How Corporations Led the Fast-Track Approval Effort
The United States Congress voted to allow fast-track authority for
disastrous trade deals, like the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), to go
through the legislative process with little to no debate. Congress
essentially removed itself from debating the provisions of the TPP,
reportedCrooks and Liars.
This
sets a dangerous precedent. The duty of Congress is to debate and amend
the array of legislative proposals that travel through both chambers,
inducing trade deals. U.S. senators and representatives have now given
that power to large corporations, further weakening the representation
of the American public.
Now that Congress has essentially gagged
itself from debating the provisions of TPP, both liberal and
conservative grassroot activists are stepping up to oppose the trade
deal and fast-track authority. Crooks and Liars noted that companies
that have mainly outsourced labor support the TPP while companies that
still produce in America don’t support it.
For a while,
corporations bought their way into the legislative process, manipulating
politicians’ opinions with campaign contributions. Now, it seems that
corporations have begun making our Congress totally obsolete.
