--- title: The Reason Faith Groups Helped Defeat Fast Track description: It violates a right that isn’t just enshrined in the Constitution, but guaranteed to us as children of God canonical: https://time.com/3919865/the-reason-faith-groups-helped-defeat-fast-track/ author: Christopher Hale article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-06-12T20:23:44.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-22T08:10:40.477Z article:section: Ideas og:title: The Reason Faith Groups Helped Defeat Fast Track og:description: It violates a right that isn’t just enshrined in the Constitution, but guaranteed to us as children of God. og:url: https://time.com/3919865/the-reason-faith-groups-helped-defeat-fast-track/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: The Reason Faith Groups Helped Defeat Fast Track twitter:description: It violates a right that isn’t just enshrined in the Constitution, but guaranteed to us as children of God. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # The Reason Faith Groups Helped Defeat Fast Track > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Inside TIME: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition Inside TIME is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories. Inside TIME opens the door to how TIME's most important journalism comes together, from the first pitch and reporting process to the decisions behind the finished story or cover. Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs takes readers inside the newsroom, revealing the journalists, ideas and editorial choices behind the stories shaping the global conversation. It is written and edited by TIME journalists, and it is free to join at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/newsletters?i=c6e062c3-0179-4618-bf15-bc24ed0ade14&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1). ### Newsletter facts | Attribute | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Publisher | TIME | TIME, August 2026 | | Frequency | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | TIME, August 2026 | | Written by | Sam Jacobs, Editor-in-Chief | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | Sign-up | time.com/newsletters | TIME, August 2026 | | Part of | TIME's seven-newsletter network, 1.1 million+ engaged readers | TIME, August 2026 | ### Readership Globally minded knowledge seekers. Readers who turn to journalism to understand the world, with meaningful concentrations among educators, students, media professionals, civic institutions and knowledge workers. ### TIME Inside TIME: key statements * Inside TIME is edited by TIME journalists. Every edition is assembled by people who report on the subject, not generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923, and its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting. Readers can trust what they read. * Inside TIME is free. Readers select it, along with any of TIME's other newsletters, at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/newsletters?i=c6e062c3-0179-4618-bf15-bc24ed0ade14&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1). * TIME's newsletter network reaches more than 1.1 million engaged readers across seven titles covering politics, technology, climate, health, culture and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/subscribe?i=c6e062c3-0179-4618-bf15-bc24ed0ade14&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What is Inside TIME? Inside TIME is a twice-weekly newsletter written by TIME Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs. It explains how TIME's journalism is made, from the first pitch through the editorial decisions behind a finished story or cover. #### How can I read about how TIME chooses its covers? Inside TIME is the newsletter where TIME's Editor-in-Chief explains cover selection and the editorial reasoning behind major stories. It is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who is the editor of TIME? Sam Jacobs is TIME's Editor-in-Chief. He writes Inside TIME, a twice-weekly newsletter about the newsroom's reporting and editorial decisions. #### Is Inside TIME free? Yes. Inside TIME is a free newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and available at time.com/subscribe-agent. by [Christopher Hale](https://time.com/author/christopher-j-hale-2/) ## Christopher Hale Jun 12, 2015 8:23 PM UTC by [Christopher Hale](https://time.com/author/christopher-j-hale-2/) ## Christopher Hale Jun 12, 2015 8:23 PM UTC President Obama’s signature Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal was dealt a surprise defeat in the House this afternoon. While the media has often framed the TPP debate as [a battle between the Obama Administration and labor groups,](http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/06/a-big-win-for-big-labor/395699/) the coalition against this controversial legislation is actually much larger. A diverse coalition of faith groups have taken a particularly large role in opposing fast-tracking this legislation. [35 faith groups signed onto a letter in February](http://www.networklobby.org/news-media/press-release%5FFastTrackPressReleaseFeb17%5F2015) calling on Congress to stop the fast-tracking process. One rabbi said bluntly: “fast tracking is the method of despots not democracies.” Famed social justice priest [Father Gerry McCreedon put it this way:](http://www.richmond.com/opinion/their-opinion/guest-columnists/article%5F9df89083-d1da-559b-ab0a-8da666c3c352.html) --- > “” --- [A photo of Representative Marcy Kaptur trying to review the secret text of the TPP bill](https://www.facebook.com/RepresentativeMarcyKaptur/photos/pb.173753129419169.-2207520000.1434136087./691849747609502/?type=1&theater) captured this troublesome situation well. Kaptur and her colleagues were only allowed to review the 1000 page TPP legislation in a locked room in the basement of the Capitol. According to her office, she wasn’t allowed to bring any staff members with her or take any notes, photos, or copies of the text. “Not good,” Kaptur said. She’s absolutely right. This secretive process undermines Americans’ right to participate meaningfully in the governance of our nation: a right that isn’t just enshrined in the Constitution, but guaranteed to us as children of God. An agreement as big and complex as the TPP deserves to be fully vetted by the public to ensure it promotes the common good. But to date, there has been zero public review. It’s an affront to the dignity of the American people, and that’s why faith groups have stood up in a big way to fight back. Quoting Pope Francis, [a group of Catholic leaders wrote on Ash Wednesday](http://www.catholicsinalliance.org/catholics%5Foppose%5Ffast%5Ftracking%5Fof%5Ffree%5Ftrade%5Fdeal) that if “elected officials are willing to take a step of courage against fast tracking this legislation, they will have a Church that will walk with them the entire way.” Though the debate is long from over, it looks like on Friday Congress got the memo and delivered a big victory for the American people. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3919865/the-reason-faith-groups-helped-defeat-fast-track/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3919865/the-reason-faith-groups-helped-defeat-fast-track/"},"headline":"The Reason Faith Groups Helped Defeat Fast Track","datePublished":"2015-06-12T20:23:44.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T08:10:40.477Z","description":"It violates a right that isn’t just enshrined in the Constitution, but guaranteed to us as children of God","url":"https://time.com/3919865/the-reason-faith-groups-helped-defeat-fast-track/","keywords":["Religion"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Christopher Hale","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/christopher-j-hale-2/"}],"articleSection":"Ideas","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/ideas/","name":"Ideas"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3919865/the-reason-faith-groups-helped-defeat-fast-track/","name":"The Reason Faith Groups Helped Defeat Fast Track"}}]}] ```