Hillary Clinton Faces Stiff Challenges re Her Support for "TPP" in the Coming Campaign Season

[KoKo]

While Obama and McConnell can claim a share of the spoils, the big loser could be Hillary Clinton.

The debate over fast-track has put Clinton in a dicey political spot given her past support for the TPP, which she once called the "gold standard" of trade agreements.

Since then Clinton, already facing suspicion among Democratic primary voters about her links to Wall Street and big business, has rowed back -- insisting that Congress should use the fast-track authority as leverage to getting a better TPP arrangement.

If a final TPP deal is agreed to, the lengthy ratification process will likely mean Clinton is stuck with the issue through the Democratic primary season.

Wherever she comes down on TPP, she would be open to dreaded charges of flip-flopping by Republicans, which could exacerbate questions of trust in her character that have emerged in recent opinion polls.

And TPP opponents will not make her life any easier.

"We feel emboldened after this fight. We see fast-track as a momentary loss and feel really confident about attacking the TPP head on," said Ilana Solomon, director of the Sierra Club's Responsible Trade Program.

"There is going to be an even bigger fight about stopping the TPP," said Solomon, who like many opponents believes that when the TPP's secret provisions are revealed when the final agreement is struck by the U.S. and its Pacific partners, it will prove their case that the deal empowers corporations at the expense of American workers.

Some TPP opponents believe the backlash could force the White House and Republicans to delay ratification until a lame-duck session of Congress after the November 2016 election.

And RoseAnn DeMoro, executive director of the National Nurses United union, which also opposes the TPP, predicted that support for the pact could be incompatible with an election in which economic inequality and the power of corporations will be driving issues.

"This is a betrayal at the highest levels. These folks that voted with the President have spoken very clearly," she said. "You had to choose here. This was pretty black and white. You are with us or against us. Us is the American people. They chose Wall Street."

http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/24/politics/trade-bill-obama-clinton-mcconnell/index.html

[Jefferson23]

1. Thank you, KoKo. n/t

[antigop]

2. Thanks, KoKo. nt

[global1]

3. This Is What Happens To Professional Politicians That Get Too Cute With Their Answers......

instead of dealing with the issue directly and sticking by one's real beliefs. When you try and be all things to all people - sometimes you wind up not being anything to anybody. That's what happened to Hillary when she ran against Obama and it seems to be the same pattern being followed this primary season.

You got to give it to Bernie. He doesn't mince words. He tells it like it is. He has been consistent with his telling. And there is no catching him in trying to cute his way out of a question.

He has his beliefs and has stuck with those beliefs throughout his career. We always know where he stands on an issue.
Whether you agree with him or not - he is a man of his convictions and words.

[rhett o rick]

4. The TPP is probably the most definining issue facing us today.

On one side you have: On the other side:

Unions...........................................Billionaires
Environmentalists...........................Wall Street Wolves
Seniors w Medicare..........................Big Pharma
Average American Workers...............Greedy Corporations
Senator Sanders..............................H. Clinton and President Obama
Senator Warren...............................Sen McConnell and Rep Boehner
Progressives....................................Conservative Democrats and Republicons
the 99%..........................................the 1%
myself

Where do you stand? If you stand with the billionaires, I'd really like to know your rational.

[KoKo]

5. ....! That's the question we are facing in this Primary and .....

I would add the Expenses for the Wars we are conducting in the Middle East and now the New Confrontations with Russia. The Death, Destruction, Dislocation of Millions of Innocents now in Refugee Camps on subsistence Living and with Homes, Businesses, Employment, Lifestyle and ties to Families and Communities all suffering because of our "REGIME CHANGE" Failed Policies. We have trouble here at home with Racism and our Wars in ME are creating enemies because we are being seen as a Country who Invades and overthrows other Countries Governments for Corporations Benefit while we in America can't even take care of our OWN problems because we are so beholden to Corporations and the Military Industrial Complex.

We can't afford these wars and we can't afford any more "Trade Deals" that kill our American Labor and make us Slaves for Pennies on the Dollar to create "Parity" with those struggling to survive making our clothing, computers and those working under slave wages to bring us our "imported foods." They want Americans to give up all we gained from Labor Movement to go back to some subsistance living standards ......while we spend our Tax Dollars on War, War and More War and they tell us there's no money to rebuild our infrastructure, put our kids through college or advance the ACA to Cover Everyone! Then there's our SS/Medicare/Medicade they tried to tax for the TPP Agreement and we still don't know if (at the last minute) they won't find a way to put that Back in the Deal!

On and On and On ....and we are "Mad as Hell" and "Not Going to Take it Anymore!"

[ucrdem]

6. RoseAnn DeMoro: "This was pretty black and white."

Well now that you mention it RoseAnn . . . we noticed.

[mother earth]

7. K & R! This is a huge betrayal. TY, Koko.