Comment Up
Commissioner McVoy has put Resolution No. 01-2016 on the agenda opposing the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which has to do with global trade and supported by Obama. Critics say it will mean that more U.S. jobs get shipped overseas. Advocates
say it'll expand U.S. exports and create more well-paying jobs here at
home. Commissioner McVoy believes it will hurt our businesses by the out-sourcing of jobs, etc. and points out that our trade imbalance is out of whack...from 70 billion in 1993, the year before NAFTA went into effect, to more than $508 billion in 2014.
This is a subject that is far too important to slide through on the Consent Agenda. On top of that, it is totally out of our realm. I don't know whether it is good, bad or indifferent (NAFTA sure was a disaster and I would probably say the TPP could/would be equally as bad) but the Consent Agenda should be for items that are routine, procedural decisions, and decisions that are overwhelmingly supported by the population and noncontroversial. This reminds me of when a former commission consisting of liberal commissioners placed a resolution on the Agenda opposing Arizona 1070 as they didn't think it "fair" to stop people for immigration status checks.
TITLE:
Resolution No. 01-2016 - oppose the Trans-Pacific Partnership
SUMMARY:
The Resolution calls upon the elected officials in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives to oppose the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and any similar trade agreements. Commissioner McVoy requested this be placed on the agenda.
BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION:
The TPP may have adverse impacts on job retention and creation s in the United States. Lake Worth currently has over a 12% unemployment rate.
Trans Pacific Partnership
The Obama side of the argument--
TPP puts American workers first by establishing the highest labor standards of any trade agreement in history,
requiring all countries to meet core, enforceable labor standards as
stated in the International Labor Organization’s (ILO) Declaration on
Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.
The fully-enforceable labor standards we have won in TPP include the
freedom to form unions and bargain collectively; prohibitions against
child labor and forced labor; requirements for acceptable conditions of
work such as minimum wage, hours of work, and safe workplace conditions;
and protections against employment discrimination. These enforceable
requirements will help our workers compete fairly and reverse a status
quo that disadvantages our workers through a race to the bottom on
international labor standards.
In fact, TPP will result in the largest expansion of fully-enforceable labor rights in history, including renegotiating NAFTA and bringing hundreds of millions of
additional people under ILO standards – leveling the playing field for
American workers so that they can win in the global economy. Fact sheet from Obama
The TPP would also outlaw all state laws having to do with labeling of food. This does affect us. Since 1996 we have been eating genetically modified foods without any label or warning for those adversely affected. The FDA has now approved genetically modified fish for human consumption. There is no guarantee that our fish and wildlife populations will be safe from crossbreeding. The GMO fish will likely have a breeding advantage over their natural cousins since they are packed with growth factors and mature far more rapidly.
ReplyDeleteGrowth factors encourage cancer growth (i.e. IGF1 spurs rapid growth and can convert normal breast cell in a petri dish to cancerous cells in studies.)Even the manufacturer, Aquabounty, admits that not the entire population is able to be supposedly sterile. This does have huge implications for us down the road. Seafood anyone? Let's look at the danger before it is national law. We are still allowed to speak out, as well as write to our representatives. Over 90% of the population wants accurate labeling of our food. We deserve to be heard, and it is an election year.
Interesting, anonymous. However, this shouldn't be on the Consent Agenda. On top of that, we have a huge amount of local issues that are unaddressed/unsolved and now we are delving into an int'l agreement? We do get carried away at times. Just my opinion but I appreciate your response.
ReplyDeleteGreat to see one of your "best commissioners ever" so entrenched in solving the problems in his corner of the city. What a guy.
ReplyDeleteWhat the hell does this have to do with LW?
ReplyDeleteAbstract thinking from the nutty professor McVoy. He is asleep at the wheel. I guess this was his brainstorm from his Climate Change summit in Key West last month... How was your room at the Waldorf Estoria Mr McVoy... And Mr Maier... I heard Mr Maxwell stayed cheaper digs.
Is this important? Yes, but Lynn's right he hasn't come up with anything to address our local issues with sober homes, drug dealer, prostitution, potholes, blight. How about bringing more jobs to LW Mr PhD!
I heard he didn't attend any seminars while there and could be seen at Sloppy Joe's.
ReplyDeleteWho, Scott Maxwell?
ReplyDelete