1 00:00:00,04 --> 00:00:03,91 Welcome back uprising I'm so non-legal had the Senate passed 2 00:00:03,92 --> 00:00:09,29 a major trade promotion authority bill last week that handed President Obama 3 00:00:09,30 --> 00:00:13,86 victory he has been working hard to achieve now the president will have the 4 00:00:13,87 --> 00:00:18,69 authority to send an already negotiated trade deal to Congress for simple yes or no 5 00:00:18,70 --> 00:00:24,28 vote with no power to make amendments in his attempt to pass fast track authority 6 00:00:24,29 --> 00:00:27,18 for the transpacific partnership or T.T.P. 7 00:00:27,46 --> 00:00:31,31 The president made many claims including how the massive trade deal would be good 8 00:00:31,32 --> 00:00:36,09 for workers' wages and the environment and more but organized labor with its 9 00:00:36,10 --> 00:00:40,42 hindsight and knowledge of the disaster of NAFTA lobbied hard against fast track 10 00:00:40,43 --> 00:00:41,34 for the T.P. 11 00:00:41,77 --> 00:00:45,25 They were joined by environmentalist students and many activists of different 12 00:00:45,26 --> 00:00:50,15 stripes the multi-faceted coalition that mobilized against fast track made real 13 00:00:50,16 --> 00:00:54,94 inroads into public education of the secretive and destructive trade deal but in 14 00:00:54,95 --> 00:01:00,00 the end it failed or did it joining me to help answer that question is Ilana 15 00:01:00,01 --> 00:01:05,00 Solomon She's the director of responsible trade program of the Sierra Club welcome 16 00:01:05,01 --> 00:01:09,04 to uprising Ilana thank you so much for having me thanks for joining us well how 17 00:01:09,05 --> 00:01:14,95 disappointed were you when the Senate passed the bill. Well certainly we were 18 00:01:14,96 --> 00:01:15,81 disappointed 19 00:01:15,82 --> 00:01:22,27 a number of senators and Democrats in our House of Representatives voted against 20 00:01:22,28 --> 00:01:24,33 communities workers and the environment and for 21 00:01:24,34 --> 00:01:30,03 a really toxic fast track Bella but at the same time we think that our movement in 22 00:01:30,04 --> 00:01:34,45 this campaign has made incredible gains and really made 23 00:01:34,46 --> 00:01:39,25 a very public issue of just how bad the fast track and the T.P. P. 24 00:01:39,68 --> 00:01:44,66 Are for workers the environment the public and we are just emboldened by the fire 25 00:01:44,90 --> 00:01:46,74 in our pivoting now to defeating the T.V. 26 00:01:47,07 --> 00:01:49,81 Directly and think we have 27 00:01:49,85 --> 00:01:56,53 a really good shot still well why would the majority of the Senate and the 28 00:01:56,54 --> 00:01:59,54 house at least in this current configuration with the G.O.P. 29 00:01:59,55 --> 00:02:05,82 In charge down the bill the gave the president the authority to 30 00:02:06,06 --> 00:02:12,08 negotiate and to present because this party which is the majority party in power 31 00:02:12,12 --> 00:02:14,44 has basically entered into 32 00:02:14,45 --> 00:02:18,70 a very strong partnership with the president on this one issue it's the one issue 33 00:02:18,71 --> 00:02:23,62 they really agree on that's true but we've already seen for example the twenty 34 00:02:23,63 --> 00:02:28,68 eight Democrats in the House who voted for Fast Track have already been saying they 35 00:02:28,69 --> 00:02:28,87 took 36 00:02:28,88 --> 00:02:34,13 a leap of faith essential you by voting for fast track and now the promises of the 37 00:02:34,14 --> 00:02:38,92 strongest ever Trans-Pacific. Strongest ever trade agreement for labor and 38 00:02:38,93 --> 00:02:43,42 environment you know must come to fruition and we know that that's not going to 39 00:02:43,43 --> 00:02:44,44 happen but the T.P. 40 00:02:44,45 --> 00:02:44,97 Is not 41 00:02:44,98 --> 00:02:49,68 a strong trade agreement for workers or the environmental So we do still think that 42 00:02:49,69 --> 00:02:51,36 there is going to be 43 00:02:51,40 --> 00:02:57,34 a good amount of work to ensure that Democrats in Congress vote down the tepee and 44 00:02:57,35 --> 00:02:57,48 there's 45 00:02:57,49 --> 00:03:01,06 a real question of whether you know Republicans alone are still going to want to 46 00:03:01,07 --> 00:03:06,19 give President Obama when so it's the Democrats that you think activists are going 47 00:03:06,20 --> 00:03:10,95 to be focused on those who voted for the bill but I'm assuming also joining with 48 00:03:10,96 --> 00:03:14,97 those who voted against trade promote. In authority the question is if you can get 49 00:03:14,98 --> 00:03:18,86 enough Republicans to join and you may just may have enough votes when T.P. 50 00:03:18,87 --> 00:03:19,46 Comes up for 51 00:03:19,47 --> 00:03:24,36 a vote that's exactly right and still you know an unfinished agreement many members 52 00:03:24,37 --> 00:03:28,52 of Congress unfortunately voted for without even having seen the whole agreement 53 00:03:28,94 --> 00:03:33,34 now we're going to focus on the facts of the agreement will see the text soon we 54 00:03:33,35 --> 00:03:36,99 are absolutely confident that the text will prove that we have been right all along 55 00:03:37,00 --> 00:03:43,04 about the environmental disaster of the Trans-Pacific Partnership is and and now we 56 00:03:43,05 --> 00:03:49,02 have you know increased time to just continue building incredible movement of 57 00:03:49,06 --> 00:03:53,00 activists that now are making the connections between how the trade agreements like 58 00:03:53,01 --> 00:03:58,72 the T.P. Impact clean air clean water the right to say no to fracking G.M.O. 59 00:03:58,73 --> 00:04:02,56 Labeling any issue you know members of the public care about is going to be 60 00:04:02,57 --> 00:04:03,37 connected by 61 00:04:03,41 --> 00:04:08,93 a T V P And we think that the movement is just. Getting bigger and stronger and of 62 00:04:08,94 --> 00:04:12,42 course there was enough information about the T.P. 63 00:04:12,43 --> 00:04:19,31 To cause. Distrust and. And negativity just 64 00:04:19,32 --> 00:04:24,11 from the small bits that have been leaked to the public Wiki Leaks has released 65 00:04:24,12 --> 00:04:29,50 many you know small sections here and there and enough people have seen the bill 66 00:04:30,33 --> 00:04:35,62 seen the draft agreement in its draft form have been horrified So certainly one 67 00:04:35,63 --> 00:04:38,01 hopes that when it does come up for 68 00:04:38,02 --> 00:04:42,73 a vote that members of Congress will see it as problematic and often 69 00:04:42,77 --> 00:04:47,79 a big part of the issue is that it is secretive so if and when the P.P. 70 00:04:47,80 --> 00:04:51,80 Comes up for an up or down vote which is what fast track now with the authorizes 71 00:04:52,37 --> 00:04:57,82 the president to offer Congress how will anybody be able to report on it how will 72 00:04:57,83 --> 00:05:01,68 there be any kind of public education about it if members of Congress aren't even 73 00:05:01,69 --> 00:05:05,62 allowed to share its details with the public are we just posed to trust that they 74 00:05:05,63 --> 00:05:10,35 will do the right thing when they see the secret details well once the T P P If the 75 00:05:10,36 --> 00:05:11,62 T.V. Concludes and that's not 76 00:05:11,63 --> 00:05:17,40 a foregone conclusion either. But if it does conclude the text will be public and 77 00:05:17,41 --> 00:05:21,51 it will be public for at least sixty day is so we will be able to have an open 78 00:05:21,52 --> 00:05:27,40 conversation about the contents of the agreement and the facts you know on the page 79 00:05:27,75 --> 00:05:29,10 so we will be doing 80 00:05:29,11 --> 00:05:33,77 a nothing education campaign and analysis of the text how it harms work so it would 81 00:05:33,78 --> 00:05:37,73 be public eye so what about the contention that it was going to have to be secret 82 00:05:37,74 --> 00:05:44,39 for four years after it was seen no those are some of the draft texts that go into 83 00:05:44,40 --> 00:05:45,16 the T.P. 84 00:05:45,17 --> 00:05:48,64 Will remain secret for four years but the actual agreement itself will be fully 85 00:05:48,65 --> 00:05:52,57 public so negotiations concluded before a vote happens so there is 86 00:05:52,58 --> 00:05:57,49 a big opportunity to analyze the text I mean believe me it's far too late to have 87 00:05:57,50 --> 00:06:02,68 the tax public after it's already been agreed to but nonetheless it should have 88 00:06:02,69 --> 00:06:06,80 been public years ago but nonetheless we will have if the negotiations include the 89 00:06:06,81 --> 00:06:09,07 text of the agreement and we will be able to do 90 00:06:09,08 --> 00:06:15,01 a big education campaign and you know just. Further an understanding of how harmful 91 00:06:15,02 --> 00:06:19,36 this tactic isn't Obama and aren't the G.O.P. 92 00:06:19,76 --> 00:06:24,15 Congress members who voted for this technique huge risk with this up an up or down 93 00:06:24,16 --> 00:06:29,19 vote if after everything's been negotiated it's presented to Congress without the 94 00:06:29,20 --> 00:06:34,88 power to make amendments and Congress does manage to voted down then it's over. 95 00:06:36,06 --> 00:06:39,83 That's absolutely true although as we know you know I think the other thing about 96 00:06:39,84 --> 00:06:45,50 the up or down vote as that even with fast track pass Congress does still have the 97 00:06:45,51 --> 00:06:48,34 power to demand concessions even after 98 00:06:48,35 --> 00:06:51,75 a negotiation has concluded and that happened in two thousand and seven with our 99 00:06:51,76 --> 00:06:57,83 U.S. Peru free trade agreement even I did have fast track so there's still 100 00:06:57,89 --> 00:07:02,67 a lot of opportunity is for Congrats Congress to its influence over the 101 00:07:02,68 --> 00:07:08,07 negotiations and. Again so it can't it can't offer 102 00:07:08,08 --> 00:07:12,80 a formal amendments but it can influence the details Yeah I can still go back and 103 00:07:12,81 --> 00:07:17,55 demand changes and I go in process let's talk about the fight. 104 00:07:20,16 --> 00:07:24,29 In the battle against fast track and essentially what's called trade promotion 105 00:07:24,30 --> 00:07:27,76 authority but big challenge for activists like yourself was the fact that the 106 00:07:27,77 --> 00:07:32,27 public was essentially quite ignorant by and large ignorant of what the T.P. 107 00:07:32,28 --> 00:07:34,63 Was all a boat because the mainstream media did 108 00:07:34,64 --> 00:07:37,24 a pure bull job educating folks right I mean wasn't 109 00:07:37,25 --> 00:07:40,42 a big part of your job simply getting the word out about the D.P.P. 110 00:07:40,43 --> 00:07:43,87 What it was and what it entailed that's true it was 111 00:07:43,88 --> 00:07:48,24 a huge part of our job I do you know think the mainstream media did do 112 00:07:48,25 --> 00:07:52,27 a poor job reporting on it but it wasn't necessarily their fault part of the fault 113 00:07:52,28 --> 00:07:58,31 was that the negotiations were conducted in such extreme secrecy that no one had 114 00:07:58,32 --> 00:08:03,62 the information members of the public members of Congress the media so members of 115 00:08:03,63 --> 00:08:09,33 the public did remain you know just didn't have the information they needed for the 116 00:08:09,34 --> 00:08:14,16 last five years while this pact was under negotiation but we've made huge strides I 117 00:08:14,17 --> 00:08:15,35 mean even you know three and 118 00:08:15,36 --> 00:08:18,39 a half years ago when I started working on this issue of the Sierra Club we would 119 00:08:18,40 --> 00:08:22,27 go into forums and say who has heard about the Trans-Pacific Partnership you know 120 00:08:22,28 --> 00:08:26,00 raise your hand and almost no one will have heard of it and now we've literally 121 00:08:26,01 --> 00:08:32,42 seen millions of people taking action signing petitions you know making phone calls 122 00:08:32,43 --> 00:08:36,92 going to rallies Sierra Club members alone out of hundreds of thought. Dozens of 123 00:08:37,24 --> 00:08:41,67 our members engage in as so just of the last few years we've had just 124 00:08:41,68 --> 00:08:48,35 a huge that uptick in awareness and mobilization on this issue so with 125 00:08:48,36 --> 00:08:50,60 a little bit more time we think you can do even more well you're 126 00:08:50,61 --> 00:08:54,55 a lot kinder to the mainstream media than I am because of course if you and your 127 00:08:54,56 --> 00:08:58,49 fellow activists can educate the public the getting New York Times could have 128 00:08:58,50 --> 00:08:58,96 certainly done 129 00:08:58,97 --> 00:09:05,58 a better to. Both But let's talk about the fact that even the flight to reason 130 00:09:06,43 --> 00:09:12,16 and the intensely lobbying that ordinary activists did you see did that have an 131 00:09:12,17 --> 00:09:16,04 impact do you think on the actual content of the draft agreement as far as you know 132 00:09:16,26 --> 00:09:23,15 where you go to influence the direction of the goshi sions. I think that it's it's 133 00:09:23,16 --> 00:09:26,69 a little too early to say whether the content of the negotiations have been 134 00:09:26,70 --> 00:09:31,26 influenced we'll see when we see the text but I think the even more important point 135 00:09:31,69 --> 00:09:32,31 is that without 136 00:09:32,32 --> 00:09:36,68 a doubt we have an influence the debate both in communities across the United 137 00:09:36,69 --> 00:09:39,60 States and in the halls of Congress and this is seen in 138 00:09:39,61 --> 00:09:41,58 a number of ways including from 139 00:09:42,02 --> 00:09:47,63 a Democratic Leader Pelosi who voted against fast track and made 140 00:09:47,94 --> 00:09:51,66 a big reason that she voted against it talking about you know the implications to 141 00:09:51,67 --> 00:09:55,26 workers the implications to our climate I want so far as to say that this is the 142 00:09:55,27 --> 00:09:58,61 last debate of its kind on fast track because we need 143 00:09:58,84 --> 00:10:04,55 a new paradigm and I think that just shows just how far the movement calling for 144 00:10:04,56 --> 00:10:07,75 a new model of trade has reached right that is certainly 145 00:10:07,76 --> 00:10:12,10 a very important statement made by Palosi then that speaks to the fact that not 146 00:10:12,11 --> 00:10:15,41 only did you educate the public educated members of Congress we had 147 00:10:15,42 --> 00:10:19,90 a Margaret Flowers on our guest several times and she along with other activists 148 00:10:19,91 --> 00:10:24,72 were literally camped out in front of the Capitol intercepting as many members of 149 00:10:24,73 --> 00:10:28,17 Congress as the crew trying to educate them and trying to hold them accountable on 150 00:10:28,18 --> 00:10:32,82 their votes on this know what about the fact that the fight against the P.P. 151 00:10:33,12 --> 00:10:39,93 And even. The sort of process negotiations processes 152 00:10:40,27 --> 00:10:44,35 such as the trade promotion authority fight that we just had is playing out in 153 00:10:44,39 --> 00:10:47,79 other countries I mean this is a multilateral trade agreement there's 154 00:10:47,80 --> 00:10:53,19 a number of countries involved they all have to agree on it before it becomes the 155 00:10:53,20 --> 00:10:55,22 law of the land Australia is seeing 156 00:10:55,23 --> 00:10:58,65 a major fight around it right now in the Australian Press is reporting on how 157 00:10:59,24 --> 00:11:05,07 terribly secretive this particular document off the draft is there hope in 158 00:11:05,08 --> 00:11:09,96 international activism Well there is international activism and well already 159 00:11:10,41 --> 00:11:13,98 coordinating groups the United States are coordinating with groups and all of the 160 00:11:14,02 --> 00:11:18,92 tepee countries there's huge movements then you know New Zealand Australia as you 161 00:11:18,93 --> 00:11:23,23 mention Japan. And millions of farmers talking about how the T.P. 162 00:11:23,24 --> 00:11:28,69 Would harm their you know right livelihood and in agriculture these movements 163 00:11:28,73 --> 00:11:31,65 already are happening and it's one of the reasons that the T.V. 164 00:11:31,66 --> 00:11:35,86 Has been delayed so many years they've already missed several deadlines to conclude 165 00:11:35,87 --> 00:11:41,64 the talks so I think this is just ongoing and willing and it does again raise one 166 00:11:41,65 --> 00:11:45,49 of the questions about whether the negotiations will be able to conclude and if 167 00:11:45,50 --> 00:11:49,04 they conclude whether again the agreement will be able to pass you know this 168 00:11:49,05 --> 00:11:51,14 conversation globally around 169 00:11:51,15 --> 00:11:55,92 a trade and breaking down trade barriers and making corporate profits subservient 170 00:11:55,96 --> 00:12:01,70 to. Rather making domestic regulations subservient to corporate profits is coming 171 00:12:01,71 --> 00:12:02,95 at a time when there seems to be 172 00:12:02,96 --> 00:12:07,51 a global awakening on the issue of climate change and of course Sierra Club is very 173 00:12:07,52 --> 00:12:12,26 active on this issue he's just seems bizarre that we are fighting over and trying 174 00:12:12,27 --> 00:12:17,14 to keep our government from signing an agreement that could undermine our ability 175 00:12:17,15 --> 00:12:23,12 to control and possibly stop climate change at the most crucial possible time in 176 00:12:23,13 --> 00:12:28,11 the planet's you know I should say the history of the species now that's exactly 177 00:12:28,12 --> 00:12:32,32 right it's one of the biggest reasons that the Sierra Club has been engaging in the 178 00:12:32,33 --> 00:12:36,07 fight against harmful trade agreements for the past two decades and why our fight 179 00:12:36,08 --> 00:12:39,91 has never been stronger than it is today as you say this is the moment where we 180 00:12:39,92 --> 00:12:43,96 need the most decisive action on climate change and these trade agreements would 181 00:12:43,97 --> 00:12:48,80 literally handcuff the ability of the United States and other governments to make 182 00:12:48,81 --> 00:12:54,19 the changes we need it gives broad rights to oil gas and coal companies at the 183 00:12:54,20 --> 00:12:59,82 moment where we need to be raining and pollution it increases and facilitates 184 00:12:59,83 --> 00:13:05,25 exports of fossil fuels like coal oil and gas when scientists and experts tell us 185 00:13:05,26 --> 00:13:08,50 that we need to keep the majority of fossil fuels in the ground so there's 186 00:13:08,51 --> 00:13:13,20 a direct contradiction between what we need to do to solve the climate crisis and 187 00:13:13,21 --> 00:13:16,88 the rules and he is free trade agreement and that's why we're fighting finally 188 00:13:17,24 --> 00:13:20,59 there's P.P.P. And then there's tea. T. 189 00:13:20,64 --> 00:13:26,74 IP the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership unlike T P P which is 190 00:13:27,62 --> 00:13:34,52 primarily with Pacific countries the T T I P E Z Trade Agreement process Europe 191 00:13:34,58 --> 00:13:37,88 far behind P.P. 192 00:13:37,92 --> 00:13:42,29 In terms of how much has been negotiated but has the fight just in terms of 193 00:13:42,30 --> 00:13:45,27 tallying the successes against trade promotion authority has 194 00:13:45,28 --> 00:13:49,90 a fight against it and fast track built momentum for T.T. 195 00:13:49,91 --> 00:13:51,68 Against. In 196 00:13:51,69 --> 00:13:57,05 a way that could stop it in its tracks before it gets out the door Yeah absolutely 197 00:13:57,23 --> 00:14:00,45 and there's already you know a very strong movement against T.T. 198 00:14:00,46 --> 00:14:04,28 IP in Europe and there is increased awareness in the United States the newer 199 00:14:04,29 --> 00:14:08,35 agreement only about two years old as compared to the transpacific partnership but 200 00:14:08,36 --> 00:14:13,47 we know that it's following in the same footsteps of NAFTA and a T P P and there's 201 00:14:13,48 --> 00:14:16,71 a more information we have because there's been more leaks out of the European 202 00:14:16,72 --> 00:14:18,92 Union so I think that this movement again 203 00:14:18,93 --> 00:14:22,70 a for fair and responsible trade against harmful free trade agreements is going to 204 00:14:22,71 --> 00:14:25,03 be you know fighting the T.P.A. Fighting T. 205 00:14:25,04 --> 00:14:29,43 TEP and other agreements like that well I want to thank you so much for joining us 206 00:14:29,44 --> 00:14:35,33 today and helping look ahead after the service several people have been very sad 207 00:14:35,34 --> 00:14:39,98 about this fast track we know for for the president on the G.O.P. 208 00:14:39,99 --> 00:14:43,97 Certainly there is still hope there absolutely is thank you for having me thank you 209 00:14:43,98 --> 00:14:44,24 so much 210 00:14:44,25 --> 00:14:48,20 a lot of Solomon She's the director of the responsible trade program of the Sierra 211 00:14:48,21 --> 00:14:50,41 Club this is uprising We'll be back after this break.