[CTC] ALG Poll Shows Potential Voters Do Not Approve Of TPP Deal

[Arthur Stamoulis]

Inside U.S. Trade - 03/18/2016
ALG Poll Shows Potential Voters Do Not Approve Of TPP Deal
March 17, 2016

An Americans for Limited Government (ALG) poll shows many potential voters initially oppose the Trans-Pacific Partnership when asked about the deal, but that opposition grows after people are given information reflecting both sides of the debate.

Before reading the additional arguments for and against TPP provided by ALG, the poll found 15 percent of participants supported TPP, 22 percent opposed and 11 percent were undecided. About 51 percent said they did not have enough information to decide, according to the results released on March 10.

But both support and opposition to TPP grew after participants read the information, but disproportionately so. The opposition nearly doubled to 53 percent disapproval by those surveyed, while approval rose to 22 percent. The number of undecideds dropped to 25 percent, according to ALG.

The poll surveyed 1,950 people between Feb. 23 and March 3, and has a 2.8 percent margin of error. The information given to participants boiled down to one paragraph each for and against the TPP.

After participants read the information provided, the survey found that about 66 percent of Republicans oppose the 12-nation deal compared with 44 percent of Democrats and 52 percent of independents, according to the ALG data. The pro paragraph given to participants said TPP supporters believe the deal creates jobs by leveling the playing field for small- and medium-sized American businesses overseas. It said the agreement would increase labor standards, environmental protections and improve wages.

The con paragraph said TPP strips the United States of jobs and manufacturing capabilities and opens the door for more foreign workers to enter the country. In TPP, the U.S. made no commitments to allow more foreign workers into the United States, according to the final text of the agreement.

The paragraph adds that the deal benefits global corporations and hurts American workers, small businesses and start-ups. The deal would also subject the United States to laws and regulations written by an international panel, an apparent reference to dispute settlement. "This is a direct threat to our self-government and to American sovereignty," the paragraph says.

ALG President Rick Manning said these poll results suggest many American voters don't believe recent trade deals put their best interests first. They indicate voters believe companies get special access to the negotiating process to push deals that benefit their bottom line, and potentially send American jobs overseas.

"They believe the system is rigged against them -- overwhelmingly rigged against them, and that the trade deals reflect that same thing," Manning said. "The people are tired of backroom dealing."

Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) said during a March 10 press conference unveiling the results that the poll shows Americans do not believe Washington is addressing their complaints that bad trade deals are pushing jobs overseas. He pointed to Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sander's stance on trade issues like TPP as the reason for his March 8 win in the Democratic presidential primary in Michigan over Hillary Clinton.

Manning said the four frontrunner presidential candidates in both parties coming out against TPP shows the White House contenders are paying attention to voters' attitudes on trade. 

"You can't question the election results," Manning said. "That's the validator that exists."

The ALG poll also found most potential voters do not support Congress voting on TPP in a lame-duck session this year. The poll found 57 percent of voters opposed holding a lame-duck vote, 17 percent support that idea and 25 percent are undecided.

In a breakdown among party lines, poll results show 51 percent of Democrats oppose a lame-duck vote compared with 63 percent of Republicans.
 

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