Trade Ministers Sign TPP Trade Agreement in New Zealand Amid Massive Protests

Auckland, New Zealand – Trade ministers from the twelve nations involved in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) met in New Zealand on Thursday to sign the final agreement. The participating nations now have up to two years to ratify the agreement. The 12 nations include Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States and … Continue reading Trade Ministers Sign TPP Trade Agreement in New Zealand Amid Massive Protests

GOP Debate: Rand Paul Fact Checks Donald Trump On TPP

During the fourth GOP debate of the 2016 election, Donald Trump talked at length about how China could take advantage of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), and in response, Rand Paul pointed out that China is not part of the deal. Gerard Baker, the editor-in-chief of the Wall Street Journal, and a moderator during Tuesday night’s debate, asked Trump … Continue reading GOP Debate: Rand Paul Fact Checks Donald Trump On TPP

U.S. Ignores Malaysia’s Human Trafficking Record in Favor of TPP

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is one of the largest trade agreements in history involving the United States, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. The nations have been negotiating the deal since 2005, with global resistance growing since 2012.  Now that President Obama has signed into law Trade Promotion … Continue reading U.S. Ignores Malaysia’s Human Trafficking Record in Favor of TPP

Obama Signs “Fast Track” Bill, TPP Inches Closer to Completion

On Monday President Obama signed into law the so-called “fast-track” bill, setting the stage for approval of the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership. The fast-track bill, officially known as the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), was one of two bills signed by Obama. The president also signed the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) act which is supposed to extend aid to workers … Continue reading Obama Signs “Fast Track” Bill, TPP Inches Closer to Completion

Rep. Ryan Pushes Fast-Track Authority To Ensure TPP Transparency

During House Rules Committee testimony on Wednesday, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) appeared to acknowledge the secrecy surrounding the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) by mentioning that the specifics of TPP will be more transparent once the House supports the passage of the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA). The TPA is “fast-track” authority to advance trade deals including TPP, the Trade in Services Agreement … Continue reading Rep. Ryan Pushes Fast-Track Authority To Ensure TPP Transparency

Ron Paul: TPA Would Give Obama Unconstitutional Authority For TPP

The hotly debated Trade Promotion Authority could be approved by Congress today, granting unconstitutional authority to President Barack Obama, according to Ron Paul.

In his latest Liberty Report, the three-time presidential candidate and former congressman from Texas offered his perspective on the TPA. He described it as “the transfer of power from the Congress to the president to design some trade agreements, which, quite frankly, is unconstitutional because the responsibility falls on the Congress.”

It’s a little bit more complex than this, and more so this time than before,” Paul said, noting that the TPA is something he has voted on numerous times while in Congress. “This trade promotion authority, also called fast track, involves more than one piece of legislation.” This time it looks like Congress will give Obama unconstitutional authority.

Daniel McAdams, co-host of the Liberty Report, explained that the TPA would facilitate the implementation of three pending trade deals, one of which is the Trans-Pacific Partnership. “The other two are secret,” McAdams said.

There is a shroud of secrecy around the TPP as well, Paul detailed. “This is unbelievable,” he said. “The lobbyists, the people who represent big business, the corporations, have been allowed to read those where the members of Congress are not allowed to read it.” Though he conceded that “fast track” is a good descriptive term about the expeditious manner of the TPA, the term does not accurately describe the legislation as also being a manner of keeping the facts behind closed doors.

Moreover, Congressman Paul Ryan was quoted supporting the secrecy of TPA and TPP, saying, “It’s classified. It will be made public once it’s agreed to.”

Did he just take a page out of Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi’s book? Consider how the Republicans were up in arms when Pelosi said Congress needed to pass Obamacare before the public could read it. “This just goes to show how the elites are really of one mind and one party,” McAdams said.

Paul agreed. “The one thing that bugs me still as much as it did back then was the hypocrisy of it,” he said. “So here they want to classify it and keep it secret. ‘We’re not allowed to do it.’ ‘It’s best for the country.’ ‘It’s for freedom and free trade.’ At the same time, when the president had a little bit of diplomacy going on, the Congress came down pretty hard.” Though the Congress “might have been technically correct” in their demand for transparency in that situation, Paul said he does believe that the president should be able to have some private talks with other countries.

Point being, the Congress seems to lack principle when it comes to how transparency should be applied. “At one time they’re for all this transparency, and another time they want to cover up,” Paul said.

Watch the full episode above and check out more episodes of the Ron Paul Liberty Report here at Truth In Media. And check out the Liberty Report episode “Fast-Track: Free Trade or Protectionism?” here.

In case you missed Ben Swann’s Truth In Media episode on ISIS watch it below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6kdi1UXxhY

TPP ‘Fast Track Authority’ Passes Senate, Moves to House

Late Friday evening the Senate reauthorized Trade Promotion Authority, or “fast track” authority. On Thursday, supporters of fast track gained the support of enough senators to advance the bill to the next stage. In a procedural vote, 62 senators voted in favor of the bill. Fridays final vote was 62-37. The House is now expected to take up … Continue reading TPP ‘Fast Track Authority’ Passes Senate, Moves to House

BREAKING: Senate votes to block TPP “ObamaTrade” bill

Senate Democrats on Tuesday filibustered a bill that would give President Obama fast-track authority on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal, aka ObamaTrade. Senate Republicans, however, are scrambling to rescue the pact. One of the biggest critics of the TPP is Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who says President Barack Obama should reveal the text of the Trans-Pacific … Continue reading BREAKING: Senate votes to block TPP “ObamaTrade” bill

Sessions: If TPP Is Good Deal, Let Congress See Details

By Peter Fricke Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions says he’s concerned that Congress might blindly relinquish its authority over free-trade agreements, leaving the American people with little say on future deals. Specifically, Sessions is critical of Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) legislation, also known as “fast-tracking,” which would enable the president to submit trade agreements to Congress for an … Continue reading Sessions: If TPP Is Good Deal, Let Congress See Details

Critics and Supporters of TPP Clash as Corporate-Trade Deal Nears Completion

The controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is inching closer to completion, but is the trade-deal really the economic boon we have been told? Japan, April 21, 2015 – Just one week after U.S. lawmakers reached an agreement on a bill that will give President Obama “fast-track authority” to negotiate the completion of the trade deal, critics … Continue reading Critics and Supporters of TPP Clash as Corporate-Trade Deal Nears Completion

COOK: Trump and Sanders Vow to Kill ObamaTrade, But for the Wrong Reasons

While the mainstream media focused on “Pharma Bro” Martin Shkreli’s smirk last week, trade ministers signed the final agreement of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), also known as ObamaTrade. During a congressional hearing, hedge fund manager-turned-pharmaceutical company CEO Martin Shkreli was asked by Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) if he “did anything wrong” by increasing a life saving drug by … Continue reading COOK: Trump and Sanders Vow to Kill ObamaTrade, But for the Wrong Reasons

Fact Check: Marco Rubio Lies About Mexico Trade Deficit

Senator and 2016 presidential candidate Marco Rubio (R-FL) was asked about his deciding vote to give President Obama Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), also known as “Fast-Track Authority”, to negotiate the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement (TPP, or ObamaTrade).

It’s apparent that Rubio is a big fan of ObamaTrade.

As seen in an exclusive video below, Evan Mulch asked Rubio, “if the TPP was truly about free trade and lowering tariffs, then why wouldn’t it be a one page document? Why is the TPP hundreds of pages long?”

“Wouldn’t it be in our best effort to repeal the North American Free Trade agreement (NAFTA), because NAFTA basically sent the manufacturing jobs to Mexico from the U.S.?” Mulch continued.

Rubio responded by defending Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) like NAFTA and said, “No, we have a trade surplus with virtually every country in the world that we have free trade with.”

Joshua Cook asked Curtis Ellis, who is an expert on TPP, what he thought about Rubio’s comment regard the U.S. having a trade surplus.

“It’s not true. It’s not right,” said Ellis. “The guy is either ignorant or he’s lying. This is a talking point put out by apologists for these free trade agreements.”

[See imports vs. exports 2015 : U.S. trade in goods with Mexico can be seen here. A very clear example is with South Korea.]

“He is repeating talking points given to him by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He is knowingly trying to mislead us,” says Ellis.

For many, NAFTA has become a cautionary tale that warns people that these big treaties ultimately harm the U.S. economy.

According to New American Magazine:

“In 1993, the year before NAFTA went into effect, the United States had a $1.66 billion trade surplus with Mexico; by 1995, the first year after NAFTA had entered into force, that changed to a $15.8 billion deficit. By 2000, that annual deficit had soared to $24.5 billion, and by 2007 it hit $74.7 billion. For 2014, our trade deficit with Mexico dipped to only $53.8 billion. In 1993, the year before NAFTA, we imported around 225,000 cars and trucks from Mexico. By 2005, our imports of Mexican-made vehicles had tripled to 700,000 vehicles annually, and in 2012, Mexico’s export of vehicles to the United States surpassed 1.4 million. Chrysler, Ford, and GM transferred major production facilities (and jobs) from the United States to Mexico. Our trade deficits with Canada have followed a similar path since adoption of NAFTA.”

Many have attributed massive trade deficits, joblessness through outsourcing, and a decreased standard of American living to NAFTA and other corporate-led trade deals.

It is important to note that opposing these big “trade deals” is not protectionism. Ron Paul made it clear on why he opposed NAFTA, stating that what most politicians are promoting is “managed trade” not “free trade.”

Follow Joshua Cook: | Facebook | Twitter | Joshua@TruthInMedia.com

Senior Republican Senators Condemn Ted Cruz For Criticism Of Mitch McConnell

Senior Republicans in the Senate criticized Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on Sunday for accusing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) of lying and using tactics similar to those of Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.). The remarks came from Sens. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) during a special session on Sunday when the … Continue reading Senior Republican Senators Condemn Ted Cruz For Criticism Of Mitch McConnell

Watch: Ted Cruz Calls Mitch McConnell A Liar On Senate Floor

Presidential candidate and Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) shared harsh criticism of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), comparing him to Harry Reid and accusing him of misleading Republican Senators and the public during the debate on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal.

“A number of weeks ago when this body was considering trade promotion authority, a group of Senators gathered on this floor and blocked TPA for many minutes because they were pressing for the Export-Import Bank,” Cruz said.

“They huddled on this floor and negotiated a deal in front of C-SPAN and in front of the world. Then when they had their deal TPA had the votes to pass. Shortly thereafter we had a Republican Senate lunch, where I asked the Majority Leader very directly, what was the deal that was just cut on TPA, and was there a deal for the Export-Import Bank? It was a direct question, I asked the majority leader in front of all of the Republican Senators. The majority leader was visibly angry with me, that I would ask such a question. And the majority leader looked at me and said there is no deal, there is no deal…”

“Madam President, I went back to my office, and my staff told me that afternoon, ‘He’s lying to you.’”

“You know, it was striking, a minute ago, to see the Democratic leader, Sen. Harry Reid, calling out the majority leader for filling the tree, for engaging in the same procedural abuse that Harry Reid used over and over again in this body. Now the Republican leader is behaving like the senior Senator from Nevada.”

Watch Cruz’s statements during Friday’s Senate session below.

‘Fast Track Authority’ Passes Senate, Awaits Obama’s Signature

On Wednesday afternoon the U.S. Senate voted to approve “fast track” authority. The approval is a major victory for President Obama, Big Business, and corporations across the globe. After voting to end debate on Tuesday, the Senate voted 60 to 38 to approve the controversial measure. President Obama is expected to sign the bill into … Continue reading ‘Fast Track Authority’ Passes Senate, Awaits Obama’s Signature

Three Reasons Bernie Sanders Is Shocking The Clinton Campaign And Mainstream Media

Senator Bernie Sanders is building a Presidential campaign that few in media have seen coming. For months media has focused almost exclusively on Hillary Clinton as the Democratic nominee for president in 2016.  Clinton has been trumpeted as the presumptive nominee to such an extent that when networks compare head to head contests between any … Continue reading Three Reasons Bernie Sanders Is Shocking The Clinton Campaign And Mainstream Media

Study Shows Race is an illusion

I’ve been perplexed by the attention given to Rachel Dolezal, the woman who now says she “identifies as black”.

I suppose I shouldn’t be perplexed. What passes as news these days is shameful. But what’s even more interesting is the abandonment of logic by virtually all commentators on this subject.

No longer is a man a man and a woman a woman. Bruce Jenner is a woman because he says he is, Rachel Dolezal is black because she ‘identifies’ as black. Is there no reality any more?

Those of us who claim there are flaws in the science of global warming for example are called “flat-earthers”. We are neandrothol, science deniers who reject logic. Yet here we are with those same people defying any reasonable amount of common sense.

It get’s worse….

Time.com posted an article written by Kareem Abdul-jabbar where he pointed out the following:

“The thing about race is that, scientifically, there is no such thing. As far back as 1950, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) released the conclusions of an international group of anthropologists, geneticists, sociologists, and psychologists that stated that the concept of race was not a scientific entity but a myth.”

So let me pose a simple question: If race is a scientifically dis-proven myth, why are we even talking about it?

I guess this means we can get rid of any laws or distincions that provide advantages to minorities right? Colleges for example would be foolish to offer special consideration to black students because race is a myth.

This is the level of stupidity we’ve now decended to. Race is a myth, you can be a woman simply by declaring it and you can change your ethnicity by simply identifying yourself as being partial to their cause.

I discuss all of that PLUS the TPA/TPP on today’s show. Give it a listen and if you like what you see you can subscribe here:

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Rep. Ryan: ‘Don’t Believe Everything You Read On The Internet’

Rep. Paul Ryan (R- WI), the House Ways & Means Committee Chairman, shared some choice words for conservative media while appearing on Fox News. “Let’s talk about trade. Very odd situation– the President is fighting without Rep. Nancy Pelosi, without Rep. Steny Hoyer, with Republicans to get his trade authority passed through,” said Brian Kilmeade. “You’ve already discovered … Continue reading Rep. Ryan: ‘Don’t Believe Everything You Read On The Internet’

Exclusive Video: Cook Covers Rand Paul Event in South Carolina – The Good, Bad and the Ugly

South Carolina, the first-in-the-south, is a very important state to win in the Republican primary, so how did Kentucky Senator Rand Paul do during his recent visit? Truth In Media’s Joshua Cook covered the event hosted by activist group Pints for Liberty at a local Irish pub in downtown Greenville, South Carolina.

The Good: Rand’s Message

Some of Paul’s stances energize millennial and liberty-minded voters, including his opposition to NSA spying, the ongoing drug war, the TPP, the militarization of America’s domestic police force, as well as his advocating for reforming drug sentencing and restoring voting rights to non-violent felons.

[RELATED: Is Senator Rand Paul the Leader of the New Civil Rights Movement?]

Paul also does not spare fellow Republicans from criticism, as shown last week when he called out Republican ‘War Hawks’ for arming ISIS.

The Bad: Anti-RAND SuperPACs

Jeb Bush, Scott Walker and Chris Christie certainly look like they’re running for president. They’re hobnobbing in Iowa and New Hampshire, but the words “I’m running for president” have never crossed their lips.

At least not yet. Why? Because as the Wall Street Journal points out, once those words are officially said the rules of campaigning and raising money dramatically change.

Before a candidate declares, they have the ability to personally solicit large sums of money that an announced candidate would be barred from seeking. Prior to announcing, candidates can work with their own super PACs to raise unlimited amounts of money.

And these SuperPACs are likely to go after Rand Paul in a big way, especially in Florida.

“Florida is the key to winning in 2016. It is a winner take all state, and Bush and Rubio will dominate simply because of their name and legacy. Plus, the media will give millions in free air time pitching the battle between Jeb and Rubio. Other candidates like Rand Paul will be ignored and rarely mentioned,” a political consultant told Cook.

“Jeb’s Super PAC will be the ‘thug’ part of his organization.  It will do the attacking and negative ads while leaving his official campaign’s hands clean.”

Another consultant told Cook that “right-leaning candidates (like Ted Cruz and Rand Paul) typically announce early since they rely on grassroots turnout models in terms of whipping votes and grassroots money. This model takes more time to develop and generate results (i.e. email list building, social media traction). Moderates like Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio like to hold off as long as possible, since that keeps them from spending money until when it really counts. They’re courting corporate money from the likes of billionaire Sheldon Adelson and don’t need to waste time spending funds on grassroots excitement.”

But is winning in 2016 all about raising the most money? No. One political consultant told us that “Jeb Bush is a joke and no amount of money will save Bush.”

The Ugly: Will Political Elites Ruin Rand’s Campaign?

Cook asked Sergio Gor, Rand Paul’s communications director, if he could ask Paul a question regarding foreign policy- a key issue for many South Carolina voters. Cook was promised that he could ask Paul a question after a book signing with Senator Paul, but when it was over Cook was denied access.

The group Pints for Liberty, which hosted the event, had tallied questions from the audience to ask the Senator about illegal immigration and protecting internet freedom following his stump speech. (Real fringe questions, right?)

It appeared that ‘Stand With Rand, but don’t ask questions’ was the recurring theme of Team Rand’s grassroots strategy.

Hopefully this will change. Paul needs support from his young liberty-minded supports and shouldn’t be afraid of answering real questions from real people.

Cook asked a political consultant about his thoughts on why Raul Paul refused to answer questions and chose to stick with a scripted stump speech. He answered:

[quote_center]”Well, overall that group (political consultants) is extremely egotistical and elitist, so they don’t see anyone else’s needs as being too important. At the end of the day, they’re gonna do what’s best for them.”[/quote_center]

“Paul’s consultants are known to be shady so just always be careful when dealing with them.”

One of the reasons Congressman Ron Paul was so popular during his presidential election was the genuine answers he gave. He awakened many Americans. He talked about ending the Federal Reserve and consistently rebuked neoconservatives for their foreign policy. “Yeah Rand is definitely not Ron Paul,” the consultant said.

One elected represented from South Carolina who wished to remain anonymous told Cook, “Cruz reminds me more of Ron Paul than Rand. He seems more true to his convictions.”

Cook interviewed S.C. Rep. Eric Beddingfield and young voters on why they support Sen. Rand Paul.