Obama bent on getting fast-track trade pact authority, Rep. Ashford says

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Omaha World Herald

By Joseph Morton

WASHINGTON — Rep. Brad Ashford, D-Neb., walked out of a meeting with President Barack Obama on Thursday optimistic that the administration will be able to get the trade negotiating authority it is seeking from Congress.

“He’s all in and he’s going to do whatever it takes to get it passed,” Ashford said of Obama. “He’s absolutely convinced he can get it done.”

Ashford and other centrist Democrats met with the president at the White House for a little over an hour to talk about economic policy in general.

One major focus was fast-track authority that would help the president lock down trade deals such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a sweeping agreement with a dozen countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://www.omaha.com/news/nebraska/obama-bent-on-getting-fast-track-trade-pact-authority-rep/article_f1f638bf-971d-5c0b-bdaf-e28eefacdc6c.html

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[romanic]

1. Why is he in such a hurry?

He can't actually believe that this trade pact will help the economy now can he?

[Hoyt]

2. Maybe he has a broader view of things than most.

[Skittles]

9. yes, he likes Wall Street and CEO input

[candelista]

7. He wants to prevent discussion.

Fast track means they vote up or down. No changes. No protections for US workers if it passes. That way, he can better serve the 1%. Note that the main opposition in Congress is from Democrats. That's who he's afraid of. Republicans love unprotected trade, especially when it comes to the commodity called labor.

[UCmeNdc]

3. President Obama is wrong on this. Let congress fight it out in public. No hiding behind closed doors

Find out more here: http://tradetreachery.com/

[bloomington-lib]

4. I noticed Grassley only calls Obama "the President", in this article.

I wonder if that's on purpose, so that conservatives won't automatically dismiss what he's saying, or associate Grassley being for something Obama is for.

[Beauregard]

8. "Obama Pushes Back Against Fellow Democrats Who Oppose Trade Pact"

It's not the "conservatives" he's worried about.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/obama-pushes-back-against-fellow-democrats-who-oppose-trade-pact-1429664685

[City Lights]

5. Yuck.

I hope those opposed stand their ground.

[appalachiablue]

6. !