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TPP fast-track vote too close to call as vocal opponents make final push TPP fast-track vote too close to call as vocal opponents make final push
(36 minutes later)
With fast-track trade authority expected to face a close House vote on Friday, Ben Wikler, the Washington director of MoveOn.org, has little patience for trade advocates who suggest that its only opponents are labor unions.With fast-track trade authority expected to face a close House vote on Friday, Ben Wikler, the Washington director of MoveOn.org, has little patience for trade advocates who suggest that its only opponents are labor unions.
“That’s utterly false. That’s laughably false,” said Wikler.“That’s utterly false. That’s laughably false,” said Wikler.
MoveOn has collected 100,000 signatures to oppose fast-track and the Trans-Pacific Trade Partnership (TPP), an agreement under negotiation for 12 countries representing 40% of world trade.MoveOn has collected 100,000 signatures to oppose fast-track and the Trans-Pacific Trade Partnership (TPP), an agreement under negotiation for 12 countries representing 40% of world trade.
“The one silver lining of the TPP is it has united the entire progressive movement,” Wikler added. “The TPP attacks just about every aspect of progressive policy from drug prices to environmental issues to food safety to jobs and income equality, Wall Street regulation, internet freedom and government transparency.”“The one silver lining of the TPP is it has united the entire progressive movement,” Wikler added. “The TPP attacks just about every aspect of progressive policy from drug prices to environmental issues to food safety to jobs and income equality, Wall Street regulation, internet freedom and government transparency.”
The progressive coalition fighting fast track is one of the biggest and loudest in years, and often uses colorful tactics. A group of internet activists, fearing that TPP won’t protect privacy, hounded Senator Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, with a 30-foot blimp – saying “Save the Internet, Stop Fast Track” – that followed him to his public appearances. One protest against Ami Bera, a Democratic House member from California, featured giant Q-tips –the message was he should clean out his ears and heed public sentiment. The progressive coalition fighting fast track is one of the biggest and loudest in years, and often uses colorful tactics. A group of internet activists, fearing that TPP won’t protect privacy, hounded Senator Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, with a 30-foot blimp – saying “Save the Internet, Stop Fast Track” – that followed him to his public appearances. One protest against Ami Bera, a Democratic House member from California, featured giant Q-tips – the message was he should clean out his ears and heed public sentiment.
Many supporters and opponents of fast-track say Friday’s anticipated vote is too close to call. Barack Obama and business lobbyists have vigorously maneuvered to round up the needed votes, with Republican congressional leaders pushing through numerous amendments – including ones promising that trade pacts won’t liberalize immigration or deal with climate change – to secure more Republican support. Many supporters and opponents of fast track say Friday’s anticipated vote is too close to call. Barack Obama and business lobbyists have vigorously maneuvered to round up the needed votes, with Republican congressional leaders pushing through numerous amendments – including ones promising that trade pacts won’t liberalize immigration or deal with climate change – to secure more Republican support.
If the House approves fast track, it will be a big win for Obama and a stinging defeat for labor and progressives. A loss would be a huge embarrassment for the president. Fast track would ultimately ease approval of TPP, as well as a trade deal being negotiated with European nations, by allowing just an up-or-down vote on any deal, barring any amendments.If the House approves fast track, it will be a big win for Obama and a stinging defeat for labor and progressives. A loss would be a huge embarrassment for the president. Fast track would ultimately ease approval of TPP, as well as a trade deal being negotiated with European nations, by allowing just an up-or-down vote on any deal, barring any amendments.
Obama has repeatedly said TPP would be the most progressive trade deal the US has ever negotiated. He has said it would improve worker protections in Asia and help the US beat out China in setting international trade and labor standards.Obama has repeatedly said TPP would be the most progressive trade deal the US has ever negotiated. He has said it would improve worker protections in Asia and help the US beat out China in setting international trade and labor standards.
Probably the best indicator of the breadth of the anti-fast-track coalition is the letter, signed by more than 2,000 groups, that the Citizens Trade Campaign sent House members and Senators. The groups included the American Civil Liberties Union, the AFL-CIO, Alliance for Retired Americans, Catholics United, Feminist Majority, Greenpeace, the NAACP, the Natural Resources Defense Council, Presbyterian Church (USA), the Sierra Club, 350.org and the Union of Concerned Scientists.Probably the best indicator of the breadth of the anti-fast-track coalition is the letter, signed by more than 2,000 groups, that the Citizens Trade Campaign sent House members and Senators. The groups included the American Civil Liberties Union, the AFL-CIO, Alliance for Retired Americans, Catholics United, Feminist Majority, Greenpeace, the NAACP, the Natural Resources Defense Council, Presbyterian Church (USA), the Sierra Club, 350.org and the Union of Concerned Scientists.
The letter said: “After decades of massive trade deficits, devastating job loss, downward pressure on America’s wages, attacks on environment and health laws and floods of unsafe imported food under our past trade agreements, American must charge a new course on trade policy.”The letter said: “After decades of massive trade deficits, devastating job loss, downward pressure on America’s wages, attacks on environment and health laws and floods of unsafe imported food under our past trade agreements, American must charge a new course on trade policy.”
Jason Stanford, a spokesman for the Coalition to Stop Fast Track, said the Feminist Majority opposes TPP because it includes Brunei, which is ruled by Sharia law. He said religious and human rights groups were upset that TPP includes Malaysia, which has been criticized for over its record on human trafficking. Jason Stanford, a spokesman for the Coalition to Stop Fast Track, said the Feminist Majority opposes TPP because it includes Brunei, which is ruled by sharia law. He said religious and human rights groups were upset that TPP includes Malaysia, which has been criticized for over its record on human trafficking.
Stanford talked as if the TPP is of multinational corporations, by multinationals and for multinationals. Among progressives, a major concern is the TPP’s investor-state dispute settlement procedure, which would allow corporations to turn to arbitration panels, rather than regular courts, to challenge countries’ laws – such as environmental or food safety laws – when they feel laws unduly hurt their profits.Stanford talked as if the TPP is of multinational corporations, by multinationals and for multinationals. Among progressives, a major concern is the TPP’s investor-state dispute settlement procedure, which would allow corporations to turn to arbitration panels, rather than regular courts, to challenge countries’ laws – such as environmental or food safety laws – when they feel laws unduly hurt their profits.
The Sierra Club has been an outspoken opponent, mobilizing its members to send 200,000 emails to Congress. “The Sierra Club has a number of grave concerns,” said Ilana Solomon, director of the group’s responsible trade program. “One is the lack of transparency in the whole negotiating process. After more than five years of negotiation, we still have to rely on Wikileaks for our information. We’re also concerned about the undue corporate influence in the trade negotiating process.” The Sierra Club has been an outspoken opponent, mobilizing its members to send 200,000 emails to Congress. “The Sierra Club has a number of grave concerns,” said Ilana Solomon, director of the group’s responsible trade program. “One is the lack of transparency in the whole negotiating process. After more than five years of negotiation, we still have to rely on WikiLeaks for our information. We’re also concerned about the undue corporate influence in the trade negotiating process.”
In ways helping the progressives’ cause, some conservative and Tea Party groups, like American for Limited Government, also oppose fast track and TPP. Some say fast track gives Obama too much power, some say TPP cedes too much power to countries like Brunei.In ways helping the progressives’ cause, some conservative and Tea Party groups, like American for Limited Government, also oppose fast track and TPP. Some say fast track gives Obama too much power, some say TPP cedes too much power to countries like Brunei.
The progressives’ campaign has targeted two dozen Democratic House members seen as wavering on fast track. The AFL-CIO has run TV ads attacking two House Democrats, previously close to labor, who have backed fast track. One is California’s Bera, the other Kathleen Rice, who represents part of Nassau County, east of New York City. Rice had originally said she would oppose fast track, but announced her support last weekend.The progressives’ campaign has targeted two dozen Democratic House members seen as wavering on fast track. The AFL-CIO has run TV ads attacking two House Democrats, previously close to labor, who have backed fast track. One is California’s Bera, the other Kathleen Rice, who represents part of Nassau County, east of New York City. Rice had originally said she would oppose fast track, but announced her support last weekend.
“Which Kathleen Rice can we trust?” the AFL-CIO’s TV ad said,“Which Kathleen Rice can we trust?” the AFL-CIO’s TV ad said,
Eric Phillips, a spokesman for Rice, a former district attorney, said: “Congresswoman Rice spent two decades putting murderers and gangsters in prison. She can handle a few TV ads on international trade policy. Who I wouldn’t want to be is the labor leader who has to explain to his hard-working members why the union is wasting their money attacking a progressive Democrat who’s with the union on every issue but this one.”Eric Phillips, a spokesman for Rice, a former district attorney, said: “Congresswoman Rice spent two decades putting murderers and gangsters in prison. She can handle a few TV ads on international trade policy. Who I wouldn’t want to be is the labor leader who has to explain to his hard-working members why the union is wasting their money attacking a progressive Democrat who’s with the union on every issue but this one.”
Some Democrats have quietly criticized labor for heavy-handed tactics. Those tactics have included suspending campaign donations, staging protests at congressional offices and flooding House members with emails and phone calls.Some Democrats have quietly criticized labor for heavy-handed tactics. Those tactics have included suspending campaign donations, staging protests at congressional offices and flooding House members with emails and phone calls.
“People want to use the word bullying,” said Eric Hauser, the AFL-CIO’s communications director. “We’d like to call it democracy.”“People want to use the word bullying,” said Eric Hauser, the AFL-CIO’s communications director. “We’d like to call it democracy.”