April 13, 2015, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement in response to the imminent introduction of legislation in the Senate that would grant Obama fast track trade promotion authority for the Trans-Pacific Partnership:
“It is hard to imagine that a political party could have more of a death wish than Senate Republicans are exhibiting as they plummet forward with consideration of giving President Obama fast track trade authority for a managed trade agreement.
“Here is what Brent Bozell, conservative leader from ForAmerica says about fast track, ‘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.’
“The irony of fast track is that President Obama will gain the ability to rewrite the rules for the world’s economy through the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Republicans are united in opposition to the way President Obama has been using his pen and phone to expand the size and scope of government, yet Senator Hatch seems intent on allowing him to rewrite regulatory rules of the world overriding existing law.
“One example is the President’s inclusion of immigration law changes in the law in spite of the bi-partisan opposition to that approach. Passage of the Trans-Pacific Partnership which is assured should fast track legislation become law, legally opens the doors for increased numbers of foreign white collar workers over Congress’ previous objections. This is why NumbersUSA has recently announced that it is urging a no vote on fast track legislation.
“What is most frustrating is that Hatch clings to the past notions and talking points about free trade in justifying handing this power over to Obama ignoring the obvious, the TransPacific Partnership is a regulatory deal, not a free trade deal. At best it is a managed trade deal where those multi-nationals who played ball with Obama politically in America got a seat at the table so their international interests were moved forward.
“This type of crony capitalism is resisted by Republicans in their rhetoric, but rubber stamped by anyone who supports giving this President fast track.
“Should Republicans make the mistake of passing fast track and then the Trans-Pacific Partnership, they will have handed Obama the pen to fundamentally change America, be attacked by labor unions and the Democratic Party for killing American jobs, and their corporate buddies will fund those ads with the dollars they push into the Democratic Party coffers to hedge their bets against a change in leadership.”
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.
###