I think The TPP is dead. So are attempts to

[MannyGoldstein]

cut strengthen Social Security for billionaire tax cuts future generations.

Larry Summers won't be eviscerating the 99% again.

We can thank the Moonbat Left for these!

I hope we continue to be increasingly unsensible in the future!

[Scuba]

1. Proud card-carrying member of the Moonbat Left.

[Jackpine Radical]

23. Say what?

[MannyGoldstein]

35. Hey! Where'd you get that?

Why is the NSA releasing my baby photos?

[truebluegreen]

2. Yea us!

[BelgianMadCow]

3. Good that you think that, I don't. And the TTIP?

The what?

Remember that referendum about whether we should create a single market with the United States? You know, the one that asked whether corporations should have the power to strike down our laws? No, I don't either. Mind you, I spent 10 minutes looking for my watch the other day before I realised I was wearing it. Forgetting about the referendum is another sign of ageing. Because there must have been one, mustn't there? After all that agonising over whether or not we should stay in the European Union, the government wouldn't cede our sovereignty to some shadowy, undemocratic body without consulting us. Would it?

The purpose of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership is to remove the regulatory differences between the US and European nations. I mentioned it a couple of weeks ago. But I left out the most important issue: the remarkable ability it would grant big business to sue the living daylights out of governments which try to defend their citizens. It would allow a secretive panel of corporate lawyers to overrule the will of parliament and destroy our legal protections. Yet the defenders of our sovereignty say nothing.

I also think pronouncing the TPP dead is very premature.

[MannyGoldstein]

37. Wow! I didn't know about that!

Bad stuff.

Hope it can be stopped once we get representation in Washington!

[Fumesucker]

4. I disagree

The fact that the Moonbat Left is against these things is all the more reason for pragmatic sensible moderate centrists to support them.

Hippie punching will never go out of style amongst the Very Serious People.

[idwiyo]

5. +1

[KG]

8. word.

[sabrina 1]

29. The Left is far tougher than the sensible people. They do swing at the Left but rarely land a punch

If it weren't for the Left imagine what this country would look like. For one thing, we are always right. So we get to say 'I told so' more than anyone else.

Secondly a majority of the people agree with the Left on major issues. That is what scares all those sensible people. They know that if the people ever got a chance to actualy choose their futures they would choose what the Left stands for. They also know the way they can keep their power is buy it.

Every once in a while history shows that the greedy and the powerful get TOO greedy. And when that happens, the people begin to pay attention, apathy turns to action and the people realize that they have the numbers and the power, if they choose to use it. When things are going okay, people become apathetic. If the sensible people were smart, they keep things going along smoothly for the masses but they can't control their greed. They can never have enough so it is inevitable that the more they manage to hoard, they more they want.

I'm not sure we have reached the critical point yet where the people wake up, but I do believe it is beginning to happen.

[MannyGoldstein]

34. Occupy marked the tipping point, I think

Other than being absurd Paulbot dirty hippies or whatever the Smart Set was calling them at the time, they got people thinking.

A whack on the head.

[sabrina 1]

39. Yes, that was an opening shot at the Corporate State which is why they so desperately

tried to eradicate and discredit it. It has to begin somewhere and I agree, OWS was just the beginning. But OWS didn't really start here. They followed the example of Spain's Indignados who modeled their protests (camping on the public square) on another movement. Spain had already begun to suffer under 'Austerity' and France and there too the people finally began to take action.

And the other frightening thing about OWS was that the first time really, this people's movement was going Global, not confined to individual countries where it easier to squash. I imagine the Global Corps who went Global a while ago were extremely disturbed to see the masses doing the same thing.

Now even in third world countries the poor are out protesting for higher wages. The crackdowns are equally as desperate as they were here.

Imagine if the Third World woke up, and they too did join OWS in many places, imagine the threat that would be to the Corporations and their bottom line.

[cascadiance]

66. We need t shirts like "Take away any bottom for 'free traders' to race to"...

... and make it in many different languages to launch a global labor movement so that they have no place to go to allow the rich to steal more from the poor!

And maybe get Rutger Hauer and Daryl Hannah to do a video to say that replicants (or any other kind of robots they wish to replace us with) also won't accept slave labor wages either!

[sabrina 1]

70. That is an excellent idea. One that maybe OWS might be interested in starting, around the world.

And the proceeds could go to funding more projects or to help pay travel expenses for people to get to one country from all over the world to have a massive Global People's protest against the predatory Corporations who are using slave labor for their own profits.

Millions of people could participate (there was similar, coordinated event during the first year of OWS and it was amazing, including people from all over the world).

I like that idea especially with a slogan that travels around the world.

[Raksha]

65. I believe we have already reached the tipping point.

I expect a revolution within the next year, two years at the outside. I have no idea what form it will take, but I hope it will be a peaceful one.

I suspect the catalyst will be the provisions of the TPP, once the word gets around about them. Thanks to Wikileaks, I have the Intellectual Property portion of the draft on my hard drive, as I assume most people here do.

[sabrina 1]

84. Knowledge is power. And with communications the way they are today it is way more difficult to

keep these 'secrets'.

As for a revolution, how about a Global People's Protest Movement where the first and third world workers unite, (see the post above this regarding global t-shirts eg demanding a livabe wage for all people. And demanding that this country refuse to subsidize or give tax breaks to Corporations who do not abide by our own labor laws?

A wordwide Global Workers Movement. The Corporations did this already but they kept the workers and their issues confined to individual nations. Now we know how to do it, THEY showed us.

If you are right, then is a perfect time to begin the Workers Revolution. It has already begun in nations like India eg, where workers are demanding better wages and conditions. Every other nation's workers should be supporting them imo.
\
OWS has the infrastructure set up already to be a part of this.

[zeemike]

105. Absolutely right.

Greed is just like an addiction, it is a craving that can never be satisfied by more...

To paraphrase an old Chinese proverb about drinking.
First the man takes a dollar
Then the dollar takes a dollar
Then the dollar takes a man.

[Sophiegirl]

111. To add to that...

A man takes the first drink (of greed)
The drink then take the next....and the next...and....

[sabrina 1]

116. I like that. It so true. n/t

[Raksha]

62. Hey, you left off the sarcasm smilie.

Not that you really need it.

[cui bono]

6. How did it die?

[MannyGoldstein]

13. Here...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024028322

Seeing the light of day will kill it.

[PETRUS]

15. We should be cautious.

This is good news, but it's one thing to oppose "fast track" and another thing entirely to oppose the various provisions in these sort of trade agreements.

[cui bono]

41. Whoa!

Thanks for the link!

[MannyGoldstein]

42. Pretty cool, huh?

Congressional Democrats are now free agents. I think it started with the Libya War Vote.

[Eleanors38]

56. Not surprised to see some GOPers as well. Maybe a few see the truth...

when the central linchpin of American conservative thought, national sovereignty, was being put out for its final drying. It has always amazed me how so many GOPers walked so quietly past the graveyard of their own philosophy.

I bet some Teabaggers signed that letter.

[senseandsensibility]

7. Okay, I'll bite...

At risk of sounding ignorant, why do you think that? Of course I could just be ignorant. I've been very busy with work. Did something happen?

[tsuki]

9. The centerpiece of the TPP is dollar hegemony. I think that is

what killed it.

[Laelth]

50. Interesting perspective. Thanks. n/t

-Laelth

[djean111]

10. It would be lovely if you turn out to be correct

But I don't think Congress or Obama give a rat's ass what the citizens want any more.
Once elected, things seem to proceed along corporate lines or else based on whatever will get them reelected and hoovering up money.

TPP - doubt if it is dead, I doubt it will even be defended. Someone who cares what the citizens think about the TPP would never be building it secretly and asking for Fast Track. Just putting off the unpleasantness until a done deal, methinks.
Then trot out Big Dog to sell it.

[Demeter]

18. That's what they said about war with Syria

Suddenly, reason and democracy are no longer impossible dreams.

[840high]

28. +1

[99Forever]

11. Color me Moonbat.

On the far left side.

[Raksha]

69. Glad to have company - another far left Moonbat checking in.

[Armstead]

12. I hope you are right. I fear you are wrong.

TPP is an abomination.

But we American morons have allowed so many of these atrocious "free trade" agreements sail through that I don;t see any reason for this to be different.

[KoKo]

14. NOT TRUE ABOUT TPP...DEAD! Do not let your guard down on this.

I'm surprised at you Manny that you'd post such a thing.

Or are you in your "3rd Way Manny" mode.

You realize that the Wikileaks revelations of "One Chapter of TPP" was only one of MANY Chapters that are in the TPP! Only ONE CHAPTER! It's bad enough that we have to be wary of the other evil coming in the many OTHER CHAPTERS of that SECRET AGREEMENT.

They will push and push until this is passed. If they don't do it on Christmas Eve..they will do it in early 2014 when the Budget and Debt Ceiling Debates come up for Renewal and the MSCorpate Media distracts us from that...but Senate Votes to give Obama "Fast Track" on the night before Valentines Day Recess or some other Gimmick!

Do not let down your GUARD!

[Oilwellian]

27. One other thing to think about...

the power of the NSA and swaying congressional votes...if you catch my drift.

[nadinbrzezinski]

51. Shh, we ain't supposed to notice

[Chan790]

44. I'm with Manny on this.

That one chapter is a landmine. I've been having an ongoing correspondence with my congresscritters about my opposition to TPP/TPIP for weeks and particularly with my House Rep. His position was that he was opposed to fast track but he couldn't oppose the FTAs without seeing them and he was skeptical that it really contained the things I said it did, that nobody could know because it wasn't public and many of those policies were non-starters.

Well. The reveal confirms what I said was in the FTAs is in TPP, it's not private anymore and all those things are presumably still non-starters. My critter isn't some backbencher, he's a member of the House leadership...and I'll be calling him again tomorrow.

I have every expectation that he tells me TPP if not TPIP is DOA.

Tomorrow we start on killing TPIP.

[dreamnightwind]

46. +1

Vigilance.

[AzDar]

16. Moonbats FTW!

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

17. Please, Manny, think of the woodchucks.

[DeSwiss]

19. If it ain't dead......

...you can bet there'll be plenty of people dead later as a result of it.

- K&R

[NealK]

20. Kickin' and Rec

[awoke_in_2003]

21. just like with Syria...

we need to keep speaking out until it is confirmed dead.

[socialist_n_TN]

22. They won't give up Manny......

You KNOW that.

Note how everything is coming down during the last two weeks of December (TPP, Budget commission report) while everybody's distracted by the holidays.

[grantcart]

24. I don't think that there is any question that you personally killed the Summers appointment.

[LAGC]

25. Manny's a one-man wrecking crew.

[MannyGoldstein]

32. Well, OK, I'll cop to *that*

[MannyGoldstein]

31. Yup, must have been me.

No doubt.

[dionysus]

33. and stopped the war in syria....

[MannyGoldstein]

38. Yeah, you know it looked like me,

but that was actually Putin riding the bear. My features are a bit more more Hebraic, although there is a lot of fair hair and pale skin in my bloodline.

[dreamnightwind]

47. Or someone he supports

This may or not be how it went down, definitely interesting and relevant regardless.

http://www.newrepublic.com/article/115509/elizabeth-warren-hillary-clintons-nightmare

For its part, the Obama administration appears to regard Warren with its own special wariness. Take the successful campaign to block the would-be nomination of Larry Summers to be Federal Reserve chairman. Brown and Merkley played critical roles in halting Summers’s momentum and rounding up “no” votes among fellow Democrats. But Warren’s contribution is hard to overstate. “Elizabeth did something only she could do,” says a source close to the Fed chairman selection process, “which was engage with the administration on the subject and make clear that, if they insisted on moving ahead, the whole weight of her capacity could be brought to bear.” This “was a different order of magnitude,” says the source, alluding to Warren’s outsized fund-raising heft— $42 million raised for her Senate race, half of it online—and her media magnetism. A Warren aide doesn’t dispute this, saying only that “she passed along her concerns to the White House.”

[MannyGoldstein]

54. Bang! Bang! Liz's silver hammer came down on Larry's head,

Clang! Clang! Liz's hammer made sure his nomination was dead!

[sibelian]

55. HA! Well played, grant! You certainly skewered Manny's silly old ego there, didn't you?

So glad you're on the board! I'll never forget your wise words re the NSA not really spying on anyone. FIST BUMP.

[grantcart]

59. Depends on how you want to use the word spying.

If you use the word to mean that contact records exist dormant in a data base where they could be retrieved to match a connection should you either place or make a call with a person of interest to see if you had other contacts with other persons of interest sufficient enough for investigators to pursue a warrant and capture your individual conversation then that would be spying.

For me spying is when the authorities are looking at you, investigating you, like when I was the only American in Ho Chi Minh City and they listened and taped every conversation and followed me around.

As one of the few people here who have Muslim relatives abroad with whom I exchange emails and phone calls with several times a day I have a greater chance that my data might get a hit on a data base search. Neither me nor my Muslim relatives care much for that because we have no contacts with throwaway phones and because they are much more concerned by the brutal violence that threatens from violent Jihadists.

But if you don't really care what a word means and if you think that having a phone record sit inactive is the same as the government listening to your phone call then you are free to join the vast expanse of people for whom distinctions and meanings have little meaning. Just the other day someone compared the NSA to Gestapo tactics, if you look around you can find it an rec that kind of nonsense as well.

I am an equal opportunity skewer. If I see any self congratulatory thread I will add a sardonic note. I think that DU is a powerful tool but it undermines the quality when we constantly pat ourselves on the back. If we were 1/10th as effective as we claim to be then Elizabeth Warren would be the next nominee, something that Manny and I do agree on 100%.

[Bluenorthwest]

57. Manny's great but informed people credit Democratic Senators Merkley and Warren as point

people on the halting of the Summers nomination. Both of them worked hard to make their opposition clear and to organize their constituents like Manny and myself. The DUers who affected that this 'only mattered to emoprogs on DU' were uninformed of the reality and missed their opportunities to advocate for Larry if they wanted to do so.

[rhett o rick]

61. If that's a thank you, it's pretty lame. But your welcome. Now maybe Matty can kill Ms. Clinton's

nomination.

We must fight killer conservatism.

[grantcart]

68. If you take credit for defeating a nomination that never took place I will respond with a

personal thank you to go along with Manny's.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

71. You're bitter, and not very good at understanding what you read.

Angry, confused, and shooting off at the mouth is no way to go through life.

[Cali_Democrat]

74. LOL. Perhaps you're describing yourself?

[DisgustipatedinCA]

77. You're using the ever-popular "I know you are, but what am I" rejoinder.

Are you also suffering from the delusion that Manny claimed to have killed TPP on his own? Just show me where he said it and we'll be all square.

[Cali_Democrat]

78. Funny how you can diagnose people from behind your keyboard

Based on a one-line post or two.

I'm suffering from delusion and the other person you responded to is bitter, angry and going through life confused.

You crack me up!

Thanks for that!

[DisgustipatedinCA]

82. I can't continue to talk to you if you can't tell the difference between a question and a statement.

[rhett o rick]

91. He is in a pickle. Everyone with half a brain, even some republicans, see what a disaster the TPP

is. Yet he is sworn to defend Pres Obama to the death. Now all his barbs have been reduced to "LOL". As if his laughing out loud would hurt our feelings.

[rhett o rick]

88. LOL? Really? That's all you got? If you support the TPP, speak up and tell us why.

Not that you ever actually discuss issues.

[Cali_Democrat]

90. The TPP is dead.

See the OP.

[rhett o rick]

92. Why dont you tell us why you support the TPP. And by the way, Sid's ridicule emoticon is sooo yeste

yesterday.

[Cali_Democrat]

94. "Why dont you tell us why you support the TPP"

Where did I say I support the TPP?

Link please.

Thank you in advance.

[rhett o rick]

98. Follow the logic - Pres Obama supports the TPP and you support Pres Obama unequivocally.

If you dont support the TPP, why arent you in here saying so instead of stirring up the shit?

[Cali_Democrat]

100. HAHAHAHAHA! That's how you came to the conclusion I support the TPP?

[rhett o rick]

103. If you agreed with Manny and the left, they why are you here stirring

the crap?

Your attempts at ridicule using Sid's emoticon is childish.

[rhett o rick]

101. So if you agree with Manny then you have a funny way of showing it. nm

[Number23]

102. Hey, who knew Sid had his own patented emoticon! That man is a freaking LEGEND here!

Some of the stuff I see from certain people here... the "how dare you not fawn over Manny Goldstein as much I do!1" is just simply insane for lack of a better word. The tossing in of positions that have been pulled purely from their asses ("why do you support TPP!" hurled at people who have done no such thing) just makes it sad as well.

[rhett o rick]

104. No one is asking you to fawn over Manny. But if you come here to cause trouble then

you might get some reactions. The OP is about the TPP so are you here to discuss that issue? Or here to disparage those that oppose it.

[Number23]

107. let me tell you this again and hopefully for the LAST time

You DO NOT, HAVE NOT and never will determine who or what gets posted here.

My post to Grantcart was mostly lighthearted and more importantly, had absolutely NOTHING to do with you. The fact that you choose to insert yourself into every discussion for no other reason to School Marm everyone who dares to disagree with your hero shows your own insecurities and lack of individual thought. It has no bearing on what the rest of us do.

I have absolutely no idea why you think you have been given the mandate to patrol Manny's (or anyone else's) OPs but again, you DO NOT.

[rhett o rick]

113. Why do you guys seem to have such a hard time addressing actual issues? nm

[Number23]

115. Whether anyone actually does or not (I would never take your word for it)

it has nothing, absolutely NOTHING to do with you.

[rhett o rick]

72. Do your principles differ that much from Manny's that you find it compelling to

pursue him and harass him? If so, I would love to here what your principles are.

What is it about the left that infuriates you so?

[JoePhilly]

75. ... also prevented the Zombie Apocalypse and the Martian invasion.

[rhett o rick]

93. Can always count on you for an intellectual response. Did you have your tongue out when you wrote

that?

[JoePhilly]

117. I typed it left handed.

The really funny thing is that after 4+ years of OPs about how Obama was going to cut SS ... it appears Manny and I now agree that such cuts are not happening.

One of the most awesome characteristics of manufactured outrage here on DU is that, one can predict some terrible event repeatedly, and then when that evil event doesn't happen ... they get to claim that they stopped the evil event from happening.

And BAM ... instant hero.

I'm surprised the list in the OP didn't include preventing the endless Iraq style war in Syria ... which also never happened.

[Number23]

80. Uh Oh. You see what happens if you say something less than glowing about a Manny OP?

Manny won't bite that much but his fans will be all over you like white on rice, no matter what he posts.

The fact that most of these same folks climb all over supporters of President Obama (a person of great accomplishments who actually AFFECTS things that go on in the world besides pounding out little seen missives on a web site) just makes it all that much more hilarious and mildly terrifying at the same time.

[rhett o rick]

95. Does any of you and your "group" have the guts to explain why you support the TPP.

Or are personal attacks and derision all you guys got?

[Number23]

97. Now here's my question... will you try to turn this exchange into your "STOP BULLYING ME!!1"

foolishness like you did in ANOTHER thread where you jumped up all puffed up like Billy Badass to accost me when I have not replied to you, about you, or referred to you in any way shape or form?

I'd ask you to find ONE DAMNED POST from me on this web site where I have expressed even the most minimal support of TPP but I won't bother. That would be a waste of your time and everyone else's.

The real issue here is your absolutely BAFFLING Attack Dog tendency which is annoying as hell in the best of circumstances, particularly because you attack without having what the first freaking clue who you're attacking or why (and that is really quite obvious). But what makes your proclivities even more needless and purposeless is when you -- the person who ALWAYS initiates the attacks -- always seems to wind up the victim by the time it's all said and done primarily because you are the one that never has any basis or purpose beyond agreeing with every single utterance that comes from the gilded fingers of Manny Goldstein.

Do yourself a favor. Stop acting as though disagreeing with Manny is like the worse, biggest most terrible thing that anyone can do here. It makes you look like a clinging teenager with a crush on an older man. Manny can take care of himself.

[adirondacker]

26. Relevant cross post..."Papantonio: Clinton Brought Us NAFTA, Obama Brings Us SHAFTA"

OUCH!

[rhett o rick]

63. See the Progressive Group where there is a listing of info re. TPP

http://www.democraticunderground.com/126999

[gopiscrap]

30. Good I am a leftist also!!!

[villager]

36. Don't go all EmoProg on me now, Manny!

[MannyGoldstein]

40. Too late.

Do a search and you'll see.

One day I'll compile the complete list of thing's I've been called on DU. Ratfucker was my fave, but there have been so many other good ones, too.

[Left Coast2020]

43. Well if there is some doubt that its not "totally" dead.....

What are the steps you take to insure that its DOA? Occupy? Another fine example of the "Moonbat" left.

Trying to think of an example of killing bugs, but that Tom Delays profession. Someone should ask him.

[Buns_of_Fire]

45. I'd like to think so, but keep stomping on it anyway.

Ideas like this have more lives than Freddy Krueger.

[cali]

48. I know you're being, well, Manny, but the TPP is actually in very poor shape which is very

good news.

[rhett o rick]

73. We must keep the pressure on. Is Sen Warren our only hope to defeat Ms Clinton? nm

[Cali_Democrat]

76. LOL. Why are you asking that poster?

As if she knows what's going to happen years from now.

Weird.

[rhett o rick]

86. Thank you for asking. If we are going to defeat the corporate Democratic candidate we need

to start now and work hard. I know you arent worry about what will happen in 2016 because you have all the big corporations on your side. But the left has an uphill battle to get small donors to counter the big corporate money. We need to pick a candidate and start raising money now.

I notice a lot of posts by the local corporatists that are trying to tell the left to ignore 2016, to wait until 2015 to start worrying about 2016. How transparent. You cant be worried that Ms. Clinton wont get enough money to bury all challengers.

Ms. Clinton vs. Gov Christie. Win-Win for the so-called centrists.

[Cali_Democrat]

89. LOL!

It's a conspiracy. Any discussion of 2014 in 2013 is designed to distract from 2016.

[rhett o rick]

96. Your friends have been saying "ignore 2016". Now why would you want us to ignore 2016?

And plez drop the ridiculous "LOL". It's just childish.

[Cali_Democrat]

99. You know my friends?

I'm sorry, but I don't have any friends on this anonymous message board.

Also, when did I say that I want you to ignore 2016?

Link?

thank you in advance.



Oh, LOL and Fuck Ron Paul.

[rhett o rick]

106. You seem to have a hard time discussing actual issues. nm

[Cali_Democrat]

108. you seem to have a hard time backing up your claims. nm

[L0oniX]

112. Message hidden by jury decision

We should be fighting against every corporate Dem and pushing for more progressive Dems.

[rhett o rick]

114. Have you noticed the rash of posts recommending that the left "ignore 2016" until

after 2014. It's almost as if they are coordinating their talking points. Now why would Ms. Clinton supporters not want the left to "worry" about finding a challenger until after 2014? rhetorical

[LuvNewcastle]

49. It isn't dead, but it's chances for survival are diminishing.

If it was dead, Obama would have quit working on it. Obama's a lot of things, but I wouldn't call him a quitter. He's worked on this particular project a long time and he's not going to just give it up. Let the lobbyists start spreading around some money in Congress and we'll see who's really opposed. We can't take our eyes off the stove for a minute, unfortunately. As soon as we do, something will start boiling over.

Social Security still has a good chance of being cut. It all hinges on the elections next year. If the GOP holds the House, Obama's going to see it as Grand Bargain time. If the Dems win it all, maybe they'll listen to us and lift the cap. The 2014 election is crucial. We don't know what things are going to look like after 2016. If we can win it in 2014, we'll need to get a lot of work done before Jabba gets in the White House and who knows what happens to Congress. So everything depends on next year's elections. That should be our focus.

[Enthusiast]

52. I can only hope you are right, Manny......nt

[bemildred]

53. Yep, that's why "they" wanted it kept secret until it was "passed".

Like the NSA, like all vampires, it can't stand the light of day.

[Autumn]

58. It all depends on if Obama and the rest of them give a shit that we now

have proof of what is going on with that thing. I'm of the opinion that they haven't given a shit what we think before and why should they care now? I'm not very optimistic about it.

[pampango]

60. Agree. "Will Democrats and Tea Partiers Derail Obama's Secret Trade Deal?"

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) and Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.).

... But in order to secure the deal, President Barack Obama says he wants Congress to grant him permission to sign the final trade agreement, which Congress has not yet seen, without congressional input. A coalition of about 174 conservative Republicans and liberal Democrats in the House signaled this week they would likely vote against giving those trade powers to the president.

But this week, about 151 House Democrats and 23 Republicans—many of them tea partiers—wrote letters to the administration saying this time they are unwilling to give the president carte blanche to "diplomatically legislate." If a couple dozen more lawmakers join the unlikely group of Dems and GOPers, the House could have enough votes to shoot down fast-track and derail the TPP. If Obama doesn't get the special trade powers, Congress will likely try to make some changes to the final pact, which could cause other countries to drop out of the deal.

"Conservatives have shown themselves to instinctively oppose anything coming out of the Obama White House. So their opposition is not surprising," Adam Hersh, a trade expert at the liberal Center for American Progress, says in an email. But he adds that the Democratic opposition is new. "We're seeing the culmination of dissatisfaction with persistent poor trading outcomes for the US economy" such as job outsourcing, he says, and the feeling that Congress has been "kept in the dark."

Securing fast-track authority has been difficult ever since its inception in 1974. In the late 1990s, Congress refused to grant President Bill Clinton the extra trade powers, even though Republicans controlled the House. In 2002, fast-track barely won approval under President George W. Bush. That fast-track authorization expired in 2007.

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/11/fast-track-authority-obama-trans-pacific-partnership

[rhett o rick]

64. This may be too important for TPTB to yield to public pressure. We must continue to fight. nm

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

67. Take heart, (3rd Way) Manny, we're murdering people with drones and pursuing whistle blowers.

[KG]

109. he'll get to those later this week....

[WillyT]

79. HUGE K & R !!!

[ananda]

81. I didn't know the moon was a baseball.

[tavalon]

83. Yay!

[Cleita]

85. We can thank the leakers, all of them, for exposing these nefarious activities

and shinning sun light on them.

[Phlem]

87. K&R!

-p

[L0oniX]

110. Sorry. I'm already a member of the L0ony left.