BREAKING: Senate Approves Trade Bill in Major Win for President

[Hissyspit]

Source: Associated Press

@AP: BREAKING: Senate approves trade bill in major win for President Barack Obama.

Senate approves Obama's hard-fought trade negotiating bill

MAY. 22, 2015 9:23 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican-led Senate has handed President Barack Obama a major victory by approving his request for enhanced trade negotiating authority.

The bill now faces a tough battle in the House.

The Senate voted 62-37 Friday to endorse Obama's request for "fast track" negotiating authority. It would let him present trade agreements that Congress can ratify or reject, but not change.

Obama says fast track would improve chances for a long-negotiated trade deal with 11 other Pacific Rim nations.

Labor unions and many liberals oppose the bill. They say free-trade deals send U.S. jobs overseas.

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/78e8d671ea7a40e1a33523cb3690ead5/senate-approves-obamas-hard-fought-trade-negotiating-bill

---

@jricole: RT @carlymelin: Thanks @amyklobuchar & @alfranken for being "no" votes. I'm so disappointed in the Obama administration over this. https://t.co/aZxa1sCZNS/s/gwr9

[villager]

1. ...and a major loss for American democracy.

n/t

[ananda]

2. and 99% of the people.

I think I'm in mourning.

[romanic]

39. and a loss for American jobs

as well.

[olegramps]

48. And to think that I changed from Independent to Democrat to vote for him in the primary.

I feel like I have been betrayed and I have lost all my respect for Obama. He can go straight to hell. He just another lying asshole. I hope that people remember how he stabbed the working class in the back and show up when he hits the "speech circuit" and protest his appearance.

[IronLionZion]

49. Every time Americans vote for something

it's a loss for American democracy!

[bluevoter4life]

3. Am I the only one

That is hoping the Republicans actually block this bill this one time?

[djean111]

6. The GOP is pretty much SOLIDLY behind Obama on this one thing. What does that tell you?

I hear Cindy Lauper singing "True Colors", for some reason.

[Populist_Prole]

42. Bingo

Unbelievable some don't note the irony.

And, to the question of: "Am I the only one that is hoping the Republicans actually block this bill this one time?"

No. As long as bad policy is torpedoed. It's not like we're not used to the rethugs saying no again and again; This is a curious thing for us to embrace them on.

Bad is bad. Screw this team player shit.

[Flatpicker]

4. This has to be stressed

It would let him present trade agreements that Congress can ratify or reject, but not change.

So now, every trade agreement that comes in has to make the Congressional switchboard overload if there is even 1 thing that we find out of line.

In this instance Obama has made it so that the perfect will have to outweigh the good enough.

We have to make sure there are plenty of rejections of non-100% perfect trade deals.

[djean111]

11. Oh, sorry, there is more than one thing wrong with this.

Nice of you to consider that not wanting corporations to have ascendancy over sovereign nations' laws and regulations about, say, fracking or food safety as "letting the perfect be the enemy of the good". New rules which means much longer time for affordable generics to hit the market. Things like that. Not exactly perfect being the enemy of the good. The TPP is the enemy of the good.

Oh, and don't you love the part where money is stripped from Medicare to retrain people who lose their jobs?

People in the other countries involved see the danger of this thing, too. It is not just us. Demonstrations against the TPP and the TTIP in Europe and the Pacific Rim. So don't marginalize this by acting as if it is just a small group of malcontents or whatever. The GOP would love you, though.

[Flatpicker]

38. Perhaps I didn't phrase myself clearly

So I will try again.

If the TPP is passed then Congress cannot make changes to trade deals. Correct?

They can either vote them up or down? Am I correct there?

Therefore, using the yes/no powers that are granted into the TPP, I'm recommending that is something is not perfect, we push to have it rejected because we cannot change it. That's as far as I am going with this.
I'm trying to understand what passing the TPP does to Congress' ability to work on trade bills.


If you want to go off on other issues related to this, that's fine, and I'd probably agree with you.
But, what I am commenting on had nothing to do with those issues.

So, I would appreciate it if you don't speak down to me. Everything you have posted in reply to me had nothing to do with what I've stated.

[INdemo]

25. This trade bill secured Obama's legacy as the President that fooled us twice

The only corporatist to win two terms with Democratic votes.

Do you suppose the Koch Bros pledged millions for Obamas library? Good chance.

[BlueEye]

58. Clinton "Fooled us twice" as well.

NAFTA in his first term, Gramm-Leach-Bliley (the banking law that repealed Glass-Steagall) in his second term.

It's hard to imagine a future Democratic President without at least some major backing from corporate America. Hillary will be a continuation of that rich tradition if she wins.

[MADem]

41. It is kind of disturbing that people are just saying "GAME OVER" at this point in time.

He got the "UP OR DOWN" vote--not the "This is approved, it's all a done deal" vote.

People who live in their Senator's/Congressman's district need to weigh in with their NAME AND ADDRESS -- not just generic angry calls -- and tell them "You don't have my vote" if anything is put forward that they don't like.

[INdemo]

63. Do votes really matter?

A computer chip secretly installed or some highly skilled tech can easily set voting machines to tally the votes their way.
So if the candidate has followed their instructions, played by their rules then that candidate will be elected or re-elected, Democrat or Republican there is no difference. So you ask who are they? The corporate mafia that owns our government. Our Representatives are merely puppets. Do I really believe this....damn right I do.

[MADem]

64. We could all go down to the Cape, I suppose, and jump off the Sagamore Bridge on our way home.

If you really believe that, why are you even here? I don't say this to be unkind, but if you don't believe in the process, you're superfluous to the conversation as well as the very purpose of this website. You believe it's all pointless, but most of us here think otherwise.

By your own words, your goals are not consonant with those of the TOS here.

Everyone here on DU needs to work together to elect more Democrats and fewer Republicans to all levels of American government. If you are bashing, trashing, undermining, or depressing turnout for our candidates during election season, we'll assume you are rooting for the other side.

You can lead, follow, or get out of the way. You're in no position to lead, your views make you a poor fit for following, so your best bet is to step aside and let those of us willing to do it set to getting on with it.

The Lounge is a lot of fun, as are some of the hobby groups. Advocating a "fuck it all" attitude isn't going to elect more Democrats, now, is it?

[Sunlei]

55. anyone know the bill number? there are 53 trade bills in front of congress, list here

S. 995: Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015

Sponsor: Sen. Orrin Hatch [R-UT]

Introduced: Apr 16, 2015

Reported by Committee: Apr 22, 2015


H.R. 1890: Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015

Sponsor: Rep. Paul Ryan [R-WI1]

Introduced: Apr 17, 2015

Reported by Committee: Apr 23, 2015


H.R. 1891: AGOA Extension and Enhancement Act of 2015

Sponsor: Rep. Paul Ryan [R-WI1]

Introduced: Apr 17, 2015

Reported by Committee: Apr 23, 2015


H.Res. 73: Recognizing the importance of trade to the United States economy and the importance of completing free trade agreements with Pacific Rim countries and the European Union.

Sponsor: Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen [R-NJ11]

Introduced: Feb 2, 2015

Referred to Committee: Feb 2, 2015


H.R. 998: Preclearance Authorization Act of 2015

Sponsor: Rep. Patrick Meehan [R-PA7]

Introduced: Feb 13, 2015

Referred to Committee: Feb 13, 2015


S. 1015: Enforcing Orders and Reducing Customs Evasion Act of 2015

Sponsor: Sen. Orrin Hatch [R-UT]

Introduced: Apr 20, 2015

Referred to Committee: Apr 20, 2015


S. 1049: Agricultural Export Expansion Act of 2015

Sponsor: Sen. Heidi Heitkamp [D-ND]

Introduced: Apr 22, 2015

Referred to Committee: Apr 22, 2015


S. 491: Freedom to Export to Cuba Act of 2015

Sponsor: Sen. Amy Klobuchar [D-MN]

Introduced: Feb 12, 2015

Referred to Committee: Feb 12, 2015

to many to list rest are here- https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/subjects/foreign_trade_and_international_finance/6081

[darkangel218]

5. Thats just wonderful.

Not.

[villager]

7. It's wonderful if you're a trans-national corporation looking to fuck over workers & the environment

Probably not too bad if you're planning on being an Ex-President or Ex-Senator making bank on corporate speaking fees, either...

[darkangel218]

9. So dissapointing.

Is that what Obama wants to be remembered by? The TPP president?

[Demeter]

20. More like the TP President

There are so many things wrong with Fast Track, even before we get to the "trade" agreements. It is Congress selling its birthright for nothing in return.

[zeemike]

23. I don't think he cares.

After all look at Bush, in another 10 years it will all be forgotten and the next generation will be fed a completely different story of history.

And who controls the past controls the future, and who controls the present controls the past.

[KoKo]

35. Sadly....agree...

He supported it enough to trash fellow Dems attacking Senator Warren and others.

That's his legacy....and he's long gone after Inauguration Day 2017 doing whatever he wants to do with much money to do it and powerful friends and influence to complete his life. What he leaves behind will hardly be on his conscience. It's what he believed in and what he wanted to achieve. The rest of us....well... We just weren't so fortunate.

We will have to work harder to make a real difference for real "Hope and Change."

[INdemo]

27. I would say this trade bill probably lost the election for the Democratic nominee

unless its Bernie Sanders. He will get the union vote and Hillary has problems.

[NRaleighLiberal]

8. Shit. In every way possible. Another reason I do not trust and have never trusted a politician.

No politician. Ever. Nor, I suspect, will I.

[pa28]

10. And let's not forget it's also big win for his Republican allies.

Also the corporations and lobbyists who have been pushing this public interest garbage barge through Washington for the last four or five years.

Once this clears the house final approval of the TPP will be just a formality left exclusively in the hands of the Republican House and Senate.

[Fred Sanders]

12. Now negotiations can continue.....and eventually a full agreement will be publicly presented

pursuant to the fast track law and voted on in Congress.

Not dissimilar to the authority Congress has in the Iran nuclear deal.

[DJ13]

13. cuckold (really getting old)

[totodeinhere]

14. A major Win for the President, a major loss for the American worker.

I'm still hoping it might be blocked in the House.

[msongs]

15. too bad your president didn't devote this much energy to secure social security for real

people

[ybbor]

16. Is this his first "bipartisan" win

Such utter bullshit!

[pa28]

19. Bipartisanship is breaking out all of a sudden.

Perhaps President Obama should strike while the iron is hot and get that public option he promised now that we're working together.

[merrily]

29. Yeah, remember the situation room he started for that, and how hard he lobbied and

how many moths he bully pulpited and stuff?

Mr. Obama himself sought to play down the significance of the public option at a town-hall-style meeting on Saturday in Grand Junction, Colo., when a university student challenged him on how private insurers could compete with the government.

After strongly defending the public plan, the president suggested that he, too, viewed it as only a small piece of a broader initiative intended to control costs, expand coverage, protect consumers and make the delivery of health care more efficient.

“The public option, whether we have it or we don’t have it, is not the entirety of health care reform,” Mr. Obama said. “This is just one sliver of it, one aspect of it.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/18/health/policy/18talkshows.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Good thing final passage was by reconciliation, too, or we might never have gotten it.

[pa28]

34. He worked tirelessly for that single vote needed on public option. Seriously.

Lieberman: Obama Never Pressed Me On Public Option

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/21/lieberman-obama-never-pre_n_399355.html

Forget setting up a war room and climbing up on the bully pulpit. Guy never bothered to pick up the phone and ask Lieberman for his vote.

[merrily]

36. What you talk?

He got Reid to take away Lieberman's favorite committee chair, Homeland Security. Given that Lieberman did lose a chair for campaigning against Obama in 2008, that left Lieberman with no chairs at all.

[SoapBox]

17. Thee 99% gets screwed, again.

It ain't gonna be pretty.

[Peregrine Took]

18. DLC rules!

Yes!!!

[DonCoquixote]

21. And when this sours

Hillary will be in office just in time. Of course, she will deny ever having anything to do with it, despite her fingerprints being all over it.

Guess what Obama, just like you did when you went to war with Syria, just like you did when your hired Emmanuel, you allowed your friends at the DLC to screw you, screws us, and set you up for the fall.

[AZ Progressive]

22. ITS TIME TO TAKE THE FIGHT TO THE HOUSE

It's not a done deal! I just heard from Alex Seitz-Wald on the Norman Goldman show that there aren't the votes in the house right now, Tea Party Republicans are planning to join with Democrats to oppose this fast track authority.

*Update*

http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/243009-senate-advances-fast-track-for-obama-setting-up-final-vote

Once the Senate votes on final passage, Obama’s trade agenda heads to the House where it faces a steeper climb.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who led the opposition of liberal Democrats in the upper chamber, has already met Democratic House allies such as Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Mass.) to build a roadblock.

[zeemike]

32. I don't think we have any fight in us.

We can call our congress critters and they will give us lip service and vote the way money tells them to vote...we all know that by now...or we should.

And they know how to play the game...all they need is a win...and 51 49 is a win, and if they lose some Rs they will bribe some Ds to make it come our right...and they know that a reason for the yea vote will be provided...you know like it means jobs...they did it for you.

You want to fight then march to DC and shut it down...but like I said we don't have fight in us anymore...we will say "Oh well, we tried, lets look forward"...maybe we won't get fooled again.

[TimeToEvolve]

44. i choose to remain optimistic

TAKE THE FIGHT TO THE HOUSE, IF OBAMA WANTS TO THROW US UNDER THE BUS, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT HE IS DOING, THEN RESIST!!

[IronLionZion]

50. It's interesting when the left and right are against this

it's mostly the moderate corporate types who are for it

[merrily]

24. Ladies and Gentlemen, this concludes Act 1 of our kabuki performance, TPP edition.

Vote was 62-37.

Just squeaked by, given that cloture requires 60 votes.



Let me guess. The Democratic Senators with the safest seats and/or those from the redder states voted aye.


And just in time for the Friday news dump--and at the start of a three day weekend, too.

[EndElectoral]

26. Obama's new constituency - Republicans

[AzDar]

28. Fuck the TPP and FUCK Barack Obama for shilling it...

[Fournier]

31. Oh, you're gonna get it!

Not from me, though.

[raindaddy]

33. Me Either

[TimeToEvolve]

45. YUP!

not a leader, only an obedient corporate lackey.

[Fournier]

54. The way I see it is....

Every 4 years, we get to choose between corporate lackeys. I liked Obama because he didn't embarrass me the way his predecessor did. I mean, I wasn't ashamed of him the way I was of Bush.

When all there is are corporate lackeys and running dogs of the ruling class, personality counts!

[m-lekktor]

56. !!!

[PeteSelman]

30. We were always going to get fucked. Always.

There was never a chance we weren't. There's never a chance we won't in the future. This country is dead and gone. Has been for nigh on thirty-five years now.

There's no savior for us.

[merrily]

37. "weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."

Being a traditional Democrat (as opposed to a New Democrat) is making a comeback. Even the word "liberal," the object of much discreditation from ALL sides, is making a comeback.

And every Democrat running for President is either a populist or trying to act line one.

A few years ago, my favorite real life politics buddy assured me that the pendulum would swing back. I tried to believe him and I did kinda believe him, and he was correct.

[TimeToEvolve]

43. angered by what W Bush did during my teens i've always considered myself to be liberal since then

the first election i was able to participate in was the 2008 election and right from the start i disliked Obama- alot. obama is best buddies with Rahm Emmanual, and Cass sunstein(protected Bush war criminals), both obama and cass attended U of Chicago law school, i already knew obama was an authoritarian corporate suit rather than a true liberal democrat; i voted for him anyway twice only because i couldn't stand McCain or Romney one bit.. it was like being presented with two dog poops and being told to choose the less smelly one, hindsight being 20/20 i cant imagine a Romney presidency would have been that much worse. if you wondered why most millenials simply didn't vote in the last two election cycles; that is exactly why, that is what we see.
both sides throw around various political footballs like gay marriage or gun control to distract us from the real issues like global warming, big bank & corporate corruption and poverty.

it is over 6 years into the obama presidency and he still has not done anything substantial to address global warming, -being a millenial, i say that is the biggest issue facing the survival of mankind. defusing the dangerous situation of AGW will take an integrated approach which puts an end to war (which wastes more of earth's resources than anything else), puts an end to corporate cronyism(protecting polluters), and spreads the wealth around. 6 years after winning, obama has done none of those things, and by continuing business as usual and pushing for the TPP, he has made the situation worse.

the change has to be personal, within every citizen.

as for the 2016 election i am throwing 100% of my support to Bernie Sanders, although it increases the risk of a Repub getting elected, i refuse to back a corporate DINO like hillary, we have already run that experiment before, and we are now seeing where it leads to, insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting something different.

[TheNutcracker]

40. Yes, a win for him. No one else.

[4dsc]

46. Where's Hillary?

I'm waiting for Hillary to chime in but something tells me I shouldn't hold my breath.

Yet we all know where Bernie Sander's stands on this. With the American people and not the bankers.

[Depaysement]

47. Goooooaaaaalllll!!!!!

Touchdown!!!!

Homerun!!!!

What is this about again?

[djean111]

51. And - Medicare gets cut! For Fast Track and the TPP! Well done!!!!!!

What a legacy!

[chev52]

52. Had a hard time

I had a hard time voting for Obama for a second time in 2012. I figured well, the lesser of two evils. I believe now that Romney would have been a better choice. With a Romney presidency and republicans in both houses, the TPP maybe wouldn't have had a chance of passing in the Senate.

[EndElectoral]

53. According to this article the law is unconstitutional

http://www.globalresearch.ca/fast-track-violates-the-u-s-constitution/5451320

"The 50-vote-Senate provision of current Fast Track is unconstitutional if it allows anything of a “treaty” nature to be passed, because the two-thirds-Senate rule for any treaty is in the Constitution and would need first to be eliminated by the Amendment process in order for it to be able to be removed - and this has not been done."

[father founding]

59. thats the point

The proponents of TP want to invalidate the Constitution, that was the plan all along, read the hoax paper.

[INdemo]

57. Yes this was a big win for corporate America

Thank You R- Barack Obama from Chicago,ILL

You know I think this guy actually likes having a Republican Majority since as it turns out and has shown us through several examples of legislation passed that he too is a Republican. A corporatist Republican

[Big_Mike]

65. I've said it since 2008

The President is simply another Chicago politician. And look how most of those spend their years after leaving office: Club Fed or Illinois State Prison system.

You get what you elect. Maybe we have a chance if Bernie gets in. I'm just not sure he can overcome the crap the Hillary folks are gonna throw in front of him.

On this issue, I have to hope Tea Party and Progressive Dems can bridge the gap and keep this from happening. Whoda thunk it?

[mackdaddy]

60. Don't forget Obama's Billionaire backers do need to be paid back....

From Forbes during the last election:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/clareoconnor/2012/03/28/as-romney-donors-pick-up-pace-meet-obamas-biggest-billionaire-fundraisers/

And one of these Billionaires is now our Secretary of Commerce, Penny Pritzker. I wonder if the department of commerce might be involved in this trade agreement?

She is only worth $2.5 billion though #737 http://www.forbes.com/profile/penny-pritzker/

[turbinetree]

61. I got my White House letter from Obama yesterday

on this TPP and how great it is going to be.

So I answered it -------------now I am waiting for the response--------------because this is really a sell out, and I told him what I thought.

Taking $700 million out of Medicare for the next (6 ) six, years to the tune of $4.2 TRILLION to retrain human beings that ARE going to lose there jobs because of this "deal", you are robbing Peter to pay Paul ---------------really

But you are going to have, the same hypocrites come out when the Medicare is getting shorted and they then are going to say............see it can't fund itself, privatize it--------really ----remind them that it was them that shorted the program to the tune of $4.2 trillion for a "deal"-----------what hypocrisy

And, now these twelve (dino's) can come back later when they do the final version of this "deal" and say they voted against it, give me money to run for re-election--------------nope---------you are a what you are now, and now you have by all appearances been bought and sold to the highest oligarchy and will go marching in lock step-----------you could have gotten a better "deal" by voting ----------------NO---------------but you didn't think outside that box

[John_Doe80004]

62. if this lands on obamas desk and he signs it...

we're fucked. no going back after that point. all he has to do is either remove ISDS or make sure to include in the trade negotiations that ISDS can not be used against the USA and that corporations can no longer get tax breaks for moving jobs overseas or use offshore tax havens and inversions to skirt their taxes.

then this trade deal will be somewhat working for the USA and it's citizens.

as it stands now it is an oligarchy wet dream and a power grab of epic proportions and if this deal is signed we are stuck with it. future democratic congresses won't be able to undo it and will be bound by this administrations decisions on this trade bill.

so i repeat. we're fucked if this passes and gets signed off on by obama.

[Zorro]

66. Is Smoot-Hawley the alternative?