Stop the “Fast Track” Sneak Attack on Democracy

Dear friends:

We need your help your help derailing the latest push for “Fast Track” legislation that would enable corporate power grabs like the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) to be rushed through Congress, circumventing ordinary review, amendment and debate procedures.

Click here to tell Congress NO to “Fast Track” during Lame Duck and NO to “Fast Track” forever.

President Obama and other heads of state are meeting in Asia this month in an attempt to push forward the TPP negotiations.  Literally millions of people throughout the world have complained about the extreme secrecy surrounding the ongoing TPP negotiations.  They’ve argued that the public deserves the right to know what is being proposed in our names for a twelve-nation pact that will set the rules governing an estimated 40% of the global economy — rules that not only dictate tariff levels, but also energy and environmental policy, medicine patents, financial regulations, “Buy Local” preferences, food safety, Internet protocols, consumer labeling and more.

While the public has been shut out of the TPP negotiating process, hundreds of corporate lobbyists — representing companies like Walmart, Cargill and Chevron — have had access to the texts.  This double-standard has assured that the TPP has been written in corporations’ interests, with little regard for working families, public health or the environment.

Now many of these same corporations want even Congress to give up its constitutional authority to assure that trade agreement provisions are written in the best interests of the constituents they serve.  Many are even calling for “Fast Track” to be passed during the post-election “Lame Duck” session of Congress, when political accountability to constituents is often at its lowest.

Fend off this sneak attack on democracy by urging Congress to oppose “Fast Track” for the TPP.

A coordinated #StopFastTrack Week of Action is taking place right now, with a broad range of groups across the issue spectrum mobilizing their supporters to speak out.  Contacting Congress is the critical first step.  You can also participate by attending a rally or community forum, writing a Letter to the Editor or sending sample Tweets with the #StopFastTrack hashtag.

Thanks to similar efforts earlier this year, over a million Americans spoke out to beat back an attempt by Ways & Means Chair David Camp (R-MI) and then-Senate Finance Chair Max Baucus (D-MT) to pass a “Fast Track” bill.  It’s only now, after the election, that TPP boosters feel comfortable trying to sneak “Fast Track” to the floor again.  By taking action together, we can beat back “Fast Track” now and into the future.

TAKE ACTION NOW: Please urge your Members of Congress to protect the economy, environment and public health by opposing “Fast Track” legislation.

Many thanks,

The Food First Team

P.S. Click here to see why Food First opposes Fast Track.

P.P.S. Click here to see Food First’s Summer 2014 Backgrounder “The Trans-Pacific Partnership: A threat to democracy and food sovereignty”