While most black pundits were getting ready for their close-up so they could denounce the Confederate flag on national television, President Obama was signing a bill giving himself fast track authority on a trade deal that not only erodes American sovereignty, but is also bound to make employment conditions even worse for working class people in this country.

If you recall, the U.S. House of Representatives passed fast track authority on the same day that nine blacks were gunned down in Charleston’s Emanuel AME church. The Senate passed the legislation only a few days later.

“We had plenty of bumps along the road. Frankly, a few big potholes too,” Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said before the final Senate vote, The Hill reported. “But we worked across the aisle to get through all of them. That’s an example of a new Congress that’s back to work for the American people.”

Obama signed the fast track legislation, known as Trade Promotion Authority (TPA),  and the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA), which is designed to help US workers who will lose their jobs as part of the trade deal.

Most Republicans joined Obama in supporting the trade deal, while Democrats were largely critical of Obama’s secretive deal.

Earlier this month, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi made it clear that she was not helping the president pass this bill.

“It’s his responsibility,” Pelosi said of Boehner, according to POLITICO.“It’s a test of his [leadership]. I have confidence in him … but it’s not my responsibility. Members are taking this very, very seriously.”

The passage of TPA allows Obama to go forward and finalize trade deals with the 11 other Pacific Rim governments, most of which are seeking to compete against China and, as a consequence, further drive down wages.

Each trade deal contains a section designed to circumvent courts and hand over power to corporate arbitrators. The section would allow for international panels of corporate lawyers to decide whether any government signatory’s change which benefits the public at the expense of the corporation  violates corporate rights.

As Mitt Romney once famously said, “corporations are people too, my friend.”

Sen. Elizabeth Warren explained how this violates American sovereignty: