10 Reasons for Congress to reject "Fast Track"
Call 1-855-712-8441 on Jan. 21 to tell Congress just say "NO"
Congress could give President Obama sweeping new power to "fast track" dangerous so-called "free trade" deals like the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) - itself called "NAFTA on steroids" by its critics - into passage without these deals ever being subjected to the usual debate and amendment process that is vital to Congress carrying out its constitutional duties.
Congress should not push Fast Track. Ever. It undermines our democracy and almost always ends in trade deals that benefit corporations and the rich, eliminate jobs, and cut wages and benefits for millions of hardworking families across America.
Previous trade deals passed under fast track have cost American workers over 1 million jobs, and fast track undermines our democracy by preventing Congress from being able to scrutinize and or amend bad deals - allowing only an up or down vote. In other words, fast track allows the multinational corporations and the wealthy negotiating these deals in secret to get to write them, benefit from them, and, under fast track, hijack the legislative process that might otherwise stop them. Take it or leave it, they'll say.
When it comes to deals like the TPP, we would rather "leave it". That is why on Wednesday, January 21st, people who want fair trade deals that put American workers, American businesses, and American democracy first will join our National "No Fast Track" Call-in Day.
What: Call your member of Congress and our U.S. Senators to "just say NO to fast track"
When: All day long on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2015
Why: The best chance we have of stopping bad deals like the TPP from ever becoming law is to defeat "fast track" authority, now.
Without further ado, here are 10 Facts About Fast Track that'll have you hopping mad to make those calls!
10 Facts About Fast Track. Click the image to download this as a PDF.
Learn more about fast track, an "undemocratic path to unfair trade" from our friends at Public Citizen. For a detailed report about the history of fast track trade deals, read the Public Citizen report, Prosperity Undermined: Fast-Tracked Trade Agreements’ 20-Year Record of Massive U.S. Trade Deficits, American Job Loss and Wage Suppression.