The Democrats Wall of Shame (fast track, TPP, trade)

Key to acronyms mentioned in the trade debate:

• TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) A huge secret trade deal with Asia (like TTIP for Europe and TiSA globally).
• TPA (Trade Promotion Authority) Fast track authority for presidents to negotiate these horrific trade deals without any Congressional changes.
• TAA (Trade Adjustment Assistance) A program to re-train workers who are displaced by bad trade deals when their jobs are offshored.

* Tweet: Obama really wants #TPP but he needs #TPA — but TPA requires #TAA. Dems like TAA but will kill it to block TPA to kill TPP.

This is why, when it comes to mid-term elections (just like all elections), it's important to vote — and to vote for "progressive" Democrats, not "Third Way" or pro-corporate Democrats, who claim they are "pro-trade" — while implying that those opposed to them are "anti-trade".

Progressive Democrats (and even some Tea Party Republicans) are not against trade per se, just very bad trade deals that harm U.S. workers — trade deals that just enriches a few in large multi-national corporations. Progressive Democrats (and even some Tea Party Republicans) oppose trade deals that gives fast-track to the president, which gives him/her the authority to make trade deals without our representatives in Congress even knowing what's in these secret trade agreements.

Now a new bill for fast-tracking these horrible trades agreements (such as TPP, TTIP, and TiSA) is soon going to the Senate for another vote.

Here are the 14 Democrats in the Senate who voted for fast-tracking TPP the last time (with phone numbers and twitter handles):

1. Michael Bennet (CO) 202 224 5852 @senbennetco
2. Maria Cantwell (WA) 202 224 3441 @cantwellpress
3. Ben Cardin (MD) 202 224 4524 @senatorcardin
4. Tom Carper (DE) 202 224 2441 @senatorcarper
5. Chris Coons (DE) 202 224 5042 @sencoonsoffice
6. Dianne Feinstein (CA) 202 224 3841 @senfeinstein
7. Heidi Heitkamp (ND) 202 224 2043 @senatorheitkamp
8. Tim Kaine (VA) 202 224 4024 @senkaineoffice
9. Claire McCaskill (MO) 202 224 6154 @mccaskilloffice
10. Patty Murray (WA) 202 224 2621 @pattymurray
11. Bill Nelson (FL) 202 225 5274 @senbillnelson
12. Jeanne Shaheen (NH) 202 224 2841 @senatorshaheen
13. Mark Warner (VA) 202 224 2023 @markwarner
14. Ron Wyden (OR) 202 224 5244 @ronwyden

Here are the 28 Democrats in the House who last voted for fast-tracking TPP, sending the current bill to the Senate:

1. Debbie Wasserman Schultz FL (DNC Chairperson)
2. Earl Blumenauer OR
3. Gerry Connolly VA
4. Jim Cooper TN
5. Henry Cuellar TX
6. John Delaney MD
7. Eddie Bernice Johnson TX
8. Ron Kind WI
9. Rick Larsen WA
10. Susan Day CA
11. Sam Farr CA
12. R Hinojosa TX
13. Gregory Meeks NY
14. Scott Peters CA
15. Jim Costa CA
16. James Heinz CT
17. Jared Polis CO
18. Kurt Schrader OR
19. Mike Quigley IL
20. Terri Sewell AL
21. Suzanne Bonamici OR
22. Suzan DelBene WA
23. Ami Bera CA
24. Beto O'Rourke TX
25. Derek Kilmer WA
26. Brad Ashford NE
27. Kathleen Rice NY
28. Donald Beyer VA

ALL these Democrats are anti-worker / pro-corporations who will pass more trade deals to offshore what's left of our best jobs for cheaper labor in Asia. If you want to understand why it's critical to oppose fast-tracking these bad trade deals, here are some articles from Popular Resistance:

Fast Track Hands Money Monopoly To Private Banks, Permanently
https://www.popularresistance.org/fast-track-hands-money-monopoly-to-private-banks-permanently/

Fast Track To The Corporate Wish List
https://www.popularresistance.org/fast-track-to-the-corporate-wish-list/

The President’s Trade Deal Struggles Because It’s Bad Policy
https://www.popularresistance.org/the-presidents-trade-deal-struggles-because-its-bad-policy/

ISDS Provisions In TPP Violate Article III Of The U.S. Constitution
https://www.popularresistance.org/isds-provisions-in-tpp-violate-article-iii-of-the-u-s-constitution/

Even members of the European Parliament urged Congress to oppose Fast Track. Like the U.S. Congress, EU Parliamentarians have also been shut out of the negotiating process for rigged corporate trade deals like the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA).
http://www.flushthetpp.org/today-eu-parliamentarians-deliver-letter-to-congress-to-stop-fast-track/

More here:
http://www.flushthetpp.org/tools/