Pelosi vs. VG on the (all bad) TPP

My good friend (VG) wrote an excellent letter to my not-so-good Congressional representative (Nancy Pelosi) regarding her support for the fast-track trade authority and the corporate-sponsored Trans-Pacific Trade Partnership.  In his letter, Vince points out how politicians who support the TPP, such as Mrs. Pelosi, are not only acting against the interest of American citizens and citizens worldwide, but are also signing the death certificate for their political careers by advocating an environmentally and socio-economically disastrous trade policy that operates against the interests of their poor and working class constituents who will just as soon vote their representatives out of office for supporting pro-TPP legislation.  Here’s what V said, followed by the automated response dispatched by the computers at Pelosi’s office:

Dear Rep Pelosi,

I am about to get all up in your craw about the TPP. Look around you and tell me you don't see the inequality in our society. Is greed not responsible? It's alarming to hear you speak of the TPP in positive terms regarding the environment and labor. One need look no further than the example of NAFTA to see that free trade agreements benefit large corporate structures while leaving small communities obliterated by resource extraction and unfair competition from businesses that are subsidized by government.

It is time you and the rest of the democrats represent something other than the republicans cloaked in blue; namely: the American People. If you don't, then none of you nor the republicans will be reelected. As it is, when it is not suffering do to the actions of the world's largest quagmire, the American public laughs at the theater that is Capitol Hill. You guys are a joke, an evil one, but a joke nonetheless. Meanwhile, the rest of world holds its breath hoping the carnage from American drone strikes (and all of the resulting attacks with which those strikes are rebutted) stay out of their respective living rooms. The sad part, and at the same time exciting part, is that agreements like the TPP will hasten your exit from office along with all of your corporate sucking colleagues. Short term pain for some long term gain we'll call it.

I suggest you get humble and spend some time with a black single mother in the Tenderloin who puts food on her table with food stamps. Her father is in prison and her son got murdered by police. Go on, go ahead. You don't know anyone by that description in the Tenderloin? Try asking around, shouldn't take long. Have dinner with her, maybe even stay the night. She won't be serving caviar and the accommodation may not rival the Hilton, but you may learn something, mainly: all the reasons you and the crats won't be getting reelected shortly.

You guys are out of touch and need a wake up call. Get off the phone with Shmoozle, MyFace and the rest of the genties who are killing the planet under the guise of saving it, and hear the people: We don't want the TPP!!

Sincerely,

V

From Rep. Pelosi:

Thank you for contacting me to express your views on the trade policy. I appreciate hearing from you on these important issues.

Nearly 50 years ago, President John F. Kennedy advanced a groundbreaking new trade policy for our country that cemented Democrats as the party of free and fair trade. As a Member of Congress, I have long supported trade policies that open markets for U.S. businesses, create jobs, raise standards of living in our country and overseas, while protecting the environment, labor and human rights.

Trade is integral to our nation’s economic strength. Millions of Americans support their families by working in the manufacturing industry and exporting goods to other countries. Moreover, free trade must be fair trade. Enforceable labor standards ensure that our trading partners abide by the most fundamental standards of common decency and fairness - prohibitions against child and slave labor, protection from employment discrimination, and the right of workers to form a union. Similarly, protecting our planet is a core value and must be reflected in the core of our free trade agreements, not as a side agreement.

Our economic future firmly rests upon our ability to open new markets for U.S. goods and services so that we can continue to capitalize upon the innovative spirit of the American people. We must also do much more to address the consequences of globalization and the impacts facing many working families with increased economic insecurity. I look forward to working with President Obama and the United States Trade Representative, Ambassador Michael Froman, to continue advancing and improving our trade policies and addressing the increased economic insecurity faced by millions of American workers.

Thank you, again, for contacting me on this issue. I hope you will continue to communicate with me on matters of concern to you. For more information on this or other issues affecting our city and our nation, please visit my website at http://www.pelosi.house.gov/ or sign up to receive e-mail updates at http://www.pelosi.house.gov/media/pelosi-update.shtml.