Senator Boxer OpEd: The Middle Class Needs Help -- Not a Fast Track to Trade Deals

[cali]

They say timing is everything in life. Well, if that's true, the timing of this legislation to approve fast-track trade authority could not be worse for middle-class families.

The middle class is having a terribly hard time -- perhaps the worst time in modern history. In California, a new study
just found that our state's lowest paid workers have seen their real wages decline 12 percent since 1979.

Our middle class needs help -- not a fast track to trade deals that could threaten their jobs, their wages, their health and the environment.

<snip>

Of the 12 countries in the TPP, three have minimum wages that are higher than ours: Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. But most of the countries have far lower wages -- including Chile with a minimum wage of $1.91, Peru with a minimum wage of $1.15, and Vietnam with a minimum wage of 58 cents. Brunei and Singapore do not even have minimum wages.

<snip>

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sen-barbara-boxer/the-middle-class-needs-help-not-a-fast-track-to-trade-deals_b_7313456.html

[CharlotteVale]

1. K&R

[Doctor_J]

2. so anyone who DOES support TPA/TPP doesn't support Boxer, Brown, Warren, etc

and therefore doesn't support other democrats, and is thus a right leaning independent.

Do I have the fan club logic correct?

[cali]

4. the rules of supporters are... interesting

Every word of criticism is right wing. Every media outlet is right wing (except for those that a far left)

Democrats in Congress opposing TPA/TPP are haters and racists

Republicans are the grownups and support the President on this because they know he's right.

Unions are just like corporations

blah blah blah.

[MisterP]

6. the far left IS the right wing: we've been told that since NADER

I think that's from BHL in France (the philosopher who said prisons are great regardless of Foucault, and that Bush went way too easy on the Mideast)

[Wellstone ruled]

3. Ouch!!

A member of the 1% that benefits from this deal biting the hand that feeds. Tea Leaves?

[JEB]

5. K&R