Ventura County Democrats Oppose Trans Pacific Partnership

RESOLUTION TO OPPOSE THE GRANTING OF FAST-TRACK AUTHORITY ON THE TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP TRADE AGREEMENT

Whereas, past trade agreements have led to immense profits accruing to the top 1% of the nation but seven million lost jobs, the closure of 60,000 factories in the heartland, the destruction of one third of America’s industrial base, enormous deficits on the nation’s Current Account, the sale of one seventh of American-owned assets to foreign owners, and recently a massive trade imbalance of $51.4 billion as reported on May 6, 2015 in the “Ventura County Star” newspaper;

Whereas, the Republican push to grant fast-track authority to President Obama to negotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is opposed by the California Democratic Party (as of 5/17/2015) along with many Democratic Senators, Senator Bernie Sanders, Congress members Nancy Pelosi and Alan Grayson, former Labor Secretary Robert Reich, Nobel prizewinning economists Joseph Stiglitz and Paul Krugman, labor representatives and environmental groups;

Whereas, the granting of fast-track authority would allow the TPP to be negotiated in complete secrecy, with input from corporate lobbyists but not labor or environmental groups, to the detriment of 99% of the nation and would allow foreign entities to challenge environmental and labor laws in international courts which would threaten the sovereignty of the United States;

Therefore, be it resolved that:-

1. The Ventura County Democratic Party shall call on our members of Congress to reject the granting of fast-track authority for the TPP to reflect the legitimate concerns of the California Democratic Party, Democrats, environmentalists, unions, Progressives and constituents who worked so tirelessly to elect them;

2. The Party shall send a copy of this resolution to all members of Congress representing any portion of Ventura County.