How Obama Defeated His Own Party To Win Fast Track Trade Authority - FP

[WillyT]

How Obama Defeated His Own Party To Win Fast Track Trade Authority
By David Francis - FP
June 23, 2015 - 2:19 pm



<snip>

Less than two weeks ago, House Democrats turned on the White House and refused to give President Barack Obama the ability to quickly push through trade bills. As of Tuesday, the White House can claim victory over the inter-party insurgency that teamed with Tea Party Republicans to in a losing effort to scuttle the president’s trade agenda.

The Senate rejected a filibuster threat and voted 60 to 37 to end debate on the Trade Provisional Authority bill. That’s more than enough votes to pass the overall measure, which gives the president fast-track authority on trade deals and could be on Obama’s desk as soon as Wednesday.

That means Obama’s push to enact the Trans-Pacific Partnership — the largest trade deal in U.S. history, covering 40 percent of the global economy — is all but a sure thing. It also means a related trade assistance program to help American workers negatively affected by jobs moving overseas, something precious to Democrats, is up in the air.

To counter a June 12 rebellion by House Democrats against the 12-nation Asian trade deal, negotiated in secret over the last five years, Republicans separated the fast-track authority from the trade assistance program. Pro-trade Republicans have promised to reconsider the assistance program once Obama gets fast-track authority. Democrats need the GOP on board to make sure it goes through.

At a Tuesday afternoon briefing following the vote, White House spokesperson Josh Earnest made clear that getting Obama’s legacy-defining trade deal done was a priority. Asked three times, he refused to say whether the president would sign the fast-track bill if the trade assistance package doesn’t pass.

These comments are likely to add salt to Democratic wounds. The president shunned many within his own party by teaming up with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) last week to push his trade agenda through. Boehner, for his part, publicly berated Republicans who opposed the deal, and kicked three members off of the GOP whip team for not toeing the party line.

That leaves Democrats, labor unions, and environmental groups — all traditional allies of the president — out in the cold. They fear the deal would ship American jobs overseas and loosen environmental regulations. It’s also a blow to GOP lawmakers associated with the Tea Party, like Republican Reps. Duncan Hunter of California and David McKinley of West Virginia, who aligned themselves with traditionally left-leaning groups in an effort to kill the administration’s trade agenda.

“This was a day of celebration in the corporate suites in this country,” Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) said on the Senate floor after the vote.

<snip>

More: https://foreignpolicy.com/2015/06/23/how-obama-defeated-his-own-party-to-win-fast-track-trade-authority/

[City Lights]

1. “This was a day of celebration in the corporate suites in this country,”

Yep, and fuck the rest of us.

[cascadiance]

5. Maybe we can have Obama impeached now and see if Biden is any better!

I'm sure that many Republicans would willingly oblige to do so. Or would they go against their corporate base and stand with their "friend" who helped pass this and alienate their Republican grass roots base that wants Obama impeached the way they earlier have pushed to have happen. If we push that question on to Republicans it might be what gets us back in Congress in 2016, since it will create a big split between the racist anti-Obama followers there and the money people that want Obama protecting their corporate buddies the way he has been.

[Flying Squirrel]

8. What purpose would that serve?

The damage is already done.

[cascadiance]

11. Maybe Biden would help roll back some of this Free Trade bill insanity...

We should at least have some people like Bernie and Elizabeth Warren asking him if he might do so in private.

If he were to do so, then perhaps it would help restore some degree of proper handling of international trade treaties, etc. before the 2016 election.

Like I noted in the post, it would also put the Republicans in congress on the hot seat before 2016 elections:

1) Do they go through with an impeachment that now PO'd Democrats would allow to happen, that just not too long ago they and their "conditioned" constituents wanted so badly to push earlier? If they do, they might PO their contributers too, who might see this move as upsetting their "apple cart" of favors coming from the trade deals that will get signed through quickly and approved by Obama under TPA now. That might cost them support in 2016.

2) If they don't go through with impeachment, then their base will see them as not doing what following their earlier commitments and being more just owned by big money instead of doing what they want too. That could also cost them a lot of votes and a lot of seats in congress too.

Democrats that vote for them, or perhaps just choose not to vote, wlll be in effect saying what so many grass roots Democrats now know that Obama basically turned his back on his party and his constituency that put him in office, and he deserves to be pushed out so that we could get someone in like Biden that would perhaps give us better leadership until 2016. Maybe that might lose some corporate backers of Democrats, but many of us voters out there (a lot more of us than Republican constituents) will say that's not such a bad thing. That's why so many of them came out against TPA to start with. They know that they will get voted out if they voted for it.

It would also serve notice to future Democratic Party presidents that if they really choose at some point to be bought off like Obama has, that they run the risk of losing office too if we were to do this in a fashion that works for us.

Don't rush in to this unless we can really know what happens with Biden, and who he would select as his new VP, etc. too, but explore this possibility. Might help us actually avoid an all Republican congress and presidency with these powers in 2016.

[RufusTFirefly]

18. The former Senator from Mastercard is an old friend of banksters and corporations n/t

[cascadiance]

20. Yes, I'm leery of his bankruptcy bill actions too!

That was one reason I said I could never support him running for president earlier.

But given the choice of someone that actually fought to get this anti-democratic bill passed like Obama did, I'm not sure he could be worse than Obama.

And like I said, I think doing this is as much to perhaps hurt Republicans in congress as it is to put a stop to actions of TRAITOROUS presidents like Obama now and in the future!

A lot would depend on who we could get put in as the VP too. It would have to be a reasonable choice for me to see this happen. If it is someone as corporate or worse than Obama that is put forth, then it probably isn't worth it, as Biden might get assassinated to put him in place too, which is why I said earlier that Bernie needs to select a running mate (if he were to get nominated) that is LIKE him and not someone that the "corporatists would accept", as then probably no amount of life insurance would help protect him from getting offed to put someone else in power then.

[bvar22]

72. I was going to bring that up about the Senator from MBNA.

When we needed his votes for Credit Card Reform, Joe Biden ran.

[FiveGoodMen]

29. We should have had a 2012 primary.

The warning signs were all there.

But the true believers scuttled any chance.

[JTFrog]

32. Right. You go ahead and try to coordinate that right here at DU.

"Maybe we can have Obama impeached now"

For fuck's sake.

[Betty Karlson]

2. Vile and despicable traitors. eom

[cascadiance]

3. Gotta pave the way for a Republican president and congress in 2016...

when corporations will officially claim that they've made us a corporate fascist state with these powers then! They will be so happy, and those of you who praise Obama now for his "victory" will suddenly be saying WTF? while he's laughing at you in his well funded retirement arrangement!!

[pocoloco]

15. Good!!

That will cut out the middle man and we can get our right wing shit direct from the source!!

[SusanCalvin]

35. ROFL, sadly.

[PFunk]

26. My thoughts exactly. I think the dems just handed everything over to the repugs for this.

After all of the calls thru out the US saying not to vote for this and this is what happens. I think a lot of folks-especially democrats will just not show up at the polls due to this. After all this all but confirms that you vote doesn't' matter.

As for me. I now refuse to support the democratic party as it becomes the democratic corporate party. But WILL only now support progressive democrats and/or organizations only. And work to purge Blue Dogs/DINOs out of the party. The democratic party itself now has to earn my vote again.

[madfloridian]

4. And Bernie said...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1017273823

[WillyT]

6. K & R'd !!!

[Doctor_J]

7. only if you consider Obama a democrat.

I don't

[SusanCalvin]

37. Not anymore. nt

[SammyWinstonJack]

55. Well he did say he admired Reagan and made a nasty remark

about FDR. Does Obama consider himself to be a Democrat? I wonder.

[Blue_In_AK]

9. Obama makes me tired.

I think I'm going to have to stay away from politics for a while.

If you're looking for me, I'll be in the Photo Group.

[WillyT]

10. :hug:

[LondonReign2]

16. Yup. It's pathetic that this is the first time outside of trying to

get elected that he actually fought for something.

[RufusTFirefly]

28. And I'll bet he didn't even need his comfortable shoes! Whattaguy! n/t

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

46. Ha, I'm glad I checked. I was about to make a similar comment.

[SomeGuyInEagan]

69. That's a deep pull ... well-play by you, RufusT. Poorly played by the President. n/t

[SusanCalvin]

38. I'd sure like to know

his *whole* story, with regard to backers.

[Ghost Dog]

49. ..cough..cia..cough n/t

[Demeter]

56. And all his people

What a royal despot

[hifiguy]

13. Democracy as we have known it is near to drawing its last breath.

Bernie Sanders may be the last person that stands between the People and the final Iron Fist of corporate feudalism.

[zeemike]

23. Oh the irony of it.

Corporate Fascism came to America from the first black president as a Democrat...
But that is perfect really because he dragged liberals and so called progressives with him and the conservatives just smiled...all the while calling him a commie to make sure liberals went for it.

Amazing triangulation, how sweet the sound.
That made a wretch of me.
We all have lost but soon we found
That none of us are free.

[hifiguy]

25. It's the "Only Nixon could go to China" theory.

Though working at far deeper and more disguised levels these days.

[BeanMusical]

36. Something similar crossed my mind.

[hifiguy]

39. Hell, Obama put SS on the table

a few years back during one of the repute budget tantrums. I put nothing past him after that.

[MisterP]

14. "most Dems rejected it: therefore it's not the party's fault at all! sign the oath, you peasants!"

[PFunk]

27. Actually the dems that voted for it gave cover to many dems that wanted to but couldn't

Probably because of the blow-back to those if they did. Now we have to look out for, and deal (vote-wise) with these snakes'.

[SusanCalvin]

41. You're probably right. nt

[CentralMass]

52. If we had any true Democratic leadership, this would not have passed.

[Thespian2]

17. Didn't we always know

that America was about to be screwed once again? Corporations Rule!

[chev52]

19. Obama to change parties?

On this momentous day, it would be appropriate for him to register as a republican now.

[cascadiance]

30. He should and finally be in his real family!

Would love to see the family squables that happen if and when he were to do that afterward. I think that might even help Democrats. Obama, you might do the best thing for Democrats by just becoming a Republican!

I really wish that my old 2008 photoshop wasn't so prescient then!



Looks like others did similar photoshops as well...

[L0oniX]

34. You know this is alert crew bait don'tcha?

I like it but you are taking a risk.

[demwing]

54. The GOP isn't Obama's Party

He's part of the CEO party, and so is Hillary.

If we don't get past this Left v Right meme, then nothing will change, and there will always be those who are above justice, and those who are beneath it.

[emsimon33]

59. He doesn't need to change parties

He has always been an old style Republican in the mold of Nixon and Reagan. (As opposed to the nut jobs that currently rule the party.)

[betterdemsonly]

77. Why do we want old style republicans to join our party?

Last edited Thu Jun 25, 2015, 07:18 AM - Edit history (1)

When they leave the republicans, the republicans become more extreme. This mainstreams and legitimizes those sorts of views, and they push real democrats out of the political process altogether. They deligitimize the views of real dems.

The second reason it is stupid to welcome traditional republicans into the party is that this style of republcan/democrat likes to have a republican congress, so they can push their bipartisan bullcrap. Freetrade is a good example. I also think Obama wanted to lose in 2010 because he wanted to raise the retirement age. He had to drop that off the radar, when democrats held the Senate in 2010.

[Enthusiast]

21. K&R for accuracy. Thank you, WillyT!

[Cryptoad]

22. Well now we can start looking at,,,,

the content of the treaty as it negotiated,,,,, maybe it won't be as bad as all the stories yall have made up about it...Obama may surprise yall, yet!

[BeanMusical]

42. Yeah, and the moon is made of cheese.

[SusanCalvin]

43. Negotiated?

Not being snarky. I thought it was already finalized, and now fast track gives our (mostly) purchased "representatives" an up-or-down vote.

[Cryptoad]

50. no ,,,,, but I can see how you could think that here on DU

all the major players refused to even negotiate until the fast track is passed. fast track lets Congress only have a straight up vote on it after it is negotiated and approved by the President. .

[SusanCalvin]

73. Well.

I knew what fast track was, but I must admit I didn't know others were refusing to negotiate. Still, they'd be "negotiating" on what appears to be a very large pile of excrement, and it's Obama doing the negotiating. And I figure if they voted for fast track they'll probably vote for the pile of excrement.

Looks like the only hope is public protest, not that anyone pays attention to that.

[Cryptoad]

74. So you have read the Treaty , too?

please post those parts that you think are dooky! I like to read them... funny but nobody seems to be able to post it!

[SusanCalvin]

75. Sigh...

http://billmoyers.com/2015/05/19/let-public-read-completed-parts-trans-pacific-partnership/

If nothing else, I don't go for "trust me." From anybody.

[OnyxCollie]

24. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[WillyT]

31. Yep... As Dean Martin Would Say, "Ain't That A Kick In The Head ???"

[SusanCalvin]

44. But the song meant it in a good way!

Please, oh please, don't tie one of my favorite songs to this abomination!

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=vaj6YGOLskQ

[WillyT]

33. Kick !!!

[senseandsensibility]

40. Sickening.

There is no other word for it.

[Nite Owl]

45. Oh it's legacy defining

alright. We'll never forget the hypocrisy or lies or how used we were.
Not a legacy to be proud of that's for sure.

[ibegurpard]

47. Is it OK to call him a Rockefeller Republican yet?

How much more of this shit do we have to go through?

[senseandsensibility]

48. Since he called himself a reagan repug

I guess it's more than ok.

[SamKnause]

51. Betrayed would be a more fitting description.

[stonecutter357]

53. .

[emsimon33]

57. Obama's legacy: The destruction of the earth, our country, and our republic

I guess he wants to feel real powerful! Or, TPP and his other toxic trade deals are just his way of saying "screw you" to the country that he feels is racist. TPP is his FU to America and the racists Republicans are too dumb to realize that Obama just raised his leg and peed on them (and everyone else).

[davidthegnome]

58. Is anyone actually surprised by this?

I'm definitely not. I mean... tax cuts for the rich? Extended. The Patriot Act? Approved. The crimes of the former administration? Ignored. Mass collection of data by over-reaching government agencies? You got it. Protection for whistle blowers? Uhh, no. Haha. Public option?....

What does surprise me is that it took them this long to get it through - that more "democrats" didn't go along with fast track. The corporations, the super wealthy - they own this government.

[emsimon33]

60. Don't forget the drones

[Fearless]

61. They do own this government until we take it back

[Romulox]

62. "Obama and his Republican allies" is now an important part of his legacy. nt

[samsingh]

63. after this he can pal around with his repug friends

let's see how long before they turn on him

[LiberalLovinLug]

65. Hopeless aversion to Change

[Rex]

66. He defeated his own party...ugh...

[YoungDemCA]

67. Oh come on

Relax. The world is not ending. Democracy is not ending.

Get a grip. And FFS, stop blaming the twice-elected first black Democratic President for not catering to your every idealistic/narcissitic whim.

[MuttLikeMe]

71. Thank you

overdramatic much?

[Octafish]

68. Democrats have always supported Banksters.

Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia.

[blackspade]

70. Screwed by the corporations again....

[WillyT]

76. A Last Kick From Me...