Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
February 24 Politics
TPA Neg......................................................................................................... 2
1NC U......................................................................................................... 3
2NC U......................................................................................................... 4
U Republican Support............................................................................10
U Obama Pushing..................................................................................11
U - -Top of the Docket............................................................................... 12
U A2: Thumpers..................................................................................... 14
U -- A2 AUMF Thumper..........................................................................16
U A2: Budget Thumper..........................................................................18
U A2: Immigration Thumper..................................................................20
U A2: Currency...................................................................................... 21
IL TPA Key to Other Trade Agreements..................................................23
IL PC Key............................................................................................... 26
Impact Open Internet............................................................................ 28
Impact Russia........................................................................................ 31
Impact Asia War.................................................................................... 33
Impact Asia........................................................................................... 34
Impact -- A2: No Asian War......................................................................36
Impact Global Free Trade.......................................................................37
Impact US Economy..............................................................................42
AUMF Neg................................................................................................... 43
AUMF U.................................................................................................... 44
TPA Af......................................................................................................... 45
Af............................................................................................................ 46
A2: Open Internet Impact.........................................................................50
AUMF Af..................................................................................................... 52
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
TPA Neg
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
1NC U
TPA will pass by a slim margin of support now
Reuters, 2-23-15, Fast Track Authority a Close Call in US Congress,
http://www.dairyherd.com/news/fast-track-trade-authority-close-call-uscongress DOA: 2-24-15
Lawmakers' approval of a bill to streamline the passage of trade
deals through the U.S. Congress will be a "close call," U.S. Agriculture
Secretary Tom Vilsack said last week. U.S. officials are lobbying
lawmakers to support legislation allowing the White House to submit trade
deals to Congressfor a yes-or-no vote, without amendments, in exchange for
setting negotiating goals. "I think it's a very close call right now," Vilsack said
at the annual U.S. Department of Agriculture Outlook Forum, according to
trade publication Inside US Trade.
"I think there's still work that needs to be done to make sure that
people are comfortable in knowing there's adequate transparency, and
understanding and appreciating thatCongress is not surrendering its power to
the executive branch." Opponents of trade promotion authority, or fast-track,
include conservative Republicans against granting more authority to the
White House and Democrats worried about the impact of trade deals, such as
the 12-nation Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), on jobs. As part of the lobbying
efort, the White House has posted a YouTube video touting the benefits of
trade and senior administration officials are visiting towns and cities around
the country and speaking to small businesses. U.S. Trade Representative
Michael Froman toured a Mary Kay cosmetics factory inDallas, Texas on
Tuesday and Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker has been to Tacoma, San
Francisco, Portland and Seattle. "Trade promotion legislation is a hard
vote to get passed," she said on a media call on Thursday to promote the
benefits of trade and exports in Minnesota. "This is not going to pass by
wide margins, it will pass by a small margin, but it will pass because
it's the right thing to do."
Experts say fast-track will give trading partners security deals that will not be
picked apart in Congress once they are agreed on and is important to get a
good deal on the TPP, which is nearing completion. Trade skeptics are also
lobbying lawmakers to reject the bill, which Senate Committee on Finance
Chairman Orrin Hatch has said he hopes to introduce this month. A coalition
of 35 religious groups - including Christian, Muslim and Jewish organizations wrote to members of Congress this week urging them to oppose fast-track.
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
2NC U
Deal close, TPA will pass
administrationseekstoconcludenegotiationsona12nationPacifictradedealtheeconomic
centrepieceofthepresidentsrebalancingofUSpolicytowardsAsia. Fasttrackallowscongresstoset
negotiatingprioritiesfortheadministrationandprovideinput,whileensuringadealstruckoverseaswould
getacongressionalvotewithnoamendmentsorproceduraldelays.FasttrackispopularwithRepublicans
buthasmanyDemocraticcritics. Businessgroupsandotherbackersoftradeagreementssaythelegislation
iscriticaltoassuretradingpartnerstheywontbeaskedfordeeperconcessionsonCapitolHillafter
negotiationsarecomplete. ObserverssayaidestocongressionalcommitteeleadersOrrinHatch,Ron
WydenandPaulRyanhavesettledmostdisagreementsoverthelegislation.Oneremainingissuea
technicalbutcrucialelementishowCongresswouldbeabletoremoveanunacceptabletradedealfrom
thefasttrackprocess.Complicationsonthatissueorotherscouldstilldelayorunravelanyagreement. A
dealtointroducethelegislationcouldbereachedindays,observerssay,afterMrRyanreturnsfroma
tradefocusedtriptoAsia. Imoptimisticthatitsgoingtobeconcludednextweek,saidBillReinsch,
presidentoftheNationalForeignTradeCouncil,agroupbackingthelegislation.
Inside US Trade, 2/13/15, New Dems Say White House In Early Phase Of
Building Support For TPA, TPP, insidetrade.com/inside-us-trade/new-demssay-white-house-early-phase-building-support-tpa-tpp
The White House effort to gin up support for President Obama's trade
agenda and Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) in Congress is still in a preliminary
phase of trying to sway trade skeptics and has not yet advanced to the point of
counting votes, members of the congressional New Democrat Coalition indicated on Feb. 11. After a
closed-door meeting on Capitol Hill with White House National Economic Council Director Jef Zients, New
Democrat Chairman Ron Kind (D-WI) and Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) characterized the initiative that
Zients is spearheading to build support for TPA as "outreach" and an "information efort." "I don't know if
you'd call it a 'whipping efort,' but certainly outreach," Kind told Inside U.S .Trade. " You're just
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
lack of "information" on the issues from the administration and other TPA supporters to date. Meeks
expressed confidence that
how it is diferent from NAFTA. Meeks added, however, that it is difficult for the administration to count
votes in support of TPA renewal legislation or the TPP agreement as a TPA bill has not yet been introduced
and the negotiations have not been finalized. Whether this transparency push will reassure skeptics is
unclear. Some skeptical lawmakers, such as Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), have acknowledged that members
can view the texts, but complained that they are not able to have their personal expert staf accompany
them or take notes. House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Ranking Member
Sander Levin (D-MI) are pressing the executive branch to give Congress more access to negotiating texts,
and Ryan said last week he expects this issue to be resolved by the time he releases a bill to renew TPA. A
congressional source said this issue would likely be dealt with in the TPA bill Ryan is expected to introduce
with other lawmakers in the coming weeks (Inside U.S. Trade, Feb. 6). Meeks also signaled that a part of
the campaign by the administration will involve Obama making the case for
trade more broadly in public speeches around the country. "The
president himself will be going out, traveling across to Middle America, to talk to them
about why this is important to get done and how this helps them and their families," Meeks said. " The
president will be aggressively going out and talking to people in that
regard."
Mauldin, 2/20
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
Reuters, 2/19/15, U.S. lawmaker sees fast-track trade power soon in step
towards trade pact, www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/19/us-asia-trade-tppusa-idUSKBN0LN0ME20150219
chairman of a U.S. congressional committee responsible for trade said on Thursday
he expects passage of legislation to fast-track trade deals soon , a vital step
towards a Pacific trade pact covering a large chunk of the global
economy. Negotiators from 12 Pacific nations hope to conclude talks on a TransPacific Partnership (TPP) within months, and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Paul
Ryan said legislation known as trade promotion authority ( TPA) should pass soon , easing
The
a major hurdle. "We're very close , we're in the 11th hour of negotiating
the final pieces of TPA," Ryan, in Tokyo with a Congressional delegation for negotiations, told a
news conference ahead of a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. " Once those
negotiations are wrapped up we anticipate moving ... fairly quickly , and
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
House Ways & Means trade subcommittee Chairman Pat Tiberi (R-OH) last
week indicated that efforts to build congressional support for a Trade
Promotion Authority (TPA) or fast-track bill are facing challenges due to a
more vocal opposition movement bolstered in part by social media and
the notion among some Republicans that passing TPA amounts to ceding
undue authority to the president, according to informed sources.
But Tiberi also expressed optimism that Congress will be able to pass TPA
despite these challenges , especially given the push by President
Obama to garner votes for getting it done, sources said.
He spoke during a closed-door meeting of business representatives last week
at which administration officials also provided an update of their efforts
to build support for TPA through a task force led by National
Economic Council Director Jef Zients.
These officials underlined the importance of building support for a
TPA bill as soon as possible after it is introduced, sources said. They also
said members of Obama's cabinet as well as other senior officials would
be touting the trade agenda in events around the country during this
week's President's Day recess.
Tiberi noted that TPA passage was difficult even in 2002, but it is made
even harder now by the existence of social media, talk radio and louder
statements from interest groups, according to these sources.
He said his assessment, after participating in a whip meeting the previous
day, was that much more work needs to be done to educate Republican
members about TPA, especially to confirm that TPA does not mean
Congress is giving away its authority to the president, sources said.
In a TPA bill, Congress abrogates its power to amend bills and agrees to an
up-or-down vote on a trade agreement eligible for fast-track protection.
Similarly, Ways & Means Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) indicated in a Feb. 13
press briefing that more work needs to be done to convince skeptical
members of the Republican caucus to support TPA. He noted that although
Republicans are by and large pro-trade, there are still a lot of
misconceptions about what TPA is. And we are in the middle of making
sure that we clear up those misconceptions, he said.
Together with House Rules Committee Chairman Pete Sessions (R-TX), Tiberi
is co-chairing a House Republican trade working group that is laboring to
build support for TPA among the caucus and will begin whipping members
once a bill is introduced.
Tiberi told business representatives that he believes a TPA bill should be
launched in the Senate, an idea also put forth by Ryan in a separate Feb. 13
press briefing. These appear to be signals that this idea is gaining
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
president to submit both the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership and the
Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreements to Congress for straight up-ordown votes without any amendments. Ryan argued the legislation was much more than that, since it
is the primary means by which Congress tells the executive branch what it wants in trade agreements. We
say to the administration, if you want this up-or-down vote, you have to meet three requirements: Number
one, you have to follow our guidelines. Number two, you have to talk to us. And number three, you have to
remember: We get the final say, Ryan said, comparing the legislation to a contract between Congress
with, Ryan said. If you look at the countries we do not have agreements with, we have a big trade deficit
with, so getting agreements is good for our workers, its good for manufacturing, its good for agriculture.
Critics of renewed TPA say that big business has had the greatest influence on past trade negotiations,
which is one reason why the programs have failed to create the jobs promised. They believe using fast
track to reach agreement on the Trans Pacific Partnership will produce the same disappointing results. We
do trade deals knowing were going to have increased trade deficits, according to Communications
Workers of America President Larry Cohen in one media report. Theres not one good reason for doing it.
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
10
trade policy. Its really important for job growth and competitiveness. Another is the Software &
data flows and intellectual property that are crucial to the American economy and our workers.
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
11
U Republican Support
Republicans support TPA now
Mike Masnick, 2-23-15, Tech Dirt, Trade Agreements Should Protect an
Open Internet, Not Kill It,
https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20150222/17384530109/trade-agreementsshould-protect-open-internet-not-kill-it.shtml DOA: 2-25-14
In the fight over the TPP (and the other big trade agreement, with Europe,
called the TTIP or TAFTA), an important side issue is over so-called "fast track"
authority, or (more officially) "trade promotion authority." This is where
Congress basically tells the USTR that it will only take a single "yes/no" vote
on whatever the USTR comes back with, rather than delving into the details
of the trade agreement and challenging specific aspects of it. In fact, there's
an argument that, without fast track authority, the USTR can't really commit
the US to anything. What's really odd is that, in a Republican-controlled
Congress that seems to want to fight President Obama on just about
anything that even has a whiff of the executive branch having more
power, it's those Republicans in Congress who are pushing strongly
for fast track authority -- efectively giving up their (Constitutionallymandated) power to regulate international trade.
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
12
U Obama Pushing
Obama pushing TPA, ready for a vote soon
VickiNeedham,223,15,TheHill,BattleOvertradeContinues,
http://thehill.com/policy/finance/233543tradedebateremainshottopicDOA:22415
Inrecentmonths,PresidentObamaandhisCabinethavetakenaggressivestepstopersuade
DemocratstosupportTPAandthebroadertradeagenda.SenateFinanceCommitteeChairmanOrrin
Hatch(RUtah),panelrankingmemberSen.RonWyden(DOre.)andHouseWaysandMeans
CommitteeChairmanPaulRyan(RWis.)areworkingonanupdatedversionofthelegislation,which
couldbereadybytheendofthemonth.
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
13
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
14
could then be concluded soon after the TPA was passed. Dave
Reichert, a lawmaker who is also a member of Ryan's committee, said they
hoped to clinch a deal by the end of the year.
U.S. negotiators the "best leverage to move forward" in the talks and that other nations such as Japan
won't put their best ofers on the table until Congress can get it passed. Rep. Pat Tiberi (R-Ohio), the new
chairman of the panels trade subcommittee who backs quick passage of fast-track, asked witnesses what
they consider trade's top benefits. In response, Douglas Holtz-Eakin president of the American Action
Forum, said moving forward on fast-track authority now is important because it gives the United States a
chance to write global trade rules that will benefit the U.S. economy. He said opening markets will grow
jobs and help the labor market return to full employment. It means better income and better jobs, not just
more, but peoples jobs will be better as a result, he told the panel. He said the TPP and another major
trade pact dubbed the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) have the potential to create
more than 1 million U.S. jobs and boost growth by more than $200 billion. But many Democrats have
expressed frustration with the secrecy of the negotiations and are concerned that trade deals would hurt
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
15
U A2: Thumpers
TPA next week. No evidence their thumper is before that
William Baldwin, 2-23-15, Australian Business Review, Deal close on
sweeping fast-track Asia pact,
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/wall-street-journal/deal-close-onsweeping-fast-track-asia-trade-pact/story-fnay3ubk-1227234503082 DOA: 224-15
HOUSE and Senate negotiators are converging on a deal to ease the
passage of trade agreements, a key step in putting the divisive issue
before the full congress as the White House pursues a sweeping trade pact in
Asia. Thelegislation,knownastradepromotionauthorityorfasttrack,comesastheObama
administrationseekstoconcludenegotiationsona12nationPacifictradedealtheeconomic
centrepieceofthepresidentsrebalancingofUSpolicytowardsAsia. Fasttrackallowscongresstoset
negotiatingprioritiesfortheadministrationandprovideinput,whileensuringadealstruckoverseaswould
getacongressionalvotewithnoamendmentsorproceduraldelays.FasttrackispopularwithRepublicans
buthasmanyDemocraticcritics. Businessgroupsandotherbackersoftradeagreementssaythelegislation
iscriticaltoassuretradingpartnerstheywontbeaskedfordeeperconcessionsonCapitolHillafter
negotiationsarecomplete. ObserverssayaidestocongressionalcommitteeleadersOrrinHatch,Ron
WydenandPaulRyanhavesettledmostdisagreementsoverthelegislation.Oneremainingissuea
technicalbutcrucialelementishowCongresswouldbeabletoremoveanunacceptabletradedealfrom
thefasttrackprocess.Complicationsonthatissueorotherscouldstilldelayorunravelanyagreement. A
dealtointroducethelegislationcouldbereachedindays,observerssay,afterMrRyanreturnsfroma
tradefocusedtriptoAsia. Imoptimisticthatitsgoingtobeconcludednextweek,saidBillReinsch,
presidentoftheNationalForeignTradeCouncil,agroupbackingthelegislation.
too far, but they still feel that the way the Republicans want to do this is not the right approach," said Rep.
Henry Cuellar, a member of the conservative Blue Dog Coalition. "When they go in and go even after the
kids that's a little bit too much. Even Blue Dogs have some reservations."
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
16
right. Cuellar also pointed to polling after the 2013 government shutdown showing that voters were more
inclined to pin the funding lapse on the GOP. "History would tell us that Republicans would get more
diferent ways to put Democrats on the spot ... on immigration and on the president's immigration policies,
and this particular way of doing it is sort of the worst possible messaging," one Senate Democratic aide
said. "We're seeing threats from ISIS every day. And I think tying the two togetherI think that was a poor
choice." Admittedly, Democratic unity is easier because their numbers have shrunkand
many of their most common defectors lost their reelection bids. "You've still got Blue Dogs, but I'd venture
to say they're not as conservative as the ones that are not with us anymore," Cuellar said. Cuellar added
that many remaining members have taken a lesson from those election results, when vulnerable
Democrats who voted with Republicans lost their seats anyway. "Some of the real conservative Blue Dogs
that voted with Republicans many timesit didn't matter because Republicans still went after them,"
Cuellar said. "They didn't get a pass Even if I vote no, the Republicans are still going to come against me
and the Hispanic community might be against me. Don't let me piss my base of." Republicans believe
that Monday's decision by a Texas judge that stalled the president's executive action will form cracks
Manchin, and Claire McCaskill, who have all voiced concerns about the president's action, said Tuesday
they would continue to stick with their leadership and oppose any DHS funding bill that is not completely
clean. The judge's decision, one Senate Democratic leadership aide said, could easily be overturned, giving
members little reason to factor it into their votes. "What happened [Monday] is several layers removed
away from the central question of was the president's executive order lawful," the aide said. "And it was
from a judge who has a very well-known and conservative record on immigration. So in that sense, it's not
a significant development in terms of the legal case." Republicans believe Democrats' banding together to
protect their president, particularly his controversial executive action, will hurt them in the end. And GOP
lawmakers don't necessarily buy the idea that voters will blame the majority if there is a shutdown.
"Democrat after Democrat goes to the Senate floor to give speeches about how important the Department
of Homeland Security is and yet they don't seem to be struck by the irony that it is Democrats who are
preventing the Senate from taking up funding for DHS at a time when global threats are only growing,"
Sen. Ted Cruz told National Journal last week. " It is both reckless and irresponsible." But showing
party
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
17
U -- A2 AUMF Thumper
TPA bill ASAP
Mike Masnick, 2-23-15, Tech Dirt, Trade Agreements Should Protect an
Open Internet, Not Kill It,
https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20150222/17384530109/trade-agreementsshould-protect-open-internet-not-kill-it.shtml DOA: 2-25-14
Either way, it is strongly expected that Congress will introduce some
sort of Trade Promotion Authority bill in the coming days, even as the key
Democrat involved in this issue, Senator Ron Wyden, has pushed back on
hearings planned by Senator Orrin Hatch for later this week.
CongressreturnstoWashingtonthisweekaftera10daybreaktoconfrontthedifficultbusinessofhowthe
UnitedStatesshouldwagewaragainstterroristorganizationssuchastheIslamicState.
The formal task is to write and approve an authorization for the use of
military force, or AUMF, but the broader goal is to demonstrate to the world
that there is unified, bipartisan support for U.S. military engagement against
a new, more mystifying enemy than the ones the United States faced when
Congress last approved similar resolutions, in 2001 and 2002. So far, the
only real agreement is that Congress needs to play a more forceful
role in the debate over foreign affairs. The Obama administration has
found itself caught in a position of sounding the alarm about
potential terrorist attacks as Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson
did Sunday, highlighting intelligence suggesting the possibility of attacks on
shopping malls but offering a war resolution that includes limits on
the scope of battle against the Islamic State. Critics on the right
have stepped up their campaign to refashion President Obamas
AUMF request to allow for a more expansive attack, even if it includes
U.S. troops fighting on the ground. On Sunday, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.),
one of his partys leading military hawks, said he wants the Republican party
to talk openly about the hard things, like having boots on the ground in Syria
and Iraq, American boots on the ground in the fight. Theres no doubt in my
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
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Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
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U.S. negotiators the "best leverage to move forward" in the talks and that other nations such as Japan
won't put their best ofers on the table until Congress can get it passed. Rep. Pat Tiberi (R-Ohio), the new
chairman of the panels trade subcommittee who backs quick passage of fast-track, asked witnesses what
they consider trade's top benefits. In response, Douglas Holtz-Eakin president of the American Action
Forum, said moving forward on fast-track authority now is important because it gives the United States a
chance to write global trade rules that will benefit the U.S. economy. He said opening markets will grow
jobs and help the labor market return to full employment. It means better income and better jobs, not just
more, but peoples jobs will be better as a result, he told the panel. He said the TPP and another major
trade pact dubbed the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) have the potential to create
more than 1 million U.S. jobs and boost growth by more than $200 billion. But many Democrats have
expressed frustration with the secrecy of the negotiations and are concerned that trade deals would hurt
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
20
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
21
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
22
U A2: Currency
Obama opposes including harsh currency measures PC
solves
FT, Financial Times, 2-10-15 (US Congress threatens trade deals
trade deals are at a crossroads. It would be a setback to global growth prospects if they were sabotaged by
Unlike on previous rounds, they are joined by a growing number of Republicans who object to anything that
increases Mr Obamas authority. Their motives may be diferent. The left smells a multinational rat that
would gnaw at US labour and environmental standards. The right wishes to poke Mr Obama in the eye.
The main
problem is that such a measure is unworkable. It would slap duties on imports
Combined, they are an unholy alliance capable of wrecking global trade negotiations.
from countries deemed to be manipulators, this being defined as central bank interventions aimed at
providing a currency subsidy. In practice these are hard to prove. One persons devaluation is anothers
monetary policy. It could also rebound on the US. Many, including China, objected to the US quantitative
easing programmes on precisely such grounds. The US is now complaining about the impact of the
European Central Banks QE. Both actions were launched to stimulate demand but also boosted exports.
Deciding which are manipulations is not a precise science, as the IMF has made clear. Shunting
adjudication to the World Trade Organisation would not alter that objection. The second problem is that it
would ruin any chances of a trade deal. The 13-member TPP talks are nearing conclusion. If Congress
inserted a currency clause into the final deal it would prompt Japan to abandon the process and possibly
others. The same applies to the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership talks, which are at an
earlier stage. Germanys record export growth is partly helped by the euros recent depreciation. Any
measure that punished the eurozone for its currencys downward drift would only hasten the protectionism
US lawmakers say that they are trying to stop. The dollar is currently riding high because US growth
outpaces most of its partners. If the recovery has returned fewer middle class jobs than hoped to US
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
23
regular blogger on the Huffington Post, Ph.D. from the School of International
Service (SIS) at American University, Obama faces battle over trade deals,
lexis, accessed 2-18-15)
But the White House is now facing a new challenge from several
leading Democrats who are insisting that they would approve the
TPA only if it commits the president to ensure that America's trading
partners are not engaged in so-called "currency manipulation". The
argument is that foreign governments, including future members of the TPP, pursue a strategy of
devaluing their currencies as part of an efort to assist their producers in competing with American
exporters. Indeed, several Democratic senators, joined by a few Republicans, have already introduced a
bill that would give the US government the power to determine whether other countries are manipulating
their currencies, and are demanding that the White House ensure that future trade deals include provisions
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
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Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
25
giants, major clothing companies and big agricultural groups who are trying to influence the outcome of
the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations, a proposed agreement stretching from Chile to Japan that would
encompass 40 percent of global gross domestic product and about a third of world trade. Theres
a
real air of seriousness about concluding these talks and getting to
the finish line, and everything I saw here this week reaffirms that
the U.S. government is firmly committed to trying to get this done in
the 30 to 60 days or whatever the time period is, said Augustine Tantillo,
president of the National Council of Textile Organizations, which lobbies on behalf of the U.S. textile
industry. Tantillo and other lobbyists and interest groups were busy meeting with officials from Vietnam,
New Zealand and the 10 other countries in the talks, which are taking place at the Sheraton New York
Times Square Hotel. Trade officials could be spotted holding court at large circular tables as lobbyists and
advocates pitched their positions on everything from apparel rules to access to medicines. Dozens of
lobbyists and industry group leaders descended on the hotel this week to roam the halls in an attempt to
push negotiators toward their positions on controversial areas like drug patents and agricultural
trade
officials are taking notice of the new atmosphere in Washington.
Obama is, for the first time, publicly calling for t rade p romotion a uthority
legislation that will ease the passage of the agreement in Congress.
This is throwing talks into a higher gear as we enter the home
protections, which are still unresolved after nearly five years of negotiations. At the same time,
stretch , said Trevor Kincaid, a spokesman for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. While
Congress and the administration are preparing for the end game, so
are the teams. We are making good progress in a number of areas and teams are checking
remaining issues of the list, Kincaid added. Pressure to complete a deal is growing .
At some point next month, lawmakers are preparing to introduce the
trade promotion bill, which has been buoyed by the GOP takeover of
Congress last November that put Senate Republicans only a handful
of votes away from a filibuster-proof majority of support for trade
and widened the margin of trade-friendly Republicans in the House .
The fast-track bill , as the legislation is also known, would expedite the passage of the AsiaPacific deal in Congress by putting it to an up-or-down vote, limiting debate and preventing lawmakers
magical ingredient that will catalyze the talks, moving them into the
endgame. Weve seen a great level of optimism by the United States
since the midterm elections, and U.S. industry stakeholders have
been promoting a highly positive spin about TPA, said Yves Leduc, director of
international trade for the Dairy Farmers of Canada. I think there is recognition that
2015 is the window in which they are working, he said. With the
legislation imminent, the uncertain deadlines that have plagued the
talks are giving way to a more concrete timeline for getting a deal
done in the coming months. Trade ministers could meet as soon as
March, when they would try to reach an agreement in principle
representing what a final deal will look like, sources close to the
negotiations said here this week. The shortened timeline is forcing
action at the negotiating table, prompting the country officials and
interest groups to tip their hands on their true bottom lines. Whatever
the negotiators decide to include in the trade deal could have a ripple efect on entire industries, with the
potential to ofshore more U.S. textile jobs and impact the financial feasibility of drug research and
development, to name two possibilities.
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
26
the TPP is
also already being derided by many inside President Barack Obamas
Democratic party and by the unions it has long relied on for its base .
At a time when Mr Obama is putting a new middle class economics
and the fight against inequality at the centre of his agenda, his push
for new trade agreements causes many on his side of politics to
squirm. Such are the politics of trade in the US. The consensus among many
Democrats with regard to trade agreements and globalisation is that
they have not been kind to the middle class, having contributed to high-paying
world and the digital economy. It will leave rivals in Beijing and Brussels salivating. Yet
manufacturing jobs being shipped ofshore and wages stagnating. Economists such as Joseph Stiglitz and
House] to demonstrate that this is good for American pay cheques, she said last week. But, sitting before
the brick hearth in his office, spitting distance from the White House, Mr
Froman is resolute.
Were doing this to protect American jobs and American workers, he tells the Financial Times in an
interview. The TPP is, he argues, a way to open up more markets for US goods and services in fast-growing
Asia and to create high-paying jobs at home. It is also a way to level the playing field for American workers
by including stronger labour and environmental standards that will be enforceable via trade sanctions.
And, with both Canada and Mexico included, to deliver on President Obamas long-ago campaign promise
to renegotiate Nafta, something the progressive wing of the Democratic party has long sought. There are
a lot of people who raise very legitimate concerns about the impact of globalisation on patterns of
production, on jobs, on wages. But I think its also important not to conflate globalisation with trade
agreements, Mr Froman says. Globalisation is a force. It exists. The question is whether we can use trade
agreements to shape it, or whether we want to just sit and be shaped by it. The US, he argues, needs to
be at the forefront of setting the global rules of commerce. Countries like China are engaged in their own
rival bids to create regional blocs that exclude the US and do not include the sort of rules the US is
pursuing on labour, intellectual property or the internet. Ceding ground to such rivals has got to be worse
Negotiators from
the US, Japan and the 10 other countries in the TPP are now involved
in almost constant discussions. Chief negotiators meeting in New
York last week continued to make progress on important issues.
Teams from the US and Japan will be in Washington again this week
working on their own bilateral deal focused on agricultural and auto
products. Obstacles clearly remain and negotiations remain tough. But a TPP
deal is a small number of months away, Mr Froman forecast during
a Senate hearing last week. The US has told its partners within the
TPP that it wants to complete negotiations before the summer so
for American workers and the American middle class than even the status quo.
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IL PC Key
Obamas personal involvement is key to TPA empirics
prove
Kennedy, leads George Washington University's Graduate School of
Political Management and Chairman of the Economic Club of Minnesota, 114-15 (Mark, served three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives and
can provide the economic boost necessary to ofset the economic headwinds we still face. In last years
SOTU address, President Obama devoted a paragraph to trade that was more descriptive than persuasive.
The president should devote more than a paragraph to trade in this years SOTU and he needs to be
issue for the campaign of 1888, he retorted, What is the use of being elected or re-elected unless you
stand for something? He did lose in 1888, but came back four years later. Woodrow
Wilson called
a special session in 1913, addressing Congress personally for the first time since President John
Adams, to consider tariff reform. The Underwood-Simmons Act achieved the most significant
reductions in rates since the Civil War. Franklin D. Roosevelt secured passage of the
predecessor of TPA in 1934 and concluded 19 trade agreements. Harry Truman led the
effort to launch the General Agreement on Trade (GATT) in 1947, the predecessor of todays
WTO, fighting opposition by a Republican Congress. He approved the first three rounds of global trade
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
agreements under GATT, substantially reducing trade barriers. John F.
Economic isolation and political leadership are wholly incompatible
29
Kennedy in 1962, asserting,
approved the GATT
Dillon Round that President Jimmy Carter described as one of the most highly publicized and wellknown achievements of the Kennedy administration. The GATTs subsequent Kennedy Round was named
in his honor. Lyndon Johnson affirmed during his 1964 inaugural address, For our ultimate goal is a world
in which all men, goods, and ideas can freely move across every border and every boundary. We must
expand world trade. We are willing to give our trading partners competitive access to our market, asking
only that they do the same for us. The GATTs Kennedy Round was approved during his administration.
Jimmy Carter signed in 1979 the agreement implementing the GATT Tokyo Round that he described as
perhaps the most important and far-reaching piece of trade legislation in the history of the United States.
Bill Clinton signed the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1993. He made it a make-or-break issue
for his presidency and rounded up former presidents, secretaries of state and even former chairmen of
the Joint Chiefs of Staf to support the agreement. The GATT Uruguay Round of global trade negotiations
was approved during his tenure and the GATT was reenergized as the WTO. The Obama administration has
passed three bi-lateral trade agreements that were negotiated by the administration of President George
W. Bush. Completing TPA, TPP, TTIP, and the Doha Round (or some combination of them) would give
Obama major trade accomplishments that he could truly own .
PC is key to TPA
Inside U.S. Trade, 8-2-13 (Obama Asks For Fast-Track Authority,
Froman Defers To Congress On Bill, lexis, accessed 9-9-13, CMM)
A Senate Republican aide largely endorsed Froman's vision of having
Congress take the lead on drafting a TPA bill, while arguing that the
administration needs to expend political capital to deliver
Democratic votes. According to the aide, Senate Democrats have to
provide a certain number of votes for such a bill and that requires
the administration to weigh in. "Regardless of [Republicans']
persuasive ability, I don't know that we're going to be able to bring
those folks on board," he said. Senate Finance Committee Ranking
Member Orrin Hatch (R-UT) made the same argument in a July 30
speech at a trade event hosted by the American Enterprise Institute. He
said his efforts to renew TPA in 2011 failed largely due to a lack of
Democratic support. "To me, that shows that the administration must
actively engage within the Democratic caucus if we have any
chance of seeing TPA succeed ," he said. Without the president's
"active engagement and support," a fast-track bill cannot succeed ,
he said.
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everyone is convinced of the merits of open markets. And to win their hearts
and minds, we have to demonstrate and communicate how these two values
open markets and the open Internet - are interconnected. And we have to
show that Trade Promotion Authority and our agreements embrace the values
that underpin the Internet today. As Ambassador Froman has said, Trade,
done right, is part of the solution, not part of the problem. And, because it is
true, our progressive friends should recognize that the fight for open markets
is the position most consistent with our progressive tradition and values.
It was Woodrow Wilson who said, The program of the world's peace,
therefore, is our program; and that program, the only possible program, as
we see it, is this and he listed his fourteen points. Among them was number
three: The removal, so far as possible, of all economic barriers and the
establishment of an equality of trade conditions among all the nations
consenting to the peace and associating themselves for its maintenance.
It was Franklin Roosevelt who asked the New Deal Congress for the first grant
of trade negotiating authority.
In his remarks at the signing of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, it was JFK
who said, Increased economic activity resulting from increased trade will
provide more job opportunities for our workers. Our industry, our agriculture,
our mining will benefit from increased export opportunities as other nations
agree to lower their tarifs. Increased exports and imports will benefit our
ports, steamship lines, and airlines as they handle an increased amount of
trade. Lowering of our tarifs will provide an increased flow of goods for our
American consumers. Our industries will be stimulated by increased export
opportunities and by freer competition with the industries of other nations for
an even greater efort to develop an efficient, economic, and productive
system. The results can bring a dynamic new era of growth.
And it is consistent with the sentiments of these giants in our tradition, our
progressive tradition, that President Obama most recently stated, Twentyfirst century businesses, including small businesses, need to sell more
American products overseas. Today, our businesses export more than ever,
and exporters tend to pay their workers higher wages. But as we speak,
China wants to write the rules for the worlds fastest-growing region. That
would put our workers and our businesses at a disadvantage. Why would we
let that happen? We should write those rules. We should level the playing
field. Thats why Im asking both parties to give me trade promotion authority
to protect American workers, with strong new trade deals from Asia to Europe
that arent just free, but are also fair. Its the right thing to do.
Friends, we have both a political and economic interest in promoting open
markets and an open Internet. Preservation of these ideals is and should
remain a bipartisan, and broadly held goal. It is critical to our future and
contained within the language we are asking Congress to approve.
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February 24 Politics
33
Impact Russia
TPA is key to deter Russia and China
Brown, dean of the Elliott School of International Afairs at the George
Washington University, and Oudraat, president of Women In International
Security, 2-6-15 (Michael and Chantal de Jonge, Trade, power and
opportunity, http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkeycage/wp/2015/02/06/trade-partnerships-are-an-opportunity-not-to-bemissed/, accessed 2-6-15, CMM)
In his State of the Union address on Jan. 20, President Obama asked Congress to give
him trade promotion authority for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations
with 11 countries in the Asia-Pacific and the Americas as well as the Transatlantic Trade and Investment
Partnership (TTIP) talks with the 28 members of the European Union. This authority would
allow the president to submit trade agreements to Congress for upor-down votes, which would improve the chances for success. It was
wise for Obama to make this a prominent presidential priority. The
countries participating in the TPP and TTIP talks account for
approximately half of global trade and two-thirds of the global
economy. If implemented, the TPP would add an estimated $224 billion and
TTIP could add another $133 billion to the global economy annually
an overall boost of more than 0.3 percent in global GDP. These
agreements would also generate substantial balance of power and
strategic benefits. These non-economic benefits cant be quantified, so they havent received
much attention in policy discussions, but they are tremendously important. First, Russian
aggression is an unpleasant balance of power problem that is
unlikely to go away any time soon. TTIP isnt a panacea, but it would
strengthen the Wests balance of power position. It would help
European economies grow, provide more opportunities for European
companies to turn from Russia to the United States and enhance the
prospects for further trans-Atlantic economic policy coordination.
The United States and its European allies need to prepare for more
rounds of economic sanctions against Russia in the near term, and
they have to build a stronger, more united economic front for the
long haul. Second, turning to the Pacific, the rise of China is the great balance
of power challenge of our time. The TPP isnt a Pacific panacea, but it is an
important part of the equation. It would reinforce the United States
position in the region and provide strategic reassurance to the many
Asia-Pacific countries that worry about Chinas rise that is, everyone except
North Korea. It would be a new, strong multilateral accord in a region
that very much needs more multilateral frameworks. These would be
stability-enhancing developments. Third, TPP and TTIP pacts would
strengthen Obamas personal credibility and the United States
international leadership position. Obamas failure to enforce his red line on the use of
chemical weapons by the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has done real damage to his
Stefan Bauschard
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34
own Democratic party. The Republican majorities in both houses of Congress have pro-trade inclinations
that, hopefully, will lead to approval of trade promotion authority. But in 2016, electoral politics will take
over in the United States and the prospects for trade deals will dim. Americans tend to be preoccupied with
U.S. politics, but domestic politics in other key countries are also well-aligned for trade deals in 2015. In
Japan, Shinzo Abe won re-election as prime minister in December 2014. This is the best position he is likely
to have to stand up to Japans domestic agricultural interests and conclude a trade agreement. In
Germany, Angela Merkel won reelection as chancellor in September 2013. As a popular leader of the
country with Europes largest economy, she is well-positioned to lead the way toward a TTIP agreement.
TPP and TTIP agreements would give Japan and Europe, respectively,
much-needed economic boosts. It is important for leaders on both
sides of the Pacific and the Atlantic to seize this moment. The
politics are as well-aligned as they can be for success in 2015, but
this fortuitous confluence wont last.
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February 24 Politics
35
patrol vessels to the Senkaku Islands, claimed by both Japan and China, and the Scarborough Shoals,
disputed territory with the Philippines.
provoking the ire of a resurgent China , which sees itself as the logical lead power in
Asia. This so-called pivot to Asia has been in motion since the first days of the Obama administration, said
John Ciorciari of the University of Michigan's Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. "President
Obama ... sees this as a foreign policy legacy for his administration.
It speaks to the big role that the U.S. sees for itself in Asia, which is
to be there for the long term." Dean Cheng, a research fellow at the Heritage Foundation's
Asia Studies Center, says Asia is important because it could easily become a
region of major instability. "You have multiple nuclear powers:
China, Russia, North Korea," he says. "So, with any outbreak of
hostilities, given the economic importance of the region, it will inevitably affect the
American economy and the global economy." How does Southeast Asia fit into
the grand strategy? "Throughout the region, you have small countries that have
relatively robust ties to China, but as small powers, they don't want
to be too beholden to their great neighbor to the north," Ciorciari says.
"The president's trip, I think, is a very conscious attempt to take
advantage of that opportunity to build its relationships."
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Impact Asia
TPP determines Asia stability
Mireya Solis, Brookings Institute/ 4/16/14, Reassurance at the Heart of the
Obama-Abe Summit , www.brookings.edu/blogs/up-front/posts/2014/04/16japan-obama-abe-summit-solis
The upcoming summit meeting between President Obama and Prime Minister
Abe offers a good opportunity to inject a healthy dose of
reassurance to allay two fundamental concerns that worry not only the United States
and Japan but also many other countries in the region: 1) the ability of the United
States to successfully execute its policy of rebalancing towards Asia, and 2)
Japans ability to stay the course on a pragmatic foreign policy that
avoids forays into historical revisionism and attaches the utmost priority to the task
of economic revitalization through ambitious structural reforms. These are no small feats and there are
limits to what a leaders summit can achieve, but the best way to get there is through actual deliverables.
The economic agendain particular the bilateral market access talks in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)
An
agreement in principle in the trade negotiations would boost confidence in the
American commitment to remain a Pacific power and the Japanese
resolve to tackle the sources of its economic stagnation and remain
an influential actor in international affairs. There are of course other areas of
is the obvious candidate for both governments to aim for for a significant breakthrough.
promising bilateral cooperation, such as the drafting of new guidelines for defense cooperation, but these
U.S.-Japan relationsnot only because of the unprecedented ambition in the economic sphere
(across the board tarif reductions, tackling of non-tarif barriers, and drafting new rules of trade and
when it figures so prominently in the final outcome of a bilateral summit meeting with important
ramifications for core priorities in each countrys foreign policy: the American rebalance and Japans
economic rebirth. This coming Obama-Abe meeting is a fresh and eloquent reminder of the growing
importance of geo-economics in world afairs. Trade as the politics of credibility The Trans-Pacific
Partnership is an integral pillar of the rebalance because it ofers a richer strategy of U.S. engagement with
the region, one that captures the deep and multi-dimensional ties in U.S.-Asia relations. The TPP
guarantees that the American rebalance will not be perceived as a narrowly defined shift in military
The bet is that China, working of its own volition and setting its own pace, will find the TPP a useful lever to
accomplish the set of ambitious economic reforms that it admits are essential to re-launch its development
model. Critics of the rebalance toward Asia point to the lack of military resources (both because of the
need to address pressing crises in other regions of the world and because of the budgetary cuts imposed
through the sequester) and the weakening efect of polarized domestic politics (for example, the
government shutdown that prevented President Obama from attending the APEC summit last October) as
They
even
to enforce its own red lines in Syria or prevent further Russian encroachments in Ukraine. Hence,
two essential tasks in rescuing the Asian rebalance. Prime Minister Abe received high marks at home and
abroad when he emphasized economic revitalization as the central priority of his administration and hinted
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
37
at a pragmatic approach to foreign policy. However, his visit to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine last
December and hints about possibly revising the Kono statement (which ofered remorse for the plight of
comfort women) caused concern for alliance managers on both sides of the Pacific. More recent
statements from the Abe administration that the war apologies will stay in place are certainly a positive
development, although the task of historical reconciliation is still a long way of. However, the Abe
government should also redouble eforts in displaying its resolve to tackle the politically painful structural
reforms that will determine the ultimate success of the economic revitalization strategypopularly known
as Abenomics. For Japan to be back success in the economic front is the first priority. But when Japan
doggedly plays defense in agricultural liberalization, it undermines confidence in its ability to carry out
bold reforms. In order to grasp the importance of the TPP in the bilateral and regional agenda, we must
also avoid overselling it. The TPP will do nothing to boost the credibility of Americas military deterrence in
the region, will not help in healing the wounds of history, and will not be the main driver in many of the
structural reforms that Japan needs to implement (for instance, in the labor market and health care). But it
understanding on tarif liberalization would be a significant deliverable for this summit meeting and would
also help reenergize the broader TPP talks. American and Japanese trade negotiators have engaged in
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
38
development disparities within ASEAN. The U.S. should use economic initiatives such as the U.S.-ASEAN
Enhanced Economic Engagement (E3) program announced last fall, as well as the Lower Mekong Initiative,
to build economic capacity in countries like Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam. Bringing these
countries closer to the standards set by more advanced ASEAN economies such as Singapore and
Indonesia will help ASEAN stay on track to hit its goal of instituting an ASEAN Economic Community by
2015. Achieving that pledge will allow ASEAN to preserve a relatively cohesive voice on regional issues and
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
39
new financing platform for export-driven U.S. small and mid-size companies,
and Nextrade Group, LLC, a consulting firm on leading-edge issues in world
trade, chair a 25-member global expert commission on regional trade
agreements for the E15 Initiative of the International Center for Trade and
Sustainable Development and the World Economic Forum, and ideated the
RTA Exchange, a new clearing house on regional trade agreements that is
sponsored by the Inter-American Development Bank, Asian Development
Bank, and ICTSD, and that Nextrade Group is building to a Beta version by
mid-2014, Will Globalization Be Obamas Greatest Foreign Policy Legacy?,
https://katisuominen.wordpress.com/2014/12/29/will-globalization-beobamas-greatest-foreign-policy-legacy/, accessed 1-13-15)
Battered by crises and maligned by critics, globalization is regaining
momentum. And this is good news for Americas global leadership .
Negotiations for an ambitious Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal involving
a dozen countries from Asia and the Americas are quietly nearing
the finishing line. Another historic agreement, the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment
Partnership (TTIP) between the United States and the European Union,
also shows signs of becoming a reality. Not long ago, the idea that two landmark
U.S.-centered trade deals could be the pillars of President Obamas foreign policy legacy would have
seemed laughable. As a presidential candidate in 2008, Obama was a trade skeptic, painting deals like
NAFTA as job-killers, which played well with unions weary of import surges from China. Once in office,
however, Obama warmed to trade expansion as presidents tend to do, given the dependence of the
American economy and jobs on exports and global supply chains. In 2010, Obama issued a call to double
U.S. exports, with trade deals forming part of the packageonly now they were described as partnerships
that would open new markets to American businesses big and small, rather than free trade agreements
As an economist
who has for years worked to advance free trade in both the public
and private sector, I could not be more elated by the prospect that
these major deals now look achievable. For more than a decade,
ambitious global efforts to liberalize cross-border trade and
investment had stalled. The promise of the Uruguay Round of
negotiations, which in 1994 produced the crown jewel of the global
trading system, the World Trade Organization, appeared to have been lost.
The Doha Roundthe multilateral talks that were supposed to expand on the Uruguay Rounds
gainshave been going on for 13 years, with few tangible results because
associated, even if falsely, in the publics mind with ofshoring and job losses.
of disagreements between emerging markets such as Brazil and India (who resist opening their markets to
foreign manufactured products and services) and the U.S. and Europe, which are reluctant to free their
United States and Singapore, to name a few. Such deals are easier to get done than a universal WTO deal.
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
40
state-owned enterprises. But for globalizing companies, they also create tremendous new
complexitya patchwork of rules and standards that difer from one market to the next. The two
trans-oceanic pacts that would link us to Asia and Europe, though,
would resurrect the momentum for a more comprehensive global
agreement. They would also deliver considerable economic benefits.
will boost U.S. annual gains by $77 billion, and
Japans by $104 billion. The TTIP deal, by integrating markets in the U.S. and the EU, would
generate $130 billion annually in economic gains for the U nited States,
The Trans-Pacific deal (TPP)
and $162 billion for Europe. As such, it is estimated that TTIP will boost U.S. household incomes by $865
annually and create 750,000 new U.S. jobs, while TPP would generate about $1,230 per household by
2025a great boost without a dime of deficit spending, and a strong bonus on top of the $10,000 annual
These trade
deals, by locking in deeper access for American interests in overseas
markets, could give U.S. companies the confidence needed to unlock
their considerable cash holdings and invest in the production of
more export goods and the hiring of more U.S. workers. While big business
income gains American households havealready scored due to post-war trade opening.
spearheads the trade lobby, Main Street small businesses stand to gain from greater access to foreign
These new
trans-oceanic deals, if achieved, would also make it costlier for nations
who have opposed lowering barriers to stay their obstructionist
course. The most cantankerous player in the global trading system, India, risks being left out. Ever
markets and the harmonizing of product standards and regulations across borders.
pragmatic, China has become interested in joining TPP, in part as a means of counteracting the countrys
economic slowdown and driving reforms of inefficient state-owned enterprises. In our hemisphere, Brazil
has not been interested in joining trade agreements, seeking leadership instead of its own dysfunctional
Mercosur alternative. Its strategy stands in stark contrast to that of Mexico, which has forged free trade
deals with partners covering some 90 percent of its trade, such as North America, the EU, and Japan. As a
result, Mexico has emerged as a global manufacturing hub and anchor of Latin Americas Pacific Alliance
bloc, which includes the more market-oriented nations of Colombia, Peru, and Chile. Brazils industrial
lobbies, once champions of protectionist policies, now worry about the efect of high tarifs and about
being left out of global supply chains, and have broken with the government to call for a reset of the
nations trade policy With the Ukraine crisis, the Israeli-Palestine imbroglio, and our messy departure from
Iraq and Afghanistan all stunting Obamas foreign policy achievements, the once stalemated issue of trade
expansion now looks far more doable and desirable on the Obama administrations menu of possible
economic growth and job creation, countries are aggressively trying to build competitive advantage in the
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41
only harms the United States, but also limits global clean energy
innovation. Green mercantilist policies are no diferent than mercantilism in other high-wage,
innovation-based traded sectors and include the use of unfair trade practices like import tarifs, forced
technology transfer, IP theft, currency manipulation, export dumping, unfair subsidies and barriers to
foreign investment. To name a few examples: South Korea requires all solar panels to be certified before
being sold, yet its standard efectively excludes thin-film solar PV designs largely exported by the United
States, shutting those products out of the market. China has made forced technology transfer a
prerequisite for foreign firms to gain market access in its "New Energy Vehicles" strategy to create a
domestic electric vehicle industry. Ukraine, Italy, India, Ontario, China and Brazil all utilize domestic
content requirements to provide preferential treatment to domestic firms and discriminate against foreign
example, look no further than the United States. After innovating the lion's share of energy technologies
during the last century, the United States has witnessed most of these industries move and grow abroad.
Most recently, U.S. first-generation solar PV export market share fell from 30% to 7% in under a decade
while China's grew from 2% to 55%. This shift to China occurred not because of technological merit, but
lead to another Google or Envia Systems if the odds are high that a green mercantilist country will steal
The
answer to all of these questions in a clean energy industry
increasingly dominated by green mercantilism is they shouldn't or
wouldn't. Many U.S. clean energy advocates contend there is no problem with green mercantilism
the trade secrets or the innovation will be produced overseas because of unfair trade policies?
since it simply brings down the cost of new products. Any response, like tarifs, would simply raise prices
and hurt an industry making rapid gains. In other words, addressing green mercantilism is akin to ending a
innovation is
vital to the long-term growth of the industry. Green mercantilism
requires aggressive action by countries that implement "good"
innovation policies. In the short-term this means aggressively
prosecuting mercantilist policies and using tarifs if necessary. The recent rulings by the
U.S. clean energy tax credit or cash grant program. But they are wrong because
Department of Commerce to place tarifs on Chinese solar and wind tower imports is a positive first step in
leveling the playing field and combating green mercantilism. The United States should continue these
actions and Congress should boost financial support for USTR to enforce free-trade not only in the clean
energy industry, but all high-value traded industries as well.
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
42
Policymakers and
advocates face a fundamental choice: cheaper existing clean energy
that is reliant on government subsidies or cheaper next-generation
clean energy that is competitive on their own through innovation.
Green mercantilism not only continues the former but makes the
latter much more difficult, negatively impacting the growth of the
clean economy as well as the global community's ability to address
climate change.
intensity targets as an alternative to international carbon caps.
energy efficient. The increased income made possible through trade opening can lead to greater demand
for better environmental quality and thus to reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Related to this, trade (or
trade opening) encourages the spread from one country to another of technological innovations that are
beneficial in mitigating climate change. Furthermore, allowing international markets to remain open could
help countries adapt to supply disruptions that may be triggered by climate change, such as a shortage in
(Grossman and Helpman, 1991). International technology difusion is important because of the highly
skewed distribution of spending on research and development (R&D) around the world. Coe, Helpman and
Hofmaister (1997) estimate that 96 per cent of global expenditure on R&D is undertaken by only a handful
of industrialized countries. The distribution of expenditure on R&D is even more skewed than the
distribution of world income. Keller (2004) notes that the G-7 countries (the worlds leading industrialized
countries) accounted for 84 per cent of global spending on R&D in 1995, but represented only 64 per cent
of global gross domestic product (GDP). Since Solow (1956), economists have understood the importance
The greater a
countrys exposure to the international economy, the more it gains
from R&D activities in other countries (Helpman, 1997). This suggests a similar role
of technological change in raising productivity and underpinning economic growth.
for trade in difusing technologies that mitigate climate change. The available information indicates that 90
per cent of what is termed the environmental goods and services industry is located in member countries
of the OECD. 38 Since many OECD countries were among the first to adopt climate change mitigation
measures, the already lopsided distribution of technological now-how may become more distorted as the
adoption of mitigation measures leads to further innovation in environmental technologies in OECD
countries. Porter and van der Linde (1995) have argued that
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
43
1997). As explained in Section I.B.4(a), one channel is through the importation of innovations embodied in
both intermediate goods (i.e. manufactured or processed goods which are used in further production
processes) and capital goods (e.g. machinery or equipment used in the production of other goods and
services) which a country could not have produced on its own. A second channel is through the transfer of
knowledge about new production methods and design from developed countries. h ird, international trade
can increase the available opportunities for adapting foreign technologies to meet local conditions. Lastly,
perspective of the United States. International trade is often viewed through the relatively narrow prism of
which they can be addressed. It examines whether the focus on "mega-regional" trade agreements comes
at the expense of broader liberalization or acts as a catalyst to develop higher standards than might
otherwise be possible. It concludes with policy recommendations for action by governments, legislators
and stakeholders to address concerns that have been raised and create greater domestic support. It is fair
to ask whether we should be concerned about the future of international trade policy when dire developments are threatening the security interests of the United States and its partners in the Middle East, Asia,
recovery and the surge in support for extremist parties have left people fearful of increasing violence
against immigrants and minority groups and skeptical of further integration. It is tempting to focus solely
on these pressing problems and defer less urgent issuessuch as forging new dis- ciplines for international
trade to another day, especially when such issues pose challenges of their own. But that would be a
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
44
on the verge of starvation. The United States led eforts to rebuild Europe and to repair Japan's economy. A
key element of the Marshall Plan, which established the foundation for unprecedented growth and the level
of European integration that exists today, was to revive trade by reducing tarifs.1 Russia, and the eastern
part of Europe that it controlled, refused to participate or receive such assistance. De- cades later, as the
Cold War ended, the United States and Western Europe sought to make up for lost time by providing
significant technical and financial assistance to help integrate central and eastern European countries with
the rest of Europe and the global economy. "There have been subsequent calls for a "Marshall Plan" for
other parts of the world,' although the confluence of dedicated resources, coordinated support and existing
observed the close connection between increasing prosperity and bolstering stability. During his time in
Africa he had seen that "security
was better governance, increased respect for human rights and lower levels of conflict. During his
confirmation hearing last year, Secretary John Kerry stressed the link between economic and national
security in the context of the competitiveness of the United States but the point also has broader
application. Our nation cannot be strong abroad, he argued, if it is not strong at home, including by putting
its own fiscal house in order. He assertedrightly sothat " more
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
45
Impact US Economy
TPA will generate more than $100 billion for the US
economy
Sutnik News, February 2015, Trans-Pacific Partnership to Increase Exports by
$123 Billion US Rep,
http://sputniknews.com/us/20150224/1018658569.html#ixzz3SheX83hj DOA:
2-25-15
WASHINGTON(Sputnik)TheTransPacificPartnership(TPP)agreementwillhelptheUnitedStates
growitsexportsbymorethan$123billionby2025andprovideAmericanworkerswithgreaternumber
ofhighearningopportunities,USTradeRepresentativeMichaelFromansaid.
IntheAsiaPacific,ourmaintoolforlevelingtheplayingfieldforAmericanworkersandbusinessesis
calledtheTransPacificPartnership,orTPP,FromansaidattheNationalAssociationofCounties
LegislativeConferenceinWashington,DConMonday.Itwillgrowourexportsbymorethan$123
billionby2025,accordingtooneestimate,andsupportmanymorehighpayingjobs.
Froman explained the TPP agreement is the most ambitious trade agenda
in American history because it aims to increase US economic investment
in 11 Asian countries that cover nearly 40 percent of the global economy.
TheTPPwillboostUSeconomicgrowth,supportAmericanjobs,andgrowUSexports,accordingtothe
OfficeoftheUSTradeRepresentative.
Thefirststeptowardrealizingthosegainsistosecurebipartisantradepromotionauthority.Itstimetoget
itdone,Fromansaid.
TheTPPtreatystartedastheTransPacificStrategicPartnershipAgreementin2005,andcurrentlyunites
12countriesoftheAsiaPacificregion,includingAustralia,Japan,MexicoandCanada.
TheTPPagreementoriginatedwithinPresidentObama's2011PacificPivotstrategy.Atthetime,Obama
outlinedtheneedforclosersecurityrelationshipsintheregion,aswellasestablishingeconomicties
withAsiaPacificpartners.
Read more:
Read more:
http://sputniknews.com/us/20150224/1018658569.html#ixzz3ShePofHz
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
46
AUMF Neg
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
47
AUMF U
AUMF will pass
John Bennet, 2-24-15, Defense News, Optimism on AUMF Ahead of Kerry
Testimony, http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/policybudget/congress/2015/02/24/aumf-islamic-state-senate/23933701/ DOA: 224-25
WASHINGTONUSlawmakersareexpectedtoquestionSecretaryofStateJohnKerryTuesday
abouttheIslamicStatefight,thefirststepinacomplicatedprocessthatkeymembersbelievewill
resultinanewauthorizationfortheuseofmilitaryforce(AUMF).KerrywilltestifybeforetheSenate
ForeignRelationsCommitteeat2:30p.m.EST.WhenKerrylastappearedbeforethepanelaboutan
AUMFtailoredfortheIslamicStateconflict,amajorriftamongsenatorsdevelopedoverlanguageabout
USgroundforces.OneonsidewereKerryandRepublicans,arguingagainstpassingameasurethatmight
leavethecommanderinchiefandmilitarybrasshamstrunginfightingtheviolentSunnigroup.Onthe
otherwereDemocrats,concernedalackofsuchlimitsmightleadtoanotherlargescaleUSgroundwarin
theMiddleEast.EvenaslawmakerspassionatelymaketheircasesatTuesday'shearing,thosethatwill
spearheadtheefforttopassAmerica'sfirstnewwarauthorizationmeasurein13yearssaytheyare
optimisticaboutpassingamajorpieceoflegislation,somethingtheSenatehasstruggledwithinthe
Obamaera.IthinkaslongastheWhiteHouseiswillingtotakeintoconsiderationtheconcernsof
members,there'sawaytogetthere,"SenateForeignRelationsCommitteeRankingMemberBob
Menendez,DN.J.,saidduringarecentinterview."Butit'sgoingtotakesomework,"hetold
CongressWatch."Andit's,youknow,admittedlyatoughjobtostrikeabalancethatgetsyouthebroad
bipartisansupport.ButIthinkit'spossible."
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
48
TPA Aff
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
49
Aff
PC on retirement security plan
Zach Carter, 2-24-15, Huffington Post, How Democrats Strangled the ObamaWarren Retirement Security Plan in the Cradle,
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/24/democrats-obama-retirementsecurity-plan_n_6740068.html DOA: 2-24-15
PresidentBarackObamaunveiledasignificantretirementsecurityproposalwithSen.Elizabeth
Warren(DMass.)onMonday,announcingplanstobolsterretirementaccountsbycurbingconflictsofinterestonWallStreet.TheadministrationsaysAmericans
loseacombined$17billioneachyearthroughhiddenfeesandconflictedinvestmentadvice.Investmentspecialistsfrequentlysteerinvestorsintofinancialproductsthatmaximize
benefitstotheadvisersortheircompanies,insteadoftheirclients.Tocurbthis,Obamaplanstoimposeanew"fiduciaryduty"onretirementaccountmanagers,requiringthemto
actinthebestinterestsofinvestors."It'saverysimpleprinciple,"ObamasaidMonday."Youwanttogivefinancialadvice,youvegottoputyourclientsinterestsfirst.""It's
about time to do something we should have done long ago -- to end the kickbacks, the free vacations, the fancy cars and the other incentives
to sell bad products to unsuspecting customers," Warren added. Wall Street lobbyists, of course, have opposed such a move for years. But
some of the most ardent foes of the pending rule have actually been Obama's fellow Democrats. The administration first proposed its fiduciary
duty rule in 2010, but set it aside after a lobbying blitz from the financial sector. Over the next few years, many Democrats lined up to urge the
administration to rethink or delay the low-profile rule, pressure that assisted bank lobbyists' eforts to eliminate it altogether. In June 2013,
dozens of House Democrats, including some of the most progressive members of Congress, signed of on a letter penned by financial industry
lobbyist Robert Lewis claiming that the rule would prevent financial firms from ofering investment advice to low-income investors and people
of color. The letter never laid out why its signatories believed banning financial experts from ripping of their own clients would end up hurting
low-income people. "It doesn't," said Barbara Roper, director of investor protection for the Consumer Federation of America. "It just doesn't.
But it's a much more compelling argument for Wall Street to make than saying, 'We're making a boatload of money of of these people and we
want to keep that going.'" HufPost reached out to several of the Democrats included on the letter, including Reps. Karen Bass (Calif.), Sanford
Bishop (Ga.), Corrine Brown (Fla.), Yvette Clarke (N.Y.), William Lacy Clay (Mo.), Emanuel Cleaver (Mo.), James Clyburn (S.C.), Elijah Cummings
(Md.), Danny Davis (Ill.), Marcia Fudge (Ohio), Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii), Hakeem Jefries (N.Y.), Hank Johnson (Ga.), Barbara Lee (Calif.), Gregory
Meeks (N.Y.), Cedric Richmond (La.), David Scott (Ga.), Terri Sewell (Ala.), Maxine Waters (Calif.) and Frederica Wilson (Fla.). All declined to
comment for this article. Sources close to the debate told HufPost that lawmakers had been concerned the Department of Labor rule would
ban all commissions -- payments to investment professionals based on sales volumes for financial products. Lawmakers worried that
eliminating all such fees would discourage brokers from serving low-income clients with small account balances. The United Kingdom bans
commissions for investment advisers on conflict-of-interest grounds. The letter does not explicitly mention commissions, and consumer
protection advocates are understandably concerned about brokers taking commissions to steer their clients into bad investments. In August
2013, Senate Democrats weighed in, with 10 lawmakers urging the Department of Labor to delay its rule, suggesting that it might conflict with
a proposal from the Securities and Exchange Commission. A coalition of consumer groups, including CFA, Americans for Financial Reform and
Public Citizen, quickly sent a letter of their own, calling the claims unfounded. "The original proposal included no conflict with the federal
securities laws," the letter reads. "Nor has any spokesperson for the Department made any statement that even suggests any such
conflict.Three of those senators were unseated in the November 2014 elections. Of those still in Congress, Democratic Sens. Tom Carper
(Del.), Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.), Amy Klobuchar (Minn.) and Mark Warner (Va.) all declined to comment for this article. "If the Administrations
draft rule isnt harmonized with the SEC, it could reduce investment options for middle-class families and deny main street investors the
opportunity to responsibly prepare for retirement," Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) told HufPost in a written statement. "Working folks and their
families should be able to get sound financial advice to help them achieve a secure retirement, and thats what Senator McCaskill will be
looking for in any proposed rule," said Sarah Feldman, a spokeswoman for Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.). "Senator Cardin has spoken with
Secretary Perez about the rule, but the senator will be waiting until he sees the full details before commenting," Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.)
spokeswoman Sue Walitsky said. Through it all, the Obama administration continued to delay the rule. The battle continued into December
2014, when top Democratic budget negotiators nearly accepted a Republican proposal to block the Obama administration from implementing
it, until House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) exiled the topic from talks over the so-called cromnibus bill. The administration has not
formally introduced a new rule for public comment, and once it does, it will be months before a final rule is implemented. The Obama team
says the ultimate proposal will be more flexible than the 2010 plan, with broader exemptions for some investment planners. But
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
50
alsocalledforahearingbeforehiscommitteeThursdaytodiscusstheU.S.tradeagendaandpriorities.But
itsbeenmembersofthepresidentsownpartythathavebeenreluctanttojumponthe
bandwagon,inthewordsofSenateMinorityLeaderHarryReid,DNev.Reid,theSenatestop
Democrat,hassaidhewillnotevenconsidertradepromotionauthoritylegislationuntilthereare
certainguaranteesitwillbenefitthemiddleclass.ThefinancecommitteestopDemocrat,Sen.Ron
WydenofOregon,hasagreedwithReidandsaidlastweekthathebelievesahearingwouldbe
premature.Thereisnoagreementontradepromotionauthority,orotheraspectsofthelegislative
tradeagendamorebroadly,"WydenspokesmanKeithChusaidinastatement.
.
Currentfundingfortheagency
expiresonFebruary27,thisFriday.Forthetwoweeksprecedinglastweeksrecess,SenateDemocrats
successfullyblockedthechamberfrommovingforwardonconsiderationoftheappropriationsmeasure,
duetopolicyridersattachedbytheHouseofRepresentativestonullifyPresidentObamasrecent
ExecutiveOrdersondeferredactionforimmigrantsinthecountryillegallyandattendantbenefits.Before
departingforthePresidentsDayrecess,MajorityLeaderMcConnellacknowledgedtoreportersthatthe
SenateisstuckonthebillandthenextmovewillbeuptotheHouse.HouseRepublicansresponded
thattheyhavenointerestintakingupthebillasecondtime,withouttheimmigrationpolicyriders.One
majorchangetothepolicydebatesincelastweek:aTexasfederaldistrictjudgeissuedaninjunction
againsttheObamaAdministrationsimmigrationpolicy,essentiallyputtingitonhold.Thejudgeheldthat
thepolicyviolatestheproceduralrequirementsoftheAdministrativeProcedureAct.Thisactionbythe
courtmaybeanopportunityfortheSenatetoavoidthepolicyridersandpassacleanfundingbill,butit
remainsunclearwhethertheHousewillalteritsposition.Ashortterm,stopgapfundingmeasureto
preventashutdownoftheagencyisthemostlikelyoutcome,asallowingDHStoshutdowninthiseraof
IslamicStateterrorismandglobalcyberattacksseemsunlikely,butatthispointnooneknowsforsure
whatwillhappen.ItisunclearwhattheSenatewillfocusononcetheDHSappropriationsbillisresolved.
TheSenateJudiciaryCommitteeisexpectedtovoteonThursdayonthenominationsofLorettaLynchto
beU.S.AttorneyGeneralandMichelleLeetoheadtheU.S.PatentandTrademarkOffice,andthefull
chambermayconsiderthenominationsinearlyMarch.TheHousewillreturnonTuesdayandconsider
fourbillsundersuspensionoftherulesonTuesdayandWednesday.TheHouseschedulehasalsomade
allowanceforHouseconsiderationoftheDHSAppropriationsbillcomingbackfromtheSenate.The
Housewillthenresumeconsiderationoftaxlegislation.Havingpassedseveralbillstomakevarioustax
provisionspermanent,onWednesdaytheHousewilltakeupabilltoexpandtheuseof529collegesavings
plansonWednesday.OnThursdayandFriday,Housewillconsiderlegislationtoreformfederal
elementaryandsecondaryeducationprograms.HouseEducationandWorkforceCommitteeChairman
JohnKline(RMN)heldamarkupofH.R.5,theStudentSuccessAct,onFebruary11.Theauthorization
bill,anupdatetotheNoChildLeftBehindAct,wasreportedoutofcommitteeonapartisanvote.Thebill
consolidatesmanyfederaleducationprogramsandestablishesblockgrantsforotherprogramstogive
statesgreaterflexibilityintheuseofthefunds.DemocratsandtheAdministrationopposethebill,dueto
itsrollbackoffederalcontrolovertheprogramsandaconcernthatleavingmoredecisionmakingauthority
inthehandsofeachstatewillunderminethegoalsofthesefederaleducationprograms.Analmost
identicalmeasurepassedtheHousein2013,withonlyoneDemocraticvote,butwasneverconsideredby
thethenDemocraticcontrolledSenate.SenateHealth,Education,LaborandPensionsCommittee
ChairmanLamarAlexander(RTN)hasreleasedaworkingdraftofhisownreauthorizationbill.Heand
RankingMemberPattyMurray(DWA)releasedajointstatementsayingtheywereworkingtogetheron
developingbipartisanlegislation.ChairmanAlexanderhaspreviouslyindicatedhewouldliketohavea
billreadyforconsiderationbythefullSenatebyMarch1,buttheCommitteehasnotscheduledanyaction
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
51
ontheissuefornextweek,sothattimetableappearstohaveslipped.Thisweek,bothHouseandSenate
authorizingandappropriatingcommitteesresumeconsiderationofthePresidents2016budget
request.AnumberofCabinetofficialswillbeattendingthosehearings:SecretaryofStateJohnKerry
willtestifybeforetheHouseForeignAffairsCommitteeonWednesdayregardingtheAdministrations
foreignaffairsbudgetrequest;SecretaryofAgricultureTomVilsackwilltestifybeforetheHouse
AppropriationsSubcommitteeonAgricultureonWednesday;HousingandUrbanDevelopmentSecretary
JulianCastrowillappearbeforetheHouseAppropriationsSubcommitteeonTransportation,Housingand
UrbanDevelopmentonWednesday;TransportationSecretaryAnthonyFoxxwillappearbeforetheHouse
AppropriationsSubcommitteeonTransportation,HousingandUrbanDevelopmentonThursday;Energy
SecretaryErnestMonizwillappearbeforetheHouseAppropriationsSubcommitteeonEnergyandWater
onThursday;HealthandHumanServicesSecretarySylviaBurwellwillappearbeforetheHouseEnergy
andCommerceSubcommitteeonHealthonThursday;InteriorSecretarySallyJewellwilltestifybefore
theSenateEnergyandNaturalResourcesCommitteeonTuesdayandtheHouseAppropriations
SubcommitteeonInterioronWednesday.FederalReserveBoardChairmanJanetYellenwillalsobeon
CapitolHillonWednesdaytotestifybeforetheHouseFinancialServicesCommittee.SenateFinance
CommitteeChairmanOrrinHatch(RUT)scheduledatradehearingonThursday,and,inahighlyunusual
move,theschedulingofthehearingdrewarebukefromRankingMemberRonWyden(DOR),a
potentiallyforebodingsignalfortheprospectsofTradePromotionAuthoritylegislation.Finally,asnoted
above,theSenateJudiciaryCommitteewillconsidertheLynchandLeenominationsatitsexecutive
businessmeetingonThursday.AscheduleforthesehearingsandotherkeyCongressionalhearingsforthe
weekareincludedbelow:
The partisan showdown over funding the Department of Homeland Security comes
to a head this week with the looming expiration of a stopgap funding bill.
Republicans have insisted on using a bill to fund DHS for the remainder of fiscal 2015 to
block the executive actions aimed at allowing many illegal immigrants to stay in the
country. Democrats have repeatedly refused to allow the bill to advance in the Senate.
DHS is operating on a continuing resolution that expires Friday. Much of its workforce
could continue working even without funding authorization.
NU AUMF fight
Stephen Dinan, 2-24-15, Washington Times, Obama Islamic State war
powers beyond Congressional control, research service finds,
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/feb/23/obama-islamic-state-warpowers-beyond-congressiona/ DOA: 2-24-15
By that interpretation, the new resolution arguably would give Mr.
Obama more, not fewer, powers to wage war by allowing him to go
after what Mr. Garcia labeled "some persons or groups on account of
their affiliation with the Islamic State that could not be targeted
under the 2001 AUMF."
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
52
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
53
fasttrackcanhelpprotecttheopeninternet.Henotes,
rightly,thatit'simportantto"[preserve]thefreeflowofinformation,toprotecttheinternet'spotentialas
theworld'sengineforfuturegrowth."Hefurtherpointsoutthat"theincreaseinInternetusecreates
significanteconomicpotential."But,oddly,heclaimsthatfasttrackcansomehowguaranteethis
whenpreviousattemptsatfasttrackhaveshownnosuchthing.Here'sSepulveda:
TheObamaAdministrationisworkingtounlockthepromiseofecommerce,keeptheInternetfreeand
open,promotecompetitiveaccessfortelecommunicationssuppliers,andsetdigitaltraderulesoftheroad
bynegotiatingnewtradeagreements.TradePromotionAuthoritylegislationandthependingtrade
agreementsweexpectCongresstoconsideroverthecomingmonthsandyearswillprovidethatkindof
protection.Theseagreementsaimtoensurethatthefreeflowofinformationanddataarethedefault
settingfornations.ThiswillpreservethearchitecturethathasempoweredtheInternetandglobal
communicationstofueleconomicgrowthathomeandabroad.Itisinourinterest,acrosspartiesand
ideology,toensurewemoveforwardandapproveTPAandthependingagreementsformanyreasons,but
promotingthepreservationandgrowthofglobalcommunicationsandtheopenInternetisoneofthe
strongest.
IagreethatpreservinganopeninternetisimportantandIwishthatourtradedealsdidexactly
that,buttheydon't.Inparticular,theintellectualpropertysectionsofvarioustradeagreementshave
notbeenfocusedonpreservinganopeninternet,butonshuttingitdown.We'vebeenaskingfor
nearlyadecade
howprotectionistpoliciesaimedatproppingupalegacyindustry'sobsoletebusiness
modelsis"promotingfreetrade."Itseemsliketheopposite.
.We'veseenRussia
usingcopyrightlaw
tostiflepoliticaldissent.
We'veseenhowplanstousecopyrightlawtoblockaccesstocertainsitesenableanarchitectureof
censorship.We'veseennewspublications
seized
andpopulardigitalstoragelockers
shutdown
completelyviacopyrightclaims.Givenallthat,it'sdifficulttoseehowtheUScanactuallybeserious
aboutprotectinganopenandfreeinternet,ifit'sgoingtocontinuetousetradeagreementslikethe
TPPtopushforgreatertoolslikethosedescribedabove,thatsimplyputtheabilitytocensorthe
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
54
internet,andtotakedowninnovativeservices,intotradeagreements.If,whentheeventualtrade
promotionauthoritybillcomesout,itincludesthissamelanguagealloveragain,youcanbesurethatthe
TPPisnot
aboutprotectinganopeninternet,butratheraboutprotectingafewlegacybusinesses,
andenabling
governmenttoshutdownandstoptheopeninternet.I'mabelieverinfreetradeandopen
borders.IknowthatsomeareprotestingagreementsliketheTPPbecausetheydon'tlikefreetradeitself,
andthinkit'sproblematic.That'snotmyconcern.Myconcernisthatwhat'sbeingdoneinthenameoffree
trade,andinthenameofanopeninternet,isanythingbutthat.It'saboutprotectingthepast,notinvesting
inandenablingthefuture.Weallhaveourconcernsaboutwhat'sinthevarioussectionsoftheTPP(which
couldbesolvedtodayiftheUSTRjustreleasedthedamndocuments),butourfirsthintofwhat'sreally
goingonherewillbeevidentbyhowthe"intellectualproperty"sectionoftheexpectedTPAbilliswritten.
Ifit'sjustrepeatingthesamemisleadinglinesfrom2002,youcanbesurethattheTPPisjustasbiga
problemasexpected.
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
55
AUMF Aff
No Congressional agreement on AUMF
Paul Kane, 2-22-15, Washington Post, Congress Split Over Ways to Face
Islamic State, http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/congress-is-dividedas-it-prepares-to-debate-war-against-the-islamic-state/2015/02/22/16a57c7eb922-11e4-aa05-1ce812b3fdd2_story.html DOA: 2-25-15
CongressreturnstoWashingtonthisweekaftera10daybreaktoconfrontthedifficultbusinessofhowthe
UnitedStatesshouldwagewaragainstterroristorganizationssuchastheIslamicState.
Theformaltaskistowriteandapproveanauthorizationfortheuseofmilitaryforce,orAUMF,but
thebroadergoalistodemonstratetotheworldthatthereisunified,bipartisansupportforU.S.military
engagementagainstanew,moremystifyingenemythantheonestheUnitedStatesfacedwhenCongress
lastapprovedsimilarresolutions,in2001and2002.Sofar,theonlyrealagreementisthatCongress
needstoplayamoreforcefulroleinthedebateoverforeignaffairs.TheObamaadministrationhas
founditselfcaughtinapositionofsoundingthealarmaboutpotentialterroristattacksas
HomelandSecuritySecretaryJehJohnsondidSunday,highlightingintelligencesuggestingthepossibility
ofattacksonshoppingmallsbutofferingawarresolutionthatincludeslimitsonthescopeofbattle
againsttheIslamicState.CriticsontherighthavesteppeduptheircampaigntorefashionPresident
ObamasAUMFrequesttoallowforamoreexpansiveattack,evenifitincludesU.S.troopsfighting
ontheground.OnSunday,Sen.LindseyGraham(RS.C.),oneofhispartysleadingmilitaryhawks,said
hewantstheRepublicanpartytotalkopenlyaboutthehardthings,likehavingbootsonthegroundin
SyriaandIraq,Americanbootsonthegroundinthefight.Theresnodoubtinmymind,militarily,that
wecannotsucceedinourendeavorstodegradeanddestroyISILwithouthavinganAmericancomponent,
GrahamsaidonABCsThisWeek,usinganothernamefortheIslamicState.Criticsonthelefthave
worriedthatObamasAUMFrequestlacksspecificityandwouldgranttoomuchauthoritytothe
Pentagontoexpandthewarintoothertheaters.Eventhepresidentsstaunchestnationalsecurityallyon
CapitolHill,Sen.JackReed(DR.I.),foundsomethingtoseriouslyquibblewithinthedraft.Oh,Ithink
theresolutionforthreeyears,atimelimit,isnotappropriate.Wedontwanttosendasignaltotheworld
thatwerethereforjustsomanyyears.Unfortunately,thisbattleisgoingtotakealongtime,Reed,the
rankingDemocratontheArmedServicesCommittee,saidinatelevisioninterviewlastweekonNBC.The
formalworkwillbeconductedintheHouseForeignAffairsandSenateForeignRelations
committees,thepanelswithjurisdictiontoauthorizemilitaryactionsoverseas.SecretaryofStateJohnF.
KerryisscheduledtotestifybeforetheHouseForeignAffairsCommitteeonWednesday,whilemilitary
legalexpertsaresettoappearbeforetheHouseArmedServicesCommitteeonThursday.TheSenate
panelsaretryingtoputtogethertheirAUMFhearinglineupsaswell.Kerrystestimonyisaregularly
scheduledappearancetodiscusstheStateDepartmentsannualbudget,butitiscertaintoturnintoaforum
onthesituationinSyria.TheAUMFrequestsentbyObamatoCongressisjustanopeningbid,asis
normallythecase,sotherewillbenovoteonthatparticulardraft.InfluentiallawmakerslikeReedand
Sen.JohnMcCain(RAriz.),chairmanoftheArmedServicesCommitteewillplaykeyadvisoryrolesin
thewardebate,andultimatelyeverymemberoftheHouseandSenatewillhaveachancetovoteonthe
resolution.Thatis,ifthecommitteescancometoanykindofagreementontheoutlinesofaresolution.
Thechanceforfailureisreal,giventhatinrecentyears,Congresshasstumbledovertraditionally
bipartisanmovessuchaslongtermfundingforfarmpolicyandhighwayconstructionandisontheverge
ofshuttingdowntheDepartmentofHomelandSecurityoveraseparateimmigrationdispute.OnSunday,
Sen.BobCorker(RTenn.),chairmanoftheForeignRelationsCommittee,notedthedifficulttaskahead
anddidnotguaranteesuccess.Weregoingtobedebatinganauthorizationfortheuseofmilitaryforce
heresoon.Thisisanimportantissue.Itsimportanttoourhomelandsecurity.Itsimportanttotheworld.
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
56
AndIhopeasanationwelltakeitoninasoberandimportantwayoverthenextseveralweeks,Corker
saidonNBCsMeetthePress.ThemotivationsfordraftingandpassinganAUMFaredifferentinevery
cornerofCongress.ManyDemocratswerefirstelectedtoCongressin2006and2008becauseof
strongantiwarsentimentamongtheelectoratefollowingstrugglesinIraq,andsomeviewthisasachance
tocorrectthemistakesfromthe2002debatethatapprovedthatwar.Istronglybelievethatwemustput
strictlimitsontheuseofforcetoensurethattheUnitedStatesdoesnotgetentangledinanotherendless
warintheMiddleEast,Sen.ChrisMurphy(DConn.),whowonaHouseseatin2006,saidinmid
Decemberaftervotingforanearlywarresolution.Thatdraft,approvedonapartylinevote,placedstrict
limitsonanyuseofgroundtroopsandstrongtimelimitationsontheoperation,leadingCorkerandother
Republicanstoopposeit.ItwasneverconsideredontheSenatefloor.MostRepublicanswanttogrant
moreexpansivepowerstothepresidentandthemilitarychiefsthatwouldavoidthosekindsof
restrictionsontheprosecutionofthewar,andmostofthenewestRepublicanmembers,sweptintoofficein
Novembersmidterms,haveadoptedverytraditionalGOPhawkishviewsonmattersofnationalsecurity.
IthinkweshouldnotrestrainthepresidentoftheUnitedStates,McCainsaidonNBCsMeetthePress
onFeb.15.TheCongresshasthepowerofthepurse.Ifwedontlikewhatthecommanderinchiefis
doing,wecancutoffhisfundsfordoingso.Buttorestrainhiminourauthorizationofhimtakingmilitary
action,Ithink,frankly,isunconstitutionalandeventuallyleadsto535commandersinchief.Thismakes
foraparticularlytrickyefforttofindanysortofAUMFlanguagethatcanwinthesupportofboth
MurphyandMcCain,anditillustratesthebroaderproblemforCongress.Interviewswithkey
adviserstoseniorRepublicansandDemocratsshowedthatthereislittleappetiteamongcongressional
leaderstodrawupadocumentthatisparticularlypartisanevenunderthemorerestrictivetimelines
suggestedbysome,thispolicywillbeinplaceforwhoeverbecomesthenextpresident.SoCorkerand
Rep.EdwardR.Royce(RCalif.),chairmanoftheHouseForeignAffairsCommittee,needtocomeupwith
somesupportfromDemocrats.Otherwise,theirAUMFresolutionscouldmeetthesamefateastheall
DemocraticversioninDecember.TheresalsoablocofRepublicanswhowillbeveryunwillingto
supportanyAUMFbecausetheydonottrustthepresidentonmilitarymatters,accordingtosenior
Republicanaides.OnelongstandingcomplaintfromGOPlawmakersisthatWestWingofficials
micromanagePentagonofficialsinmattersofwar,andthereisstillsomelingeringresentmentaboutaJuly
letterfromnationalsecurityadviserSusanE.RicetoHouseSpeakerJohnA.Boehner(ROhio)callingfor
repealofthe2002Iraqwarresolution,sentapparentlywithoutconsultingDefenseDepartmentofficials.
Withsomanyobstaclestoabipartisanmajorityinbothchambers,Boehnerdeclinedtopredictthe
outcomebeforedepartingforthe10daybreak.
Stefan Bauschard
February 24 Politics
57
"The plain language of the draft AUMF states that the authorization expires
three years after the date of enactment, unless reauthorized. However the
draft AUMF does not require the termination of hostilities upon
expiration," Congressional Research Service stafer Michael John Garcia
wrote in a legal memo to lawmakers. "Arguably the executive could still
point to other sources of authority - including the 2001 AUMF and
the president's independent constitutional authority - as providing a
legal basis for continuing hostilities against the Islamic State."
Mr. Garcia said that also holds true for ground troops, which are
allowed under the 2001 resolution, even though Mr. Obama generally would
prohibit them in his request to fight the Islamic State.
Some members of Congress have argued that Mr. Obama is in violation of the
law by citing the 2001 authorization to go after the Islamic State. The
administration, however, has said the terrorist army is a successor of al
Qaeda ofshoots, so the earlier war resolution covers this incarnation.