Saddam-catcher congressman defends Constitution

In Iraq, he led the platoon that hunted down and captured Saddam Hussein. In Washington, he's protecting our government of limited and balanced powers against executive overreach.

Rep. Steve Russell from Oklahoma's 5th Congressional District takes his oath to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic seriously.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker John Boehner caterwaul about Obama's disrespect of Congress. At the same time, they prepare to hand this deceitful and disrespectful chief executive fast track trade promotion authority, power Obama boasts he will use to "write the rules for the world's economy."

Congressman Steve Russell just says "No."

Trade Promotion Authority, or TPA, would prevent Congress from amending as much as one word of the rules Obama writes in the TransPacific Partnership, a sweeping international regulatory agreement the White House has been working toward for the past six years. Even if Congress set parameters on the negotiations beforehand – and in this case they did not – any agreement that didn't meet those parameters would still be subject to an up or down vote with no amending permitted. Unlike a treaty, only a simple majority is needed to pass.

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For Congress to cede oversight on such a sweeping agreement could have grave implications, Russell writes.

Russell describes how trade agreements should be negotiated in a fashion that does not do violence to our Constitution. "The full range of congressional committees would hold hearings with experts, establish clear objectives, set the terms of the negotiation, and be regularly informed throughout the negotiating process. This would ensure trade deals are in the best national interest for the long haul, not designed to please small groups of well-connected insiders for some tempting short term benefit."

The founders concur with the good congressman from Oklahoma. They warned that a chief executive, preparing for his eventual retirement, could sell the nation's well-being to foreign powers for 30 pieces of silver. We are reminded of this as we watch Chinese and other interests shoveling money into the Clinton family foundation.

Rep. Russell makes rubbish of Obama's claims that the TransPacific Partnership will revive the jobs market, noting that it is only Hollywood and the Wall Street sectors of finance and insurance that stand to gain even as American manufacturing loses.

The lieutenant colonel turned lawmaker has special scorn for the president's argument that his so-called "free trade" agreement is needed on national security grounds. "Alarmingly, Mr. Obama uses containment language with regard to China as a major premise for obtaining fast-track authority. While we employ the economic instrument of our national power with regard to an ascendant China, we must ensure in tandem efforts with diplomatic and informational instruments as well," he writes.

Russell marshals the forces of history to show how trade disputes have led to military conflicts, and we must be prepared for that if we seriously mean to contain the ascendant China. "I have heard no serious discussion from anyone in Congress or the White House thinking comprehensively and strategically in this manner," Russell warns.

Questions about this president's prowess to negotiate with Iran continue to pile up, yet the GOP leadership is ready to hand him a blank check to unilaterally craft policy toward the 1.5 billion people of the People's Republic of China and its Communist regime with no hearings, no oversight and virtually no debate.

This congressman, who wears a Combat Infantryman's Badge and a Bronze Star with Valor Device and Oak Leaf Cluster, says we cannot let this president, who has never seen a shot fired in anger or even met a payroll, rush us on a fast track into anything without regard to strategic thinking.

"Why do we trust this president given his track record in foreign affairs?" he asks.

More members of Congress need to join Congressman Steve Russell and ask this question.