Fast Track Presidential Trade Promotion Authority
(Prepared by Brent White)
"Free trade" agreements to grant multinational corporations more and more
rights to get around our laws has helped dig humanity and the survivability
of life itself into a deeper and deeper hole. While NAFTA and GATT 2
(increasing the power of the WTO) were passed by Democratic Congresses, as
was the current authorization for Fast Track Presidential Trade Promotion
Authority, the Bush administration has used Fast Track to push an onslaught
of bilateral trade deals to give corporations piecemeal what they haven't
been able to get through the worst failed trade deals.
It should be noted that we have no reason to believe that a Democrat
Congress, with a Democrat President, will act any differently than previous
Democrat Congresses and Presidents that acted to pass NAFTA and GATT 2. But
we would at least like to hope that change is possible.
The biggest upcoming test of whether the Democratic Congress will side with
corporations or with democracy and the planet is the impending renewal of
Fast Track Trade Promotion authority.
We oppose renewal of Fast Track, even if flowery window-dressing language
about the environment and workers is thrown in. Fast Track allows the
President and Congress to keep digging humanity's hole deeper, at a
breakneck pace.
The first thing you do to get out of a hole is to stop digging.
Hence, we request our honorable senators to just vote No to Fast Track
renewal, or not even bring it up for a vote.
Allowing continuation of the ongoing catastrophe that Fast Track has become
would require an Act of Congress. Congress can sunset this catastrophe
simply by sitting on its hands. We encourage Congress to do so.