Call Pete DeFazio's office in Oregon now and tell him that you want to see him primary Senator Wyden

[cascadiance]

Pete DeFazio has been a long time critic of the TPP and Fast Track bills. And he just a short time ago spoke out against it after today's events a little while ago as noted here:

http://defazio.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/defazio-responds-to-new-fast-track-legislation

DeFAZIO RESPONDS TO NEW FAST TRACK LEGISLATION
Apr 16, 2015 Press Release

Lawmaker Calls it the Same Raw Deal for American Workers

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio (OR-04) today responded to the introduction of so-called “fast track” legislation that would give President Obama the authority to push through major trade deals with little to no input from Congress. The bill was introduced by Senators Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI).

When a free trade agreement is submitted under fast track procedures Congress must pass it within 90 days with an up or down vote, no amendments, and limited debate. It would not be subject to normal congressional committee review and markup. It would forbid all amendments and permit only 20 hours of debate.

“Supporters of this bill will tell you it’s better than fast track deals of the past with protections for workers and the environment—don’t take the bait,” said DeFazio. “It reinforces the same failed trade policies of the last 20 years that have earned multi-national corporations record profits and shipped good paying American jobs overseas. Congress must not be used as a doormat to pass bad trade deals. It’s the same raw deal for American workers and the environment.”

The Obama administration is asking Congress for fast track authority in order to negotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the largest trade agreement in history involving 12 countries that control 40 percent of the global economy. TPP has 29 chapters covering issues such as pharmaceutical patents, copyright law, financial regulation, environmental policy, government procurement, food safety and more.
...

Note that if he comes out right now and makes this announcement shortly, perhaps Wyden will get the message that he perhaps still has time to vote to filibuster this bill in the senate and general, and rationalize his getting it out of committee as a step to ensure that all Senators had a chance to vote on this bill and make their commitments or lack of commitment to it known. If he were to vote to filibuster it, that would send a strong message for other senators who weren't involved in negotiations to do the same. If he were to do that, then perhaps he could save his senate seat, and perhaps we can keep DeFazio in waiting for perhaps running for Jeff Merkley's seat instead if he decides to do something like become Elizabeth Warren's running mate in 2016!

Phone numbers to call:

Washington DC (closed now): 202-225-6416
Coos Bay, Oregon: 541-269-2609
Eugene, Oregon: 541-465-6732
Roseburg, Oregon: 541-440-3523

The Oregon offices are open until 5PM PST.

[Gregorian]

1. Isnt' Ron Wyden one of the good guys? I'm confused by this.

I thought Wyden and DeFazio both had great records.

[Maedhros]

2. Wyden is something of an opportunist.

Now that he has some tenure in the Senate, he's grasping for the brass ring (i.e. corporate dollars).

[SamKnause]

3. No one that cares about this

country or its citizens supports the TPP.

That makes Ron Wyden a bad guy.

[Downwinder]

4. Wyden email:

This week, Congress is taking the most definitive steps yet towards approving Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), or what you might have heard referred to as "fast-track authority."

It's important because it will determine how President Obama and future Presidents negotiate an important trade agreement - the Trans-Pacific Partnership - as well as future trade deals.

I know that trade is always controversial, but I can report to you that I have successfully fought to include critical new protections as part of the TPA.

This new TPA framework means that the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) will represent a real opportunity for workers in Oregon and around the country. We know that tens of thousands of small businesses depend on exports to succeed.

Foreign companies have a much easier time selling goods here than Oregon businesses do selling their goods overseas. That needs to change, and I've fought to ensure the TPA will take us there.

But we didn't stop there. I fought to level the playing field between American businesses and global competitors, so that everyone involved upholds our progressive values and basic American principles.

To that end, I helped secure critical protections for labor rights, the environment, and fundamental human rights as part of the TPA. We can demand a trade deal that protects our values in a measurable and enforceable way, rather than merely paying lip service to them.

This TPA instructs the President that human rights are a core negotiating objective of our trade agreements - for the first time in history.

It requires our trading partners to adopt and maintain international labor standards, raising the bar for workers around the world.

Trade deals we make will insist that other nations live up to international environmental agreements, attacking overfishing, illegal logging and other threats to the planet.

Defending and expanding a free and open internet becomes central to our trade policy - ensuring that we don't allow repressive regimes to break up the internet into country-sized pieces, and rejects policies like those found in PIPA and SOPA.

And finally, this TPA requires that no trade agreement can override U.S. law without congressional approval, and that trade agreements are made available to the public for 60 days before the President signs it - a level of transparency that we've never had before.

On balance this agreement represents trade done right for workers and businesses here in Oregon and all across America.

Ron Wyden

[Gregorian]

5. Maybe he didn't read the details, because Grayson has, and he's saying it's disastrous.

Debt slaves in America
Foreign owners
Death of the middle class
On and on, all of it bad news.

[cascadiance]

6. He is working against public Oregon Democratic Party policy in place for two years now...

http://www.dpo.org/party/business/resolutions/2013-060