|
Congressional Candidate for the 19th district, Ben
Price, calls for Todd Platts to mend his error in judgment and use his
last opportunity to oppose Fast Track trade negotiation authority. Price
referred to Fast Track as "a job-killing, wage deflating,
environmentally devastating and family farm bankrupting bonanza for
international corporations."
The full text of Ben Price's statement follows:
It remains a mystery to me that Representative Todd Platts continues to
favor passage of Fast Track trade negotiating authority, which has now
passed the House and Senate in different forms. Assuming a negotiated
compromise emerges from the House-Senate conference committee, Todd
Platts will have an opportunity to correct his error in judgment and
vote against the bill.
We need leaders in Congress who will stand up for our working families,
the environment, family farmers, and not buckle under the pressure from
corporate special interests. That's one reason why I'm running on the
Green Party ticket to challenge Todd Platts for the 19th district
congressional seat.
Trade agreements like NAFTA and the World Trade Organization have only
benefited large corporations that are well represented in the
negotiation process. These agreements have checker flagged a race to the
bottom when it comes to wages, public health, protecting the
environment, food safety, and democratic representation in treaty
negotiations.
Fast Track is a legislative attempt to sidestep the American
Constitution's commerce clause that makes negotiating international
trade treaties a congressional responsibility. Fast Track would take the
people's representatives out of the loop and let corporate CEOs meet in
secret with the president to hash out the terms of international trade.
We've already seen what secret negotiations between corporate honchos
and the administration did for the petroleum industry and to the
citizens in California and elsewhere. Do we really want the Enron model
of profit over-all to dictate the parameters of trade throughout the
Western hemisphere?
Ignoring for the moment its undemocratic premise, attempts to amend the
worst aspects of the Fast Track juggernaut failed in the Senate in large
measure due to an abundance of congressional loyalty to the corporate
agenda, which was nurtured by a flood of soft money contributions to
both of the old parties. But even in their failure, the number and
nature of the amendments offered made it clear that many Senators,
including some who finally voted for the bill, knew and understood the
devastating impact Fast Track will have on American workers, farmers,
the environment, and even on our democracy.
Fast Track and the treaties that would be ram-rodded through Congress if
it is passed would be a job-killing, wage deflating, environmentally
devastating and family farm bankrupting bonanza for international
corporations.
The Bush administration wants to expand the failed NAFTA model to the
entire Western hemisphere. Todd Platts claims NAFTA was a
"job-maker," but it's really been a wage-buster. Using the new
math of corporate "go-figure" accounting, forcing Americans to
find a second job to make ends meet is what Fast Trackers like Mr.
Platts mean by "job creation."
Todd Platts' constituents are opposed to this kind of trade policy. It
hurts our families and the environment. He should reverse his position
and say NO to granting the president Fast Track. If he doesn't do the
right thing, I will make it a top priority to undo the damage done once
I am in office.
Ben Price
Green Party Candidate
US House of Representatives
19th PA District
P.O. Box 615
New Kingstown, PA 17072-0615
E-mail: PriceForCongress@aol.com
Website: Ben Price for US
Congress
Phone: 717-385-0764
"Peace, justice, and freedom require a
willingness to honor human rights, respect community needs, and be
accountable for what you do, whether you are an individual, a
corporation, or a super power. " -- Ben Price
|
