Archives for May 2015

 May 18, 2015, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement commenting on Senate amendments being offered to the trade promotion authority legislation:

“Americans for Limited Government is gratified that so many Senators are concerned with the disastrous potential impact of the Trans-Pacific Partnership that they are attempting to negate these harms through amending the fast track enabling legislation.

“We believe that these efforts, while noble, are ultimately futile, as they will not prevent the enactment of a trade agreement or its implementing legislation containing offensive provisions under expedited fast track procedural rules. Even language which explicitly strips fast track authority if certain provisions are not met is only as good as Congress’ willingness to enforce them. Given recent history and the support for fast track demonstrated by leadership in both Houses, stripping the authority once granted is extremely improbable.

“What’s more, no legislation can handcuff future legislation from its repeal or amendment. Supreme Court Justice David Souter elaborated in United States v. Winstar, 518 U.S. 839 (1996), ‘[W]e have recognized that a general law…may be repealed, amended or disregarded by the legislature that enacted it, and it is not binding upon any subsequent legislature…’ quoting Manigault v. Springs, 199 U.S. 473 (1905).

“The trade agreement and its implementing legislation will be submitted to Congress under fast track rules ‘notwithstanding any other provisions or prior laws.’

“This is why those in Congress who are so concerned about the impacts of the Trans-Pacific Partnership that they would offer or vote for restricting amendments, can best show that concern by voting down granting President Obama what Senate Leader Mitch McConnell called, ‘an enormous grant of power’ and allowing any agreement, partnership or treaty that the President signs to be subject to full Congressional scrutiny.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at (703) 383-0880 ext. 106 or at media@limitgov.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts including ALG President Rick Manning.

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May 14, 2015, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement blasting the Senate for proceeding to legislation granting President Obama trade promotion authority to negotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership:

“Americans for Limited Government has always believed that giving President Obama fast track trade authority will be decided by the House of Representatives.  The fact that it has taken months for the Senate to begin this debate shows the deep political concerns in the Republican Party on this issue.  This opposition is even more apparent in the House, and as the issue heats up on the presidential campaign trail, five Presidential aspirants have already come out opposed including: Bobby Jindal, Carly Fiorina, Donald Trump, Rand Paul, and Mike Huckabee. Additionally, Representative Jeff Duncan’s just released opposition to fast track is just one more domino to fall that blocks a pathway to passage in the House.

“In the meantime, without enforceable currency provisions in the trade authority itself, these votes risk Senate Republican seats in Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin to name just a few, putting the Senate majority in real jeopardy in 2016. Rather than continuing down this politically ruinous course, Republican leaders should promote solutions that unite the Party, instead of those that deepen the divide between the big business wing and the voters Republicans need to win.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at (703) 383-0880 ext. 106 or at media@limitgov.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts including ALG President Rick Manning.

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May 13, 2015, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement blasting Senate Democrats for abandoning their opposition to granting trade promotion authority to President Barack Obama and ceding their demands for enforceable currency provisions in fast track bill itself:

“Senate Democrats are abandoning American workers concerned that their jobs may be shifted overseas due to unfair trade related to currency manipulating nations in the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Doing a trade bill without monetary policy—the primary mechanism nations use to make their exports cheaper—ensures that the Trans-Pacific Partnership is neither free nor fair. The house of cards gamesmanship that was played yesterday to fool constituencies about the Democrat stance on fast track is exposed by this latest capitulation on currency manipulation.

“No one can vote for fast track and claim with a straight face they opposed currency manipulation. It is time for Senate Majority Leader McConnell to end the charade of fast track and return to the politically viable business of the Senate.”

Attachments:

“Fast-Track Bill Needs Enforceable Currency Provision,” By Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Wall Street Journal, May 13, 2015 at http://www.wsj.com/articles/fast-track-bill-needs-enforceable-currency-provision-1431470983

“Path to Pacific Trade Deal May Open in Senate After All,” By Jonathan Weisman, May 13, 2015 at www.nytimes.com/2015/05/14/us/path-to-pacific-trade-deal-may-open-in-senate-after-all.html?smid=nytpolitics&_r=0

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at (703) 383-0880 ext. 106 or at media@limitgov.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts including ALG President Rick Manning.

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May 12, 2015, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement responding to the Senate blocking trade authority to President Barack Obama to negotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership:

“Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell should permanently shelve attempts to grant trade authority to President Obama. With five Republican presidential aspirants all opposed including Rand Paul, there is no reason for McConnell to waste any more of the Senate’s time on this issue. This is particularly true given the almost impossible odds fast track now faces in the House of Representatives. It’s time to say buh-bye to fast track.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at (703) 383-0880 ext. 106 or at media@limitgov.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts including ALG President Rick Manning.

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May 12, 2015, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement urging the U.S. Senate to reject granting trade promotion authority to President Barack Obama to negotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership:

“Fast tracking the Trans-Pacific Partnership that includes language making it a ‘living’ agreement is dangerous as it could lead to a permanent ceding of the Senate’s authority to ratify treaties. The push to pass fast track is not about free trade, it is about power. It is about whether Congress trusts President Obama to rewrite the regulatory rules for the world. If you don’t trust Obama, or if you believe the Senate’s two-thirds treaty ratification power should be preserved, you should vote no.”

Attachments:

Republican/Conservative Leaders Lining up against Fast Track

Senator Jeff Sessions – “A USTR outline of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (which TPA would expedite) notes in the “Key Features” summary that the TPP is a “living agreement.” This means the President could update the agreement “as appropriate to address trade issues that emerge in the future as well as new issues that arise with the expansion of the agreement to include new countries.” The “living agreement” provision means that participating nations could both add countries to the TPP without Congress’ approval (like China), and could also change any of the terms of the agreement, including in controversial areas such as the entry of foreign workers and foreign employees. Again: these changes would not be subject to congressional approval.”

“This has far-reaching implications: the Congressional Research Service reports that if the United States signs on to an international trade agreement, the implementing legislation of that trade agreement (as a law passed later in time) would supersede conflicting federal, state, and local laws. When this occurs, U.S. workers may be subject to a sudden change in tariffs, regulations, or dispute resolution proceedings in international tribunals outside the U.S.”

“Promoters of TPA should explain why the American people ought to trust the Administration and its foreign partners to revise or rewrite international agreements, or add new members to those agreements, without congressional approval. Does this not represent an abdication of congressional authority?”

Carly Fiorina, former CEO and current candidate for President – “The devil is usually in the details. That’s particularly true with this president. We don’t know what’s in this deal. We know we have trading partners who have violated agreements in trade deals, China being one of them. I think it’s important to understand some of the fine print of this deal. for example, is China allowed to join this pacific trading agreement later on in a couple of years, yes or no? This is being sold as an opportunity for America to strengthen its lead and partnerships in the Asia Pacific region. I agree with that goal. On the other hand, if the truth is in these details China gets to join later, what are we doing here? I think the point is not free trade is bad. Free trade is good for this nation. I think the point is, what exactly is in this agreement? This administration, unfortunately, has a track record of burying things in fine print, whether it’s the Iran nuclear deal or Obamacare or maybe this agreement that turn out to be very different from their selling points.”

Donald Trump, real estate CEO- “Yet again, the politicians are allowing our president to reinforce the lack of respect countries like China and Japan now have for the United States. They will devalue their currency, exploit our trade agreements, continue to destroy our economy and put Americans out of work. Politicians are all talk and no action. Instead of fast tracking TPP, Congress should pass legislation that holds China and Japan accountable for currency manipulation. This would send a message to the world that there are consequences for cheating the United States. It’s time for action. It’s time to Make America Great Again!”

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal – “I’m for free trade. I’m for free trade agreements. Also:   I’m for presidents in both parties having fast track authority on free trade agreements. But I am not for giving more authority to a president who ignores the Constitution, the separation of powers, and will of the American people. This particular President must not be given any more power to do anything else to harm this country. He cannot be trusted. That’s why Congress needs to find a way to maintain oversight of the Obama Administration – the current deal doesn’t do that.”

Senator Rand Paul – “I’ve told leadership I’m a ‘no’ vote on trade promotion authority, I’m hesitant to give blanket authority on stuff we haven’t seen.”

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee – ”We don’t create good jobs for Americans by entering into unbalanced trade deals that forego congressional scrutiny, and then looking the other way as the law is ignored so that we can import low-wage labor, undercut American workers, and drive wages lower than the Dead Sea.”

Brent Bozell – “There is no way that Congress should trust President Obama with the enormous grant of constitutional authority that Trade Promotion Authority or ‘fast track’ represents, and it would be the height of insanity to reward Obama’s abuse of power over the past six years by giving him the pathway to rewrite the economic rules for the world. Any treaty Obama signs should be subjected to the full scrutiny demanded by the U.S. Constitution, that is why Congress should reject giving this President fast track trade authority.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at (703) 383-0880 ext. 106 or at media@limitgov.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts including ALG President Rick Manning.

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May 8, 2015, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today urged every Senator to read the current version of the Trans-Pacific Partnership prior to voting on granting President Barack Obama trade promotion authority on it, in light of reports that most members have not read it yet:

“Breitbart’s Matt Boyle story about the failure of most of the Republican Senators who are considering voting on fast tracking the Trans-Pacific Partnership to take the time to read the treaty is eye opening and disheartening. The same political party that ridiculed former Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s ‘you have to pass it to find out what’s in it’ Obamacare statement is now ignorantly plunging ahead with legislation that will expedite passage of a treaty that the president calls the “most progressive trade deal” in history.

“These ‘read the bill’ Republicans apparently would prefer to remain clueless. This failure to do their basic job of getting informed about a treaty that contains ‘living agreement’ language which could finish Obama’s intended fundamental transformation of America is startling. Only members of Congress can read the Trans-Pacific Partnership prior to Obama’s signature on fast track. Given the Senate’s scheduled vote on cloture on Tuesday, it is irresponsibly dangerous for any Senator to vote for fast tracking a treaty they have failed to read and understand.”

Attachments:

“Only Two Republicans Admit They Actually Read Secret Obama Trade Deal—Both Unsupportive,” By Matthew Boyle, May 8, 2015 at http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/05/07/only-two-republicans-admit-they-actually-read-secret-obama-trade-deal-both-unsupportive/

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government Foundation at (703) 383-0880 ext. 106 or at media@limitgov.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts including ALG Foundation President Nathan Mehrens.

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May 7, 2015, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement praising presidential candidate Carly Fiorina for stating she is “uncomfortable with this deal and giving him trade authority” to Obama to negotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal on the Laura Ingraham Show:

“Carly Fiorina’s questioning the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal is a big deal. Joining Bobby Jindal, Mike Huckabee, and Donald Trump in opposition to granting trade promotion authority to President Obama to negotiate the deal now nationalizes the debate. Fiorina’s experience as a multinational corporation CEO who has dealt with countries who cheat on trade makes her voice particularly important as Congress considers fast track.

“More broadly, moving the discussion out of the beltway and into the heartland makes it increasingly unlikely that fast track will be granted on a secret trade deal that everything we know about it screams vote no. Giving President Obama this enormous grant of power now requires a great deal of faith and trust that the final treaty will be in America’s interests. When the details of the treaty become public, those who now vote to fast track it better be darned certain that they are not embarrassed by what it contains, including its characterization as a living agreement.”

Attachments:

Laura Ingraham Show, May 7, 2015, transcript at http://dailycaller.com/2015/05/07/fiorina-comes-out-against-tpp-i-am-very-uncomfortable-with-this-deal-video/

INGRAHAM: I gotta ask you about fast track trade, because you know for me, I believe a populist approach is the way to win and build the Republican Party both among minorities and grassroot supporters. And for me, this fast track deal, the way its being negotiated, the way congressional authority is being eroded, is a terrible idea, especially with Obama doing the negotiations.

What’s your take on giving President Obama trade promotion authority?

FIORINA: Well, I believe that free and fair trade advantages the U.S.. But I am very uncomfortable with this deal, and I’m uncomfortable with this deal and giving him trade authority.

Because first of all, I know from personal experience that the Chinese have not lived up to their agreements when they entered the WTO. In other words, partners can cheat on these deals, and we have evidence of partners cheating on these deals.

Secondly to your point, this is an extremely complicated deal, a multilateral deal with a lot of details that we don’t know about. And Obama and his administration has demonstrated their inability to negotiate a good deal. And so look, I think the devil’s in the details, and we better understand what these details are before we just assume it’s a good deal. I don’t assume it’s a good deal and I do think we need the details.

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at (703) 383-0880 ext. 106 or at media@limitgov.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts including ALG President Rick Manning.

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Americans for Limited Government to air national ad campaign featuring Trump.

May 6, 2015, Fairfax, Va.—Today Americans for Limited Government announced a series of brand new radio advertisements featuring Donald J. Trump that will air nationally with an initial emphasis on New Hampshire and South Carolina. The ad, in which Mr. Trump calls on Republican leaders to stop passage of the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) and the pending Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), will be broadcast statewide in New Hampshire and South Carolina followed next week by a national rollout. The ad will educate Americans on the detrimental ramifications of these proposed agreements and the combined determination of Americans for Limited Government and Mr. Trump to defeat any deal that harms the protection and creation of American jobs.

Donald J. Trump said, “Yet again, the politicians are allowing our president to reinforce the lack of respect countries like China and Japan now have for the United States. They will devalue their currency, exploit our trade agreements, continue to destroy our economy and put Americans out of work. Politicians are all talk and no action. Instead of fast tracking TPP, Congress should pass legislation that holds China and Japan accountable for currency manipulation. This would send a message to the world that there are consequences for cheating the United States. It’s time for action. It’s time to Make America Great Again!”

ALG’s Rick Manning commented on the ad campaign saying, “This is a game changer in the debate over fast track trade authority. Mr. Trump’s business acumen and expertise makes him a unique and powerful voice whom America trusts to tell them the truth.”

Mr. Trump’s opposition to TPP is consistent with his long criticism of trade practices that negatively impact the American worker and manufacturing sector. He has been a consistent vocal critic of TPP and TPA tweeting his opposition for the last year. Mr. Trump’s opposition to TPP is based on his extensive knowledge of currency manipulation and trade agreements that he has accumulated through The Trump Organization’s international dealings. He also criticized leaders for continuing to allow such antics, stating his disapproval of the TPA fast track legislation, which Mr. Trump says is designed to allow the president to enter such an agreement without the support of a supermajority in the Senate.

Americans for Limited Government has led the charge against fast track over the past four months being featured and quoted on FoxNews.com, The Hill, the Washington Post, New York Times and USA Today among many outlets.

Attachments:

Donald Trump joins ALG in fight against Pacific trade deal, radio ad, May 6, 2015, at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bT0wX7CqfAA

Availablity: To reach Mr. Trump, please contact Hope Hicks at 203-273-0226. To arrange an interview with ALG experts including ALG President Rick Manning, please contact Americans for Limited Government at (703) 383-0880 ext. 106 or at media@limitgov.org.

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