Claims that trade pacts like the pending Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) will not trump public health and environmental policies were revealed to be fiction on Tuesday after Congress, bending to the will of the World Trade Organization, killedthe popular country-of-origin label (COOL) law.

The provision, tucked inside the omnibus budget agreement, repeals a law that required labels for certain packaged meats, which food safety and consumer groups have said is essential for consumer choice and animal welfare, as well as environmental and public health.

Congress successful revoked the mandate just over one week after the WTO ruled that the U.S. could be forced to pay $1 billion annually to its NAFTA partners, which argued that the law "accorded unfavorable treatment to Canadian and Mexican livestock."

Lori Wallach, director of Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch division, said that consumers relied on the standard to "make informed choices about their food," and that Congress' elimination of the rule "makes clear that trade agreements can—and do—threaten even the most favored U.S. consumer protections."

The move flies in the face of statements made by President Barack Obama, who—arguing in favor of the 12-nation TPP,pledged that "no trade agreement is going to force us to change our laws."

Indeed, Wallach argues that repealing the COOL law might prove to be a "real problem for administration efforts to pass the [TPP}–which faces opposition from an unprecedentedly diverse coalition of organizations and members of Congress—because claims that trade pacts cannot harm U.S. consumer and environmental policies have been a mainstay of their campaign."

This is one of many things in this bill

 

And that government lube they use just ain't cutting it.

 

What's new? Politics as usual. No wonder congress approval is at a all time low. Do any of these politicians actually give a shit about the people they represent?

 

Salary of retired US Presidents .$180,000 FOR LIFE

Salary of House/Senate....$174,000 FOR LIFE This is stupid

Salary of Speaker of the House ....$223,500 FOR LIFE! This is really stupid

Salary of Majority/Minority Leader $193,400 FOR LIFE Ditto last line

Average Salary of a teacher .. $40,065

Average Salary of Soldier DEPLOYED IN AFGHANISTAN .. $38,000 Think about this.


need more reasons to think about voting the old guards out?
its both sides
they get richer making us poorer

 

As a public servant i think congress and all other federal employees are way over paid. Someone who is supposed to work for the people should not make 25 times what the average person they represent makes. The government over the years has made these positions pay like they do so they can milk them for years and millions of dołl

 

But I do have to admit that one thing this latest "tax the hell out of us" bill did do is is by all rights a good thing, they removed what many have labeled the DARK act(Deny American Right to Know), that would have made it illegal for states to force companies like Monsanto to have to label GMO foods.

 

Here’s What’s in Congress’ Spending and Tax Package

The spending legislation will be introduced with a package renewing billions of dollars in tax breaks for businesses and low-income Americans. Text of the 2,009-page spending bill was released at 2 a.m. Wednesday; the separate 233-page tax-extenders bill was released just before midnight.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., are able to brag about at least some policy provisions included in the spending bill, most significantly measures ending a 40-year-old ban on oil exports and stopping what Republicans refer to as a “bailout” of Obamacare’s risk corridor program for health insurers.

The spending bill does include a policy provision related to national security that both parties and Obama support: a measure targeting a program that allows foreigners from certain allied countries to travel to America without a visa. Language in the spending bill would reform the visa waiver program, preventing individuals from visiting the U.S. without a visa if they’ve previously traveled to countries like Iraq or Syria, where the Islamic State terrorist group is most active.

Heritage Action for America chief executive Michael A. Needham said the package represents the most sweeping changes to tax policy since 2012.

“In fewer than 48 hours, lawmakers will likely be asked to vote on two massive bills that were negotiated behind closed doors over the past several weeks,” Needham said. “Heritage Action is reviewing both bills and will educate conservative constituents across the country on the policies buried in all 2,242 pages.”

Before his Oct. 30 departure, former House Speaker John Boehner helped negotiate the Bipartisan Budget Act with Obama that set spending levels above caps negotiated in 2011. Upon becoming speaker, Ryan has said he was left in a difficult position, referring to the spending bill as a “crap sandwich.”

*not_secure_link*dailysignal.com/2015/12/16/heres-whats-in-congress-spending-and-tax-package/

 

How old-fashioned logrolling produced Congress' massive budget deal
There was no showdown this time between GOP leaders and the right. But Democrats still exploited the GOP's ideological rift.

And while the White House simply wanted Republicans to drop their push for policy provisions dealing with issues like abortion and Syrian refugees in return for lifting the oil export ban, Reid demanded — and received — more, including solar tax credits.

Other trades, though, were deemed too much. The two sides discussed rolling back new requirements on financial advisers in exchange for a provision to help Caesars Palace, but that discussion went nowhere.


Democrats also repeatedly rebuffed Ryan’s efforts to tighten restrictions on refugees from Syria and Iraq. He had to settle on a bipartisan proposal to crack down on visa-free travel.

As Pelosi and Ryan worked on the deal, they forged a relationship on the fly. The two hadn’t spoken much during Ryan’s 17 years in Congress: He was on the Ways and Means Committee, Pelosi was an appropriator.

On Dec. 11, they sat down for more than two hours in the Capitol over steak and fries. The two discussed policy, family and their jobs. There was only brief talk about the budget, but Ryan told Pelosi he wanted language in the bill to strengthen protections for organizations and doctors who oppose providing abortion, in addition to the so-called fiduciary rule, which would relax restrictions on financial advisers.

Pelosi responded that Republicans would be on their own if that was his position. Ryan said he knew he would get “zero” of those riders in, making the zero with his fingers.

At one point, Ryan told Pelosi he had to “defend having dinner with you.”

Pelosi replied, “Tell them you tried to poison me, but I had the antidote.”


Read more: *not_secure_link*www.politico.com/story/2015/12/congress-budget-deal-tick-tock-216938#ixzz3ulALFXjx

 

I'm sick of these lying "campaign conservative" RINO sons of bitches! We might as well as have a Democrat controlled House and Senate than these lying scumbags! These lying RINO bastards are giving Obama everything he wants!

I'm voting for either Trump or Cruz! Or Trump/Cruz! That's my big "FUCK YOU!!!!" to the GOP establishment!

 

The small handful of political conservative are classified as ''RADICALS'', we need to elect more of the ''radicals'' if we want to get anything done.

This Congress will do nothing to address the severe issues that this nation in currently experiencing.

Trump is not a constitutionalist, he also is a RINO, if elected, he too, will work with the left, just as it has been done for decades in the past.

Today I seen something that that shows/tells me that they are going after Cruz hard, it might even take him out of the race.

 

And yet again, a budget with built in deficits.

 

Does it occur to you guys that you're mad that a regulation was overturned? What happened to "too many regulations"?

 

When the regulation has a direct bearing on safety and information for the American people, yes we tend to frown a bit.

 

That's the entire purpose of regulations......that's why they exist.

I mean, are you serious? I'm kind of dumbfounded that you don't know this. What the fuck do you think they're for?

 

Not when those regulations are based on a false premise.

 

Such as?

 

''MAN-MADE GLOBAL WARMING''-'' CLIMATE CHANGE''

 

So you're saying you, as a construction worker, have the expertise to say the consensus of trained climatologists is wrong?

I eagerly await your scientific journal articles.

 

For someone that claims they have never participated in a circle jerk, you sure do have a fabulous concept of how it is opraeted.

Ice is melting.....ocean levels are rising.......polar bears are dieing by the numbers.........the planet has a fever....

This what we were told is happening, it was all 100% bullshit, a political fucking scheme.

ALL BULLSHIT.

 

I'll be sure to read all about it in "Construction Workers Quarterly". It'll be right next to the full page drill bit ad, right?