President Obama calls opponents of the TPP ignorant

[cali]

Somehow I don't think this is an effective way to get his opponents on board. In a speech where he attempted to get
organization's and activists on board, he expressed clear contempt for them.:

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/obama-says-us-critics-of-tpp-are-ignorant/story-fn3dxix6-1227318413891

[Wilms]

1. Hides the info and then calls us, "ignorant"?

That's not very nice.

[lovemydog]

5. I don't think he used that word ignorant.

He said they don't know what they're talking about. Which to some extent is true. Not until it's made public. I think the headline of that article is clickbait. You can read the whole article in my post below, & determine for yourself.

[DonViejo]

28. Read the article...

never once is he quoted using the term "ignorant." In the article, two quotes are attributed to him, here they are:

Obama said critics who say a trade deal with 11 Pacific countries is bad for working families "don't know what they're talking about".

He said the US is "not going to stop the global economy at our shores".

If you think the President saying, critics "don't know what they're talking about" translates to, "they are ignorant," so be it. I don't.

[Wilms]

32. Hides the info and then says people "don't know what they're talking about".

I hope that's better.

And it's not very nice, either.

[DonViejo]

34. If all the information is hidden/being hidden...

how is it that everyone is absolutely certain they know what's in it and that it's bad news?

[Wilms]

40. You wanna play "ignorant".

I don't. Find someone else.

[DonViejo]

41. Who's playing ignorant? I asked you an honest question....

I have not been keeping up on TPP, I have a few other things I'm working on. However, if you want to slur and defame, find someone else. I'm not interested in jo games with DU'ers not interested in honest discussion.

[Wilms]

42. You haven't kept up?

But walk into a thread and slap me around. Hell of a way to start an "honest discussion".

When you get up to speed on the issue you'll understand my post.

[DonViejo]

43. No, I haven't kept up on TPP, I have quite a few other things I'm working on...

How did I slap you around? Pointing out that the President never called anyone "ignorant" is now considered to be slapping you around? Victim time at DU, huh?

I'm done; but I do hope you have a great weekend.

[Wilms]

44. Always a pleasure to expose the best in people.

[Bohunk68]

2. In a manner of speaking, we are indeed ignorant.

And, that is because we have been KEPT ignorant of what is truly in the package. I'll go with Senators Warren and Sanders.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

3. Well, at least he didn't call them 'fucking retarded'. ;) nt

[Baitball Blogger]

6. Yeah, he left himself open with that one, didn't he?

[lovemydog]

4. Here's the whole article. And I'll admit I don't know a lot about it because it isn't public yet.

US President Barack Obama says he is willing to pursue international commerce agreements even if they are unpopular with Democrats.

OBAMA is seeking to assure Democratic activists and donors that his trade policies will protect US jobs and environmental rules.

He was speaking about the Trans-Pacific Partnership on Thursday at a gathering of Organizing for Action, the group that grew from his presidential campaign organisation.
Obama said critics who say a trade deal with 11 Pacific countries is bad for working families "don't know what they're talking about".
He said the US is "not going to stop the global economy at our shores".
Many labour unions are opposed to giving Obama fast-track authority to negotiate trade deals, arguing that past deals have cost US jobs.
The trade deal will be at the top of Obama's agenda when he hosts Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the White House next week.
Potential signatories to the Trans-Pacific Partnership include Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States and Vietnam.

[underahedgerow]

7. Nothing is being hidden with any intent to deceive anyone here. It's called business, and it's

how trade deals & negotiations are done to maximize the effectiveness of the deals for all parties concerned. Do you honestly think that President Obama would make a deal that benefited bad people and unscrupulous corporations? Since when has that ever been part of his repertoire?

This is President Obama you're referring to here, he's not the bad guy. He's got every right to be impatient with people who have no idea what they're talking about. In fact, that's what I love about him, he doesn't take any crap from anyone.

[NRaleighLiberal]

8. sort of like Dick Cheney and his energy meetings? It's not good business to not inform

of extremely impactful policies.

[marmar]

9. "Nothing is being hidden with any intent to deceive anyone here"

You can't be serious.

[underahedgerow]

14. I'm completely serious, what do you think is going on here? Some grand conspiracy to defraud

and destroy? This isn't the bush regime, this is the Obama Administration, yanno, the best President in modern history, who's made good on every commitment since he has been in public office?

This is no lame duck bush junior sorry piece of crap selling out to the highest bidder, this is President Obama. He's one of the good guys, one of the few good guys. Geesh.

[Saucepan of Kerbango]

15. LOL

It's not the transparency he promised. More sunlight is better.

[underahedgerow]

21. What is it you think he's going to hide? Why on earth would this President do anything to

harm the people of the USA? What exactly is in his nature and past behavior and actions that would make you think he would suddenly go all bush on us?

[sendero]

24. Keep...

... drinking the kool aid, I'm sure you'll eventually get high.

[underahedgerow]

25. You lose the match when you toss out decades-old insults.

I win!!!!

[sendero]

26. Your delusion..

.... continues. If would be impossible to lose to you.

[cali]

10. fail. the secrecy with which the tpp negotiatons have been conducted

is unprecedented. And, sorry but members of congress who are speaking out so strongly against it were recently granted access. Let me add, that almost all of the 600+ advisers to the USTR on the tpp were corporate representatives. And three important draft chapters have been leaked and intensely analyzed.

The President is fighting harder for this than he has for any other initiative. That's both reprehensible and contemptible

[underahedgerow]

19. Imagine that he's fighting so hard because it's such a good trade initiative? Imagine that...

a deal good for everyone involved, people and corporations...

It's not like Obama is a bush regime affiliate fercryinoutloud. He's never had anything to hide nor given any reason for us to mistrust him.

So Congress critters were granted access, and how has that been a bad thing? So far all I see is a bunch of people running around waving their arms and shrieking 'the sky is falling!!!' without being able to point out exactly what the serious problems on this nearly-decade-in-the-making deal are. Ok, so it's not as transparent as a piece of glass at this moment, during the critical negotiations, but since when has President Obama failed to put forward a well thought out long term plan in place that benefits the people of the USA? And why wouldn't he continue to do that now?

This initiative is being finalized by the people that were elected into office to do this job; to act on behalf of the voters of the USA. That doesn't entitled each person in the USA a specific voice in this trade deal, that's in the hands of your elected officials, so let them do their jobs!

This President doesn't exactly have a reputation for acting reprehensibly on behalf of the people of the United States. You'd think that most people would have figured this out by now.

[cali]

23. if that is the case, why are virtually all his allies in Congress, so opposed?

These are folks who have staunchly supported him on issue after issue. Why is every labor union opposed? Why are virtually all public interest groups opposed?

I've read the three leaked chapters. I've read the analysis. I've read the list of trade advisers. Sorry, and without impuning his motives, I prefer to trust my research and critical thinking skills over his word.

[stillwaiting]

11. There are many of us that aren't taking the crap he's giving us on the TPP.

All we have to do is look back to previous trade agreements (including the one negotiated by Obama with Korea) to see what happens with these agreements.

In addition, the TPP is SO big and encompasses SO MUCH more than trade that to reduce it down to a simple trade agreement is deceptive.

Ultimately, the enthusiastic support for this from all Senate Republicans and the lack of support from MANY Senate Democrats and House Democrats that I trust (that have seen the TPP in draft forms) guides my decision on this matter. Obama has appointed Wall Street folks to his Administration THROUGHOUT his Administration. That's not really subjective I don't think.

Obama has been very good on some matters, and he has been very bad on others.

[RiverLover]

16. +1 /nt

[DefenseLawyer]

12. Dear Mr. President:

Don't piss down my back and tell me it's raining.

[cali]

13. and there it is in a nutshell

[NM_Birder]

35. "A man like Wales...... lives by the fued"

[boston bean]

17. Wow, I really do wish we saw more of this on some other issues during his presidency. nt

[appalachiablue]

29. +1

[NCTraveler]

18. Uneducated would be a more accurate word.

And that is why I am currently opposed to it. I am uneducated with respect to the whole damn thing. Dear Mr. President, why don't you educate us. We are ready to understand it. Not from your words, but from the agreement itself.

[cali]

37. so all those senators and reps who have seen it and oppose it

are uneducated. Does that make all the refuges who support it, wise and enlightened? Do you realize that well over a hundred dems member of congress oppose it?

[NCTraveler]

39. I have no clue how you came to that reply from reading my post. nt.

[fadedrose]

20. I'm in a real dither about this

A while back, I emailed the WH about TPP, and told the President that so far I approved of just about everything he did, and what he tried to do. But nobody in the group I posted to (DU) had a a good word to say about it, and I was very worried.

They sent a lovely response telling me to have faith and I wouldn't be let down when it passed.

I'm not braindead about a lot of stuff, but this one has me sitting on a fence looking at the pastures on both sides. My favorite critters and plant life are on one side and on the other are large gift-wrapped boxes full of surprises for me. That's what it feels like.

I wish Obama would have Elizabeth and Bernie come in for a private talk and if they are not privie to the "secret" details in the agreement, have them sworn to secrecy so that they don't blab everything in speeches that might hurt the deal, but will give them the same basis of understanding that he (AND THE REPUBLICANS) have of the plan.

[HereSince1628]

22. Yes, but that seems to be an ignorance imposed by secrecy

It's not as if there aren't calls for release of the documents that would shine light and drive out the ignorance.

[City Lights]

27. Let the sun shine on it, Mr. President!

Let us see what's there. Why hide it if it's so fucking awesome?

This is maddening.

[AuntPatsy]

30. Using tactics you abhor in order to push a certain level of controlled outrage? Interesting

I guess we can assume it does not help using false narrative and in this issue there is no need... jMHO the truth is enough...

[cali]

38. i have no idea what you're trying to say

[AuntPatsy]

49. That's ok,

[mulsh]

31. He's correct. Let us read that treaty and we won't be ignorant any longer

n/t

[ananda]

33. Well, he's certainly tried his best to keep us ignorant ...

... that much is true.

[closeupready]

36. If we're ignorant, it's because they won't let us see it.

[jwirr]

45. In the negotiations they let all those good old boys from the corporations in to give their advise.

Now before the TPA is voted on let our experts in to do the same: Paul Krugman, Robert Reich, Joseph Stiglitz, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and maybe even Hillary if she wants, etc. Keep your secrecy but let our representatives have their say just like the corporation guys did. And by the way Mr President. I want our side to have as much time and resources to examine it as the corporations did.

[Jamastiene]

46. If it is so great, why have the few Democrats who have seen it

said it is not so great? They certainly are not ignorant. I guess the zen uber Obama fan, who hates anyone who ever sees fault in his actions, would rationalize this as it is slightly better than being called "fucking retarded." Win/Win.

I am quite sure that insulting the very people you need to get on board to get what you want is not the way to do it.

Where is the transparency he promised, btw?

[seabeyond]

48. i can by this. i listened to one. i did not like hwat was in it. to call it secret is bullshit

to claim obama called warren dishonest is bullshit, and to state obama called someone ignorant is bullshit.

stop the bullshit. give me the facts.

[seabeyond]

47. but he didnt call anyone ignorant, any more than it is secret like has been stated. nt