Unlike most of their Democratic cohorts in the state to their North, California's Dems have so far stayed true to their principles.
Golden State Democrats play hard to get on fast track
by Doug Palmer, politico.com -- June 12, 2015
California would be the third-largest economy in the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership pact and one of the biggest potential beneficiaries, but that hasn’t stopped most of the state’s lawmakers from opposing the deal despite President Barack Obama’s efforts to build support in the Golden State.
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But so far, only one of the [CA] delegation’s 39 Democrats, Ami Bera, says he plans to vote for the trade promotion authority bill, which would allow Obama to submit the massive Asia-Pacific agreement and other trade pacts to Congress for an up-or-down vote without any amendments.
“A majority of the California delegation will vote against this bill because we’re dedicated to working families,” Rep. Brad Sherman told POLITICO.
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“There’s currently no reason to believe the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement would be any different from previous trade deals that have ripped hundreds of thousands of California workers from the middle class,” said Art Pulaski, executive secretary-treasurer of the California Labor Federation.
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Some things are more important that Corporate Profits ... Let these next Golden State Dems explain a few of them ...
Here's are couple of more California Dems, who have put their heart-felt feelings down on paper -- in the rather forthright 'Letters to the Editors' ...
Why California Democrats don't want to 'fast track' the TPP
LATimes.com -- June 12, 2015
To the editor:
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The TPP will allow multinational corporations to undermine labor safeguards, civil rights, environmental protection and healthcare -- and will seriously derail urgent efforts at fighting climate change.
California leads the nation on climate mitigation legislation, and its efforts must not be undercut. Yet similar trade deals have gutted efforts in other countries through provisions allowing corporations and investors to sue cities, states and nations over legislative and administrative rules in transnational tribunals.
In Canada, for instance, the province of Ontario's “buy local solar and wind” program was undermined by the World Trade Organization, which cited Japan's complaints that a requirement for “made in Ontario” parts breached international trade law. Corporations like Exxon Mobil and Dow Chemical have launched hundreds of cases against 95 governments over common-sense environmental laws and regulations.
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Paul Koretz, Los Angeles
The writer is a member of the L.A. City Council.
To the editor:
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But “fast track” legislation for the proposed Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) will likely result in a bad trade deal that hurts American workers. It's been estimated that the North American Free Trade Agreement resulted in the loss of more than 800,000 U.S. manufacturing jobs.
The text of the House fast-track measure ties the hands of the president, not allowing him to consider climate change or immigration issues when negotiating deals. Additionally, it hurts human rights by drastically weakening human trafficking protections.
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Rep. Janice Hahn (D-San Pedro)
[Emphasis and links added, by this poster.]
If only more Reps --
in every state -- would put their
own constituents first, as these bold Californians have dared to do.
Afterall it's not called the 'United States of Global Billionaires' -- not yet anyways.
Let not rush that 'Fast Track' Outcome along, shall we?
Tell your Rep what you think about this Fast Track Deal -- they're your Reps, in theory.
So 'test' the theory.