Photo courtesy of Robin Everett
The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a massive economic trade deal that has been getting a significant amount of attention recently -- at least in Congress, that is.
You haven’t heard of it? That’s actually not surprising: Many of the TPP negotiations are going on behind closed doors. That’s more than a little scary, because the TPP could affect almost every aspect of our everyday lives.
So, what is the TPP? It’s a trade deal that’s being negotiated between the United States and 11 other Pacific Rim nations. The deal encompasses legislation that concerns the environment, labor, agriculture, access to medicine, and much more. Essentially, the TPP addresses almost anything you can think of, but because it’s being negotiated in near secrecy, we have almost no input.
Instead of inviting the general American public and our elected officials into negotiations, the content of the deal is being decided by a committee that is mainly composed of top corporate business executives. Yes, you read that right. The people that will profit most from this deal are the ones making the decisions.
Worse still, some members of Congress, and of course those very same business executives, are trying to get the deal fast tracked through Congress. This means that if a fast track bill is approved, whether or not the TPP is put into practice will be decided by a simple yes-or-no vote in Congress with no amending or debating. Even the senators and representatives we elected to be our voice in Washington won’t have a say.
Many people across the country obviously see this as a big problem. From Oregon to Virginia, Sierra Clubbers and our allies are standing up and voicing our displeasure.
Just last month, the Sierra Club joined with hundreds of activists in Washington State -- including the Washington Fair Trade Coalition -- to oppose fast track and the TPP. And this wasn’t just any rally.
Activists hopped on a bus and traveled around the state of Oregon on a “Fair Trade or BusTour” to educate constituents and members of Congress about the harm that could come if TPP and fast track are approved.
The first stop on the tour was in Mt. Vernon, Rep. Suzan DelBene’s district. A handful of environmental activists and union members gave passionate speeches regarding the TPP and fast track, and afterward came together to meet with the congresswoman’s staff. Climbing back on the bus, the activists next stopped in Rep. Derek Kilmer’s district, where activists marched to his office, holding signs and leading chants. The successful three-stop tour ended in Olympia, where activists continued to teach congressional staff and curious constituents alike about the consequences of this trade deal.
“We keep using the same failed trade policies,” said Robin Everett, a Washington State trade organizer for the Sierra Club. “These deals negotiated in secret are not good for the American public, so we really need to get our message out there.”
Robin said she thinks that the “Fair Trade or Bust” tour did just that, emphasizing that, “the congressional members were all very receptive,” and the “turnout was a mix of laborers, legislators and activists.” She noted that while activists may be in different positions in life, the threat we all face as a result of the TPP is the same.
And while this bus tour was successful, Robin says, “We still have a lot more work to do. We’re seeing some movement from our legislators, but the steps are more subtle. However, continued pressure does help, and we will continue to make our voices heard.”
And leaders like Robin aren’t alone. Across the country, in places like Virginia, Sierra Clubbers, and our allies are taking action on the TPP and fast track.
In fact, last Friday, activists from the Sierra Club, Teamsters Union, Food and Water Watch, and other organizations gathered in front of Rep. Don Beyer’s Alexandria, Virginia, office to encourage him to oppose fast track and the TPP.
The Sierra Club and our allies are prepared to continue pressuring our leaders to do what we know is best for our neighborhoods, states, health, and environment. This is only the beginning.