Let’s Call the Administration and Ask Currency Questions!

By Matthew McMullan
Hit the phones hard, people! / Photo by flickr user tornatore

We’d really like to know why the TPP deal doesn’t have a currency rule in it.

Pretty soon, the rubber is gonna meet the road on President Obama’s big push for the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The administration’s allies in Congress will put forward Trade Promotion Authority, which will restrict Capitol Hill to an up-or-down vote on this massive trade pact – and the White House is still staunchly refusing to include a rule on currency manipulation in the deal.

Here’s how the Alliance for American Manufacturing sees it: By excluding such a rule, America is basically okaying exchange rate interventions by foreign governments – by which they can subsidize their country’s exports at the expense of our own. That’s bad news for U.S. manufacturers, who stand to lose business; and terrible news for U.S. manufacturing workers, whose jobs are put at risk.

The few times they’ve been asked directly about currency in the TPP, the administration’s trade officials have said this issue is not in their purview. That’s a pretty weak answer.

So let’s ask them again!

On Monday, presidential advisor David Simas will be on the phone with Organizing for America supporters to sell them on the TPP. By clicking here, you can submit a question and sign up to join the call.

Mr. Simas, why won’t the Obama administration stand up for American workers and address currency manipulation in the TPP?

We hope to hear a lot of this on Monday. So submit a question, sign up, and join the call.