TPP: Unfair to American Workers, Consumers, and Companies

By Rep. Curt Clawson (R, Fla.) and Peter Morici

Proponents of the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement assert it will open new markets for U.S. goods and services, and help the American worker. We conclude the opposite: It’s a bad deal for America and should be rejected by Congress.

This deal benefits multinational corporations producing in Asia, and clearly helps the Asian workers at the expense of American jobs. Also, Americans will pay higher prices for some products.

Nike is a big TPP supporter, not because it will help the shoemaker create more jobs in America, but because its production in Asia will benefit, where it enjoys tax benefits and cheap, non-union labor. The Obama Administration says it opposes outsourcing; so this makes no sense at all.

The TPP hurts American competitiveness in a number of industries –automotive parts, metals, consumer electronics, software, light manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, tobacco, and others. Our world-leading service sector, including internet and credit card transactions, will suffer increased outsourcing to nations with lower wages and taxes.

All this because the U.S. Executive Branch negotiators decided winners and losers – another example of crony capitalism, favoritism, and the corruptive power of the lobbyists.

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