Trade Fight Heats Up As Obama, Reid Battle For Votes

[Purveyor]

Source: The Hill

By Alexander Bolton - 05/07/15 05:49 PM EDT

President Obama and Harry Reid are battling one another for Democratic support ahead of an important vote on trade next week.

Reid, the Senate Democratic leader, is trying to hold his caucus together and stop Republicans from moving quickly to legislation giving Obama fast-track trade authority

Obama sees fast-track as one of his top priorities, and the White House is hoping the Senate will move forward on the legislation before the Memorial Day recess. The authority would pave the way forward for a pact the White House is negotiating with 11 Asian and Latin American countries.

Lobbying has intensified head of a pivotal procedural vote scheduled for Tuesday.

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/241399-trade-fight-heats-up-as-obama-reid-battle-for-votes

[merrily]

1. Rec for visibility

[hedda_foil]

2. Keep it up Harry.

Keep those dukes up and stay on your toes and perhaps, just perhaps, we may beat back this crappy deal and the European deal that comes next.

[Phlem]

3. Do this right Harry.

I've been following you for too long.

[denbot]

4. Kick for Harry

I have great respect for my President, but on this issue, with the information I have to go on, I stand with Harry!

[Flying Squirrel]

5. I have referred to Harry as a putz before

Particularly when he kept backing off on changing filibuster rules. But I'll take it all back if he kills fast track.

[davidpdx]

6. Hope Harry Reid finds the votes to kill it.

[Jim Lane]

7. Unfortunately, Reid's opposition is only conditional

From the linked article:

Reid is urging Democrats to oppose proceeding to trade legislation if Republicans do not lay out a clear path for passing an extension of highway funding and NSA surveillance authority. Both policies face deadlines at the end of the month.

“I can't imagine why the trade bill is so vitally important that it would trump the [NSA] bill, which is going to expire at the end of this month, or trump the highway bill, which authorization expires at the end of this month. I can't imagine what the rush is,” he said Tuesday.

Reid also says fast-track should not move without a promise from Republicans to move Trade Adjustment Assistance, which helps workers displaced by increased trade; a customs enforcement bill; and the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which gives trade preferences to developing nations.

That leads me to believe that, if Obama and McConnell don't have enough right-wing votes to pass this right-wing bill, they can round up a few more Democrats by promising these concessions.

[DCBob]

8. I cant remember any other issue where Obama and Reid have been diametrically opposed.

Almost seems like a setup.. like a good cop bad cop thing. Dont know but it sure is weird.