TPP Agreement Supported by Ted Cruz
The agreement was authored by GOP Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis), who is as establishment and big business as they come. Ted Cruz joined in on the proposal for fast-track authority, and any time an agreement needs to be rushed through, it is certain that the objective is to get it accepted before the public knows what is really contained in it. There are key aspects that should make this an agreement that never sees the light of day.
The dynamic duo start by asserting that the U.S. must “strengthen the country’s bargaining position” by giving President Obama fast-track powers. Really? The GOP Congress thinks it is vital to our national interest to expand the powers in Obama’s hands? And, what exactly “strengthens” our bargaining power? So the only way to win a deal is by convincing foreign governments that the U.S. Congress will be limited in what it can say on the matter? Are we to tell the world that the people and their elected representatives will be sidelined so a “deal” can be done?
Next, Ryan and Cruz assert that the American worker has been placed at a terrible disadvantage to workers in the rest of the world and that we have to give Obama more power in order to address this serious problem. But, of course, nowhere is there a mention of the fact that a big part of that “disadvantage” is currency manipulation and other financial gimmicks — issues that are expressly kept out of the trade deal. I guess nobody told these gentlemen that the primary weapon being used against American workers and business is not going to be discussed. Had they been allowed to read and review the so-called deal — the Trans-Pacific Partnership — they might have known that. But sadly, the Obama administration has kept the “deal” under lock and key — virtually nobody has been allowed to view it.
Additionally, there are three more elements that should make Congress just say no.
First, it asserted that there will be 150 “specific negotiating objectives.” Sounds good, except these objectives are nothing more than suggestions. If Obama comes back with a treaty and none of these “objectives” are included, there is no effect. The treaty will still get the up-or-down vote. No amendments will be allowed to be offered. No two-thirds ratification vote in the Senate will occur. And of course, at that point, all the special interests — having been fed their fill — will demand passage. Are we to believe that Ryan and Cruz will vote against the treaty if the 150 “objectives” are not included? If that is the case, why do they not say so?
Second, it is asserted that the administration would be required to “consult” with Congress over the course of final negotiations. This is the “kissing your sister” argument — no meaning and slightly discomforting.
Finally, it is claimed that giving Obama more power will enhance the power of Congress and thereby the American people. This is simply a lie. Under the authority Ryan and Cruz want to give the administration, the powers given Congress under the Constitution are suspended. No amendments are allowed. U.S. law will be subjugated to a treaty that can be passed by a simple majority in the two houses. Hollywood and Wall Street will get what they want and the American taxpayers will be given the bill. So, gentlemen, how are the American people protected by suspending the Constitution? Is this the 2016 GOP platform — gather votes signing praises of the Constitution while moving to undercut and suspend it at will?
Is there any question why the public is just disgusted and done with politicians of all stripes? No one is looking out for the American public, and it seems that even anti-establishmantarian Cruz is just making his claim of going against the mainstream Republicanism as a positioning tool rather than offering real change. The question is, where to go from here? So the search for a real patriot continues, and it may simply be the impossible quest.
Source: thehill.com
Yes, Cruz initially opposed this deal, but pulled a typical flip-flop:
One of the more consequential policy shifts involved Mr. Cruz’s position on trade policy. He had been a vocal supporter of free trade and of “fast track” legislation to expedite approval of international trade deals. But on the eve of a key Senate vote for the legislation in 2015, he changed his position. Critics said it was an opportunistic shift in the face of stiff opposition to the bill by tea-party activists and other conservatives he was courting for his presidential campaign. Mr. Cruz said he still supported free trade but did not trust President Barack Obama to negotiate a good deal.
Now, Mr. Cruz is finding his own use for the strategy of identifying flip-flops in others. He has been raising questions about whether Mr. Trump is as conservative as he says now that he is running in a GOP primary.
Source: Wall Street Journal
David Peck, you are going far too easy on Helen Linda Peppel. Go Trump!
Make sure you’re Voting republican, if you’re an independent voting for Trump, they will switch it to Jeb Bush, #PLEASE #REPUBLICAN #ONLY~~regardless what they tell you. Check to make sure your political party wasn’t #tampered with #ASAP~~#monkey #business. Remember we #NEED every vote~~ Our lives literately depend on it. http://www.diamondandsilkinc.com/how-to-switch/
Helen, David, I do know that if Donald Trump is elected President, the illegal immigrants will be stopped from entering your country, the people of Islam will not be coming into the United States unless they are completely Vetted, You will have a President that loves America and all of the American people. For anyone of the American people to let this chance go by, to have a non politician in the White House. It is getting close to the Iowa Caucus and all of the paid liars are out in force. Don’t allow them to b******t you and therefore make you change your mind
Donald Trump is the only one that wants to protect the American citizens from harm, just like the Oath of Office that the President takes, Protect from all enemies foreign or domestic. All of the other CANDIDATES never even considered the Protection of you or your family, when Obama stated that he was bringing the Sydney Refugees. Donald Trump, immediately raised concerns of the safety of the American people and proposed a temporary ban on people of Islam entering the United States, until a system that would make sure that Radical Islamic Terrorists would not be getting into the United States. Well folks, they all agree now! Donald Trump claims that he (with our help ) will make A Great Again, I Believe Him! I am going to do ALL THAT I CAN to save the United States of America. I Love America and I do not want it to become an Islamic Nation. I am voting for Donald Trump, I am voting for the United States of America.
I love America also and unless we get Obama out of office before too long there will not be an election because he will declare martial law so he can not leave office and only he can declare Marshall law ended which will make him dictator. As for Trump he is a narcissistic blowhard. Now don’t stop reading yet because I said something against him. I thought he would be good too but I’m sick of hearing from him how great he is and how he is going to make America great again with no real plan. This man has no idea how to deal with other countries other than on a business level. As President you can not deal with them that way. They are not your friends. I get along with Putin is not a strategy. Putin is a dangerous man. When ORielly gave him some names of some pretty bad guys overseas that any candidate should know he didn’t know who they were and it wasn’t a trick question. Trump is not one of us. He is big business. This job is not for the one who yells the loudest. There are things he would be good for this country so give him a job in the government to handle the immigration problem but don’t give him the presidency to handle foreign affairs. I listen to some of his rallies but got so sick of him repeating the same things over and over again and not really saying anything but I’m going to make America great again. Everybody likes me. I’m going to build a wall. I’m going to suspend refugees from coming in.These are all good ideas but there has to be more substance. Cruz says the same thing only in a presidential tone not yelling it out like a kid on a sugar high. Cruz has real plans. If you listened to him in Iowa he talked to a farmer who was angry with him over ethanol and he was able to explain to him in detail what his plan was and that it would not hurt the farmers and won over the angry farmer. Now that’s presidential to have a full plan and be able to lay it out which is something Trump doesn’t have. You can’t have ideas and say I will figure it out when I get in there. We have a right to know he actually knows what he is doing. He may be a good businessman but he did go bankrupt many times and we the good citizens bailed him out. You have to remember big business is a big influence in DC. Do we want to add to that problem by putting big business in the head seat. You know he’s not going to do anything to hurt big business because that would be like chopping off his own foot. Choose wisely not by who screams the loudest
Cruz go home
I hate TPP. I’ve told all my congress people that it’s a terrible deal and I don’t want any of it period!
I’d like to see everything from LBJ to present repealed. With the exception of presidents Ford and Reagan.
Hell no! Go Trump!!
This article doesn’t make sense to me. It starts out by saying that Paul Ryan authored the bill. About halfway through, it says Ryan and Cruz weren’t even allowed to read the bill. Does that make sense to anyone? I’m thinking someone is exaggerating here, or else Ryan didn’t really write the bill.