. I'm not hawking anyone at this point.
2nd Division is also Sarah Palin's biggest supporter and Sarah Palin called this crap sandwich a crap sandwich.
I'm with Sarah on this one.
BKMK- Heidi Cruz member CFR
Don't call them "treaties".
You have to call them "bananas".
Also, the TISA Treaty BANANA and another Treaty BANANA are also included under Fast Track.
I got an e-mail from Heidi Cruz today asking me to donate more money. I told her she can get it from her friends and Goldman Sachs.
None of them can be trusted it seems....
Try looking at the words of the Constitution. The word "treaty" is there. The words "trade agreements" are not there.
Every other nation who has signed off on this "agreement" refers to the "agreement" as a "treaty."
So the other countries are entering into a "treaty" and the United States is entering into a "trade agreement."
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