Wed, Jan 21, 2015 01:50 PM

Stop Fast Track Last night during the State of the Union address, President Obama defended his historic iniative to open up relationships with Cuba and promised to veto any new sanctions on Iran which might disrupt promising negotiations currently underway. Sadly, however, the President also defended failed policies in the endless war approach to Syria, Iraq, and Afganistan and the attempted bullying of Russia, and described his drone war as restrained. He proposed positive economic programs designed to create jobs, help the middle class, provide internet access and protect our environment from devastation.   Unfortunately, at the same time he asked Congress to give him Fast Track legislation, which would allow the passage of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and other free trade agreements with very limited debate and no possibility of amendment.  But Fast Track  would undermine all of the positives President Obama advanced -- devouring jobs, driving down middle class incomes, ending equal access to the internet, and allowing multinationals to devastate the environmant and march ahead with climate destruction.  Make sure your representative knows that you oppose the Fast Track to Job Loss. Fast Track would allow the President to sign the TPP before Congress has seen it, and then railroad the deal through Congress in only 90 days with limited debate and no amendments allowed. That is how NAFTA and the World Trade Organization got passed, and they led to decades of job loss and floods of unsafe imported food and products. Tell Senators Markey and Warren and your Representative not to abdicate their responsibilty to carefully review trade agreements! Unfortunately, President Obama made it clear in his State of the Union speech that he plans to side with Wall Street and team up with Speaker Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to try to get Fast Track for the TPP passed as soon as possible. Join the majority of House Democrats and over 550 labor, environmental, food safety, faith and consumer groups to  make sure that there will be no Fast Track in 2015!  Read a longer version of this article. Please make sure your representative will vote ‘No’ on Fast Track, or call 1-888-804-8311! When you are connected, say: Hi, my name is ______.  I am one of your constituents from _______ and I am strongly opposed to Fast Track. We elected you to ensure that public policies meet and protect our needs and priorities. We did NOT elect you to give away your constitutional right and responsibility to make sure that trade agreements do not threaten our jobs, our environment, our food safety, our access to medicines, and our democracy. If Fast Track passes, you will not be able to do the job you promised us you would do. Please make a public statement opposing Fast Track today. In solidarity, John Ratliff Massachusetts Peace Action Peace Economy Working Group Join Massachusetts Peace Action - or renew your membership in advance for 2015!   Dues are $40/year for an individual, $65 for a family, or $10 for student/unemployed/low income.  Members vote for leadership and endorsements, receive newsletters and discounts on event admissions.  Donate now and you will be a member in good standing through December 2015!  Your financial support makes this work possible! Massachusetts Peace Action, 11 Garden St., Cambridge, MA 02138 617-354-2169  • info@masspeaceaction.org • Follow us on Facebook or Twitter Click here to unsubscribe