21st Century Wire says…
In the wake of the seemingly staged Charleston shooting this week, and the agitprop Confederate controversy which has since followed – the US Senate has pushed through the fast-track Trade Promotion Authority unabated…
The US Senate approved the controversial ‘fast-track’ trade authority that will usher in new international trade agreements backed by many multi-national and transnational corporations.
If passed, new international trade treaties like the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) open the door for private corporations to exempt themselves from the laws of sovereign nations under the pretense of a so-called free-trade agreement.
‘Beltway Bandits’ – Private corporations could override our sovereignty with new trade treaties (Photo: link tumblr.com)
As we noted here at 21WIRE last week, the vote for fast-track authority, was nothing but political theater, as there is no real opposition in Washington, for international trade treaties such as the TPP, because many US Senators had already received large donations for their support of the deal.
While the US has been transfixed with the endless propaganda surrounding the Charleston Shooting, the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), was designed to enable large-scale trade deals such as the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) to move ahead as planned.
Here’s another look at an article published at the Guardian in late May, outlining the large sum of money given to US Senators by those in the US Business Coalition for TPP, as the staged-managed debate in Washington ensued:
“Using data from the Federal Election Commission, this chart shows all donations that corporate members of the US Business Coalition for TPP made to US Senate campaigns between January and March 2015, when fast-tracking the TPP was being debated in the Senate:
Out of the total $1,148,971 given, an average of $17,676.48 was donated to each of the 65 “yea” votes.
The average Republican member received $19,673.28 from corporate TPP supporters.
The average Democrat received $9,689.23 from those same donors.
The amounts given rise dramatically when looking at how much each senator running for re-election received.”
Here’s a clip from AJ+ on YouTube giving you a short explanation of the possible dangers associated with the TPP…
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Below there’s more from the Hill…
Senate advances fast-track trade bill for Obama
Alexander Bolton
The Hill
The Senate on Tuesday voted to advance President Obama’s trade agenda, approving a measure to end debate on fast-track authority.
The 60-37 motion sets up a vote on final passage on Wednesday. If the Senate approves fast-track or trade promotion authority (TPA), it would then be sent to Obama’s desk to become law.
Fast-track authority would allow Obama to send trade deals to Congress for up-or-down votes. The White House wants the authority to conclude negotiations on a sweeping trans-Pacific trade deal.
Thirteen Democrats backed fast-track in Tuesday’s vote, handing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) a major legislative victory. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) voted against the procedural motion.
The Democrats cast “yes” votes even though the trade package did not include a workers assistance program for people displaced by increased trade. The Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program was a part of the last fast-track package approved by the Senate in May, but became a key part of opposition to the package among Democrats in the House.
To move fast-track forward, the White House and GOP leaders in both chambers decided to break TAA away from fast-track and to try to approve both in separate votes.
After the Senate votes Wednesday on final passage for fast-track, it will take a procedural vote on a package that includes TAA and trade preferences for African countries known as the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
McConnell has promised both bills will reach Obama’s desk by the end of the week.
“If we all keep working together and trusting each other, then by the end of the week the President will have TPA, TAA and AGOA and Preferences on his desk,” he said on the floor.
The House has already passed fast-track but it must still vote on the package including TAA, which faces opposition from conservatives.
Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) reiterated on Tuesday his pledge to vote again on TAA as soon as it clears the upper chamber.
“The House will consider TAA once it passes the Senate as part of a new trade preferences bill. And we are ready to go to conference on the customs bill. Our goal is to get TPA and TAA to the president’s desk this week and deliver this win for the American people,” he said in a statement.
READ MORE ON THE TPP AT: 21st Century Wire TPP Files
SEE ALSO: TROJAN HORSE: The Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) Has Already Bought Off Washington