What is going on with the pending trade legislation and the adoption of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) is fascinating and nauseating all at the same time. We're pitching this legislation under the guise of "free trade," but we're doing it with a bunch of countries we already trade with heavily. If there were major trade barriers in place, then how have we traded with these nations so heavily for so long? And if that's all that's involved, then why does the deal need to be secret? Why do we need to "pass [it] to find out what's in it?" (I'm actually referring to the fast track authority, not the terms of the deal, which we won't see until it's already negotiated in secret and on the floors of Congress.)
First, if you're a Republican, you've spent the last 6 years demonizing this President as having no character, no judgment, no patriotism or national loyalty, and terrible policies. Basically, he has been Satan to you. If that's the case, then why the hell would you trust him with fast track authority? For the GOP to be willing to set aside all partisan and policy differences like they never existed and give Obama fast track authority, the amount of money that must be getting thrown around on Capitol Hill must be astounding. Somebody who's super rich must be breaking serious balls to no end. If you're a Republican and support this deal, you're nothing but a dishonest *****.
Second, a pitch has been made to Democrats in the form of "trade adjustment assistance" that's supposed to take Medicare funds to provide assistance to people who lose their jobs because of the trade deals that will come. The idea isn't playing well with Democrats. I wonder why. Maybe they don't like Medicare being cut or made less solvent to dole out welfare to people who shouldn't be losing their jobs in the first place. Maybe if we're already anticipating that the trade deals will result in job losses, these Democrats might be questioning the wisdom of these deals. Whatever, the reason, I think they've got good reason to be concerned.
Third, if there's no funny business going on, then why are we getting a dodge from the Administration, and why is Congress being asked to suspend its normal rules of debate and amendment (through granting fast track authority)? Paul Krugman (Yes, Paul Krugman) wrote a good piece on this. It's a few weeks old, but it's still applicable, and he even explains how a lot of this crap doesn't have anything to do with trade rules as most people think of them (like tariffs, quotas, etc.). It's a good piece - even a blind squirrel occasionally finds a nut.
And from the more humorous end of this debate, look who's showing "real leadership" on this issue. Rick Perry has done a complete 180 on the issue in just one month and now says he doesn't trust Obama to negotiate a deal. What facts have changed in the last month that would warrant or justify a change of position? Absolutely none. The only thing that has changed is that it has occurred to him that Republican primary voters don't want Obama to be given any authority. (Big shock.) I'm glad he is coming around to the right side (albeit for the wrong reasons), but what a f*ckin' hack. And we elected this stooge as our Governor how many times? I've lost count. All I know is that when he became Governor, not only did I not own a cell phone, I still had an answering machine with a tape in it. Pathetic.
First, if you're a Republican, you've spent the last 6 years demonizing this President as having no character, no judgment, no patriotism or national loyalty, and terrible policies. Basically, he has been Satan to you. If that's the case, then why the hell would you trust him with fast track authority? For the GOP to be willing to set aside all partisan and policy differences like they never existed and give Obama fast track authority, the amount of money that must be getting thrown around on Capitol Hill must be astounding. Somebody who's super rich must be breaking serious balls to no end. If you're a Republican and support this deal, you're nothing but a dishonest *****.
Second, a pitch has been made to Democrats in the form of "trade adjustment assistance" that's supposed to take Medicare funds to provide assistance to people who lose their jobs because of the trade deals that will come. The idea isn't playing well with Democrats. I wonder why. Maybe they don't like Medicare being cut or made less solvent to dole out welfare to people who shouldn't be losing their jobs in the first place. Maybe if we're already anticipating that the trade deals will result in job losses, these Democrats might be questioning the wisdom of these deals. Whatever, the reason, I think they've got good reason to be concerned.
Third, if there's no funny business going on, then why are we getting a dodge from the Administration, and why is Congress being asked to suspend its normal rules of debate and amendment (through granting fast track authority)? Paul Krugman (Yes, Paul Krugman) wrote a good piece on this. It's a few weeks old, but it's still applicable, and he even explains how a lot of this crap doesn't have anything to do with trade rules as most people think of them (like tariffs, quotas, etc.). It's a good piece - even a blind squirrel occasionally finds a nut.
And from the more humorous end of this debate, look who's showing "real leadership" on this issue. Rick Perry has done a complete 180 on the issue in just one month and now says he doesn't trust Obama to negotiate a deal. What facts have changed in the last month that would warrant or justify a change of position? Absolutely none. The only thing that has changed is that it has occurred to him that Republican primary voters don't want Obama to be given any authority. (Big shock.) I'm glad he is coming around to the right side (albeit for the wrong reasons), but what a f*ckin' hack. And we elected this stooge as our Governor how many times? I've lost count. All I know is that when he became Governor, not only did I not own a cell phone, I still had an answering machine with a tape in it. Pathetic.
