Paul Ryan, Ted Cruz: Congress Gets Final Say on Trade Pacts

NewsMax ^ | Wednesday, 22 Apr 2015 10:05 AM | Jennifer G. Hickey

[SoConPubbie]

President Barack Obama may have battled with Rep. Paul Ryan during the last presidential election, but today the Wisconsin lawmaker is a critical ally and a leading voice in the effort to secure passage of historic trade deals with Europe and Asia.

"There is a lot at stake," said Ryan in a Wall Street Journal op-ed co-authored with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. "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."

. . . .

Last week, the lawmakers introduced their bill outlining "21st century congressional negotiating objectives" that future administrations "must follow when entering into and conducting trade talks with foreign countries," they said in a statement.

The authority, which affords the president and Congress the ability to "fast-track" trade deals, expired in 2007 and is opposed by many of Obama's key allies, including labor unions and environmentalists.

While Ryan and Cruz are allied with Obama in pursuing the two global trade pacts, they argued that "fast-track" legislation would keep lawmakers involved in the process from the beginning and ensure that the current and future presidents are held to account.

"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," they wrote on Tuesday, adding that "before anything becomes law, Congress gets the final say."

[dp0622]

I've already Emailed the big guy. And I will do so again asking him to explain his position. One email wont matter but thousands can.
It's ok if he misunderstood that foreign governments can override it, or maybe we are mistaken in the belief. I guess we'll find out

[Mariner]

Fast Track trade authority is anti-American and has moved the USA from a blue-collar, industrial powerhouse of living wages to a White Collar/Service economy based on cheap foreign labor.

Just what is it you think the lobbyists BUY on Capitol Hill? They buy Congress so they will act in a manner they otherwise would not.

[Mariner]

"I hope he has a good explanation."

He'll have an articulate and reasoned explanation, wrapped in Red, White and Blue...Free Trade...rising tide etc.

But if he supports this he has been bought and paid for.

[make no mistake]

True, I thought I was the only one being demonized by liking Ted Cruz but not agreeing with him on wanting
500 “PERCENT” increase of H1B workers.

[dp0622]

bro, it’s a free country, post what you want. Like I said, i’ll apologize if I was wrong, but I wont beg.
I love Cruz. But this needs to be addressed.

[Bob434]

[[I had been enthusiastically supporting his Presidential run until now.
I hope he has a good explanation.]]

Hopefully he does have good explanation, but even if he doesn’t- He’s still leagues better than most of the other contenders I believe, but it remains to be seen-

[21twelve]

“The authority, which affords the president and Congress the ability to “fast-track” trade deals, expired in 2007 and is opposed by many of Obama’s key allies, including labor unions and environmentalists.”

I’m sure there is much more to it than the excerpt. However.

The president can’t just sign a trade pact and give a speech and it is a done deal.

Labor unions and environmentalists don’t like the proposed deal.

So far so good.

With regard to the H1-B thing, awhile ago Cruz was trying to push something through about allowing H1-b workers, AFTER it had been shown that no American workers had those abilities that the companies were looking for. Of course that can be bypassed by adding into the job description “needs to know COBAL and fluent in the Indian language.”

If Reagan was running today us freepers would be all over him for some of the things he did. But .900 batting average is REAL good.

[Bob434]

[[But .900 batting average is REAL good.]]

Well that’s what I said in my last post in this thread- the fact is Ted is still leagues better than the others IF this is true about him supporting H-IB

[[The president can’t just sign a trade pact and give a speech and it is a done deal.]]

He can when he gets NO opposition from congress- He just declares he’s doing something, and they get their pens out to sign onto it- “Yes sir, your wish is our command” basically

[[So far so good.]]

[[Labor unions and environmentalists don’t like the proposed deal.]]

The panel on fox just basically said the bill is going to go through- Seems like unions and enviro’s objections aren’t going to be enough to sway him

[9YearLurker]

Yep—more reason to doubt Cruz, no doubt.