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Title: Sen. Rand Paul Visits Secret Room To Read Obamatrade, Calls For Public Release Of Deal Text
Source:
Breitbart via Drudge
URL Source: http://www.breitbart.com/big-govern ... r-public-release-of-deal-text/
Published: May 13, 2015
Author: Matthew Boyle
Post Date: 2015-05-13 21:30:55 by Tooconservative
Keywords: None
Views: 2471
Comments: 11
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY)—an opponent of the secretive Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) that would fast-track the Pacific Rim trade deal Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP)—went inside the secret room inside the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday morning to read the TPP text and told Breitbart News exclusively afterwards that he believes President Barack Obama should make it public now. The deal’s text is kept in a room behind double doors that each have signs: “No Public Or Media Beyond This Point.” “It’s done like you’re going in to read a classified briefing though it’s not actually ‘classified.’ It’s called ‘confidential,’” Paul said in an interview with Breitbart News outside the room after reading it. Paul and his legal staff spent about 45 minutes in the room reading the deal’s text. “I think the staff signed an agreement [which didn’t include a non-disclosure]—they signed in, it’s a normal procedure,” he explained. “But I wasn’t required to sign in.” When asked for some of the details that are inside the TPP agreement, Paul said he’s not allowed to tell us that. But he did say the secret trade deal that his Kentucky colleague, Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), wants to rush through the Senate is about 800 pages long. He added he plans to seek additional information from the U.S. Trade Representative’s office—including a briefing from them—and suspects that the text he read isn’t even the final version of the deal. “I think I am not supposed to reveal the details of it, but I can tell you it was about 800 pages long,” Paul said. I think while we’ve gotten at least some headway in understanding what’s in it, I think it raises more questions that will require more research to fully understand what’s in it. We’re going to pursue that with someone from the U.S. Trade Representative—we’re going to pursue more information from them. Some of the questions are whether we’re seeing the final agreement or this is in the interim agreement before the final agreement. That’s a question we still have. I have a feeling that what we’re seeing is a work product, not a final. Paul said he thinks the “secretive” process hurts the “cause” of TPA and TPP advocates, and is calling on the Obama administration to publicly release the deal’s details before future votes on the matter in the U.S. Senate. “The thing is is that I think it actually hurts their cause by making it so secretive—while I can’t discuss the details of what was in there because of them calling it secret, I didn’t see anything that I didn’t think couldn’t be made public with a problem,” Paul said. “If so, I’m missing something because we read through 800 pages of it and we didn’t see anything that I couldn’t conclude couldn’t be made public.” Paul said he thinks the secretive process makes it look like the government has “something to hide” and that he thinks if Obama opened up the process it’d make it easier for several Senators—and the American people—to truly understand what it is they’re voting on. “I think it would make a difference for some folks, myself included, if they were to make it less secret because they think that really to vote on things that there’s a suspicion among the American public that if someone is making something secret they’ve got something to hide—particularly from the government’s point of view—so I’d like to see the process opened up,” Paul said. Paul, a 2016 GOP presidential candidate, stands alongside most of the rest of the field in opposition to Obamatrade. Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina compared the secretive process to Obamacare’s passage in the early days of this president’s administration. Dr. Ben Carson also called for more transparency, as did Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is concerned with the deal’s impacts on American workers. On the other side, Sens. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) are in favor of the deal—even though it’s unclear if either has, like Paul now has, visited the secret room to read the text. Both could. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry are also in favor of the deal, but wouldn’t be allowed through the doors to read it. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), the emerging conservative kingmaker and the leading intellectual conservative in Congress, has made an identical call to what Paul has for more transparency from the Obama administration. Sessions, in a “critical alert” his office issued publicly and to other members on Capitol Hill before the recently-failed votes to begin debate on TPA fast track authority, listed out five “questions the White House will not answer.” The questions the White House is refusing to be transparent about, Sessions noted, are: “Will it increase or reduce the trade deficit, and by how much? Will it increase or reduce employment and wages, and by how much? Will you make the “living agreement” section public and explain fully its implications? Will China be added to the TPP? Will you pledge not to issue any executive actions, or enter into any future agreements, impacting the flow of foreign workers into the United States?”
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#1. To: TooConservative (#0)
(Edited)
So little Rand was for it before he was against it. “Instead of just talking about a so-called ‘pivot to Asia,’ the Obama administration should prioritize negotiating the TPP" -Rand Paul, October 2014 He's a flip floppin' man, that Rand. Where does he stand today? That depends on who is asking, and what the issue is. He would have been kicked off his daddy's forum for endorsing Romney before the convention if he was a member. But he couldn't care less about the grass root supporters. The best thing Ron could do is publicly disown this arrogant opportunistic twit. The following is incredibly still available at the Rand Paul $tore, on the Rand Paul Website- apparently none of his highly paid staff are capable of pointing out that this sends the wrong message- or maybe they're afraid of him: https://store.randpaul.com/index.php/fun-stuff/rand-paul-flip-flops.html Be the FIRST on your block to own Rand Paul Flip Flops!
Rand Paul, like anyone with libertarian tendencies, does favor free trade. The deal now being rushed through in such secrecy is nothing like what was being promised six months ago or a year ago, when Rand Paul was supporting greater trade. But thanks for contributing your obvious trollery to the thread.
#8. To: TooConservative (#2)
Breaking News: Rand Paul votes Yes on Fast Track, while Con Men Cruz and Rubio vote NO The Senate took an initial step toward picking up President Obama’s trade agenda on Thursday by approving a controversial customs bill that includes language cracking down on currency manipulation by trading partners. The legislation was easily approved in a 78-20 vote. Under rules adopted for the vote, 60 votes were needed for the measure to pass. GOP presidential hopefuls Sens. Ted Cruz (Texas) and Marco Rubio (Fla.) voted no, while Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.) voted yes. So did Sen. Lindsey Graham (S.C.), who is considering a 2016 run. Awwww...I'm crushed. Here I thought the days of bickering were coming to a close.
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/LatestRand Paul to Obama: Finish TPP Trade Deal
http://thediplomat.com/2014/10/rand-paul-to-obama-finish-tpp-trade-deal/
Stand Flip with Rand! Next time Rand changes position put on your Rand Flops!
#2. To: Operation 40 (#1)
Rand Paul, October 2014...He's a flip floppin' man, that Rand.
Replies to Comment # 2. The deal now being rushed through in such secrecy is nothing like what was being promised six months ago or a year ago, when Rand Paul was supporting greater trade.
Senate approves trade enforcement measure, clearing way for fast-track
By Jordain Carney and Alexander Bolton - 05/14/15 12:42 PM EDT
http://thehill.com/policy/finance/242076-senate-approves-trade-enforcement-measure But thanks for contributing your obvious trollery to the thread.
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