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RiverLover

(7,830 posts)
Mon Mar 23, 2015, 07:16 AM Mar 2015

Progressives: We’ve Never Heard Of This “Progressive” Group Backing Obama’s Trade Deal

Progressives: We’ve Never Heard Of This “Progressive” Group Backing Obama’s Trade Deal
3/12/15

WASHINGTON — On Wednesday, progressives were surprised to learn they were “split” on President Obama’s trade agenda.

Few issues have galvanized the American left like trade promotion authority, legislation that would pave the way for the administration to fast-track trade negotiations and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) — the trade deal the Obama administration is working tirelessly to make a reality and many Democrats oppose. From senators to the activists that make up the organized left (trade unions, environmentalists, human rights advocates), progressives can’t stand the trade deal.

Yet there it was in black and white: “RIFT AMONG PROGRESSIVES EMERGES ON TPP,” read a headline in Politico’s daily labor and employment tipsheet, Morning Shift. The short item detailed the emergence of the “Progressive Coalition for American Jobs ” — a group of “progressives and Democrats committed to leveling the playing field for American workers,” according to the coalition’s barebones website. The website adds that “it’s critical that we give the president trade promotion authority and establish the Trans-Pacific Partnership.”

There’s something weird about the group, though: No one in the Washington, D.C., progressive community seems to have ever heard of them before.

“Who are they? Are they getting paid? And this group will convince anybody of what?” asked Sen. Sherrod Brown. “There is zero progressive interest in this [trade promotion authority].”


....“It’s insulting,” said Candice Johnson, spokesperson for the Communications Workers of America, one of the many unions organized against TPP. “You put progressive in your name and that’s going to convince people?”

She called the group “fake,” noting that it includes none of the biggest names in progressive politics in its coalition. Johnson wasn’t alone in that characterization.

“As far as I know, the only thing ‘progressive’ about this so called ‘Progressive Coalition for American Jobs’ is the first word of the group’s name,” said Becky Bond, president of CREDO, the San Francisco-based progressive activist known to tangle publicly with the White House.

The Progressive Coalition For American Jobs strikes a nerve with organized progressives, who often feel sidelined in prominent debates, even during the Obama administration. The invovlment of 270 Strategies, which supported the candidate progressives opposed in a strange Democrat-vs-Democrat California congressional race last year, was particularly upsetting for some on the left.

“At this point, 270 strategies is well known for its AstroTurf efforts to slap a progressive label on the endeavors of Wall Street Wing Democrats and their corporate masters, but this is an earth-shattering new low,” Neil Sroka, spokesperson for Democracy For America, the progressive group formed from the remnants of Howard Dean’s 2004 presidential bid, told BuzzFeed News in an email. “You can be a progressive committed to fighting for working families or you can be for this massive job-killing trade deal written by 500 corporate reps, but you can’t be both.”...

http://www.buzzfeed.com/evanmcsan/progressives-weve-never-heard-of-this-progressive-group-back#.xqypLYVYb
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Progressives: We’ve Never Heard Of This “Progressive” Group Backing Obama’s Trade Deal (Original Post) RiverLover Mar 2015 OP
Their website isn't even progressive 4dsc Mar 2015 #1
LOL Enthusiast Mar 2015 #3
Wow, hadn't looked. Thanks for the link. I'm stunned by this little line of BS~ RiverLover Mar 2015 #4
It's the same old NAFTA lie repackaged. Enthusiast Mar 2015 #8
And they've blocked their information from whois Scootaloo Mar 2015 #15
Great info. Thank you Scootaloo! RiverLover Mar 2015 #22
Wrong, Scoot--I'm sorry to say. Jackpine Radical Mar 2015 #54
Funny, I don't see a "Contact Us" button. First thing I looked for. NBachers Mar 2015 #23
No but you can donate to these mysterious "Progressives" RiverLover Mar 2015 #24
More Third Way excrement. Reminds me of the Koch's "Prosperity for Americans" or whatever. djean111 Mar 2015 #2
Exactly. We need to look behind the curtain more, when its possible. RiverLover Mar 2015 #6
Hmmm. Food for thought. LuvNewcastle Mar 2015 #26
You can tell who the donors are once they get into office BrotherIvan Mar 2015 #34
The Turd Way already masquerades as "progressive" with the "Progressive Policy Institute" cascadiance Mar 2015 #31
More subterfuge? How surprising! Enthusiast Mar 2015 #5
Just shocking, isn't it? RiverLover Mar 2015 #7
"Modern" Democrats won't even mention FDR and the New Deal, bvar22 Mar 2015 #46
Rec for visibility - TBF Mar 2015 #9
They are just trying to muddy the waters of political discourse. stillwaiting Mar 2015 #10
can i take your Progressive test? stonecutter357 Mar 2015 #11
If you believe in the policies these 3 fight for, you might just be a Progressive: RiverLover Mar 2015 #13
No, it'd just be cruel to saddle you with further failure after your post here Scootaloo Mar 2015 #17
LOL Well aren't you the clever one. Nice catch! RiverLover Mar 2015 #21
rofls corkhead Mar 2015 #39
Next thing, there will be a POLL telling us that most Progressives just love the TPP. djean111 Mar 2015 #12
Ha! RiverLover Mar 2015 #14
CNN says it's too close to call Scootaloo Mar 2015 #16
More than likely funded by the Koch boys Pakid Mar 2015 #18
K&R for visibility secondwind Mar 2015 #19
in the age of lazy journalism any group can grab a name and seem to be something they are not dembotoz Mar 2015 #20
I was shocked to hear a young man's opinion that Baitball Blogger Mar 2015 #25
I love this line. Snotcicles Mar 2015 #27
Me too. May have to "borrow' it from time to time. /nt RiverLover Mar 2015 #51
This is the kind of shit that seriously damages... freebrew Mar 2015 #28
Hell, I'm progressive, and I disagree with 90% of the crap posted at DU. Buzz Clik Mar 2015 #29
I was told by a poster on DU that many liberals are pro-TPP. I smelled stinkiosity. GoneFishin Mar 2015 #30
You also smell wishful thinking and a desire to bury the fact that the Democratic Party is not djean111 Mar 2015 #32
The strategy of repeating something which you know is not true, over and over, is in the GoneFishin Mar 2015 #33
And, I suppose, the reason that those little charts showing how Hillary IS TOO just as liberal as djean111 Mar 2015 #36
I noticed something fishy about that "chart" Dragonfli Mar 2015 #44
^^^ bvar22 Mar 2015 #47
Just did, sort of, placed it in the group just now (rather than GD) /nt Dragonfli Mar 2015 #48
So are they the ones generating the talking points? BrotherIvan Mar 2015 #35
You left out CHINA!!!!! djean111 Mar 2015 #37
Why don't you run for office if you don't like it!! BrotherIvan Mar 2015 #38
If it wasn't secret, Congress would want to change the font size!!!!! djean111 Mar 2015 #40
They can read it any time they want!! BrotherIvan Mar 2015 #41
Nancy Pelosi said that we have to pass the bill to find out what is in it!!!! bvar22 Mar 2015 #49
Yeah, she perfected the pandering/enabling role so well BrotherIvan Mar 2015 #50
RIFT AMONG PROGRESSIVES EMERGES ON POLITICO. Corrected. nt Eleanors38 Mar 2015 #42
And thank God. That was a strange story to read. Mystery solved now! /nt RiverLover Mar 2015 #52
3rd Way & Politico: Timing faster than vaudeville! Eleanors38 Mar 2015 #57
You can smell the fresh cut astroturf DonCoquixote Mar 2015 #43
I still remember when Bill Clinton was selling NAFTA he said that... bvar22 Mar 2015 #45
Great post, but painful reminder. RiverLover Mar 2015 #53
Yes, "leveling the playing field" means that and more. pa28 Mar 2015 #55
K&R for exposure. JEB Mar 2015 #56

RiverLover

(7,830 posts)
4. Wow, hadn't looked. Thanks for the link. I'm stunned by this little line of BS~
Mon Mar 23, 2015, 07:56 AM
Mar 2015
Create jobs here at home

The more American goods and services are traded overseas, the more jobs are
required to support them here at home.
In fact, every $1 billion in exports supports
between 5,200 to 7,000 jobs here in the US.

http://static1.squarespace.com/static/54e2b1d1e4b043f1c9a2a9ed/t/54fcf33ae4b00126ca69694f/1425863549639/TPP-fact-sheet-030815.pdf



 

Scootaloo

(25,699 posts)
15. And they've blocked their information from whois
Mon Mar 23, 2015, 08:49 AM
Mar 2015

According to this bit from DailyKos, it's an outfit from Mitch Stewart and Lynda Tran. Over on smirkingchimp, there's a little exposure on 270 Strategies. It appears that the Politico article is paid advertisement (why anyone here takes politico as credible remains beyond my fathoming, but whatever.)

It does appear they think we're fucking dumb.

Jackpine Radical

(45,274 posts)
54. Wrong, Scoot--I'm sorry to say.
Mon Mar 23, 2015, 08:06 PM
Mar 2015

We aren't the intended market. I think this stuff is there to hoodwink "investigative reporters" into buying the "Progressives are split" line.

They don't worry their little heads about our collective IQ; we're not the audience for this shit. Fake Netroots.

 

djean111

(14,255 posts)
2. More Third Way excrement. Reminds me of the Koch's "Prosperity for Americans" or whatever.
Mon Mar 23, 2015, 07:31 AM
Mar 2015

Hell, when all that money is traced back to its source, might even be the same people. Who benefits? would be my question here.

Also, I guess since the Third Way has not managed to completely rid their party of liberals and Progressives, maybe they are trying a bit of make-believe and theater. Fail.

You know the way that anything that criticizes Hillary or praises someone who is Not Hillary is swiftly investigated as to who wrote it and how can they be discredited? Hey - we can do some investigation ourselves, we don't just fall into line because someone cynically puts the word "Progressives" on a Third Way group and website.

RiverLover

(7,830 posts)
6. Exactly. We need to look behind the curtain more, when its possible.
Mon Mar 23, 2015, 08:06 AM
Mar 2015

And if it ever came out that some of the "dark money" funding certain Democrats originated from the Koch Bros, I wouldn't be at all surprised. Wish we had a way to find that out, but the hidden donations are called dark for a reason. They're kept out of the light...for a reason.

I know Koch's helped fund the "old" DLC back in the day. Can't help but wonder about today.

BrotherIvan

(9,126 posts)
34. You can tell who the donors are once they get into office
Mon Mar 23, 2015, 12:22 PM
Mar 2015

They give out cufflinks as thank you gifts.

 

cascadiance

(19,537 posts)
31. The Turd Way already masquerades as "progressive" with the "Progressive Policy Institute"
Mon Mar 23, 2015, 10:52 AM
Mar 2015

Another BS name for a so-called "think tank" that doesn't reflect what they really are up to.

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

Enthusiast

(50,983 posts)
5. More subterfuge? How surprising!
Mon Mar 23, 2015, 07:57 AM
Mar 2015


No wonder we are in the fix we're in. "Our side" isn't actually our side.

RiverLover

(7,830 posts)
7. Just shocking, isn't it?
Mon Mar 23, 2015, 08:14 AM
Mar 2015
Fear Itself: Democrats Duck FDR’s Lessons
Feb 2014

...Nicholas Lemann in his review of Ira Katznelson’s book, Fear Itself: The New Deal and the Origins of Our Time, reminds us that during Roosevelt’s first term the threat of fascism was real, that “alternate systems were on the verge of imposing themselves by force on many other countries.”

Yet, by the counter-force of his personal will and his creative policies, Roosevelt steered America – and arguably the world – away from that abyss. But modern Democrats are hesitant to celebrate the contributions of FDR and his New Deal.

These days, the Democratic Party acts more like an enabler of the Republican Party as it seeks to poison the memory of the 32nd president and bury the significance of what FDR accomplished....

https://consortiumnews.com/2014/02/04/fear-itself-democrats-duck-fdrs-lessons/

bvar22

(39,909 posts)
46. "Modern" Democrats won't even mention FDR and the New Deal,
Mon Mar 23, 2015, 05:16 PM
Mar 2015

or LBJ and the Great Society, War on Poverty and Civil Rights.
That all went down the Party Memory Hole (along with the LABOR Movement),
and was replaced by praise for Reagan and other "moderate Republicans from the 80s".

Excuse me now while I go throw up.

stillwaiting

(3,795 posts)
10. They are just trying to muddy the waters of political discourse.
Mon Mar 23, 2015, 08:27 AM
Mar 2015

And taunt true progressives no doubt.

Hopefully their little group will be thoroughly discredited.

 

Scootaloo

(25,699 posts)
17. No, it'd just be cruel to saddle you with further failure after your post here
Mon Mar 23, 2015, 08:53 AM
Mar 2015

I like how your images line up, though. indeed, sir

Pakid

(478 posts)
18. More than likely funded by the Koch boys
Mon Mar 23, 2015, 09:02 AM
Mar 2015

Who will do whatever it takes to get their greedy hands on more of our money!

Baitball Blogger

(46,699 posts)
25. I was shocked to hear a young man's opinion that
Mon Mar 23, 2015, 09:46 AM
Mar 2015

DC was loaded with Liberals, so the propaganda must be working.

He was mocking the Liberals for something that I knew wasn't a progressive issue. So I asked him who was in this progressive group that I might recognize. He replied, Hillary Clinton. He couldn't understand why I disagreed with his appraisal of her as a Liberal and had to explain to him how regulation of Wall Street was a major progressive issue, and Clinton was definitely not in favor of Wall Street regulation. He was even surprised to know that she began her political career as a Republican.

 

Snotcicles

(9,089 posts)
27. I love this line.
Mon Mar 23, 2015, 10:00 AM
Mar 2015

You can be a progressive committed to fighting for working families or you can be for this massive job-killing trade deal written by 500 corporate reps, but you can’t be both.”...

freebrew

(1,917 posts)
28. This is the kind of shit that seriously damages...
Mon Mar 23, 2015, 10:03 AM
Mar 2015

the Democratic Party. If this is truly coming from POB's administration, it's disastrous and he should be ashamed.

Has Rachel exposed this yet?

 

Buzz Clik

(38,437 posts)
29. Hell, I'm progressive, and I disagree with 90% of the crap posted at DU.
Mon Mar 23, 2015, 10:10 AM
Mar 2015

No one speaks for me, not even the President, and certainly not some splinter group that endlessly criticizes Obama.

 

djean111

(14,255 posts)
32. You also smell wishful thinking and a desire to bury the fact that the Democratic Party is not
Mon Mar 23, 2015, 11:00 AM
Mar 2015

completely subservient to the Third Way. And poop.

GoneFishin

(5,217 posts)
33. The strategy of repeating something which you know is not true, over and over, is in the
Mon Mar 23, 2015, 12:16 PM
Mar 2015

"top 10 republican weasel tactics" playbook.

 

djean111

(14,255 posts)
36. And, I suppose, the reason that those little charts showing how Hillary IS TOO just as liberal as
Mon Mar 23, 2015, 12:37 PM
Mar 2015

Warren were showing up in what seemed like every thread, for a while.
Heh, it would have taken so much less effort to make those charts part of a sig line or avatar or something.

Dragonfli

(10,622 posts)
44. I noticed something fishy about that "chart"
Mon Mar 23, 2015, 05:07 PM
Mar 2015

It doesn't make sense unless it was designed by a libertarian. For one thing, it appears that they use social issues and nothing else to determine the right left axis, also, the poles on top or bottom don't appear to me to make any sense at all.

It is nothing like the more valid graphs used to objectively measure political leanings, it appears to be just propaganda.

We need to find out who designed it, to what purpose, and why it is used specifically for Hillary Clintron in order to spoof the similar graphs that once were used to legitimately place people on the right left spectrum.

I suspect it was designed deliberately to mislead. I would like us all to try to discover it's origin, it's methodology and what faux progressive or astro turf group is responsible for it.

It is obviously bullshit, and I would like it to be answered every time it appears succinctly, with facts, as to why it is bullshit and who is behind it.

Just compare it to the chart usually used, one that is/was used before I ever saw the one that places Clinton inexplicably far left.
https://www.politicalcompass.org/uselection2008

Some example graphics taken from the page I linked above.






As you can see, when not using a fake chart and methodology, one can see a more realistic placement of Hillary Clinton.

Knowing or sensing it is bullshit is one thing, shoving the lie in their faces with truth and an explanation as to how, why, and by whom the misinformation is spread woul,d be to expose a scam that has become of critical importance the more Vannila and friends use it to lie and the uninformed that just take the lie at face value because it looks to them like valid charts they have seen before.

We have clever people here, lets completely unmask this bit of propaganda for all to see evey time they pull it out of their third way trickster bag!

Dragonfli

(10,622 posts)
48. Just did, sort of, placed it in the group just now (rather than GD) /nt
Mon Mar 23, 2015, 05:40 PM
Mar 2015
http://www.democraticunderground.com/12775222

I am hoping that as a group we can discover who created it, why, and if they belong to an astroturf group or even a Republican outfit trying to make her appear too commie for America.

BrotherIvan

(9,126 posts)
35. So are they the ones generating the talking points?
Mon Mar 23, 2015, 12:27 PM
Mar 2015

We don't know what's in it!
Trade deals are always secret!!
Don't you care about workers in other countries!?!
I trust President Obama implicitly!!!
Purity far-left leaning firebaggers!!!!

BrotherIvan

(9,126 posts)
41. They can read it any time they want!!
Mon Mar 23, 2015, 01:54 PM
Mar 2015

They're just too lazy!
Warren isn't running!!
STFU Fringe Leftists!!!!! - signed, guy from Canada

bvar22

(39,909 posts)
49. Nancy Pelosi said that we have to pass the bill to find out what is in it!!!!
Mon Mar 23, 2015, 06:06 PM
Mar 2015

I believe she was talking about the ACA at the time,
but that mind set applies here too.

BrotherIvan

(9,126 posts)
50. Yeah, she perfected the pandering/enabling role so well
Mon Mar 23, 2015, 07:59 PM
Mar 2015

Because the most important thing is that impeachment is off the table! Ask American Samoa.

DonCoquixote

(13,616 posts)
43. You can smell the fresh cut astroturf
Mon Mar 23, 2015, 04:27 PM
Mar 2015

If the Third way wants to know why we hate them, among several other reasons, they take our name and try to use it against us.

bvar22

(39,909 posts)
45. I still remember when Bill Clinton was selling NAFTA he said that...
Mon Mar 23, 2015, 05:09 PM
Mar 2015

..."The American Worker can compete with any worker in the world",
and everybody cheered because they didn't understand that he was REALLY saying,
The American Worker will be forced to compete with 3rd World Slave Labor for their jobs.



There is a line in the OP from the phoney "Progressive" group that reminded me of that old Clinton line:

“progressives and Democrats committed to leveling the playing field for American workers,
Yes, but what they mean by "leveling the playing field" is to cut American "Worker" Wages and Benefits to 3rd World levels (and increase their profit margin).



[font size=3] We're gonna TAKE it ALL, Suckers,
and you can't stop us.
We OWN you and the USA government, Suckers!!!!
Hahahahahahahaha!

RiverLover

(7,830 posts)
53. Great post, but painful reminder.
Mon Mar 23, 2015, 08:06 PM
Mar 2015

He was my first vote & I bought his lines on NAFTA. Hook line & sinker. I'm so SICK of fake Progressives screwing US over.



pa28

(6,145 posts)
55. Yes, "leveling the playing field" means that and more.
Mon Mar 23, 2015, 09:18 PM
Mar 2015

This also means balancing our environmental regulation and labor law with countries like Vietnam and Brunei.

Sounds great to the casual observer because everybody likes a level playing field right?

Read the fine print.

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