Donald Trump held a rally in Rochester on Sunday, April 10. I watched the broadcast.
His tone was classic Trump and the crowd was a bit less rowdy than some. The content was not much different than others rallies, but I took note when I heard:
“We are going to get it straighten out folks. TPP, now listen to this, the Trade Pact that is a disaster. It will be worst for you, for upstate New York, New England, the entire country. It will be worst than NAFA. It will be the worst. Ted Cruz is totally in favor of it. Now, think about it. (The crowd starts to chant) Lyin’ Ted, Lyin’ Ted”
I was surprised to hear that Sen. Cruz supported the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP).
I fact-check Trump’s claim and found out:
- Sen. Ted Cruz co-authored (with Rep. Raul Ryan) an OP-Ed in the Wall Street Journal (4/21/15) supporting the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA). That would give the Congress the right to “Fast Track” the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP). With TPA Congress would give up the its right to amend or filibuster TPP. It also would require only a simple majority to pass TPP, instead of a two-thirds super majority vote.
- The Senate approved the fast track bill by voice vote, meaning that we do not know how Cruz, or any senator, voted.
- After the House passed their fast tracking bill (HR2146) the Senate and the House needed to resolve the differences between the approved bills. Sen. Cruz voted AGAINST resolving the difference, but the bill was approved , 60-38.
Trump and others, believe that supporting the Fast Track bill meant that you support the Trans Pacific Partnership.
But wait…didn’t our representative, and Trump’s Leadership Team Co-Chair, Tom Reed also supported the Fast Tracking bill?
Reed didn’t write an OP-ED about Fast Tracking, but he posted two Press Releases which supported it.
“This smart bipartisan proposal ensures New York manufacturers get fair access to international markets to continue to make it here and sell it there. Additionally, it will provide crucial new markets for New York’s farmers, allowing them higher value exportable products to new consumers. I care about the well-being of the families of the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes and know that TPA will provide jobs and opportunity to our area.”
- The second Press Released ended with:
“Every day TPA is not passed is another lost opportunity for American workers and businesses. Other nations are filling the void. America should lead the way, not be left behind.”
Not only was Reed enthusiastic about how Fast Tracking would help workers, businesses and district’s families, he voted for it TWICE:
- once when the House approved it (May 17) and
- once when the House approved resolving the differences in the House and Senate’s bills (June 18)
If you attended any of Tom Reed’s Town Hall Meetings in the first 10 months of 2015 you would have heard the benefits of Fast Tracking and how the TPP would open the world markets to goods from our region.
Soon after John Plumb announced that he intended to run for congress in the NY 23rd Congressional District in July 2015, he declared that he was opposed to the Trans Pacific Partnership. Plumb feels that “The TPP is no substitute for a comprehensive economic strategy. It took Rep. Reed until November to finally decide that he would (or should) not approve TPP.
In Donald Trump’s mind Senator Cruz, by writing the OP-ED supporting Fast Tracking and then changing his mind and voted against it, somehow makes him “Totally in favor of it (TPP)”. But Reed, by voting for Fast Tracking TWICE, then changing his mind on supporting TPP, is qualified to be a Co-Chair of Trump’s Leadership Team.
I don’t understand the logic in Trumpland.
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