It’s a big secret. That’s just how the biggest corporations like it. And they sure don’t want any light shined on their secret deals.
That’s why their lobbyists – and the politicians they fund – are pushing “fast track” legislation to hide the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) from the light of day. Remember NAFTA? That was also negotiated in secret. The TPP free-trade deal is NAFTA on steroids. It’s the biggest one yet covering the countries on all sides if the Pacific Ocean. It is very bad news for our jobs.
In the past 15 years these trade deals have pushed over 4 million American families’ jobs overseas and caused irreversible damage to American economy. That punch will last for generations.
According to the Economic Policy Institute, California has lost 600,000 jobs since Congress approved permanent trade relations with China alone — hardworking families who, through no fault of their own, were ripped from the middle class for many years to come. TPP will do the same thing.
It’s time we demand that Members of Congress do their jobs and prevent further theft of our jobs. And you know what? They’ve been threatened with prosecution for revealing any details the administration shares about what’s actually in the TPP. That’s right. Ask your Representative if they have been allowed to have a copy of the 2,000+ page trade agreement, and if so, can they tell you what’s in it. It’s pretty simple. Without transparency, democracy is a joke. Any member of Congress who votes for fast track authority is voting against open democracy.
If fast track passes, Congress will only have two options when the TPP comes to a vote: Vote Yes or Vote No! No chance for edits. No time for suggestions to make sure jobs are protected. Amazing. But true.
It’s time to reform trade negotiations so that American workers are no longer slapped down. (In fact, you know, this trade policy is no good for workers in those other countries either. Once corporations move our jobs, they exploit the next worker in line, too.)
It’s time – right now – to demand that our elected Members of Congress refuse to vote until they get a copy of the trade deal! And share it with us! No more secret negotiations! It’s time to vote for a new, transparent process for so American workers can harvest the benefits of expanded trade without gutting the middle class and undermining democracy.
Our families won’t take another hit to help the rich get richer with another job-killing trade deal. Tell your Representative to VOTE NO on the Fast Track Train Wreck.
You can find out more about the TPP and Fast Track here.
