A group of state and city legislators from Queens today released a letter to Congressman Gregory Meeks urging him to flip his current stance and vote against the Trans-Pacific Partnership—a free trade agreement backed by the Obama administration but opposed by numerous labor and environmental groups.
State Senators Joseph Addabbo, Tony Avella , James Sanders and Leroy Comrie, along with Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages and Councilmen Daneek Miller and Donovan Richards—all Democrats representing districts that overlap with Mr. Meeks’—co-signed the missive attacking the deal, which would ease trade barriers and a host of regulations between the United States, Australia and several Asian and Latin American nations. President Barack Obama and Democrats and Republicans supportive of the deal in Congress have pushed a bill that would grant “fast-track” authority to the administration.
Such power would permit the president to present the trade package to Congress as a purely yes-or-no vote, with little debate and no possibility of amending the arrangement.
“We are writing to urge you to oppose fast track for the Trans-Pacific Partnership,” the letter reads, going on to criticize the closed-door dealings that have forged the TPP. “The agreement is being negotiated with a lack of transparency, but we know that the TPP will affect jobs, environmental protections, prescription drug prices, financial industry regulations, internet freedom, food safety and much more.”
Most Democrats oppose the deal, but Mr. Meeks is a co-founder of the bipartisan four-member “Friends of the TPP” caucus, and recently joined Republican Congressman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin on a trip to Singapore promoting the pact. However, the state and city politicians alleged that the partnership’s impact would mirror that of the North American Free Trade Agreement signed in the 1990s with Mexico and Canada, and lead to the outsourcing of as much as 20 percent of American jobs—many of them from Queens.
8 comments:
How is it that this "very questionable" elected official has been in office for so long, while doing little to benefit his community. OH RIGHT, the idiots keeps voting him in.
Why do Unions, always endorse the candidate who's going to screw them over? Meeks is as crooked as they come...
And the Meeks shall inherit the Earth.
Gag! Mediocrity shall abound, and surround us all.
Gregory Meeks is so corrupt and crooked that he can eat soup with a corkscrew---and open a bottle of wine with his auger-shaped tongue! Like all politicians, he lies, cheats and steals---easier than he breathes. Yet, despite his deeply obvious flaws that continue to devalue honesty (and dehumanize his ignored constituents), his flaky flock of loyal, Kool-Aid drinking subjects keep voting him in--as they themselves slip deeper into beggary, obscurity and quiet desperation. Public apathy and Neo-Fascism lives on in Queens County!
recently joined Republican Congressman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin on a trip to Singapore promoting the pact
If there's a free trip involved, you can expect Gregory Meeks to be first in line. The opponents would have to organize a trip to Hawaii to get Meeks on their side.
Joe you live in jamaica and no nothing of blacks. Of course they vote him in over and over. He's getting over and that is all good with the community,even if they aren"t benefitting, because one 'them' is. Get it??
Rep. Meeks' district also includes white areas such as Rockaway Point and Jamaica Estates. The GOP didn't bother having a candidate to oppose Meeks. Why not?
It's disturbing that the only bipartisan cooperation that goes on in DC or anywhere else is to the benefit of corporations and the executives and investors that profit, which is what the TPP will do.
Beware when we groups name themselves "Friends" of any cause or program. They turn out to be enemies of the working class.
Post a Comment