from Martin O'Malley, re: TPP
Ellen,
Congressional leaders just reached a deal on a "trade promotion authority" bill that would give them the power to immediately vote on the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade. This "fast track" authority would deny Congress the ability to amend yet another bad trade deal.
We must stop entering into bad trade deals that hurt middle class wages and ship middle class jobs overseas. And we certainly shouldn’t be fast tracking failed deals.
Will you join me in calling on Congress to oppose "fast track" authority on the Trans-Pacific Partnership?
http://action.martinomalley.com/page/s/no-fast-track-on-tpp?&utm_medium=email&utm_source=omalley&utm_content=2+-+Will+you+join+me+in+calling+on+Congress+&utm_campaign=150416_tpp&source=150416_tpp
Chasing cheaper labor abroad will not help us build a stronger economy here at home.
Thank you,
Martin O'Malley
= new reply since forum marked as read
when I just supported my contention with an actual quote??? Riooooght!!! Speaking of lack of honesty....you might want to read the thread before you respond!
about free trade in general is, at best, inane and at worst dishonest and reeking of an agenda.
I'd be embarrassed to post as you do here, but then I suspect we're very different- not only clearly in terms of knowledge and ability (sorry to toot my own horn here) but in sensibility.
And for this thread, Madame Rhap, I'm done with you.
Have a loverly day- as E. Doolittle said before her tutorials.
Your statement that the Fast Track bill "ALLOWS congress to vote it up, or down." seems to imply that Congress would not have the constitutional authority to vote on "trade agreements" if not for this bill (that is, your statement seems to imply that such an agreement could be done by executive authority without Congressional action).
If that is what is indeed what is contended, there are several problems with this:
(1.) From what we know about the negotiations, this involves issues of overriding numerous areas of law (including but not limited to labor law, environmental law, intellectual property law, safety regulation) regulated by federal, state, and local governmental entities, and removing the ability of federal, state, and municipal courts from enforcing their constitutionally passed laws, subjecting federal, state, and local governmental entities to being sued in an "Investor State Dispute Resolution" tribunal which is exempt from judicial appeal. Are you suggesting that presidential executive authority includes the authority to override federal and state labor, environmental, intellectual property, safety, and other laws by making a "trade" agreement based on executive authority?
(2.) If it is to be argued that Congress does not constitutionally possess the authority to be "allowed" to vote on a "trade agreement", then this bill would not change that, as (if that were true) Congress would not have the ability to grant itself the authority to ""allow Congress to vote it up, or down." (Since. if Congress had no such authority constitutionally, it would require a constitutional amendment to "allow Congress to vote it up or down."
I suppose the capital letters "it ALLOWS Congress to vote it up, or down" seemed to suggest that you felt that TPP skeptics were getting something in return for surrendering the right to amend (as well as the right to filibuster or even to remove from the Fast Track process whatever "trade" agreement is proposed by whoever happens to be president in the next 6 years without a supermajority).
What was it on? 
When it comes to American jobs, I suppose you could call this the "trickle out theory." Creating more jobs abroad will boost our middle class. Jobs trickle out, and then Americans prosper! Wonderful corporate magic!
If we boost wages of foreign workers, they can buy things we don't make any more! Of course, many of our exports are weapons; so we need to start wars everywhere to boost our weapons production and sales!
The sinking of our nation will allow the lifting of financial boats everywhere else! That will level the global playing field!
Why should our workers make more than Malaysians? The great international plantation owners (job creators) know best!
Repeal minimum wage laws! Repeal child labor laws! The top 1% and the one hundred largest corporations are the only "true American persons" and citizens! Patriotism requires eliminating the useless old, the chronically ill, and the unproductive unemployed!
After all, this nation and its "serfs" are just another resource in the international corporate profit machine!
I think I am becoming ill. Too much sarcasm affects the brain. 