The Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) was actually mentioned for the first time this year in a political debate. The GOP’s debate on Wednesday was more entertainment that actual debating. However, for one small glimpse, trade agreements were giving a spotlight. Why do trade agreements matter? Let me tell you why. [Reposted from OpedNews | Paola…
Trade agreements continue causing American growth to slow due to loss of US market share domestically and internationally. The Bureau of Economic Affairs (BEA) just released a report showing that third quarter economic growth (1.5%) was less than half that of the second quarter of this year (3.6%). “American manufacturing and agriculture continue to…
In the final days of the federal election, with the Liberals leapfrogging over the NDP on an ostensibly progressive platform, one question dogged Trudeau to the end: what was his position on the recently completed Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement (TPP)? We still don’t quite know the answer, though we may soon enough. [ by…
WASHINGTON — The House acted with rare bipartisanship on Tuesday to approve legislation that would reopen the federal Export-Import Bank, after a debate that underscored the split between the party’s traditional pro-business members and ascendant free-market conservatives who are suspicious of big corporations. [Reposted from The New York Times | Jackie Calmes | October 27,…
Senator Jeff Jessions (R-AL) today today warned congressional leaders against their plan to vote on President Barack Obama’s unpopular free-trade deal during the “lame-duck” session after voters cast their ballots in November 2016. [by Julia Hahn | October 23, 2015 | Breitbart] Those leaders include Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), who has been one of the…
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) will not take up a standalone bill to renew the Export-Import Bank that the House is slated to take up on Monday (Oct. 26) under a discharge petition and could pass shortly thereafter, according to a spokesman. [Reposted from Inside US Trade | October 26, 2015] “No, [McConnell] will…
WASHINGTON — President Joko Widodo of Indonesia visited the White House Monday and brought President Obama a gift: A pledge to eventually join a massive Pacific Rim trade agreement. [Reposted from USA Today | David Jackson | October 26, 2015] “Indonesia is an open economy,” Widodo told reporters in the Oval Office, “and with the 250…
Japan will exchange at least 18 side letters to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement with one or more parties to the deal, including 11 bilateral letters with the United States on issues such as auto trade, Japanese commitments on non-tariff measures in other sectors, and Japan’s operation of a new U.S.-specific tariff-rate quota (TRQ) on…
WASHINGTON — The House launched a rare effort Monday to circumvent Republican leadership in hopes of reviving the Export-Import Bank, which conservatives managed to choke off earlier this year. [Reposted from USA Today | Paul Singer, Nathan Bomey and Paul Davidson | October 26, 2015] The procedure, known as a “discharge petition,” basically allows a simple majority of…
Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley went after Hillary Clinton on Monday, suggesting the Democratic presidential front-runner has been consistent on only one thing: her support of big banks. [by Jesse Byrnes | October 26,2015 | The Hill] “Hillary Clinton has changed her position on virtually every defining issue in this race except for one —…
