Political Quotes

“I rise this afternoon regarding Fast Track authorization. There are many reasons to oppose Fast Track, but the first and foremost is that Fast Track is an abdication of Congress' fundamental responsibilities. The Constitution authorizes the Congress, not the executive branch, to regulate commerce between nations. This deal was negotiated by the administration, in secret, without the proper input or oversight from the Congress. The grapevine tells us-- because they are not talking to us directly--that it will do nothing to address currency manipulation, the mother of all trade barriers. Just one consequence is an $8,000 cost advantage to a Japanese vehicle sold in the United States, which is then used to subsidize parts, advertising, or to undercut the cost of a vehicle in the marketplace. In fact, Toyota made more in profits last year from currency manipulation than Ford made last year in its entire worldwide operations. What I know about the domestic auto industry is that they can outcompete any of their competitors in the world, but they cannot outcompete the Bank of Japan or the Japanese Government. Those who care about the constitutional responsibilities of Congress should oppose Fast Track. ____________________”