To: Rep. Sanford Bishop (GA-2), Sen. John Isakson (GA-1), and Sen. David Perdue (GA-2)
Patriotism to America is not to be Traded
We the People, urge you to immediately announce your public opposition to Fast Track trade authority and say no to secret trade deals like the Trans-Pacific Partnership by affirming Permanent-Normal-Trust-Relations with Americans over International trade-relations with foreigners.
Why is this important?
In the wake of one Free Trade Agreement after another, I've watched several local businesses like Bobs Candies, Merck Chemical, and Delphi close their plants here in America, then re-open them outside our borders. I've observed the negative economic impact, like the cheap foreign-made bicycle sales that Big-mart Stores have wrought upon local business icons like Owens Sporting Goods, only to later watch the prices rise again after having eliminated that competition.
The imported products that NAFTA & CAFTA style agreements inundate our markets provide an economic incentive to see even more local business interests give way to international ones. That's caused me to come to the horrible conclusion that the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) that I've heard so much about lately isn't good for our local economy and is a job killer, not a job creator. Even worse, the jobs that aren't killed outright have their wages slashed in order to compete with workers in places like Malaysia and Vietnam.
We could and ought to have open debate on the pros and cons of the specifics contained in the 26+ chapter, 1000+ page TPP agreement. International interests and those aligned with them oppose public participation because when claims like the creation of 650,000 new jobs get debunked by investigative reporting from sources like the Washington Post as being closer to zero, their credibility for advancing American interests erodes.
Besides, who wins if we must compete with Korean workers who make $1/hour? Are we supposed to count on such poor workers over there to purchase enough American made vehicles to make up for our other job losses? What will they buy our products with...they've got virtually no purchasing power now and with a $1/hour rate of upward mobility...they never will. It looks great when the plan is drawn up. Unfortunately, the field implementation never goes according to plan and America gets left on the hook, every time.
Now I've been informed that Congress has introduced a Bill to give President Obama the authority to negotiate the terms of the TPP, in secret meetings, without public scrutiny, by invoking a procedure know as Fast Track Authority. Under Fast Track, the final version of the trade agreement achieved by the President cannot be debated or amended by Congress when it gets sent back to them. This final version is offered only for an up or down vote. It's an ultimatum, not a negotiation.
I'm not willing to hold hands with Washington by trusting them to do what's right to prevent sending more jobs overseas, again. Neither should you! Please consider signing on to this Petition to encourage both our Senators and Representatives to oppose Fast Track and embrace the warmth that sunshine brings to the open and public disclosure of trade negotiations.
The imported products that NAFTA & CAFTA style agreements inundate our markets provide an economic incentive to see even more local business interests give way to international ones. That's caused me to come to the horrible conclusion that the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) that I've heard so much about lately isn't good for our local economy and is a job killer, not a job creator. Even worse, the jobs that aren't killed outright have their wages slashed in order to compete with workers in places like Malaysia and Vietnam.
We could and ought to have open debate on the pros and cons of the specifics contained in the 26+ chapter, 1000+ page TPP agreement. International interests and those aligned with them oppose public participation because when claims like the creation of 650,000 new jobs get debunked by investigative reporting from sources like the Washington Post as being closer to zero, their credibility for advancing American interests erodes.
Besides, who wins if we must compete with Korean workers who make $1/hour? Are we supposed to count on such poor workers over there to purchase enough American made vehicles to make up for our other job losses? What will they buy our products with...they've got virtually no purchasing power now and with a $1/hour rate of upward mobility...they never will. It looks great when the plan is drawn up. Unfortunately, the field implementation never goes according to plan and America gets left on the hook, every time.
Now I've been informed that Congress has introduced a Bill to give President Obama the authority to negotiate the terms of the TPP, in secret meetings, without public scrutiny, by invoking a procedure know as Fast Track Authority. Under Fast Track, the final version of the trade agreement achieved by the President cannot be debated or amended by Congress when it gets sent back to them. This final version is offered only for an up or down vote. It's an ultimatum, not a negotiation.
I'm not willing to hold hands with Washington by trusting them to do what's right to prevent sending more jobs overseas, again. Neither should you! Please consider signing on to this Petition to encourage both our Senators and Representatives to oppose Fast Track and embrace the warmth that sunshine brings to the open and public disclosure of trade negotiations.