TNC's pro-fast-track $$ blueprint!

[MDOLAN <mdolan@citizen.org>]

  DISTRIBUTE WIDELY!
  
  Many of you will remember USA*NAFTA -- the "free trade" propaganda front 
  group for the Business Roundtable back during the '93 NAFTA battle.
  
  This season, for the fast track fight, the lobbyists' mouthpiece calls 
  itself America Leads on Trade (ALOT! -- get it, like in ALOT of profits!)
  
  We got our hands on a copy of the fatcats' fundraising letter.  It was sent 
  to all the CEO's of the Transnational Corporations that oppose Fair Trade; 
  and it was signed by the Head Bananas at Caterpillar, Boeing, Proctor & 
  Gamble, TRW, Chrysler and GM.  
  
  These guys each put in $100,000, and they want to raise $3M to support the 
  White House 'war room' operations and the GOP congressional free traders.  
  They concede that the "prospects for fast-track are uncertain" (read, fast 
  track would lose if the vote were today -ed) and so they plan to "make 
  aggressive use of earned media, leveraging administration activity as much 
  as possible," which is CEO-talk for Big Honker Disinformation Campaign.
  
  Here's their whole letter.  If you are a CEO and you will want to make a 
  hefty contribution to ALOT, use the form which follows the letter.  If, 
  however, you oppose NAFTA expansion, you should contact your entire 
  congressional delegation and urge them to vote against fast track.
                                            /s/ Mike Dolan, Public Citizen
                                            ******************************
  The Business Roundtable
  1615 L Street  N.W., Suite1100,		
  Washington, D.C, 20036
  Tel. (202)872-1260      Fax (202)486-3508
  
  Dear [insert CEO name]
  
  As you know, The Business Roundtable has led the business community for 
  many years in promoting the growth of the U.S. economy through trade 
  agreements. The Roundtable's leadership on NAFTA in 1993 was absolutely 
  critical to passage of that landmark free trade agreement. Similarly, the 
  Roundtable took the lead in
  organizing the  Alliance  for GATT NOW in 1994-1995 when Congress enacted 
  the Uruguay Round implementing legislation.
  
  Today, we are faced with a similar challenge. The president has announced 
  his intention  to send to Congress this autumn a proposal that reinstates 
  his authority to negotiate new market-opening trade and investment  
  agreements under "fast track authority". Without this 
  congressionally-granted authority, there can be no expansion of NAFTA to 
  include Chile or other Central and  South American countries. There can be 
  no Free Trade Agreement of the Americas. There can be no new sectoral trade 
  agreements such as the recently concluded information technology and 
  telecommunications agreements  There can be no multilateral agreements to 
  cover, for example, agriculture, or to expand intellectual property 
  protection under the auspices of the WTO. In short, without new fast track 
  authority, America's global trade leadership will be irreparably harmed.
  
  Perhaps more unsettling is the political backdrop we face on Capitol Hill. 
  Despite current economic growth, historically low unemployment, growing 
  exports and the increasing percentage of our nation's GDP that is 
  attributable to international trade, the political climate for new trade 
  agreements is not good. Organized labor, human-rights groups, 
  protectionists, isolationists and some environmental organizations are 
  questioning the benefits of trade and investment to the United States.
  
  This is why the Roundtable has undertaken its trade communications 
  initiative, seeking to inform our stockholders about the importance of 
  trade and investment to the growth of our own companies and to our nation's 
  future.
  
  With the Congress scheduled to debate and vote on fast-track authority this 
  fall, it is imperative that the Roundtable's member companies step forward 
  to make our collective voices heard. Without our active, participation, 
  fast-track authority for the President will not be enacted.
  
  We have pledged to work with the President and with the Congressional 
  leadership to achieve passage. Our goal will be to help persuade undecided 
  members of Congress to those new to this issue about the critical 
  importance of fast-track to our nation's economic future.
  
  With our participation and support, we will be fighting this campaign on 
  three fronts direct lobbying in Washington, a fifty state grassroots 
  campaign, and a media program of advertising and public relations directed 
  at key, targeted Congressional districts. All of these communications will 
  be designed to demonstrate the importance of fast-track to our nation's  
  economic future and to correct misleading, and inaccurate objections raised 
  by its opponents.
  
  In order to conduct this critical campaign, we need your immediate 
  financial assistance. Each of us has pledged $100,000 to this effort. We 
  believe we need to raise a minimum of $3 million in order to insure that 
  the voice of the business community is heard. Of course, each of us is 
  called on frequently to make pledges of corporation resources for a variety 
  of worthwhile causes. This cause, however, is tied directly to our business 
  future, the economic growth of our country, the
  opportunities and job security of our employees, and a growing standard of 
  living for the United States.
  
  Maintaining U.S. global leadership on trade is at stake in this battle. If 
  fast-track is not passed by Congress, U.S. global leadership on trade will 
  surely be a thing of the past. While the United States remains on the 
  sidelines, new trade agreements are, already being forged by our trading 
  partners with the economically growing countries of South America and 
  Southeast Asia.
  
  With or without U.S. participation, such agreements will continue to be 
  forged. In possession of fast-track authority, U.S. negotiators have the 
  power to lead negations and shape these agreements to better suit the trade 
  and investment
  liberalization needs of U.S. firms and workers. Without fast-track, the 
  U.S. merely watches from the sidelines while other nations craft rules to 
  the detriment of U.S. interests. We simply must do our part to get 
  fast-track approved.
  
  As a member of the  International Trade and Investment Task Force, we are 
  asking you to make a special commitment. We hope that you will contribute 
  at the $100,000 level. If you are unable to do so, we hope that you will 
  Contribute $50,000, $25,000 or some other appropriate sum. In any event, 
  you participation is important. Enclosed is a fax-back pledge sheet. Please 
  respond as quickly as you can. with resources in hand, we will gear up our 
  efforts to counter the ads already being run by opponents of trade in key 
  Congressional Districts around the country. Your checks can be made payable 
  to The Business Roundtable and sent to the Roundtable at 1615 L Street, NW, 
  Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20036.
  
  Thank you a advance for your support of this critical initiative.
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  [Don, Phil, John, Joe, Bob, Jack]
  
  
  ****************************
  FAX BACK SHEET
  
  
  CONTRIBUTION  IN SUPPORT OF
  NEW MARKET-OPENING TRADE AND INVESTMENT AGREEMENTS
  
  
  Yes,  on behalf of ____________________________________we will
  join you in the               (COMPANY)
  fight to maintain U.S. global trade leadership  by working  to  renew the 
  President's authority  to negoiate trade  and investment agreements  under  
  fast-track procedures.
  
  
  
  $100,000  _______________________
  
  $50,000  ________________________
  
  $25,000  ________________________
  
  Other    ________________________
  
  
  
  
  </bold>____________________________________________
  
  <italic>(authorized </italic><bold>signature
  
  
  </bold>Please make checks  payable to:  The Business Roundtable
                                      1615 L Street, NW, Suite I100
  	                                Washington, DC 20036
  
  Our contact will'be:
  
  Name:
  
  Address:
  
  Phone:
  
  E-mail: 
  
  Fax to- The Business Roundtable
  202-872-1260 Phone
  202-466-3509 FAX
  
  
  Contributions to the business roundtable are not deductable as charitable 
  contributions for federal income tax purposes. In addition contributions 
  will be used for lobbying purposes under section 162 (e) of the Internal 
  Revenue Code. Accordingly,such contributions are not deductable for Federal 
  Income tax purposes.
  
  ***** NOTES from MDOLAN (MDOLAN @ CITIZEN) at 8/06/97 8:05 AM
  I should mention that attached to the cover letter and fax back page was a 
  two-page "Proposed Strategy" including media, "grassroots" tactics and 
  Washington lobbying.  If you would like a copy, by fax, of this skeletal 
  blueprint, please do not hesitate to reply hereto.
  
  I urge you to get involved in this historic debate.
  
  
  ****************************************************************************
   /s/ Mike Dolan, Field Director, Global Trade Watch, Public Citizen
  
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