Senator Ron Johnson’s Free Trade Silence

MIDDLETON — Senator Ron Johnson has kept silent about his support for the job-killing Trans-Pacific Partnership since the full text of the agreement was released almost three weeks ago. Johnson is a self-declared “unabashed” supporter of free trade agreements and has dismissed the concerns of working Wisconsinites by callously calling job losses “anecdotal.”

“Senator Ron Johnson needs to come clean about his intent to send Wisconsin jobs overseas in another job-killing free trade agreement written to benefit big corporations on the backs of Wisconsin middle class families and workers,” said Russ for Wisconsin Campaign Manager Tom Russell. “To draw attention to the dangerous impacts of this job-killing agreement Russ for Wisconsin is asking supporters to weigh in on the most damaging parts of the agreement.”

A review of the Trans-Pacific Partnership has unveiled even more damaging provisions than originally anticipated. Russ for Wisconsin is asking supporters to weigh in on the most dangerous provision of the agreement by choosing from:

Trans-Pacific Partnership Provisions:

• Makes it easier for corporations to send our jobs overseas
• Jeopardizes our food safety inspections at the border
• Inadequate human rights protections for vulnerable populations in other countries
• Contains a section detailing environmental issues, but fails to even mention the words “climate change”
• Potentially undermines consumer privacy protections for health and other personal data when it crosses borders
• Giveaways to big pharmaceutical corporations
• Allows corporations to challenge U.S. laws outside of U.S. courts, and demand taxpayer money if they win

BACKGROUND: Senator Ron Johnson’s silence on the Trans-Pacific Partnership:

Johnson Said He Was Waiting To Read TPP Before Deciding Whether Or Not To Support It. “A campaign spokesman for Johnson said the senator was waiting to see the details but has been supportive of trade deals. ‘I spent 31 years as a manufacturer and know the importance of trade to Wisconsin’s economy,’ Johnson said in a statement. . ‘Many Wisconsinites and their employers depend on trade, and trade in turn depends on good trade agreements. ‘That is why I look forward to finding out what is in this agreement that will come before Congress for approval. If it is a good deal, it will allow Wisconsinites to better compete in overseas markets with an incredible range of products, from food and forest products through motorcycles and supercomputers. If it is a bad deal, it puts our workers and employers — indeed, our economy — at risk. Congress needs to deliberate carefully and thoughtfully.’” [Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, 10/5/15]

Senator Johnson’s Previous Comments:

Johnson Called Himself An “Unabashed Free Trader.” “’I’m an unabashed free trader,’ said Johnson, a leading voice in the Conservative ‘Tea Party’ wing of the Republicans. ‘It’s true we have to convince’ the US voters of the benefits of free trade, Johnson added.” [Europolitics, 9/27/13]

Johnson Called The Fact That Wisconsin Lost More Than 75,000 Manufacturing Jobs From 2005 To 2010 “Anecdotal Pieces Of Information.” “From 2005 to 2010, Wisconsin lost more than 75,000 manufacturing jobs – almost 16 percent of all such workers – before a modest resurgence during the last four years brought that sector back to its 2008 workforce level. ‘It’s very easy to show those anecdotal pieces of information or examples where people are really harmed,’ Johnson said.” [Washington Post, 4/20/15]

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.

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