OBAMA'S FIRST TRADE NEGOTIATIONS:
OUR CHANCE TO WEIGH IN
Obama's administration and the United States Trade Representative are currently in secret negotiations on the TPP- the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
We MUST weigh in.
www.ustr.gov/tpp/commentWe MUST weigh in.
What is it? The TPP is the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and it's Obama's first potential trade agreement. This is a proposed trade agreement with Singapore, Chile, New Zealand, Brunei, Australia, Peru and Vietnam.
If the TPP becomes the first Obama trade deal, it must live up to his pledges to end the NAFTA nightmare and craft a new trade policy that creates - not destroys - the dreams of America's working families.
Candidate Obama promised to fix NAFTA and craft a new job-creating trade strategy going forward. He promised his trade agreements would put working people, the environment, family farms and consumers first.
Now the moment of truth is upon us: the Obama administration has begun negotiations with seven Asian/Pacific countries on what could be its first trade agreement.
IT'S OUR TIME TO SPEAK UP! www.ustr.gov/tpp/comment
This time we have to get our message to USTR that we want a NEW MODEL for trade, not more of the same failed past NAFTA style free trade deals. It's time for a NEW DEAL on trade or there's NO DEAL.
PLEASE SUBMIT A COMMENT ONLINE TODAY.MFTC has a goal of generating 100 comments. Can you be one of the 100? Can you recruit others?
If the TPP if it is to represent a more balanced way to expand trade, and garner broad support from the public, labor and civil society organizations and thus Congress, it must address the core issues below which are also central to the TRADE Act.
MFTC has a goal of sending 100 comments during the next round of TPP negotiations taking place in San Francisco the week of June 14th.
1) Visit www.ustr.gov/tpp/comment
2) Submit a comment! Tell USTR that the TPP must:
-- Include enforceable labor and environmental standards, including the ILO Conventions, in the text of the TPP.
-- Not include NAFTA style investor-rights that undermine state sovereignty and democracy
-- Include strict food and product safety rules that keep consumers safe. The right to send food and products into the United States must be conditioned on meeting U.S. safety and inspection standards.
-- Basically, the trade provisions laid out in the TRADE Act submitted to Congress by Representative Michaud and Senator Brown are what the TPP should look like.
SAMPLE COMMENT:
Dear Ambassador Kirk,
I hope the TPP will reflect the promises made by President Obama to reform trade policy. Please ensure these negotiations result in a new model for trade, a trade agreement we can all support. It must include enforceable labor and environmental standards, and strict food and product safety rules. It cannot include the flawed investor-state provisions that undermine democracy. It should create jobs here, not export our livelihoods. Please ensure the TPP is a new way forward for fair trade.
- (your name, town, state)
Dear Ambassador Kirk,
I hope the TPP will reflect the promises made by President Obama to reform trade policy. Please ensure these negotiations result in a new model for trade, a trade agreement we can all support. It must include enforceable labor and environmental standards, and strict food and product safety rules. It cannot include the flawed investor-state provisions that undermine democracy. It should create jobs here, not export our livelihoods. Please ensure the TPP is a new way forward for fair trade.
- (your name, town, state)
Please email sarah@mainefairtrade.org and let us know when you submit your comment so we can tally our way to 100!
THANK YOU FOR TAKING ACTION!