I’d be willing to bet that you already know that House Democrats had the integrity to deny Obama Fast Track authority on the TPP. I hope you also know that the lid in the coffin is not sealed, because John Boehner, aka Agent Orange, is bring it back for another vote on Tuesday. On this issue, I’m proud of House Democrats and very ashamed of my President.
He made it personal. He appealed to their loyalty. He asked them to give him what every modern president has had. He argued the facts, disputed the politics, quarreled over the history and at times lashed out at those who still refused to stand with him.
Yet in the end, after years of frustration with Republicans blocking his ideas in Congress, President Obama on Friday found the most sweeping legislative initiative left on his agenda thwarted not by the opposition but by his own party. If not for his fellow Democrats, Mr. Obama would have a landmark trade bill heading to his desk for signature.
The sting of defeat may be temporary. The White House adamantly insisted on Friday that it made important progress by passing part of the trade package and still has a chance to turn around the vote on the other part. If that proves true, Mr. Obama may yet secure the negotiating authority he needs to seal a legacy-building 12-nation Pacific trade agreement and the day’s setback may ultimately be overshadowed.
But for the moment, at least, the defeat laid bare a fundamental schism within the party over economics and, according to some analysts and officials, exposed a stark divide between Democratic lawmakers and a Democratic president late in his tenure. Once eager to support Mr. Obama, Democrats now are less willing to buck their own labor-dominated base or their own convictions to advance their president’s program… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <NY Times>
Chris Hayes and his panel covered the story quite well.
Oregon and Pete DeFazio helped lead the way. It’s coming again Tuesday. Rattle your Congress Critter again.
17 Responses to “Fast Track Cracked!”
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I'm especially proud that Nancy Pelosi chose to highlight the environmental issues at stake with the TPP and spoke against it along with her vote–among the last to let people know where they chose to stand. That may make it harder to peel off DEM votes against it.
Neither part of this bill duo required a super-majority to pass. The TAA portion went down 126-302 and thus scuttled the entire deal. The majority of representative in the House (well, actually in both Houses now) are Republicans So I don't understand why everyone is saying that credit goes exclusively to the Democrats.
Being sane, it seems to be we are rejecting an opportunity, denying it even exists, to start forging a coalition over issues where we have common interests.
Of course, it's also possible that, with all the negative partisanship in the country today, admitting gratitude to ANY Republican would be giving that Republican the kiss of death, and that the kindest thing we can do is to shut up about it. If y'all think that's the reason, I promise I will shut up about it.
The idea of helping workers is just too much to sell to the InsaniTEA wing, even if they are taking the $$ from Social Security.
Well the trade deal is and should be a seat at the table with some of of other countries. Not an empty one. Yes the trade deal has be around for long? How many times has it been signed by all? The trade deal is or was not the best but at least President had some say. Now the deal will be passed with the wheeling and dealing and other added junk or maybe not at all. Nancy Pelosi said no! Because ""We want a better deal for America's workers," she said." The congress is just playing games. (Is so funny not)) Why it is good our party is starting to get a back bone. But it sad it is at expense of dividing our party and making President Obama look like he sleeps with enemey. Being president is not a game unless you were Bush and his side kick. Were was the backbone then? (I guess if you like playing games go for it) But you will never be able to say Obama just wanted to sign on the dotted line just for games. Not having an input and having an empty chair with other world leaders. Is not a game or is something to proud of. In my humble opinion.
American workers have been bitten in the ass too many times by similar deals.
Sure have, Tom Cat!
The core problem with these "trade" bills is they had precious little to do w/ actual trade. They heavily advantage corporations while simultaneously disadvantaging hard-working middle class Americans.
The majority of Americans recognized this imbalance. The majority of Democrats recognized this imbalance. Sadly we have to group Pres. Obama w/ the majority of Repubicans who did NOT recognize this imbalance.
Money is NOT speech. And corporations are NOT people.
And Pres. Obama (who I dearly love and respect) start working to advnace the hard-working American workers.
I fully agree!
Glad to see the thing was voted down, this time. Hope it stays the same next week and the next week!
Ny Times: I hope we are not celebrating too early, since there will be another vote. I do not understand the President's stance on this bill. I can see nothing that benefits us and much that will harm our economy and labor market. I am glad the Democrats stood against him, since he is acting more like a Republican in this instance. Nafta has been a disaster for our work force, we had four small factories in our little rural area until Nafta passed. All those jobs went to Mexico. I will never be for a trade bill that causes Americans to become unemployed. The TPP also has clauses that will let an international company sue us if they feel harmed by our actions. What'? I will keep protesting this bill.
Chris Hayes: Good for Defazio! The TAA will be a temporary fix, they retrain workers and give them unemployment benefits for a short time. When the money runs out, there are no jobs for them, so the whole thing was a waster. We need someone to be getting jobs brought back to America, not more jobs exported. Congress hasn;t even been allowed to read this bill, and anyone who has is not allowed to talk about it. Seriously, are you not suspicious of something that is this clothed in secrecy?
The TPP IMO is nothing more than handing national sovereignty over to corporations. If a corporation doesn't like a country's policies? . . . sue them through the secret tribunal operated by lawyers of questionable fairness and allegiance. We can see that now with NAFTA. Look at the suit brought by Lone Pine Resources againt the Québec and Canadian governments for $250 million because Québec declared a moratorium on fraking in the St Lawrence River. http://canadians.org/blog/nafta-challenge-against-fracking-moratorium-fast-tracked
I hope this goes down in flames. I know that Harper is pushing for this and I don't trust that wiley snake!
From the 'Flush the TPP' email I got this morning – I don't understand how we won one vote with a landslide, and the other got through – text below….
After last week you are probably getting barraged with updates on the current Fast Track situation. It is all over corporate and people's media, but much of this is very confusing. We have not yet won, nor have we lost. In fact, we had both a small victory and a setback on Friday, June 12. Here is our complete analysis with video!
The House needed to pass the exact same Fast Track (Trade Promotion Authority (TPA)) bill as the Senate passed. The Senate bill included a program for workers who will lose their jobs under new ¨trade¨ agreements like the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA). This program is called Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) and is considered by many to be ¨life insurance for the dead¨ since the jobs will already be lost.
The Senate version of TAA has many shortcomings. It is underfunded and the money that it does have comes from cuts to Medicare. On Friday the House voted on this TAA program separately from the rest of the Fast Track bill and it did not pass. This was our victory and it was a landslide, 302 to 126!
A few minutes later the House passed the rest of the Fast Track bill. This was our setback. However, the bill can't move forward without TAA. Early next week (probably Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday) the House will try another vote on TAA. We have to demand that all of our representatives vote no on TAA!
Stopping TAA would be a big road block to passing Fast Track but there are several possible scenarios and things could go either way. If we keep the pressure on across the country, we can win!
Calls, Calls, Calls, and more! What can we do!?!?
1. This weekend and early next week we need to keep the calls rolling in at StopFastTrack.com. Tell your representatives to vote no on TAA! This is very important! If they voted no on TAA on Friday thank them and ask them to do it again. Here is the contact information for the members who voted no. Call and tweet at them!
2. Escalate by organizing an action in your own district. Here are some ideas! Send us your action plans and we will put them on the action map! This weekend it would be great to bird dog your member in district.
3. If you are in the D.C. area there will be a larger mobilization in D.C. this Monday, June 15, probably late morning on Capitol Hill in D.C. It won't be another Seattle or Miami, but it is a critical action and will be followed by a continued occupation of Capitol Hill called the #RiggedTradeRebellion. Click here for the Facebook event page.
4. Join the Fast Track Resistance call this Wednesday night at 9 pm EDT to hear about all of the updates from early next week and talk about strategy for moving forward.
Email Mackenzie@PopularResistance.org for questions or comments!
We need to win this fight and we can, but we need your help!"
The one that got through was passed by virtially all Republicans, but the second was needed too in order to match the bill that passed the Senate. The notion that wqe should help displace workers was jusat too caring for many Republicans to accept. Obama's plan was for mostly Republicans to pass the first part and mostly Democrats to pass the second.
To be honest, I don't know nearly as much about the TPP as I do about the TTIP, the Trans-Atlantic version of it, but there are many similarities and both are bad for working people and consumers in all countries concerned and very good for the big Corporations who then have almost world wide und unlimited power. The NAFTA will make sure of that.
This Fast Track business, however, really has me puzzled. Why would a Democratic president, who, at least to the outside world, appears to be no great friend of corporate power, weal an deal on behalf of these corporations in secrecy? Why would he want to leave Congress, which is for a large part sock-puppet of these corporations, out of the loop? And why have some Republicans joined ranks with Democrats and voted against Fast Track, while it would be in the interest of their masters to let Obama have it? So many unanswered questions, so much confusion, does anyone really know what is happening and why?
In the EU parliament the same confusing political games seem to play themselves out around the TTIP. I think it would be in the interest of all middle and working classes and consumers everywhere if both negotiations were stopped immediately and laid to rest, not just the Fast Track.
"This Fast Track business, however, really has me puzzled. Why would a Democratic president, who, at least to the outside world, appears to be no great friend of corporate power, weal an deal on behalf of these corporations in secrecy? Why would he want to leave Congress, which is for a large part sock-puppet of these corporations, out of the loop? And why have some Republicans joined ranks with Democrats and voted against Fast Track, while it would be in the interest of their masters to let Obama have it? "
That is what has been puzzling me and others for years too, Lona! Dandelion G first alerted me to the horrors of the TPP and the TTIP a couple of years ago, and despite all we have found out since (may God bless and protect everyone who has leaked things to the public) – we are no closer to understanding why on earth an otherwise respected president such as President Obama is doing such things – if it were one of the Repugs, we could understand it, but this is beyond weird.
I find myself puzzled by the same question. My guess is that most of his economic advisors have been Banksters obtained from Hillary's Campain 2008 team.
Thanks all. Here's hoping and praying.