The Trans-Pacific Partnership ("TPP") will be our topic on today's "Civil Discourse Now."

   The United States Trade Representative is appointed by the President and has a position that is considered cabinet-level, under the 1962 statute that created the position, although the USTR is not a member of the Cabinet. Michael Froman is the current USTR. He has experience in tbe business community, having held positions with Citigroup and CitiInsurance. He was a classmate of President Obama at Harvard Law School, where Froman also was on law review.

   Details of the negotiations of TPP are vague. Details of the negotiations and of the documents generated by those negotiations have been kept confidential. Once an agreement is reached between the nations involved in the negotiations, Congress has been urged to put TPP on a "fast track" such that only 60 days will be available to review the document and then give advice and consent to it.

   Guest panelists today will be Andrew Kirch and Jeff Cox. We will stream live, 11 am to 1 pm, from JT's Grille and Bar at 2210 East 54 Street, about a block west of Keystone on 54th. You can call into the show with questions at 317.489.9219.