U.S. Cities Fight Back Against Washington's Secretive Trade Deal

[marmar]

WASHINGTON -- As the trade debate heats up in Washington, city councils are fighting back against controversial legislation that would grant the president the authority to fast-track international trade deals without congressional amendments.

On the Hill, lawmakers are pushing full steam ahead on legislation the Obama administration is seeking in order to pass the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a trade deal with Asian-Pacific countries. Some Democrats don't support the deal, arguing that certain trade provisions are worrisome and haven't received enough scrutiny. Nonetheless, a key Senate committee moved the bill forward on Wednesday.

Across the country, city officials are making their own concerns about the legislation crystal clear. This week, San Francisco adopted a resolution opposing fast-track, following similar efforts in other cities, including Seattle and Bellingham, Washington and Fort Bragg and Richmond, California. A Pittsburgh official introduced a "Will of Council" against the deal on Tuesday. And next week, New York City officials will consider a resolution declaring the Big Apple a "TPP-Free Zone." The sponsor expects it to quickly pass.

These resolutions are symbolic. Some of them urge representatives in Congress to oppose fast-track. Others claim that TPP's regulations will not be respected within city limits -- although of course, people must still follow federal and state law. Nonetheless, Celeste Drake, a trade policy specialist at AFL-CIO, a union federation that opposes the deal, called the resolutions "important statements of citizen sentiment." ................(more)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/23/fast-track-cities_n_7128894.html?utm_hp_ref=detroit&ir=Detroit

[cali]

1. thanks, marmar

[eridani]

2. The Seattle City Council vote was unanimous

The city depends a lot on trade, but the councilmembers are smart enough to know that TPP has jackshit to do with trade.

[Wilms]

3. ^