President Obama says TPP must pass this year

[n2doc]

By Vicki Needham - 05/06/16 04:31 PM EDT

President Obama said Friday that Congress must pass a far-reaching Pacific Rim trade deal this year or face falling behind China on the global stage.

The president argued that delaying action on the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) puts the U.S. in jeopardy of losing economic ground to Beijing, which is negotiating a separate trade deal with several of the same Pacific nations.

“The big challenge for us is who’s going to write the rules that nations play by when it comes to trade and commerce,” Obama said on a conference call set up by Business Forward to rally small businesses for their support of the trade deal.

“Is it going to be the United States or is it going to be our biggest competitor going forward, which is China."

more
http://thehill.com/policy/finance/trade/279051-president-obama-said-tpp-must-pass-this-year

[djean111]

1. This is not about China. This is about corporations' ascendancy over countries.

The Democratic Party is gone, folks.

[appal_jack]

13. Yup.k&r, nt

[Jeffersons Ghost]

22. Under the rulership of Princling Xi, China doesn't follow rules or honor treaties

[Baobab]

53. TPP is NOT ABOUT CHINA

Its about LOCKING THE FUTURE into BAD POLICY for coprporate special interests, FOREVER

ISDS special rights for corporations and the insane equal backdoors (that is what they will have to gve to China) attempt to dismember democracy.

TPP - all three T-deals are the worst policy mistakes ever.

[Baobab]

54. Obama wants to pass TPP during the LAME DUCK -likely at 3 am like they did with CAFTA -big mistake

or so says the foreign media.

These secret deals are TOTALLY ILLEGITIMATE.

ISDS is insanity.

thank you

[scottie55]

57. Obama Has Turned To Scum - Why?

Destroying his good legacy with one psycho act.

Putting corporations in control of our towns.

[Helen Borg]

65. My guess...

Space aliens injected him with lethal nanoparticles and so now he has to do what they say or no antidote for him.

[pampango]

79. That's a good a conspiracy theory as any I have heard. No wonder 'Borg' is part

of your screen name.

[pampango]

68. He wants to pass it now. republicans in congress want to wait until after the election and,

they hope, the 'Donald wave' has crested and receded. That remains to be seen of course. For now they are scared to death of their own base which has always hated trade agreements and most other international agreements. In the past republican politicians just ignored the base. Now they are afraid of it.

The Iran nuclear deal was 'secret' while it was being negotiated. That does not make it TOTALLY ILLEGITIMATE. TPP will probably not pass. Congress has plenty of time to read the agreement before it votes on it. It is a public document.

[tularetom]

33. The Democratic party? Hell, if this POS passes, the constitution is pretty much gone

[Betty Karlson]

35. I'm afraid they are right.

If the USA and Europe create space for an economy which sustains, instead of sacrificing long established rights and protections on the later of 'growth and profit', China could bilateralate all it wants, it would not gain access to either space without playing by the rules that enscone said rights and protections.

The TPP is, and always has been, about corporations superseding sovereinty.

[whathehell]

77. Yes, both the TPP and the TTIP are horrible, horrible deals

which truly represent the corporate takeover of much of the world...It's a frigging nightmare.

[roguevalley]

52. Obama better hope it doesn't pass. It will be a stain on him forever. Fuck the TPP

[Ferd Berfel]

72. exactly correct all of it. But

you left out one thing.
TPP os also about Obama Making His Bones to please his corporate masters - for life after the White house.
IT worked very well for the Clintons.

The old Democratic Party is gone and has morphed into the Neo-Dem Party of the right wing: disenfranchised republicans, neocons, the corporate masters and the low information type

It's a tragedy for the common folk, disgusting.

[corkhead]

14. Did Monsanto give you permission to grow those tomatoes?

[awoke_in_2003]

34. With the way things are going

it's only a matter of time before heritage seeds are illegal.

[CobaltBlue]

3. In translation: President Obama pushes his con job(s)

[TDale313]

4. Oh, fuck that shit.

TPP would be a disaster for everyone not in the upper upper class.

And of course this is one of the few areas where Repugs actually were willing to work with Obama- against Dem objections. Which tells ya all you need to know about this pos trade deal.

[erlewyne]

45. I am poor enough now.

But it is not about me,

It is about my grandchildren.

I will never confirm to TPP ... ever!!!

[BillZBubb]

5. I certainly hope you lose this one Mr. President.

“The big challenge for us is who’s going to write the rules that nations play by when it comes to trade and commerce,”

On this we agree. Except I want the American people to write the rules not the corporations and their bought and paid for political hacks.

[Iggo]

62. Exactly.

I don't want corporations writing the rules that nations play by when it comes to trade and commerce.

[yallerdawg]

6. Some Democrats are looking towards the future!

“I know the politics around trade these days in both parties have gotten a little crazy, and I understand it because a lot of times what’s most visible is the plant that closes," Obama said.

While acknowledging that trade deals over the last 20-30 years weren't well-structured to protect American workers against the effects of globalization, Obama said that the TPP is different.

"But that’s not this deal. What this deal does is it raises standards, it makes sure we’re in a better position as American businesses and American farmers and American manufacturers to get into economies that right now are already selling to us but we’re not selling to them, as well."

Obama said that there is a potential for "exponential growth" of U.S. exports into the TPP markets.

In 2014, $726.5 billion worth of goods to TPP countries and if the deal gets done then “that’s just the tip of the iceberg," he said.

We need to stop arguing NAFTA, and enter the 21st Century!

[AllyCat]

20. Yes, the 21st Century where corporations run your life

Sounds like a great idea.

[yallerdawg]

30. Our Democratic President Obama on TPP.

It’s the highest standard trade agreement in history. It eliminates 18,000 taxes that various countries put on American goods. That will boost Made-in-America exports abroad while supporting higher-paying jobs right here at home. And that’s going to help our economy grow.

I know that past trade agreements haven’t always lived up to the hype. That’s what makes this trade agreement so different, and so important.

The TPP includes the strongest labor standards in history, from requiring a minimum wage and worker safety regulations to prohibiting child labor and forced labor. It also includes the strongest environmental commitments in history, requiring countries in one of the most biologically diverse areas on Earth to crack down on illegal wildlife trafficking, illegal logging, and illegal fishing. These standards are at the core of the agreement and are fully enforceable — which means we can bring trade sanctions against countries that don’t step up their game.

And for the first time ever, we’ll have a multilateral trade agreement that reflects the reality of the digital economy by promoting a free and open Internet and by preventing unfair laws that restrict the free flow of data and information.

Read the TPP yourself at: https://medium.com/the-trans-pacific-partnership

[puffy socks]

37. All these things are good

and likely the best we're going to get at this point with the current global political and economic environment.

If we don't have these agreements businesses will still be free to hire foreign labor at rock bottom prices bringing American wages down even lower to compete. Not signing an agreement won't stop corporations from screwing people It will help them screw us more.
who's dying to live in a grass hut?
As much as I hate the TPP because the benefits to corporations do outweigh the benefits for labor it is the better step to take.

It will help stabilize wages around the globe we can't be out bid by cheap labor from China where they truly abuse their workers.

[AdHocSolver]

32. That "explanation" for passing the TPP is total B#llsh|t.

If it really helped American workers and the U.S economy, the contents of the so-called trade deal would be available to the public.

The secrecy surrounding the contents of this sell out implies something else.

The biggest economic nonsense is the idea that "there is a potential for "exponential growth" of U.S. exports into the TPP markets."

If the Chinese can manufacture goods in there own country more cheaply than the U.S. can manufacture them, why would the Chinese buy goods from the U.S. that they could make themselves at a lower cost?

[yallerdawg]

40. Read the TPP in full.

Not a secret.

https://ustr.gov/trade-agreements/free-trade-agreements/trans-pacific-partnership/TPP-Full-Text

[Hoyt]

58. These folks still believe TPP is secret. Now that they have link, they still won't read it.

Personally, I believe our long-term future will be hurt by not adopting this agreement. But, the people rule, no matter how myopic.

[yallerdawg]

69. We live in a representative republic.

If enough far-sighted politicians come together for the benefit of the country - our future - we won't have to be subjected to mindless uninformed mob rule."

"Trade bad" is just not an informed argument.

[Hoyt]

73. I really believe TPP & similar agreements are the only way we'll be able to provide things Sanders'

supporters are demanding. I believe corporations should be taxed more for profits made from expanding world trade. But, that's where the new markets are and where the tax revenue for health care, education, etc., will mostly come from. As far as I'm concerned -- and as long as we regulate them and tax them heavily -- international corporations will produce more tax revenue, jobs, etc., than trading among ourselves. I'm fine with that.

We and poor foreign countries will benefit from trade. International corporations based in foreign countries will benefit those countries as well. As poor countries progress, wages will improve.

Most of the jobs here now, are not candidates for outsourcing to other countries -- those are long gone and many of them weren't transferred to foreign countries anyway. Foreign goods -- like cars and electronics -- simply kicked our ass in terms of quality and cost. None of "our" jobs were sent overseas, people just started buying the better products available overseas.



And to those who freak out over "we'll lose our sovereignty" and similar junk -- and who sound like the southern yahoos when talking about civil rights -- I suggest reading articles like the following:

http://www.vox.com/2015/11/10/9698698/tpp-investor-state-dispute-settlement


In any event, the poster above who said "the TPP is secret" is a good indicator of just how uninformed people are on this issue.

Obama knows what he's doing, people are just too myopic -- and greedy with the America First junk -- to see it.

[Dont call me Shirley]

88. If tpp and her vil spawn pass we will only have a corporate representative authoritarian government

[newthinking]

47. This is all really about the dollar and how sad shape our country's finances are in.

If the dollar crashes it is the uber rich who lose the most. If they succeed the people become impoverished but the wealthy not only survive it but thrive.

[rhett o rick]

64. Righttt, go ahead and kick the ball Charlie, Lucy won't pull it away THIS TIME. Bullcrap.

Obama admits that "trade deals over the last 20-30 years weren't well-structured to protect American workers against the effects of globalization," "Obama said that the TPP is different." Oh really? How is it different? Why should we trust you?

It doesn't pass the smell test. Corporations wrote it for their gain. Do any unions like it? Doctors Without Borders are against it.

And how about this test, THE REPUBLICONS ARE ECSTATIC ABOUT IT.

Now Hillary followers claim she doesn't like it, but I don't believe that. She said she didn't like how it was written. What does that even mean? It was written in Courier and she prefers Arial?

You know that it includes a budget for training those that will (emphasis on will) lose American jobs. Of course some big corporation like Halliburton will get the training contract and charge the government $10,000 per trainee. The training will be for min wage jobs, of which we will be running out of soon. And guess who foots the training bill. You and me. Not the 1%, but those people still lucky to have jobs.

Dear Obama, no thanks. We ain't buying it.

[yallerdawg]

78. See how trade impacts your state.

http://www.trade.gov/mas/ian/tradeagreements/index.asp

http://trade.gov/mas/ian/statereports/index.asp

[cali]

7. Fuck that

[enlightenment]

8. Who is going to write the rules?

The corporations, apparently.

[cali]

9. They already wrote them

[enlightenment]

10. True, that.

But they aren't quite encoded in law, yet.

[forest444]

31. And while they do routinely bribe/extort judges, they're not judge and jury yet.

But they will be with the ISDS courts, since these tribunals (made up of lobbyists and other whores) would have supra-constitutional powers.

Everyone behind the TPP should be tried for treason - in a real court of law.

[Dont call me Shirley]

89. Everyone behind the authring and selling of these 'trade agreements' are treasoners and should be

tried and imprisoned.

[forest444]

93. If only.

It'll take an alien invasion though.

[JEB]

11. TPP needs to FOAD. NT

[rhett o rick]

12. Now, now the TPP includes a budget for training those that will lose jobs here in the USofA.

Of course the training will be accomplished by Halliburton* and paid for by those workers that didn't lose their jobs. And the training will be for min wage jobs that Obama thinks should be held to $10.10 per hour. Halliburton* will probably get paid $10,000 per trainee. Thanks Obama.

[newthinking]

50. So did NAFTA and a lot of difference that made....

[elehhhhna]

70. There's always "jobs trainin" money in US agreements that are meant to fuck workers. Duh.

Every single one.

[AdHocSolver]

15. The TPP is designed to give complete economic control of this planet to the 1 percent.

It is NOT a trade deal. It is NAFTA on steroids.

The time to protect the U.S. economy was BEFORE practically all the manufacturing jobs were sent to China and other low wage countries.

The ONLY way to help rebuild the U.S. economy is to bring back manufacturing jobs to America. The TPP and its ilk are designed to PREVENT that from happening.

The TPP is a "trickle-down-economics" fantasy.

[newthinking]

51. This!

TTIP is about protecting the wealthy from the coming restructure of the US financial system.

[Cal Carpenter]

84. The TTIP is a different agreement

being worked on between Europe and the US. The TPP is the Trans-Pacific and the subject of this thread.

Just to make clear, there are two terrible trade agreements to protect the wealthy in the works, not just the one

[newthinking]

85. TTIP and TTP ar about protecting wealthy from the coming restructure of the US financial system

Thanks for catching that. Yes, they are both bad but all part of the same objective.

[Hoyt]

60. Obama will be proven right on TPP long-term. Of course, then, we'll be screwed.

[PufPuf23]

16. No. eom

[Hoppy]

18. Fast track TPP --- a faster trip down the shitter.

But don't worry. If Obama doesn't pass it, Hillary will.

[retrowire]

19. where is the outrage from

Hillary supporters on this matter?

[newthinking]

67. It's about the dollar and our financial system

We have gutted the dollar.

The wealthy are afraid of losing their hard found wealth. The only way to keep the current system which priviledges the wealthy going without severe impact to their billions$$ is to lock the system we have in worldwide (and further impoverish the world so the wealthy can keep their "hard won" wealth).

[Dont call me Shirley]

90. They're busy shilling for the tpp, ttip, nafta, cafta, shafta.

[Jack Rabbit]

21. Dear Mr. President:

Last edited Sat May 7, 2016, 12:29 PM - Edit history (1)

You have claimed that if "we" don't write the rules, China will.

First of all, who's this "we," kemo-sabe? You, sir, did not ask for my input and kept the negotiations hidden from me and the rest of the American people. It seems that "we" is you and the oligarchs who think they've trumped democracy, not you and the American People.

Now that we (the real we) have seen how "we" (i.e., you establishmentarians) have written the rules, we will just patiently wait to see what China has to offer before deciding if we want your rules, China's rules or if we think that we can do better than either of you and just write our own.

It's time for a political revolution. Power to the people.

[Populist_Prole]

36. Exactly. Does he really think we'll fall for this "our team" nonsense?

The "we" in his mind aint you and me ( and the rest of the 99 percent )

"If we don't shoot ourselves in the face, the other team will."

Real morale booster, he.

[Gene Debs]

23. Manufacturing facilities in China have suicide nets around them to keep their employees

from hurling themselves off the buildings in despair. This is who he's worried we'll fall behind?

[The Second Stone]

25. We are behind on the suicide net gap

but I think the issue is more complicated than that.

[pampango]

80. Could be part of why China opposes TPP. Their statements have been that labor and environmental

standards in trade agreements are not good for China because that harms their competitive advantage.

[The Second Stone]

24. Here is a link to the agreement, which is available section by section

https://ustr.gov/trade-agreements/free-trade-agreements/trans-pacific-partnership/tpp-full-text

I couldn't easily find a one pdf download of the whole thing. That makes it a pain in the ass to try to go through it.

While I would consider it, doling it out one link at a time is stupid. When they are adults enough to have a download of the whole thing, I'll go through it and see what I think. Until then, NO.

[NewImproved Deal]

26. Screw Obama.

He's never been more wrong...

[pampango]

27. I am not sure why. Donald will 'rip it up' and Bernie will 'renegotiate it'.

FDR's "Four Freedoms" speech emphasized that the freedoms were for "everywhere in the world".

Harry Hopkins (FDR adviser and an architect of the New Deal) interrupted FDR while he was dictating the speech and told FDR that he should not say "everywhere in the world" because Americans are not going to give a damn about people in Java".

FDR replied, "Well Harry. They are going to have to give a damn about people in Java from now on."

Well Mr. President, conservatives, and certainly the Donald, have never given a damn about 'people in Java'. Nowadays many liberals have pretty much joined them.

Mr. President, Mr. Hopkins was right.

A lot has changed since 1945. Much of what FDR promoted has been cast aside. This is just one more thing.

Some Democrats still like the idea but this poll was in 2014 and things have changed since then.



http://www.pewglobal.org/2014/04/09/support-in-principle-for-u-s-eu-trade-pact/

republicans in congress had been pushing to delay a vote until after the election since it is obvious from Trump's success that their base does not like TPP or any other international agreement for that matter. Obama had been pushing for an early vote perhaps mistakenly thinking that Democratic support for it in polls would help.

That ain't going to happen.

[villager]

28. No, Mr. Incumbent Republican, it must not. nt

[Triana]

29. I say it must NEVER pass and needs to be rewritten

With a full contingent of American citizens ' commoners / civil rights and economic justice advocates involved. They SHOULD have done that the first time and did not - they deliberately excluded regular Americans and let corporate write the thing.

Their sneaky, sidewinding, greed-driven, exclusionary tactics does NOT our emergency make.

They should have done it right the first time - they did not. Now it's a big emergency?

NOPE.

[Betty Karlson]

39. ^this^ and +1000

[dgibby]

38. Does he really think we're that stupid?

Evidently, he does. If he pushes this through, he can kiss his legacy goodbye, that's for sure. We are so screwed.

[Cassiopeia]

42. Helping corporations maximize profit

Is his legacy. This will be the biggest trophy on the wall.

[dgibby]

76. Wish I could disagree, but I can't.

So sad.

[Cassiopeia]

41. Don't worry

Obama's Republican allies in Congress will get it through right after the election.

[awoke_in_2003]

43. Come on people

you don't expect him to live on the measly presidential pension and occasional speaking fee, do you?




included for the sarcasm challenged.

[CanonRay]

44. This is to me Obama's biggest disappointment

he is just plain wrong on this.

[AlbertCat]

46. I'd say we've already fallen behind China...

..... in more ways than trade....on the Global stage.

[KPN]

48. Good luck with that Mr. President.

A gazillion of us are going to fight you every step along the way.

Shit like this is going to cause a real revolution ultimately.

[mikehiggins]

49. “The big challenge for us is who’s going to write the rules that nations play by

when it comes to trade and commerce,” Obama

How come he doesn't mention the corporations and lobbyists who essentially wrote this piece of crap?

If the TPP is passed at all, let alone this year, everyone who votes for it should be considered a traitor.

[scottie55]

55. You Mean Shove It Up Our Ass PBO

F You and your corporate takeover of our planet.
No f you again.

[yourpaljoey]

56. This fits Obama's 'legacy' perfectly

[Reiyuki]

59. Won't be until just after after the congressional primaries.

That way the establishment Democrats and Republicans can get together and vote for TPP without risking being 'primaried' by opponents in their own party.

Keep a VERY close eye out for stealth TPP legislation getting quickly and quietly pushed through in late June.

[geardaddy]

61. No it doesn't.

It will be disasterous

[pampango]

63. China and Russia oppose it due to its labor and environmental standards. Big Tobacco opposes it

because it prohibit them from using the ISDS process to sue governments which they have the ability to do now under WTO rules.

Meanwhile unions oppose it because the labor standards are too weak. Environmental groups oppose it because the environmental standards are too weak. Organizations that fight cancer support it because it cracks down on Big Tobacco.

It is not all good or all bad like more international agreements.

[bbgrunt]

66. With policies like this, who the hell needs an opposition republican party?

[ronnie624]

71. The implications of the intellectual properties part is as scary as anything.

The elite want complete control over all artistic and intellectual expression. Manipulation and profit from information and its dissemination are their only concerns. The welfare of human civilization doesn't matter one whit. Imagine being locked in a reality that is defined by people whose only motive in life is self-enrichment, with no care whatsoever for tackling important issues like global climate degradation and resource depletion.

[downeastdaniel]

74. Hey Mr. Obama, it is not too late to change your mind on the TPP, get real and think please.

[Kip Humphrey]

75. Hillary would have it no other way. Can you say "lame duck session"?

bend over everybody... We're about to get SHAFTAed!

[pampango]

81. FDR - 1945 State of the Union: We support the greatest possible freedom of trade and commerce.

International cooperation on which enduring peace must be based is not a one-way street. Nations like individuals do not always see alike or think alike, and international cooperation and progress are not helped by any Nation assuming that it has a monopoly of wisdom or of virtue.

Perfectionism, no less than isolationism or imperialism or power politics, may obstruct the paths to international peace. Let us not forget that the retreat to isolationism a quarter of a century ago was started not by a direct attack against international cooperation but against the alleged imperfections of the peace.

In our disillusionment after the last war we preferred international anarchy to international cooperation with Nations which did not see and think exactly as we did. We gave up the hope of gradually achieving a better peace because we had not the courage to fulfill our responsibilities in an admittedly imperfect world.

We support the greatest possible freedom of trade and commerce.

We Americans have always believed in freedom of opportunity, and equality of opportunity remains one of the principal objectives of our national life. What we believe in for individuals, we believe in also for Nations. We are opposed to restrictions, whether by public act or private arrangement, which distort and impair commerce, transit, and trade.

We have house-cleaning of our own to do in this regard. But it is our hope, not only in the interest of our own prosperity but in the interest of the prosperity of the world, that trade and commerce and access to materials and markets may be freer after this war than ever before in the history of the world.

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=16595

Trump sounds like the master of the "one way street". But then he is not a big fan of international cooperation either. He will tell Mexico what is going to happen. He will tell China what is going to happen. He will tell Muslims what is going to happen.

FDR he ain't. FDR may not have supported the TPP. (He had his own International Trade Organization that might have made TPP irrelevant anyway.) Who knows. But his did support the "greatest possible freedom of trade and commerce", not the "least possible trade and commerce".

[tritsofme]

82. Merrick Garland and TPP will pass in the lame duck. No doubt about it.

[U4ikLefty]

83. The result of "Hope and Change"

I can't wait for Hillary to do more if the same....yay!!!

[lumberjack_jeff]

86. "Who is going to write the rules"? Who wrote TPP? "The US"?

Dear Obama; We the people ARE "the US", not the lobbyists who wrote TPP.

[Dont call me Shirley]

87. NO! The tpp and it's clones must NEVER pass!

[truebrit71]

91. Absolutely not.

Fuck that shit with a cactus.

[ananda]

92. No, Mr. President, this is about corporations ...

... gaining way too much power on the world stage.

As if they don't already have too much already.

[Skittles]

94. he wants to be buddies with those he is pushing it for

and that sure is not WE THE PEOPLE