Dot --

President Obama said Friday that the Democratic criticism of the Trans-Pacific Partnership that "gets on his nerves the most" is the allegation that the pact is "secret."

Well, it is. Neither you nor I can see what is in this trade deal, even though it will have a big impact on jobs and inequality.

As DFA Executive Director Charles Chamberlain explains below, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Sherrod Brown asked the President to make public the full text of the treaty before Congress votes on a "Fast Track" bill that would strip our legislators of the ability to change the TPP.

"Members of Congress should be able to discuss this agreement with our constituents and to participate in a robust public debate, instead of being muzzled by classification rules," wrote Warren and Brown.

I totally agree. That's why I'm joining Democracy for America and adding my name in support of the letter from Senators Warren and Brown: No Fast Track without public disclosure.

Join me and DFA: Add your name in support of Elizabeth Warren and Sherrod Brown. Make the TPP public!

Thank you for standing with these progressive champions.

Robert Reich
Former Secretary of Labor

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Charles Chamberlain, Democracy for America 
Date: Sun, Apr 26, 2015 at 9:18 AM
Subject: BREAKING: Elizabeth Warren's new letter to President Obama

Dot--

Elizabeth Warren and Sherrod Brown are under attack by the Obama Administration for their work against the TPP--but they are fighting back. And they need our support ASAP.

On Friday, President Obama again harshly criticized Elizabeth Warren and congressional Democrats who are standing up against the TPP. He said they were “dishonest” and spreading “misinformation” about a treaty that is so secret you and I aren’t allowed to see it.

But Senators Warren and Brown are not backing down. On Saturday, they wrote a powerful letter to President Obama urging him to make the text of the TPP available to the public.Here’s a key part of their letter:

Your Administration has deemed the draft text of the agreement classified and kept it hidden from public view, thereby making it a secret deal....It is currently illegal for the press, experts, advocates, or the general public to review the text of this agreement. And while you noted that Members of Congress may “walk over...and read the text of the agreement”--as we have done--you neglected to mention that we are prohibited by law from discussing the specifics of that text in public.

Before Congress votes to facilitate adoption of the TPP, the American people should be allowed to see for themselves whether it’s a good deal for them.

Elizabeth Warren and Sherrod Brown are absolutely right. The TPP will radically reshape our laws, our economy, and our democracy in favor of the rich and big corporations. Senators Warren and Brown are fighting back on behalf of the American people and they need our support ASAP. Are you with them?

Stand with Elizabeth Warren and Sherrod Brown: Add your name and tell President Obama to release the full text of the TPP.

Senators Warren and Brown also pointed out that even President George W. Bush released the full text of a major trade agreement with Latin America--the Free Trade Area of the Americas--months before Congress voted on Fast Track authority for the deal. Furthermore, they noted:

At the time of the public release of the text, then-U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick noted that the release would "make international trade and its economic and social benefits more understandable to the public." 

Strongly defending themselves against the President’s unfair criticisms, Senators Warren and Brown added:

We respectfully suggest that characterizing the assessments of labor unions, journalists, Members of Congress, and others who disagree with your approach to transparency on trade issues as “dishonest” is both untrue and unlikely to serve the best interests of the American people.

In fact, the Huffington Post said that President Obama's remarks “took some creative license with the truth.” For example, they pointed out that autoworkers don’t support the trade deal, suggesting the TPP won’t actually help the American auto industry.

Let’s keep in mind what this is all about: saving American jobs from a terrible trade deal that many have rightly called “NAFTA on steroids.” That’s why Democracy for America is proud to stand with Elizabeth Warren, Sherrod Brown, and every other Democrat in Congress who is fighting to stop the TPP. They need your help right now. Will you stand with them?

Join Elizabeth Warren and Sherrod Brown: Tell President Obama to make the full text of the TPP public.

Thank you for standing with Elizabeth Warren, Sherrod Brown, and their progressive allies in Congress.

- Charles

Charles Chamberlain, Executive Director
Democracy for America