Senate introduces "fast track" trade legislation to grease the rails for TPP.

[pa28]

Senators Baucus, Hatch and Portman are on the Senate floor right now telling us how the TPP is going to "create" jobs and how politicians will spoil the agreement by being allowed to debate the agreement. Plus the usual BS about how American workers are crying out for a level playing field (yeah everybody I know wants to compete with foreign workers making $2.00 a day).



http://www.finance.senate.gov/newsroom/chairman/release/?id=7cd1c188-87f1-4a0b-8856-3fc139121ca9

http://www.c-span.org/Live-Video/C-SPAN2/

[sinkingfeeling]

1. No.

[PM Martin]

2. -1

[FreakinDJ]

3. Not the "Create Jobs" line of shit again

How the Fuck these Rat Bastards can set there on National TV and say that with a straight face is a mystery to me

[pa28]

8. Whenever they say the word "jobs" just substitute "profits for the wealthiest American".

That's what they really mean.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

41. It's obvious that big business & their Reps can hold out longer than the unemployed American.

For all intents and purposes they've been boycotting the American workforce in order to get slave labor.

[MattBaggins]

9. It will create jobs

2 dollar a day jobs in Asia and Africa with no worker protections.

[FreakinDJ]

30. I was about to say ...

What ever you been smoking you need to start sharing

But then I saw the rest of your post ...

[zeemike]

26. Slavery created jobs.

They just did not pay anything...but you got to live in a shanty and eat grits and possum sometimes.

[djean111]

4. This may be the end of my being a Democrat.

I will see who votes for this.
And yeah, I'll leave DU.

[MattBaggins]

10. I think that if TPP gets shoved down our throats many of us will have to leave.

I wish we were right now forcing the possible 2016 candidates to distance themselves from this monstrosity.

[FreakinDJ]

31. Leave for a different country that pays a living wage

[pampango]

34. Such as ... ?

All the countries (Europe, Canada, Australia) that pay a living wage (comparable to or higher than the US) have more 'free trade' than the US. The only countries with less 'free trade' don't really pay a living wage.

[FreakinDJ]

38. Bull Shit

You need to start sharing whatever you been smoking

All the countries (Europe, Canada, Australia) that pay a living wage (comparable to or higher than the US) have more 'free trade' than the US.

You OBVIOUSLY have never been outside the boarders of the US

[pampango]

44. You seriously don't think that Europe, Canada and Australia have more 'free trade' than the US?

You know better than that. It is 50% of Canada's economy, 45% in the EU and 30% in Australia. It is about 25% in the US.

They achieve their higher wages and more equitable distribution of income through progressive taxes, a stronger safety net and stronger unions.

[Art_from_Ark]

45. The thing about Canada and Australia is

they are huge countries with vast reserves of minerals that are selling for high prices on the world market, the proceeds of which are distributed among relatively small populations.

[pampango]

46. That is true about Canada and Australia but not Europe which has the strongest middle class

and most equitable distribution of income in the world.

[Art_from_Ark]

49. I think Japan has the most equitable distribution of income in the world

Its ratio of 4.5 of Top 10% income to Bottom 10% income, and its ratio of 3.4 of Top 20% income to Bottom 20% income, are both the lowest on this chart:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_income_equality

[pampango]

55. Good point. And trade is 40% of Japan's economy - much more than in the US. n/t

[MattBaggins]

50. I meant leave the Democratic Party and thusly DU

if they were to enforce that rule.

But as for leaving the US, I can move to Germany if I had to.

[LongTomH]

15. First, let's see who votes for this.....

.....and, it hasn't passed yet!

[KoKo]

54. But..."waiting to see" until after "the Deed is Done" has not worked well

for us Democrats in the past couple of decades...

[LongTomH]

56. Scroll down.....You'll see I've already called my Senator.

[tomg]

24. Same here, although

I would change "may" for "will."

[Le Taz Hot]

35. You don't have to be a Democrat to post on DU.

There are lots of us here who are not Democrats.

[KansDem]

5. "...telling us how the TPP is going to 'create' jobs"

Are they saying this with a straight face?

[jsr]

7. +1

[Mass]

6. Baucus, Portman, and Hatch telling us this will create jobs? Sure, we can trust these ones.

[2naSalit]

11. That is a serious tell-tale point right there

these three can never be trusted with anything, even if they are just saying their names!!!

[FreakinDJ]

32. Looks like Diane Feinstien is on board for TPP too

Expanding opportunity and creating jobs

from her website

[pampango]

12. Interesting provisions on labor rights, environment and currency manipulation.

Updates Labor and Environment:

Updated provisions reflect the United States’ most recent trade agreements, to require trading partners to adopt, maintain, and not waive or derogate from measures implementing internationally recognized core labor standards in a manner affecting trade and investment and multilateral environmental agreements to which the United States is a party, with the same dispute settlement and remedies as for other enforceable obligations.

Updates Negotiating Objectives for the 21st Century:

Addresses Currency Manipulation: New negotiating objective for the first time directs that trade partners avoid
manipulating exchange rates, such as through cooperative mechanisms, enforceable rules, reporting, monitoring,
transparency, or other means, as appropriate.

Protects U.S. Sovereignty:

New provisions affirm that trade agreements cannot change U.S. law without Congressional action.

http://www.finance.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/TPA%20One%20Pager.pdf

[freshwest]

60. 'New provisions affirm that trade agreements cannot change U.S. law without Congressional action.'

http://www.finance.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/TPA%20One%20Pager.pdf

Far superior to the WTO, which slapped down many state laws on child and slave labor and environmental damage. It was a major reversal of years of hard fought progressive legislation. .

Thanks, pampango.

[solarhydrocan]

13. What a shock to see Baucus doing something like this!

Baucus (D-Insurance) the guy that had single payer doctor and nurse advocates arrested at a hearing.

[KoKo]

14. K&R....! Gotta watch this one... PBO said it wanted it done in January...

It will be devastating if Senate manages to sneak through Fast Track tacked on to some other piece of legislation while no one is looking because of Christie and the Bridge. (not that isn't a worthwhile story)...but, Fast Track will be devastating.

[ROYDOG999]

20. the con

They'll use the extension of unemployment benefits and couple it fast track. Saying it was the only to get the UE passed.

They are Corporate Fascists.

[solarhydrocan]

29. A Long Con

By Hustlers



But Max Baucus is no Mickey Bricks

[KoKo]

21. Kick... I found two articles on this and posted them...(We Can't have Enough)

[WillyT]

16. K & R !!!

[LongTomH]

17. Have you called your Senator's office about this?

If you need your senator's phone number, go to Project Vote-Smart.

I called Sen. Claire McCaskill's Washington office and talked to a staffer. I, of course, expressed my opposition to both Fast Tracking and the TPP. The staffer I talked to maintained that, what is being debated today is a preliminary 'parliamentary' step and the actual Fast Track legislation is coming up later in the current session.

[donnasgirl]

18. When are the people

Going to wake up and smell the coffee, 1. How many people in this country are looking for work?
2. How many times are we going to let these people railroad us?
3. How stupid do they think the American people are?
4. It is time to make Politicians pay for bullshitting us constantly.

[cer7711]

19. A Trio of Traitors

In another time, another place--1930s America--these bastards would be called exactly what they are: shameless toadies of the capitalistic class; tools of money and power.

[AzDar]

22. Hell NO.

[malthaussen]

23. Who didn't see that coming?

I'll be curious to see how the vote goes.

-- Mal

[historylovr]

25. K & R

[indepat]

27. More governance imo worthy of Noam Chomsky's assessment: savagery

[saidsimplesimon]

28. thank you pa28, TPP is another word

for more to lose. I did not support NAFTA. Therefore, I do not support a 3d way clintonian move to the right.

[magical thyme]

33. I'm emailing my senators and reps right now. another red line moment.

you vote for this and burn in hell for eternity.

[Le Taz Hot]

36. Notice how this is being debated today.

What a coincidence that the news is filled with All Christie, All The Time. Is ANYONE covering this?

[Enthusiast]

47. +1 IT IS NO COINCIDENCE.

The Christie thing is nothing but a smoke screen.

[jsr]

51. Yep.

[cinnabonbon]

37. No. no. no. Terrible.

[fadedrose]

39. Oh no. . . Not Baucus

He's a pain ....

[cer7711]

61. Exactly!

Just seeing that name causes me to groan . . .

[Enthusiast]

40. Who in their right mind would trust Baucus, Hatch or Portman?

Liars, one and all.

TPP would be devastating to American workers and the nation's sovereignty.

[JEB]

42. Fucking Baucus taking one last shit on the faces of American people.

[drynberg]

43. Here's one tidbit of the TPP on page 9, (ii)

(ii) unjustified trade restrictions or
10 commercial requirements, such as labeling,
11 that affect new technologies, including bio12
technology;

So, this means it would be illegal to require labeling of GMOs. This is just one example of how terrible this "Partnership" will be if passed. By the way, ever wonder why the industry giants were part of the planning but not our legislative branch? These Senators and Reps were left in the friggin' dark for a very good reason. This is a giveaway to the 1% at the expense of the 99%. Read it yourself, the link is at the bottom of the orig. OP.

[Enthusiast]

48. This thread/post deserves hundreds of recommendations.

Just because the President is for something doesn't make it right!

Are you DUers brain dead?

Recommend this thread!

[MisterP]

52. I believe the phrase is "foam the runway"--can't imagine where I heard it first, though...

[jsr]

53. Recommend

[KoKo]

57. ...3

[colsohlibgal]

58. Anyone For This Abomination Is For The Plutocrats, Not The Middle And Lower Classes

Like others, my disdain for Max Baucus knows no bounds. How he can call himself a democrat is beyond me.

I will be watching this vote carefully and I'll be watching Obama in relation to this trade agreement now with extra awful within it.

Obama saying he's for reducing inequality will be a bald faced lie if he stays for this. I want to see/hear an Obama apologist rationalize his support for this bill.

[We People]

59. K&R

This is really important news...