Replace the TPP with a Common Trade Doctrine

  • by: RD Frankel
  • recipient: The President and Congress of the USA
The Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) is bad for the USA and bad for the world. It needs to be scraped and replaced--with something better, transparent, and fair.

A Common Trade Doctrine (CTD) is a more ethical and superior plan. Simply stated, the CTD reads:

"All goods and services --regardless of origin-- consumed in the USA must meet or exceed the minimum levels required by domestic USA Federal and State laws for business, labor, environment, and taxation. Both Congress and the States shall be empowered to monitor and enforce equally, promptly, and rigorously this doctrine. No exceptions. No exemptions. No excuses."

What this means is if the USA requires a local business to conduct business ethically, to pay its workers a Federal or State minimum wage, to protect the environment through proper disposal of industrial waste, or pay a tax (or fee), then a business overseas must provide an equivalent, *verifiable* level of business compliance or conduct. And if the business fails to do so, both the Congress and individual States have the full authority to force compliance--even if this means banning the product or service from the State or the USA, issuing heavy fines to the overseas provider, and even blocking whole categories of goods or services from being unfairly dumped upon our domestic marketplace.

This doctrine guarantees that our local USA marketplaces may compete fairly, ethically, and equally with international businesses wanting to do business within the USA. Our workers may compete fairly with workers overseas. The environment is better protected--not just locally but world-wide. Equivalent business taxes and fees are paid regardless of the business location.

In short, the CTD restores balance and fairness to both the American and the World Marketplace.
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