Democrats’ civil war over free trade--Open In-Fighting Ramps Up after Breakthrough on Bill Announced

[KoKo]

(This is a well-written article describing all the players, their views and timelines for legislation in the "Fast Track" battle. The opening snips don't show how interesting the whole article is. Well worth the read for all of us Populists, here, particularly as we head toward 2016)

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Democrats’ civil war over free trade

The open in-fighting ramped up after a breakthrough on the historic bill was announced.

By Adam Behsudi

4/16/15 7:46 PM EDT

Updated 4/17/15 10:52 AM EDT
PP.

The most important trade bill in a decade has pitted Harry Reid against President Barack Obama. Liberal Democrat Rosa DeLauro against moderate Democrat Ron Kind. Labor unions against pro-business Democrats. And Elizabeth Warren against virtually everyone who supports a landmark piece of legislation that would allow the president to close what could be the biggest free-trade deal in history.

The open warring among Democrats over fast-track trade legislation, and the party’s broader existential crisis on free trade, grew more pronounced Thursday as senior lawmakers announced a breakthrough on the trade bill. Many Democrats still feel the burn, 20 years later, of lost manufacturing jobs from the North American Free Trade Agreement — pushed through by former President Bill Clinton — and they fear another Democratic president is on the verge of turning his back on working-class Americans by negotiating a trade deal that would send jobs overseas.

What’s at stake substantively is giving the president streamlined authority to negotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a 12-country free-trade deal that would dwarf NAFTA. But there’s also much more at stake politically for a Democratic Party whose progressive wing is enjoying an upswing thanks to the aggressive populism of Warren and liberals like Sen. Bernie Sanders, who are unabashedly anti-free trade deal. Obama wants to cement a legacy on global free trade, but his work negotiating with Republicans has created several factions within the Democratic Party.

Take Kind and DeLauro. Both Democrats come to the fast-track debate from opposite sides.

Kind, a Wisconsin lawmaker who joined the trade-friendly New Democrat Coalition, has provided solid support for the White House, boosting its message that the TPP, which includes enhanced labor and environment protections, isn’t reminiscent of the trade policy of years past.

DeLauro, from Connecticut, has been a central figure in the fight against the bill, forming a powerful progressive coalition of labor, environment, social justice and religious groups that argue any improvements are window dressing at best.

Continued:

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/04/democrats-free-trade-bill-117066.html

[sabrina 1]

1. And people say there is no split in the Democratic Party. The Third Way has destroyed this party

but the 'New' Democrats are growing old pretty fast as the out themselves on almost all the most issues that concern voters.

They are FOR cuts and privatization of Social Security.

The old style Dems are for Expansion and increases in benefits re SS.

The 'New' Democrats are for neocon/neoliberal economic and Foreign Policies of forever war.

I hope Dems like Wyden, who has turned out to be a big disappointment on this understand how utterly opposed people are to this 'secret deal'.

He, who was the main voice against it, who told us that 'if the people knew what was in it they would oppose it', has now allowed himself to be dragged over the wrong side of this issue.

Already people are calling for a primary challenge in his next election. I feel sad about this as I always respected him.

[Maedhros]

3. I won't vote for Wyden next time around.

We need new blood in the Senate for Oregon.

[bvar22]

5. Oregon is a [i]Pacific Rim State[/i] that primarily exports timber.

Oregon & the Timber Industry would probably benefit from the TPP.
That is no reason for Wyden to sell out the rest of the country,
but he is probably in debt to the Timber Industry.

China pulls Oregon timber harvest out of depression

"Oregon Department of Forestry announced this week that timber harvests in Oregon last year were up 21 percent from the historic low they hit in 2009. The No. 1 reason? Log exports to China."

http://www.opb.org/news/blog/ecotrope/china-pulls-oregon-timber-industry-out-of-depression/

If Wyden opposed the TPP, the lumberjacks would probably run him out of the state
tied to a pole.

[sabrina 1]

7. Well, he had a choice to make, to be run out of office by a Corporation, or by the voters who put

their trust in him. I would rather go out with honor, myself.

[bvar22]

10. I would too.

..but my statement was to enlighten those who "couldn't understand WHY".

FOLLOW THE MONEY.

[sabrina 1]

11. I know, I didn't think Wyden was the type to be scared of Corporations, but it appears you are

probably right. He was often a lone voice in Congress during the Bush era against many of Bush's disastrous policies. That took courage back then. So I am extremely disappointed to see him back track on this issue, which is so important, especially after HE spent the past few years trying to get our attention, to help him get the word out that this was a disastrous piece of legislation.

Now when he has so much support from the people, he betrays them.

Unbelievable.

[Enthusiast]

8. The Third Way has achieved their objective.

[sabrina 1]

9. Yes, so far. But there is a large and growing movement rising against them. Like so many who achieve

power over others, they are getting greedy and careless, outing themselves for what they are. And across the country a populist movement is gaining traction.

Several great Liberal organizations are succeeding in promoting and supporting challengers for these phony 'dems'. In the mid terms the Third Way didn't do too well, while Progressives, with the help of these organizations and the voters, managed to hold on or win their seats.

If this passes, there will be an all out effort to rid Congress of these collaborators with the Global Cartels who are apparently running governments such as this one, and in Europe now.

However, Greece finally managed to get them out of power in their country, and Spain appears to be poised to do the same.

Sometimes it takes a big thing before people wake up enough to do something about it.

While they were less overt about their goals, they managed to gain power. I see them making the same mistake now that others who achieved power have made in the past.

[dgibby]

2. Here's a list of the members of the New Democrat Coalition:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Democrat_Coalition#Virginia

It gives all the members, not just the ones from Virginia. Two of the most notorious are Di Fi and Debbie W-S.

I think the NDC is nothing more than old Republicans. Traitors to the Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party. FDR must be rolling over in his grave.

Excellent article, KoKo, thanks for posting.

K&R!

On edit: Here's an interesting article by David Sirota re: the NDC from 2009. Still very relevant.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-sirota/the-best-little-whorehous_b_306134.html

[GoneFishin]

4. Kick.

[Wilms]

6. k/r n/t