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IDemo

(16,926 posts) Sun May 17, 2015, 07:43 PM May 2015

Why Is President Obama Having So Much Trouble Selling TPP? [View all]

Stan Sorscher
Labor Representative, Society for Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace

Barack Obama is cool and personable -- no-drama Obama. Then suddenly, he scolds critics of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, his NAFTA-style trade deal. He accuses them of being "wrong," unable to look at the facts, fighting the last war, confusing this new improved trade deal with NAFTA, if they don't want TPP they must want nothing at all ... and they definitely are not invited to his next birthday party.

Of course, the critics are right, they are looking straight at the facts, the critics know exactly what a good trade policy would look like, and it's nothing like NAFTA or TPP. ..... and deep down, everyone wants to be invited to his next birthday party.

So what's wrong with TPP?

Will TPP create jobs?
No. Economic models predict a tiny increase in GDP from TPP. Globally, tariffs are already low. That deal is done. In the past, these same models have been wildly optimistic, so when they predict "no gain," that says a lot.

more -> http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stan-sorscher/why-is-president-obama-having-so-much-trouble--selling-tpp_b_7288196.html

114 replies

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Highlight:

Why Is President Obama Having So Much Trouble Selling TPP? [View all] IDemo May 2015 OP

Because it's a shit sandwich? Xipe Totec May 2015 #1

Yep, the more bread you have.... daleanime May 2015 #27

Because it sucks? NRaleighLiberal May 2015 #2

Because our education system no longer teaches critical thinking and focus on the long-term. Hoyt May 2015 #3

epi.org - NAFTA’s failure has cost the United States jobs across the nation IDemo May 2015 #7

First off, the way those numbers are calculated is BS. They use some Hoyt May 2015 #9

Oh, good grief. Jackpine Radical May 2015 #10

Nope, but I'm not going to blame it on NAFTA. Technology maybe. Hoyt May 2015 #13

"Equalizing" Wrong choice of words. So wrong. merrily May 2015 #28

"Equalizing" is what Hoyt is after, methinks. He has outright stated in posts in other threads djean111 May 2015 #76

My reference was to ever increasing income and wealth INEQUALITY. No, the US is not merrily May 2015 #79

What he means by equalizing is that the US should come down to Vietnam levels. djean111 May 2015 #80

I knew what he meant. merrily May 2015 #82

Hoyt, we have talked about this so often. Please give up for your own good. JDPriestly May 2015 #45

What if the jobs created are better jobs and last longer? IDemo May 2015 #17

Most likely any jobs that might have been displaced were low skilled. Hoyt May 2015 #18

Tell that to our tool & die makers, machinists… Jackpine Radical May 2015 #20

A small percentage of xrays are sent overseas. That doesn't bother Hoyt May 2015 #21

Thank you so much for using the word sadoldgirl May 2015 #25

I suppose you are against poor people in foreign countries getting a chance. Hoyt May 2015 #29

You are suffering from the sadoldgirl May 2015 #38

Chinese, Vietnamese, Mexicans, etc., have benefitted from foreign investment. Hoyt May 2015 #40

Read, and respond with another "I suppose", "I guess" or "I suspect" IDemo May 2015 #48

Economists vary in opinion on NAFTA. We do know Mexico aggressively goes after these agreements Hoyt May 2015 #68

Economists don't generally rely on outliers to make a case IDemo May 2015 #90

Please post a link to support you wild claims. bvar22 May 2015 #92

Which wild claim? The one that Mexico aggressively seek out trade agreements. That seems obvious. Hoyt May 2015 #96

That's really a fucking Great Chance..... pocoloco May 2015 #54

That happened here while we were progressing from dirt farms. Hoyt May 2015 #69

A chance to produce all the products in our stores. JDPriestly May 2015 #55

Guess you don't like foreign accents. Hoyt May 2015 #70

Again, playing the racist card. Populist_Prole May 2015 #78

Hey, she said it, and apparently you agree. I would use the term "xenophobia," and Hoyt May 2015 #84

American _corporate_ greed Populist_Prole May 2015 #88

American greed? bvar22 May 2015 #94

Look at it as a Vietnamese. Just about anyone with a job here is in the 1% worldwide. Hoyt May 2015 #95

I was surprised it took so long that time Skittles May 2015 #106

Actually, I do. I've lived in other countries and had one. JDPriestly May 2015 #103

Predictable ( and lame ) response when called on the negative effects FTAs to the proles Populist_Prole May 2015 #77

Hey, she's griping about not being able to understand foreigners. Sounds like my Hoyt May 2015 #104

So true. JDPriestly May 2015 #50

Lawyering has been offshored. merrily May 2015 #30

I suspect any "lawyering" that got offshored is like that you get on the internet. Hoyt May 2015 #32

Your suspicion fits way too conveniently with your political position. merrily May 2015 #37

Your answer is insulting. JDPriestly May 2015 #49

Hoyt, do you lie in the US. We don't have "peasants" in the US. JDPriestly May 2015 #52

You need to reorient yourself. The reference is to people in foreign countries that are poor partly Hoyt May 2015 #73

I hope that you read Elizabeth Warren's report on the failure of the American JDPriestly May 2015 #100

Well Senator Warren needs to support a bill to enforce those things. Hoyt May 2015 #101

Read the article today about the WTO decision against country of origin labeling. JDPriestly May 2015 #102

Well, we can continue to require country of origin labeling. The WTO order does not change that. Hoyt May 2015 #107

And to what court or person would you appeal the decision? JDPriestly May 2015 #108

Just go to a store and buy meat produced in USA if you are worried about Canadian meat. Hoyt May 2015 #109

I used to make a good living off my skilled craftsmanship. malokvale77 May 2015 #111

I made my children's clothes and love to make as many of mine as I can. JDPriestly May 2015 #112

My grandmother came from a family of tailors in Norway. malokvale77 May 2015 #113

I knit, crochet, the works. Love it. Keeps my hands busy. And I need that. JDPriestly May 2015 #114

Hoyt is in a foul mood. Heritage, the RNC, and McConnell forced him to work on Sunday again Elwood P Dowd May 2015 #23

Elwood, you might do better if you worked a little harder yourself. Hoyt May 2015 #24

maybe you shouldn't judge others neverforget May 2015 #31

You mean like Elwood. Hoyt May 2015 #34

At least his post had humor. merrily May 2015 #42

I laughed too. Hoyt May 2015 #46

I suspect not. merrily May 2015 #47

You didn't tennstar May 2015 #36

Why should I deny stupid crud like that? You guys really need to think before Hoyt May 2015 #39

You mean like calling people Nationalists? peasants? and people loosing their neverforget May 2015 #43

+1. predictable...and pretty damn boring too. NRaleighLiberal May 2015 #41

A little projection there don't you think? Joe Turner May 2015 #59

Next quarters profits ... GeorgeGist May 2015 #89

wrong, Prosense, er, Hoyt Skittles May 2015 #105

He could at least let folks read it - TBF May 2015 #4

Bingo. The secrecy is what's killing it Warpy May 2015 #53

The "facts" are classified and kept under lock and key with a guard. n/t Exilednight May 2015 #5

It's a corporate boondoggle but apparently Obama thinks it is good for those he wants to support. Kablooie May 2015 #6

boondoggle....yep. JEB May 2015 #11

Because it is more legislation... sendero May 2015 #8

Rotten apples are hard to sell. JEB May 2015 #12

Because it is top secret AgingAmerican May 2015 #14

Because it's a joint neoliberal/neocon/1%er/bankster con job. 99Forever May 2015 #15

Because We've Run This Rodeo Before... WillyT May 2015 #16

Because there are some politicians left who actually care about the American worker. (n/t) SMC22307 May 2015 #19

Because he's lying about why it should be passed. jeff47 May 2015 #22

Very Accurate. Adding one thing Rilgin May 2015 #99

Perhaps people have learned from other trade deals?! n/t sadoldgirl May 2015 #26

how Onion-like: "blowtorch-to-the-crotch salesman has another bad day: 'maybe it's optics,' he says" MisterP May 2015 #33

Eat your peas. merrily May 2015 #35

Reminds me of this.... Spitfire of ATJ May 2015 #44

Because NAFTA="Fool me Once"... cascadiance May 2015 #51

Because "All of the Above"? truebluegreen May 2015 #56

because his charm and ability to sell steaming turds have limits Doctor_J May 2015 #57

But Mitch McConnell thinks Obama has done an "excellent job" neverforget May 2015 #58

K & R AzDar May 2015 #60

Republicans pass one law this bad every generation -- and only when signed by a Dem Prez BlueStreak May 2015 #61

Phil and Wendy Graham also got Clinton to sign tearing down Glass Stiegel too... cascadiance May 2015 #63

Obama has set up the next Republican President to cut Social Security... bvar22 May 2015 #97

K&R! This post should have hundreds of recommendations! Enthusiast May 2015 #62

"Nothing about TPP looks like democracy." Flying Squirrel May 2015 #64

It's a done deal, so President Obama isn't "selling" anything. Major Hogwash May 2015 #65

prove that claim. links that PROVE that President Obama has the authority to ENACT cali May 2015 #66

He doesn't. He signs it, but it's not binding until ratified by Congress. Hoyt May 2015 #72

no shit. cali May 2015 #74

No crud, that's why he needs Fast Track, who is going to finalize an agreement Hoyt May 2015 #75

No. He needs Fast-track so he can ram it through Populist_Prole May 2015 #81

The desperation is he knows that this is important to our future, and Hoyt May 2015 #83

Yep. He knows the score and it isn't pretty. ucrdem May 2015 #85

Because few people have his ability to see the long range clear view of the benefit of an agreement underahedgerow May 2015 #67

+1. Hoyt May 2015 #86

Because it doen't come with a dog whistle? ucrdem May 2015 #71

+1. Hoyt May 2015 #87

"No drama Obama" awoke_in_2003 May 2015 #91

Because most people know that losing U.S. jobs is bad, and have caught on to his rhetoric. GoneFishin May 2015 #93

because maybe we realize that when Corporations are empowered to sue governments magical thyme May 2015 #98

Stunning colsohlibgal May 2015 #110