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<H2 class=itemTitle><FONT size=4>23 republicans in the U.S. House have also
signed the letter opposing Fast Track Approval of the Trans Pacific Partnership
( TPP ) Trade Agreement</FONT></H2>
<H2 class=itemTitle> The People Can Defeat the Trans-Pacific Partnership
</H2><FONT size=3><STRONG><SPAN class=itemDateCreated>Saturday, 16 November 2013
10:07 </SPAN><SPAN class=itemAuthor>By <A
href="http://truth-out.org/author/itemlist/user/48090">Kevin Zeese and Margaret
Flowers </A>, <A
href="http://dissidentvoice.org/2013/11/the-people-can-defeat-the-trans-pacific-partnership/">Dissident
Voice</A> | Report </SPAN></STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV class=itemToolbar>
<DIV class=clr><FONT size=3><STRONG></STRONG></FONT></DIV></DIV>
<DIV class=itemBody>
<DIV class=itemFullText>
<P><SPAN
style="DISPLAY: inline-block; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 3px; FLOAT: right; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px"
class=wf_caption><FONT size=3><STRONG><IMG
style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 3px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px" alt=TPP
src="http://truth-out.org/images/images_2013_11/2013_1116-3.jpg" width=306
height=340></STRONG></FONT><SPAN
style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; WIDTH: 301px; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; CLEAR: both"><FONT
size=3><STRONG>(Photo: </STRONG></FONT><A
href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/69842239@N02/9902118953/in/photolist-g61WYR-g62CjB-fUGfw2-g61wDQ-g64hRA-g65tqr-g649AV-g63nmg-g65rND-g62oXN-g66wbz-g65MRh-g65SYQ-g67Js7-daEErR-g66jge-g67ujB-g64hdb-g6aVPG-g6bNK6-g6b19a-g6493F-g66E1U-g66X1N-g62UsM-dy2ZTr-dy2ZG2-dy8sDN-dy8taE-dy8snq-dy8tqA-dy2ZoT-dy8sy1-dy8srf-dy8sGA-dy8tjd-dy8tkW-dy8spN-dy2ZNz-dy8ssJ-dy8tfy-dy8sUj-fZN5Bp-fZNfg5-fZNnLW-fZNeb9-fZNgXS-fZNdvb-fZNfRd-fZNeR7-fZNcYj"
target=_blank><FONT size=3><STRONG>cool revolution /
Flickr</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT
size=3><STRONG>)</STRONG></FONT></SPAN></SPAN><FONT size=3><STRONG>Momentum is
growing in the campaign to stop the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
Yesterday, the TPP was dealt two blows. Each could be lethal but the TPP, and
its Atlantic counterpart, called TAFTA, are not dead yet. It is time for the
movement of movements that formed to oppose the TPP to stand in solidarity,
defeat these agreements and end the era of rigged corporate
trade.</STRONG></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3><STRONG>Yesterday’s first blow came from Wikileaks, showing once
again that when government works in secret with big corporations, exposure by
whistle blowers is critical to changing the corrupt direction of government and
the economy. Wikileaks published the full text of the intellectual
property chapter; </STRONG></FONT><A
href="http://wikileaks.org/tpp/static/pdf/Wikileaks-secret-TPP-treaty-IP-chapter.pdf"
target=_blank><FONT size=3><STRONG>the leaked document</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT
size=3><STRONG> included the positions of all the parties. It will
take time for all the corporate rigging in this lengthy document to be
understood, but already it is evident that Internet freedom will be curtailed,
access to health care will become more expensive and access to information will
be undermined.</STRONG></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3><STRONG>This is not the first leak of TPP
text. </STRONG></FONT><A
href="http://www.citizenstrade.org/ctc/blog/2013/11/13/leaked-tpp-texts-reveal-bonanza-special-rights-corporations/"><FONT
size=3><STRONG>Previous leaks</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT size=3><STRONG> are
consistent with the Wikileaks leak – enhanced corporate power that puts profits
before the needs of the people and the protection of the planet. The
Wikileaks release shows that the United States is by far the most aggressive
advocate for trans-national corporate interests, often isolated in pushing for
harmful policies.</STRONG></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3><STRONG>The second blow came from members of the U.S. House of
Representatives. In recent days, several letters were sent to President
Obama opposing Fast Track Trade Promotion Authority. Fast Track undermines
Congress’ responsibility under the Commerce Clause to regulate trade between
nations by allowing the president to sign the agreement before Congress even
sees it. The letters made public on November 13th demonstrate broad bi-partisan
opposition to Fast Track with 179 Members signing at least one of the three
letters.</STRONG></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3><STRONG>A letter </STRONG></FONT><A
href="http://www.citizenstrade.org/ctc/blog/2013/11/13/congress-voices-bipartisan-opposition-fast-track/"><FONT
size=3><STRONG>spearheaded</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT size=3><STRONG> by Rep.
Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Rep. George Miller (D-CA) garnered the support of
three-quarters of House Democrats with 151 Members telling President Obama they
oppose Fast Track, writing:</STRONG></FONT></P>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<P><FONT size=3><STRONG>We will oppose ‘Fast Track’ Trade Promotion Authority
or any other mechanism delegating Congress’ constitutional authority over
trade policy that continues to exclude us from having a meaningful role in the
formative stages of trade agreements and throughout negotiating and approval
processes.</STRONG></FONT></P></BLOCKQUOTE>
<P><FONT size=3><STRONG>Important leaders of the Democratic Party signed the
letter including 18 out of 21 Ranking Members who would chair committees if the
Democrats were in the majority. This means that to pursue Fast Track
authority, President Obama will need to challenge three-quarters of his own
party.</STRONG></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3><STRONG>But, that is not all. In </STRONG></FONT><A
href="http://www.larson.house.gov/images/11-8-13_TPA_Letter.pdf"><FONT
size=3><STRONG>another letter</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT size=3><STRONG>,
organized by Mike Thompson (D-CA) and Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and signed by 12 of
the 16 Democratic Party members of the Ways and Means Committee, which is
primarily responsible for Fast Track legislation, members expressed opposition
to Fast Track unless it was radically different from previous grants of
authority. The letter says it “cannot just be an extension of earlier trade
promotion authorities. Any new proposed TPA must . . . ensure Congress plays a
more meaningful role in the negotiating process.”</STRONG></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3><STRONG>And, the opposition is bi-partisan. Rep. Walter Jones
(R-NC) and Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) drafted a letter</STRONG></FONT><A
href="http://jones.house.gov/sites/jones.house.gov/files/11.12.13%20Fast%20Track%20Letter_0.pdf"><FONT
size=3><STRONG> signed</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT size=3><STRONG> by 23
Republicans. The Republican letter emphasized that Congress has the
“exclusive authority to set the terms of trade.” Further, “The Founders
established this clear check and balance to prevent the president from
unilaterally negotiating with foreign nations and imposing trade policies that
Congress would deem to be against the national interest.” They write that they
refuse to “cede our constitutional authority to the executive” through Fast
Track.</STRONG></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3><STRONG>These are just the latest problems in the quest for Fast
Track, indeed a bill has yet to be introduced. The previous US Trade
Representative, Ron Kirk, </STRONG></FONT><A
href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/29/us-usa-trade-kirk-idUSTRE81S1FF20120229"><FONT
size=3><STRONG> said</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT size=3><STRONG> in 2012:
“We’ve got to have it.” He wanted the authority by the end of 2012. In
April, Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) promised Obama Fast Track </STRONG></FONT><A
href="http://www.law360.com/articles/435083/baucus-calls-for-fast-track-trade-authority-by-june"><FONT
size=3><STRONG>by June</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT size=3><STRONG> of
2013. The broad bi-partisan opposition announced this week shows that
winning Fast Track has very little support in Congress. In fact, the
letters may be the death knell for such legislation.</STRONG></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3><STRONG>The Wikileaks documents show there is a lot of division
among the negotiating nations with important disagreements on key aspects of the
text. Without Fast Track to guarantee passage of the TPP, these nations will be
even less likely to agree to demands by the U.S. Further, Asian
countries </STRONG></FONT><A
href="http://atimes.com/atimes/China/CHIN-02-041013.html"><FONT
size=3><STRONG>are negotiating</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT
size=3><STRONG> their own competing agreement, which does not include the
United States but, unlike the TPP, does include China.</STRONG></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3><STRONG>Latin American countries are also speaking out against
the TPP. Earlier this year, Rodrigo Contreras, Chile’s lead TPP
negotiator </STRONG></FONT><A
href="http://ourfuture.org/20130523/tpp-a-deregulation-treaty-not-a-trade-treaty"><FONT
size=3><STRONG>quit</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT size=3><STRONG> to warn people
of the dangers of the TPP – highlighting how big financial institutions
will dominate their governments and how the TPP “will become a threat for our
countries: It will restrict our development options in health and education, in
biological and cultural diversity, and in the design of public policies and the
transformation of our economies. It will also generate pressures from
increasingly active social movements, who are not willing to grant a pass to
governments that accept an outcome of the TPP negotiations that limits
possibilities to increase the prosperity and well-being of our countries.” And,
recently the </STRONG></FONT><A
href="http://citizen.typepad.com/eyesontrade/2013/09/peruvian-chilean-lawmakers-urge-public-debate-on-tpp.html"><FONT
size=3><STRONG>Parliament of Peru</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT
size=3><STRONG> passed a resolution “requesting that the government open a
‘public, political, and technical debate’ on the binding rules being negotiated
in the TPP.”</STRONG></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3><STRONG>In the United States, </STRONG></FONT><A
href="http://www.popularresistance.org/madison-city-unanimously-passes-resolution-opposing-trans-pacific-partnership/"><FONT
size=3><STRONG>cities</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT size=3><STRONG> and counties
are beginning to </STRONG></FONT><A
href="http://www.thealliancefordemocracy.org/tppfreezones.shtml"><FONT
size=3><STRONG>pass TPP Free Zones</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT size=3><STRONG>,
saying they </STRONG></FONT><A
href="http://www.popularresistance.org/trans-pacific-partnership-we-will-not-obey/"><FONT
size=3><STRONG>will not obey the TPP</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT
size=3><STRONG> if it becomes law. These local governments are
concerned with provisions that would not allow them to give preference to buying
local, buying U.S. made goods or other provisions that undermine their
sovereignty.</STRONG></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3><STRONG>In addition to opposition in the U.S. government and
foreign governments, a mass citizen uprising is developing against the
TPP. There have been large protests in many of the countries involved in
the negotiations as well as in the United States. The night before the Wikileaks
documents were released, </STRONG></FONT><A
href="http://www.popularresistance.org/flush-the-tpp-visibility-actions-shining-a-light-on-secret-corporate-coup/"><FONT
size=3><STRONG>13 cities did visibility protests</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT
size=3><STRONG> opposing the TPP in light shows. In September we
joined with activists in Washington, DC in a series of protests,
including</STRONG></FONT><A
href="http://www.popularresistance.org/washington-post-protesters-rising-to-new-heights/"><FONT
size=3><STRONG>covering the office building</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT
size=3><STRONG> of the US Trade Representative in banners
to</STRONG></FONT><A
href="http://www.popularresistance.org/video-the-anti-tpp-take-over-of-the-us-trade-representative-building/"><FONT
size=3><STRONG>expose their secret</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT
size=3><STRONG> trade agreement. Protests are scheduled
for </STRONG></FONT><A
href="http://www.flushthetpp.org/tpp-out-of-the-shadows-rally-in-salt-lake-city/"><FONT
size=3><STRONG>Salt Lake City, UT on November 19</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT
size=3><STRONG>th where lead negotiators from 12 countries will hold meetings.
A </STRONG></FONT><A
href="http://www.flushthetpp.org/call-to-action-december-3-international-day-of-action-against-toxic-trade-agreements/"><FONT
size=3><STRONG>global day of protest is planned for December
3</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT size=3><STRONG> against not only the TPP but
also the WTO and all toxic trade agreements.</STRONG></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3><STRONG>The TPP is running into resistance in Congress, local
governments and among Pacific nations in Asia and Latin America; and by people
who oppose the agreement all over the world. This is part of a growing movement
of movements – all of the movements impacted by corporate trade; e.g. labor,
environmental, Internet freedom, health care, food sovereignty, immigrants’
rights, banking regulation – are joining together to defeat
it.</STRONG></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3><STRONG>The people are winning. Fourteen trade
agreements </STRONG></FONT><A
href="http://www.flushthetpp.org/list-of-trade-agreements-that-have-been-stopped/"><FONT
size=3><STRONG>have been stopped</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT
size=3><STRONG> in the last 14 years and as </STRONG></FONT><A
href="http://www.politico.com/story/2013/11/opinion-thomas-j-donohue-chamber-of-commerce-world-trade-organization-99680.html#ixzz2kaA6Zy00"><FONT
size=3><STRONG>Tom Donohue</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT size=3><STRONG> of the
US Chamber of Commerce wrote this week “the WTO has not concluded a single new
multilateral trade agreement since it was created in 1995.” Mass protest against
rigged corporate trade agreements can end the experiment in trade that puts
profits ahead of the people and planet.</STRONG></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3><STRONG>We are on the verge of defeating Fast Track. It is
important that we keep the pressure on Congress. Neither the TPP nor TAFTA will
become law if people learn what is in them and Congress fulfills its
constitutional responsibility to review their impact. Denying the President Fast
Track is the essential step to defeat both of these
agreements.</STRONG></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3><STRONG>Once we defeat Fast Track and prevent TPP and TAFTA from
becoming law, we need to remain in solidarity and work to transform trade so it
becomes “fair” trade that puts the necessities of the people and the protection
of the planet first. The people will have firmly established that they will not
tolerate rigged corporate trade deals. If corporations want to see trade between
nations, they need a new approach – transparent, participatory and fair – with
new goals of serving the people and planet.</STRONG></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3><STRONG>To get involved in the campaign to stop the
Trans-Pacific Partnership visit </STRONG></FONT><A
href="http://www.flushthetpp.org/"><FONT size=3><STRONG>Flush the
TPP</STRONG></FONT></A><FONT
size=3><STRONG>.</STRONG></FONT></P></DIV></DIV></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>