Obama has spent over 6 years with his nose so far in the air that he wouldn’t condescend to associate with just normal congressmen. Now, when he pulls the fire alarm to get their help, there’s nobody there.
Washington (CNN)Sensing his free trade agenda was hours from a stunning defeat, President Barack Obama went to Capitol Hill on Friday morning to make a personal plea for his own party’s support.
Democrats ignored him.
And now, the prospects for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the biggest free trade deal in history, to be finalized and adopted are grim — unless Democrats can be convinced to change their minds or Republicans can find another way to revive the bills and rescue Obama’s biggest second-term legislative priority.
The House overwhelmingly rejected the first in a series of trade bills Friday, with Democrats voting against a program that aids displaced workers — in large part because, under the chamber’s procedures, its defeat meant the vote on the so-called “fast track” bill that followed was only symbolic, so the measure couldn’t be sent to Obama’s desk.
In a statement released Friday afternoon, Obama praised the approval of the fast-track bill and continued to press for passage of the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
As for the policy itself, I’m glad it went down. While I believe in free trade and think that while it has some negative consequences, free trade is for the most good, I do not trust that this president has either the negotiation acumen, nor firm conviction, to negotiate a deal in the best interests of our nation. The deal can wait for the next president.
Wow.
Isn’t this racism?
I don’t know enough about it to have much of an opinion. But when two of my favorite smart guys–Paul Krugman and Robert Reich–are both against it, it gives me pause for sure.
I’ve been against the trade agreement as it is being written for some time now. I’ve written to Johnson, Balwin, and Sensenbrenner asking what their positions were on it and how they would vote. I asked if they were voting yes to answer the following questions;
Why fast track?
Why is it classified?
Would the American public be in support of it if it was not negotiated in secret?
How will the trade agreement improve the middle class?
How will the trade agreement affect the cost of pharmaceuticals?
How does fast tracking preserve our constitutional checks and balances in government?
500 official corporate U.S. trade advisors have access to the trade agreement text. How many of the congressional and senatorial representatives have access to the agreement?
Why are they willing to relinquish constitutional trade authority to the executive branch?
I heard back from Johnson and Sensenbrenner, who both said they were for free trade, but would not answer my specific questions, which makes me more suspect of this agreement then ever.