[From article]
In a letter to the president, Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions expressed deep distrust that the deal is good for America, citing past free-trade deals that he said led to job cuts and didn't deliver on promises that trade deficits would be cut.
Sessions, quoting a former steel industry executive, said that U.S. free trade policy has become "unilateral trade disarmament and enablement of foreign mercantilism."
The Trans-Pacific Partnership would be one of the biggest trade deals in U.S. history, and would be among the first that could zip through Congress after it passes the controversial Trade Promotion Authority, or "fast track" legislation.
Sessions and others are worried that not enough is known about TPP. The agreement is being kept in a room only for visual review by those cleared to see it, leading Sessions and others to call it a "secret." He raised questions earlier last week.
Sessions, quoting a former steel industry executive, said that U.S. free trade policy has become "unilateral trade disarmament and enablement of foreign mercantilism."
The Trans-Pacific Partnership would be one of the biggest trade deals in U.S. history, and would be among the first that could zip through Congress after it passes the controversial Trade Promotion Authority, or "fast track" legislation.
Sessions and others are worried that not enough is known about TPP. The agreement is being kept in a room only for visual review by those cleared to see it, leading Sessions and others to call it a "secret." He raised questions earlier last week.
He wrote Obama that TPP "will be kept a closely-guarded secret until after Congress agrees to yield its institutional powers and provide the administration with a guaranteed fast track to adoption."
Sessions drew special attention to a clause calling the treaty with Asian nations a "living agreement." Foes believe that those words will allow it to be changed and added to after Congress signs off. Sessions wants a promise that none of that will happen.
[What good are promises? The White House Never keeps them.]
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/article/2564101
Sessions hits 'secret' trade deal: 'Unilateral trade disarmament'
BY PAUL BEDARD
Sessions drew special attention to a clause calling the treaty with Asian nations a "living agreement." Foes believe that those words will allow it to be changed and added to after Congress signs off. Sessions wants a promise that none of that will happen.
[What good are promises? The White House Never keeps them.]
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/article/2564101
Sessions hits 'secret' trade deal: 'Unilateral trade disarmament'
BY PAUL BEDARD
MAY 6, 2015 | 4:52 PM
* * *
[From article]
“Baltimore was once a city where tens of thousands of blue collar employees earned a good living in industries building cars, airplanes and making steel. … In 1970, about a third of the labor force in Baltimore was employed in manufacturing. By 2000, only 7 percent of city residents had manufacturing jobs.”
Put down blue-collar Baltimore alongside Motor City, Detroit, as another fatality of free-trade fanaticism.
[. . .]
And since Bill Clinton took office, the U.S. trade deficits have totaled $11.2 trillion.
An astronomical figure.
It translates not only into millions of manufacturing jobs lost and tens of thousands of factories closed, but also millions of manufacturing jobs that were never created, and tens of thousands of factories that did not open here, but did open in Mexico, China and other Asian countries.
[. . .]
Our political and corporate elites sold out working- and middle-class America — to enrich the monied class.
And they sure succeeded.
[. . .]
Though, like the alcoholic who does not realize his condition until he is lying face down in the gutter, it may be a while before we get out of the empire business and start looking out again, as our fathers did, for the American republic first. But that day is coming.
* * *
[From article]
“Baltimore was once a city where tens of thousands of blue collar employees earned a good living in industries building cars, airplanes and making steel. … In 1970, about a third of the labor force in Baltimore was employed in manufacturing. By 2000, only 7 percent of city residents had manufacturing jobs.”
Put down blue-collar Baltimore alongside Motor City, Detroit, as another fatality of free-trade fanaticism.
[. . .]
And since Bill Clinton took office, the U.S. trade deficits have totaled $11.2 trillion.
An astronomical figure.
It translates not only into millions of manufacturing jobs lost and tens of thousands of factories closed, but also millions of manufacturing jobs that were never created, and tens of thousands of factories that did not open here, but did open in Mexico, China and other Asian countries.
[. . .]
Our political and corporate elites sold out working- and middle-class America — to enrich the monied class.
And they sure succeeded.
[. . .]
Though, like the alcoholic who does not realize his condition until he is lying face down in the gutter, it may be a while before we get out of the empire business and start looking out again, as our fathers did, for the American republic first. But that day is coming.
http://buchanan.org/blog/on-a-fast-track-to-national-ruin-15962
On a Fast Track to National Ruin
Friday - May 8, 2015 at 12:30 am
By Patrick J. Buchanan
Friday - May 8, 2015 at 12:30 am
By Patrick J. Buchanan
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