"Rep.
Ryan, a Republican from Wisconsin, is chairman of the House Ways and
Means Committee. Sen. Cruz, a Republican from Texas, heads the Senate
Commerce Committee’s subcommittee on Space, Science and Competitiveness." (subscrip.) [In Oct. 2015, GOP Rep. Paul Ryan was elected House Speaker]. ............ "‘Fast track’ authority will give lawmakers more say over agreements that are vital for economic growth." ........... "The United States is making headway on two historic trade agreements,
one with 11 countries on the Pacific Rimand another with America’s
friends in Europe. These two agreements alone would mean greater access
to a billion customers for American manufacturers, farmers and ranchers. But
before the U.S. can complete the agreements, Congress needs to
strengthen the country’s bargaining position by establishing
trade-promotion authority, also known as TPA, which is an arrangement
between Congress and the president for negotiating and considering trade
agreements. ............ In short, TPA is what U.S. negotiators need to win a fair
deal for the American worker. ............ There is a lot at stake. One in
five American jobs depends on trade, and that share is only going to
grow. Ninety-six percent of the world’s customers are outside the U.S.
To create more jobs here, America needs to sell more goods and services
over there. When that happens, the American worker benefits.
Manufacturing jobs tied to trade pay 16% more on average, according to a
study released by the independent U.S. International Trade Commission. ............ Right
now, though, the American worker isn’t competing on a level playing
field against many overseas economies. The U.S. economy is one of the
most open in the world—and for good reason. ............ Thanks to lower duties on
imports, the average American family saves $13,600 a year, according to a
study by HSBC. But other countries put up trade barriers that drive up prices for U.S. goods and services and make it hard to sell them there. ............ The
American worker can compete with anybody, if given a fair chance. If
you add up all 20 countries that the U.S. has a trade agreement with,
American manufacturers run a $50 billion trade surplus with them. The
problem is that not all countries have a trade agreement with the U.S.;
American manufacturers run a $500 billion trade deficit with those
nations. That is why the U.S. needs effective trade agreements to lay
down fair and strong rules that level the playing field. Without such
rules, America’s trading partners will keep stacking the deck against
job creators in this country.But Congress can’t just take the
administration’s word that it will drive a hard bargain. We have to hold
it accountable, and that is what trade-promotion authority will help
do. ............... Under TPA, Congress lays out three basic requirements for
the administration. First, it must pursue nearly 150 specific
negotiating objectives, like beefing up protections for U.S.
intellectual property or eliminating kickbacks for government-owned
firms. Second, the administration must consult regularly with Congress
and meet high transparency standards. ........... And third, before anything
becomes law, Congress gets the final say. The Constitution vests all
legislative power in Congress. So TPA makes it clear that Congress—and
only Congress—can change U.S. law.If the administration meets all the
requirements, Congress will give the agreement an up-or-down vote. But
if the administration fails, Congress can hit the brakes, cancel the
vote and stop the agreement.
Trade-promotion authority will hold
the administration accountable both to Congress and to the American
people. Under TPA, any member of Congress will be able to read the
negotiating text. Any member will be able to get a briefing from the
U.S. trade representative’s office on the status of the negotiations—at
any time. Any member will get to be a part of negotiating rounds. And
most important, TPA will require the administration to post the full
text of the agreement at least 60 days before completing the deal, so
the American people can read it themselves. ........... The stakes are high,
because if you’re not moving forward in trade negotiations, you’re
falling behind. In the first 10 years of this century, the countries of
East Asia negotiated 48 trade agreements. ................... The U.S., on the other hand,
negotiated just two in that region. As a result, America’s share of East
Asia’s imports fell by 42%. Every top U.S. competitor did better—every
one of them.Meanwhile, China is negotiating agreements with
anyone who will listen—from South Korea and Australia to Norway. And it
isn’t free enterprise the Chinese are pushing. Instead, it is their own
form of crony capitalism. They’re writing rules that favor
government-owned firms and hamper American job creators. So it all comes
down to this question: Is China going to write the rules of the global
economy, or is the United States? ......... By establishing TPA, Congress
will send a signal to the world. America’s trading partners will know
that the U.S. is trustworthyand then put their best offers on the
table. America’s rivals will know that the U.S. is serious and won’t
abandon the field. And the American people will know this trade
agreement is a good, fair deal—because they’ll have the information they
need to decide for themselves. ............ Promoting American trade will create
more opportunity in the country, and so we strongly urge our colleagues
in Congress to vote for trade-promotion authority." .......... "Rep.
Ryan, a Republican from Wisconsin, is chairman of the House Ways and
Means Committee. Sen. Cruz, a Republican from Texas, heads the Senate
Commerce Committee’s subcommittee on Space, Science and Competitiveness."
"Establishment, globalist advocates published what will go down as the most
disingenuous, deceitful and outright dishonest promotional piece on
behalf of the so-called fast-track trade authority that could have been
written.
The
dynamic duo start by asserting that the U.S. must "strengthen the
country's bargaining position” by giving President Obama fast-track
powers. Really? The GOP Congress thinks it is vital to our national
interest to expand the powers in Obama's [and all future presidents'] hands? And, what exactly
"strengthens" our bargaining power? So the only way to win a deal is by
convincing foreign governments that the U.S. Congress will be limited in
what it can say on the matter? Are we to tell the world that the people
and their elected representatives will be sidelined so a "deal" can be
done? ............... Next, Ryan and Cruz assert that the American worker has been
placed at a terrible disadvantage to workers in the rest of the world
and that we have to give Obama more power in order to address this
serious problem. But, of course, nowhere is there a mention of the fact
that a big part of that "disadvantage" is currency manipulation and
other financial gimmicks — issues that are expressly kept out of the
trade deal. I guess nobody told these gentlemen that the primary weapon
being used against American workers and business is not going to be
discussed. Had they been allowed to read and review the so-called deal — the Trans-Pacific Partnership— they might have known that. But sadly,
the Obama administration has kept the "deal" under lock and key —
virtually nobody has been allowed to view it.
................... But this is a minor
matter compared to the bald-faced falsehoods that follow. The
congressional odd couple assert that Congress will demand three things
from Obama, three "requirements" that will protect the nation. In truth,
all three are hollow shells; the tools of bait and switch that have
used to con America in the past. And what are three shells of the con
game?
...............
First, it asserted that there will be 150 "specific
negotiating objectives." Sounds good, except these objectives are
nothing more than suggestions. If Obama comes back with a treaty and
none of these "objectives" are included, there is no effect. The treaty
will still get the up-or-down vote. No amendments will be allowed to be
offered. No two-thirds ratification vote in the Senate will occur. And
of course, at that point, all the special interests — having been fed
their fill — will demand passage. Are we to believe that Ryan and Cruz
will vote against the treaty if the 150 "objectives" are not included?
If that is the case, why do they not say so?
................... Second, it is
asserted that the administration would be required to "consult" with
Congress over the course of final negotiations. This is the "kissing
your sister" argument — no meaning and slightly discomforting.
............
Finally,
it is claimed that giving Obama[and future presidents] more power will enhance the power of
Congress and thereby the American people. This is simply a lie. Under
the authority Ryan and Cruz want to give the administration, the powers
given Congress under the Constitution are suspended. No amendments are
allowed. U.S. law will be subjugated to a treaty that can be passed by a
simple majority in the two houses.
............
Hollywood and Wall Street will get
what they want and the American taxpayers will be given the bill. So,
gentlemen, how are the American people protected by suspending the
Constitution? Is this the 2016 GOP platform — gather votes signing
praises of the Constitution while moving to undercut and suspend it at
will?
...............
What is most troubling, however, is the disdain the
advocates of this deal have for the American people. They babble on and
on about abstract economic "benefits" when, in fact, trade is but a
minor part of the matter. No less an authority than The Washington Post stated in an April 13 editorialthat the treaty and fast track are "about geopolitics as well as economics."
................
These
treaties are in fact far more about "politics" than economics or trade.
These treaties are world governance infrastructure; they are big steps
away from the Constitution, national sovereignty and independence. All
the trade talk, all the blather about jobs and the confusing stream of
questionable statistics are designed to cover the real thrust of these
treaties: the expansion of international and globalist interests.
................
Why
the GOP in Congress embraces the very process that would destroy it is a
subject for another day, but it is enough to recognize that when they
come to citizens begging for votes and donations claiming to defend the
Constitution and our system of liberty, that they are being duplicitous
Yet again, they treat the grass roots and the conservative base with contempt.
.................
For Ryan to do this is expected, but Cruz's shilling for
this big lie may be the last straw for those who became known as Tea
Party supporters. The irony is that if they give up hope that America
can be restored because they no longer have a champion, who is going to
vote for Ted Cruz?
The answer is no one."
..............
"Manning is president of Americans for Limited Government"
Bush put on a slide show, calling it the “White House Election-Year
Album” at the Radio and Television Correspondents’ Association 60th annual dinner, showing himself and his staff in some decidedly unflattering poses.
I wondered what the spouse, child or parent of a soldier killed in Iraq
would have felt if they had been watching C-SPAN and saw the
commander-in-chief mocking the supposed justification for the war that
claimed their loved ones....
Yet there was Bush–apparently having a laugh at his own expense, but
actually doing so on the graves of thousands. This was a callous and
arrogant display....As the
audience laughed along, he smiled. The false statements (or lies) that
had launched a war had become merely another punchline in the nation’s
capital."
"From October 2013 forward we
have discussed the presidential election of 2016 and
foretold/warned what was to come. There are trillions of dollars at
stake.
The culmination of four years strategic planning (2011 – 2015) from
Wall Street-via legislative priorities- are enmeshed within the
outcome. The financiers have spent hundreds of millions on the construction.
Anyone with even moderate research skills could assemble the same data if they had: a.) time, and b.) inclination. Sometimes, like the “splitter strategy“, conspiracies
are not theory. The behavior inherent within the visible activity is
simply just an outcome of a mutually beneficial plan.
There are trillions of dollars at stake. The financial (Wall Street)
bets on the international global trade and finance sectors are in the
tens of trillions. More modestly, the downstream beneficiaries within
the campaign consulting industry itselfare worth more than several
billion per election cycle.
Candidate Donald Trump is a risk to all of these enterprises – All.Of.Them.
With that in mind everyone must ask themselves what would those interests, who ultimately control all of these outcomes, do to retain power? When there are trillions at stake, how much would they spend to retain control?...
What would an enterprise do to retain control
over even one trillion dollars?
How big is the derivatives market? Derivatives are paper bets on global assets, trade, economic outcomes, etc. How big are those ‘paper’ bets? $800 trillion? $1.4 quadrillion? No-one really knows.
Example #1 – Last night a report from the Daily Mail
outlined a scandalous claim, a lawsuit. Only there’s a problem. The
person (claimant) doesn’t exist. The lawsuit was self-filed. No
attorney was used, referenced or mentioned. The entity filing it listed
an abandoned address. The accompanying telephone number is non
existent. No-one, including the FBI
who hold custody of all associated records, has ever heard of this
person or anyone outlined in the aforementioned article. This article updates today with a
litany of corrections, qualifiers,and walk-backs. The re-write
doesn’t even bear the slightest resemblance to the original construct.
It disappears and reappears-loin cloth.
So how does this happen?
No, not how does the lawsuit appear, that’s easy – anyone can walk into
any courthouse and file a civil lawsuit. No, how does a mainstream
media publication end up putting themselves so far out on ungrounded and
completely fabricated construct?...
♦ Example #2 – Today a polling company no-one has
ever heard of produces a poll showing the Indiana presidential race is
exactly opposite of every single ground report and media story in the
past five days. The polled data presented runs 180 exactly opposite
of every voice who is reporting on the ground in Indiana. The assembled
outcome is exactly opposite to the evidence you can see with your own
eyes.
Yet this obscure poll, by an unknown outlet is pushed by one, only one, very specific media outlet [Fox News]?
So how does this happen?
No, not how does the poll appear, that’s easy – anyone can sit at a
computer and type up a set of manufactured responses to questions and
then sell it as research poll data. No, how does a mainstream media
corporation end up putting themselves so far out on ungrounded and
completely fabricated construct?...
♦ Example #3 – Fox News Pundit George Will writes an op-ed tonight
in the Washington Post, stating if Donald Trump wins the Republican
Presidential nomination all efforts should be made to support Hillary
Clinton in the general election.
“If Trump is nominated, the GOP must keep him out of the White House”… (link)
How does this happen? What/whose interests are served?...All three examples have the exact same
beneficiaries....
Trump has zero ideology. Smart people don’t think with rules. They
have a philosophical view, not a rigid imperative. Trump calls it being
flexible. I call it eclectic. Nature calls it adaptive. Trump doesn’t even allow his billions get in the way. He connects with people. Brains and heart, he points out.
And when it comes down to People versus Government, they always
choose Government, the Establishment, Corporate Statism. Why? That’s
where the other frauds are and where the easy big money is. They
converge with the Liberals when the storm rises.
And the Movement is the Storm."
==============
Added: Highlights from Trump Foreign Policy Speech, 4/27/16, at Center for the
National Interest in Washington, DC: 'We will no longer surrender this
country, or its people, to the false song of globalism.The nation-state
remains the true foundation for happiness and harmony....I will work
with our allies to reinvigorate Western values and institutions'
Excerpts from Donald Trump Foreign Policy Speech in Washington, DC at the Center for the National Interest, 4/27/16
"Since the end of the Cold War and the break-up of the Soviet Union, we’ve lacked a coherent foreign policy.
One day we’re bombing Libya and getting rid of a dictator to foster
democracy for civilians, the next day we are watching the same civilians
suffer while that country falls apart.
We’re a humanitarian nation. But the legacy of the Obama-Clinton interventions will be weakness, confusion, and disarray.
We have made the Middle East more unstable and chaotic than ever before.
Our moments of greatest strength came when politics ended at the water’s edge....
Finally, we must develop a foreign policy based on American interests.
Businesses do not succeed when they lose sight of their core interests and neither do countries.
Look at what happened in the 1990s. Our embassies in Kenya and
Tanzania were attacked and seventeen brave sailors were killed on the
USS Cole. And what did we do? It seemedwe put more effort into adding
China to the World Trade Organization – which has been a disaster for
the United States – than into stopping Al Qaeda....
Our foreign policy goals must be based on America’s core national security interests, and the following will be my priorities.
In the Middle East, our goals must be to defeat terrorists and
promote regional stability, not radical change. We need to be
clear-sighted about the groups that will never be anything other than
enemies.
And we must only be generous to those that prove they are our friends.
We desire to live peacefully and in friendship with Russia and China.
We have serious differences with these two nations, and must regard
them with open eyes. But we are not bound to be adversaries. We should
seek common ground based on shared interests. Russia, for instance, has
also seen the horror of Islamic terrorism.
I believe an easing of tensions and improved relations with Russia –
from a position of strength – is possible. Common sense says this cycle
of hostility must end. Some say the Russians won’t be reasonable. I
intend to find out. If we can’t make a good deal for America, then we
will quickly walk from the table.
Fixing our relations with China is another important step towards a
prosperous century. China respects strength, and by letting them take
advantage of us economically, we have lost all of their respect.
We have
a massive trade deficit with China, a deficit we must find a way,
quickly, to balance.
A strong and smart America is an America that will find a better
friend in China. We can both benefit or we can both go our separate
ways.
After I am elected President, I will also call for a summit with our
NATO allies,and a separate summit with our Asian allies. In these
summits, we will not only discuss a rebalancing of financial
commitments, but take a fresh look at how we can adopt new strategies
for tackling our common challenges.
For instance, we will discuss how we canupgrade NATO’s outdated
mission and structure – grown out of the Cold War – to confront our
shared challenges,including migration and Islamic terrorism....
My goal is to establish a foreign policy that will endure for several generations.
That is why I will also look for talented experts with new
approaches, and practical ideas, rather than surrounding myself with
those who have perfect resumes but very little to brag about except
responsibility for a long history of failed policies and continued
losses at war.
I will seek a foreign policy that all Americans, whatever their
party, can support, and which our friends and allies will respect and
welcome.
The world must know that we do not go abroad in search of enemies,
that we are always happy when old enemies become friends, and when old
friends become allies.
Americans must know that we are putting the American people first
again. On trade, on immigration, on foreign policy – the jobs, incomes
and security of the American worker will always be my first priority.
No country has ever prospered that failed to put its own interests
first. Both our friends and enemies put their countries above ours and
we, while being fair to them, must do the same.
I will view the world through the clear lens of American interests. I
will be America’s greatest defender and most loyal champion. We
will not apologize for becoming successful again, but will instead
embrace the unique heritage that makes us who we are.
This ominous question, somberly intoned just prior to the local news,
was eventually parodied by a multitude of stand-up comedians, novelty
song artists, and horror movie posters. But the original intent of the
line was very serious.
The real estate mogul and reality TV star promised to “knock the hell
out of ISIS,” do away with Obamacare, stop unfair trade deals and make
Mexico pay for a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border. He said he will
make America rich again because, “unless we’re rich, we can’t be
strong.”
With no other states holding presidential primaries Tuesday and the
world’s eyes on Indiana, Trump aims to effectively knock out main GOP
presidential rival Ted Cruz with a smashing victory in the state. Coming
on the heels of decisive victories in five Northeastern primaries this
week, he hopes to establish an unshakable vice grip on the Republican
presidential nomination by virtue of the sheer size of his lead in
national GOP convention delegates. He campaigned extensively in Indianapolis Wednesday.
“We’re going to win on the border,” he said to a crescendo of cheers.
“We’re going to win, and we’re going to build a wall and, believe me —
believe me — Mexico’s going to pay for the wall.”
By using provisions of the Patriot Act, Trump has said, the U.S. can
bring considerable pressure to bear on Mexico to compel that country to
pay for the wall. The leverage point is about $24 billion that Trump
says is annually transferred from Mexican nationals working in the U.S.
back to Mexico. He argues that a majority of that money comes from
illegal immigrants, serving as “de facto welfare for poor families in
Mexico....
Trump has said allies in Europe, Asia and the Middle East would
benefit from more vigorous U.S. leadership on the world stage. But on
Thursday in Evansville, he said there should be no doubt that America’s
economic and foreign policy interests would come first in his
administration.
“This man (Trump) has created more jobs and hired more people than
any American ever has during his lifetime to date,” Knight said. “He’s
done this not just in America, but across the world. And he has a great
reputation, a great feeling people get for him.”
Knight called Trump “a man who not only gets things done, but he gets
things done in the right way and when something needs to be corrected,
he can correct it.”
Some of the crowd used cellphones to record Trump and his party’s
entrance to the facility in SUVs, staying until his jet ascended in the
air at 2:44 p.m. They lined the fences, sat in flatbed trucks, waved
American flags or stood in clusters straining for a glimpse of Trump.
Mercer brought her 8-year-old son to the airport. She likes Trump’s
candor and willingness to say things that more conventional politicians
don’t dare. But there’s more to it than that.
“Drugs coming over from Mexico, our jobs going to Mexico,” Mercer started out.
Outsourcing of American jobs to other countries is a symptom of
American weakness, Mercer said. She wants a strong leader — a leader who
will put America first and won’t be conflicted about it.
Mercer had one more opinion: Republican Party leaders who are trying
to derail Trump’s candidacy are out of touch not only with the GOP
rank-and-file, but “with reality.”
Trump’s trip up U.S. 41 from Old National Events Plaza to Tri-State
Aero created a little economic activity at Subway sandwich shopnext to
the facility. Managers Tim Stallings and Marla Groves said Tri-State
Aero asked them to create a foot-long tuna-on-wheat sub for someone —
maybe Trump himself — on the billionaire businessman’s jet.
“They said it could be for Trump, that’s what they said — you never
know. It could be anybody,” Stallings said, glancing at Groves. “She
started it, I finished it.”"
Many hundreds more were turned away and couldn't get into the campaign event on Thursday night. Several dozen protesters remained outside chanting
anti-Trump slogans as the candidate took the stage at about 7:40 p.m.
for the event scheduled for 7 p.m.
Police on horseback put themselves between the protesters and Trump supporters who chanted his name."
[Ed. note: Killed by "undocumented workers?" No link provided by ABC News substantiating its claim that illegal alien murderers were also "workers," gainfully employed working at a job.]
