Sen. Ted Cruz Makes It Official

[n david]

Cruz has flipped against the TPA. Well, unless McConnell allows the Ex-IM Bank to expire and Congress passes his amendments to the TPA.

The bill is a bad bill. In one sentence, Cruz rails against the "corrupt Washington backroom deal-making" with TPA, yet at the end of the article he prints his own demands.

Mr. Cruz, if this bill "has become enmeshed in corrupt Washington backroom deal-making, along with serious concerns that it would open up the potential for sweeping changes in our laws that trade agreements typically do not include." And if "WikiLeaks subsequently revealed new troubling information regarding the Trade in Services Agreement, or TiSA, one of the trade deals being negotiated by Obama," then your vote should be "No." Period.

"There’s too much corporate welfare, too much cronyism and corrupt dealmaking, by the Washington cartel."

"I cannot vote for TPA unless McConnell and Boehner both commit publicly to allow the Ex-Im Bank to expire—and stay expired. And, Congress must also pass the Cruz-Sessions amendments to TPA to ensure that no trade agreement can try to back-door changes to our immigration laws. Otherwise, I will have no choice but to vote no."

He should have said, "I cannot vote for TPA because..."

The price of an awful trade bill? A statement, not even a guarantee, to allow the Ex-IM Bank to expire and passage of a personal amendment.