Sanders loses on trade at Democratic platform meeting

[villager]

Source: WaPo

ORLANDO -- Supporters of Bernie Sanders came up short in a fight to oppose the Trans-Pacific Partnership in the Democratic Party platform, a short-term victory for the Obama administration that could spark another fight at the national convention this month.

By a vote of 116 to 64, the platform committee approved language -- critical of "trade agreements that do not support good American jobs," but evasive on TPP -- that had been hammered out by labor groups that supported Hillary Clinton. Seventy-two of the platform committee members were Sanders supporters, meaning that eight of them used their secret ballot to cast a unity vote instead of backing Sanders's position.

They were encouraged to do so by labor leaders, who did not mention that an anti-TPP vote would embarrass President Obama -- an argument that had succeeded in blocking anti-TPP language at the last meeting of the platform drafting committee. Instead, they said that the compromise language did plenty to blunt Republican efforts to run on trade.

"We take what Trump has used as a soundbite, and we turn it into a standard," said American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten.

"The trade union movement does not take a back seat to anybody regarding its opposition to bad trade deals," said Lee Saunders, the president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, and the sponsor of the compromise language.

<snip>

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/07/09/sanders-loses-on-trade-at-democratic-platform-meeting/

[think]

1. The unions, environmental, indigenous, human rights groups and many top Democrats are opposed

And yet the party chooses not to listen. There is a HUGE disconnect.

Unfortunately it seems that corporate profits and influence are out weighing the complaints of all these different groups who are united in their opposition.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2016/02/18/top-house-democrat-on-trade-opposes-trans-pacific-partnership/

http://www.aflcio.org/Issues/Trade/Trans-Pacific-Partnership-Free-Trade-Agreement-TPP/Ten-Critical-Problems-with-the-Trans-Pacific-Partnership

http://content.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2016/03/major-environmental-landowner-indigenous-groups-congress-learn-keystone-xl

http://www.sierraclub.org/compass/2015/10/more-dozen-environmental-organizations-warn-trans-pacific-partnership-risks

https://www.hrw.org/news/2016/01/12/trans-pacific-partnership-serious-rights-concerns


Elizabeth Warren just made a very well reasoned plea to try and stop the passage of this corporate rigged process:

And everyone knows that the corporations basically wrote the TPP for their own benefit:

Revealed Emails Show How Industry Lobbyists Basically Wrote The TPP

by Mike Masnick - Mon, Jun 8th 2015 9:29am

Back in 2013, we wrote about a FOIA lawsuit that was filed by William New at IP Watch. After trying to find out more information on the TPP by filing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, and being told that they were classified as "national security information" (no, seriously), New teamed up with Yale's Media Freedom and Information Access Clinic to sue. As part of that lawsuit, the USTR has now released a bunch of internal emails concerning TPP negotiations, and IP Watch has a full writeup showing how industry lobbyists influenced the TPP agreement, to the point that one is even openly celebrating that the USTR version copied his own text word for word.

What is striking in the emails is not that government negotiators seek expertise and advice from leading industry figures. But the emails reveal a close-knit relationship between negotiators and the industry advisors that is likely unmatched by any other stakeholders.

The article highlights numerous examples of what appear to be very chummy relationships between the USTR and the "cleared advisors" from places like the RIAA, the MPAA and the ESA. They regularly share text and have very informal discussions, scheduling phone calls and get togethers to further discuss. This really isn't that surprising, given that the USTR is somewhat infamous for its revolving door with lobbyists who work on these issues. In fact, one of the main USTR officials in the emails that IP Watch got is Stan McCoy, who was the long term lead negotiator on "intellectual property" issues. But he's no longer at the USTR -- he now works for the MPAA.

You can read through the emails, embedded below, which show a very, very chummy relationship, which is quite different from how the USTR seems to act with people who are actually more concerned about what's in the TPP (and I can use personal experience on that...). Of course, you'll notice that the USTR still went heavy on the black ink budget, so most of the useful stuff is redacted. Often entire emails other than the salutation and signature line are redacted.

Read more:
https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20150605/11483831239/revealed-emails-show-how-industry-lobbyists-basically-wrote-tpp.shtml

When the TPP was "fast tracked" only 28 House Dems vote for it. Around 190 members of the GOP voted to fast track the TPP. The overwhelming majority of Democrats in congress voted against fast tracking the TPP


http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/6/18/1394407/-These-are-the-28-Democrats-who-voted-for-fast-track-twice

https://www.thenation.com/article/why-so-many-democrats-rejected-obamas-lobbying-trans-pacific-trade-deal/

[villager]

2. +1 Hopefully the Democratic party will eventually listen to... Democrats, on this issue.

Then again, the current administration knew how to ignore them too, when the "base" proved a little too inconvenient...

[MisterFred]

15. Post Deleted.

Insert comment that's not allowed on Democratic Underground.

[bjobotts]

25. Not just Sanders but Elizabeth Warren also oppose it. Seems only corporatist dems support it

[bjobotts]

26. The party opposes it overall but refuse to put it in platform as it may embarrass Obama

but secretly I expect the majority of dems don't want it. Just those DLC types

[840high]

8. They better listen. I am only

1 vote but this is a deal breaker for me.

[bjobotts]

27. Is it that they support it or just don't want it in platform cause it might embarrass Obama?

[scscholar]

28. No, the Party supports TPP

They have more information on it and are more knowledgeable, so we should trust them.

[think]

29. The House Democrats are very opposed to the TPP in it's current form and will try to stop it.

The top House Democrat on trade is opposed to the current version of the TPP.


The GOP House had about 190 Republicans that voted for Fast Tracking the TPP. Only 28 Democrats in the House voted to pass it.

Last year 151 Democrats wrote a letter to Obama expressing that they would not support Fast tracking the TPP:

DeLauro, Miller Lead 151 House Dems Telling President They Will Not Support Outdated Fast Track For Trans-Pacific Partnership

WASHINGTON, DC—Representatives Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and George Miller (D-CA) announced today more than 150 Democrats in the House of Representatives oppose the use of outdated “Fast Track” procedures that usurp Congress’s authority over trade matters. The lawmakers’ opposition stands for both the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement and any future trade agreements.


“For some time, members of Congress have urged your administration to engage in broader and deeper consultations with members of the full range of committees of Congress whose jurisdiction touches on the numerous issues being negotiated,” they wrote. “Many have raised concerns relating to reports about the agreement’s proposed content…Twentieth Century “Fast Track” is simply not appropriate for 21st Century agreements and must be replaced. The United States cannot afford another trade agreement that replicates the mistakes of the past. We can and must do better.”


Fast Track procedures allow the White House to submit trade agreements to Congress without giving members of Congress the opportunity to amend the deal. Members of the House Ways and Means, and Senate Finance Committees are looking to develop legislation that would reinstate the outdated Fast Track procedures that expired in 2007. TPP negotiators may announce a final agreement in the near future....

Read more:
http://delauro.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1455:delauro-miller-lead-151-house-dems-telling-president-they-will-not-support-outdated-fast-track-for-trans-pacific-partnership&Itemid=21

Eariler this year Delauro claimed that this Democratic coalition is still in tact and believes they can can get some Republicans to keep the TPP from passing. Because that's what it is going to take to stop it. The overwhelming majority of republicans will vote FOR the TPP just as they did the fast track legislation for it..

Some House Democrats Confident They Can Sink TPP

RYAN RAINEY | JANUARY 12, 2016

House Democrats opposed to the Trans-Pacific Partnership vowed to sink congressional consideration of the deal, and to do so they said they’d enlist help from some GOP lawmakers and even some Democrats who supported the fast-track bill passed last year.

~Snip~

DeLauro said TPP opponents haven’t conducted a whip count, but she said she expects the deal to fail because of concerns from Republicans and possibly Democrats who supported the fast-track trade bill that Congress passed last summer.

Our “coalition still remains — we do have support from the other side of the aisle,” DeLauro said. “I expect that there will be increased support on the other side of the aisle. The coalition is as strong as it has ever been, and it’s growing.”

Read more:
https://morningconsult.com/alert/some-house-democrats-confident-they-can-sink-tpp/

I would also encourage people interested in learning more to read the links I provided in post #1 where these groups have gone to great lengths to document their concerns.

Elizabeth Warren goes into great detail about how the TPP is a rigged process that benefits the corporations.

Nobel winning economist Joseph Stiglitz calls the TPP 'worst trade deal ever,'

[Ash_F]

3. Trump is going to take this up

Boy do people do strange things in politics.

[villager]

4. Probably, but there won't be an anti-TPP plank in the GOP platform either, of course.

Meaning both candidates will be equally free to "spin" a position on this separate from their party's "official" one...

[Ash_F]

5. True the establishment of both parties seem to love this secret deal.

[villager]

6. Of course they do! Such deals are where their bread is actually buttered! nt

[Urchin]

13. They're likely paid to love it.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

7. Being for it later as ahem... "sound policy"

but against it for the general. How political if them all.

[w4rma]

9. I really don't care about how "embarrassed" Obama is over his TPP support.

He shouldn't be promoting any legislation that looks anything like the TPP.

Save Obama's legacy and stop him from shoving it down our throats in the lame duck session.

[RiverNoord]

14. I agree entirely.

If people can't take issue with positions of public officials because they're members of their political parties, then what's the point of having a representative democratic form of government?

Every single Democrat who chides other Democrats for criticizing the President's position on the TPP, if the Democrat doing the criticizing is opposed to it, ought to be deeply ashamed.

[sangfroid]

10. So glad

To see the Party is listening to the Progressive wing.

[avaistheone1]

11. So glad

our party cares so much about our own and our children's future.

[villager]

12. And how much has "your children's future" donated this election cycle? nt

[sangfroid]

16. Huh?

Going to have to explain yourself

[villager]

17. I think it's fairly self evident, yes?

The money = attention & action equation, etc...

[sangfroid]

19. Sorry, but it is not self-evident

nt

[villager]

20. Perhaps next time, I'll use the sarcasm smilie, "just in case."

Kinda thought the comment about donations = influence would be a bit more evident on a board such as this.

[captainarizona]

18. the fix is in

Anybody think we will not get TPP now?

[Vinca]

21. It's not Sanders who is losing. We're losing.

[uawchild]

23. Exactly what I was just about to post too! n/t

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

33. +2. Workers are the losers if TPP goes through.

But, platform-shmatform. It's just a pile of paper that will get ignored.

Hopefully, TPP won't get rammed through during BHO's term, and hopefully, HRC will stay with her current opposition to it.

[Helen Borg]

22. Hey, remember who's paying the bills.

[bvar22]

24. Sanders lost...so did every American who Works for a Living.

Korean Free Trade Deal devastating for US Workers
(Prototype for the TPP)

What happened to the 70,000 jobs that the Korea Free Trade deal was supposed to create? They never materialized. Instead, U.S. workers lost 40,000 jobs in the first year of the agreement.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/larry-cohen/koreaus-free-trade-agreem_b_4965492.html

Study: "Trade" Deal Would Mean a Pay Cut for 90% of U.S. Workers
http://citizen.typepad.com/eyesontrade/2013/09/the-verdict-is-in-the-trans-pacific-partnership-tpp-a-sweeping-free-trade-deal-under-negotiation-with-11-pacific-rim-coun.html

Meet the TPP: Crony capitalism on a global scale
https://represent.us/action/tpp/

"Evergreening". Forcing member countries drug patents, diminishing access to generic drugs.
http://infojustice.org/archives/35908

Lack of strong enforcement provisions for violators across a wide range of issues including labor rights and the environment
http://ecowatch.com/2016/06/07/tpp-climate-change/
https://rightswireblog.org/2016/02/02/how-the-trans-pacific-partnership-fails-human-rights/
https://www.hrw.org/news/2016/01/12/qa-trans-pacific-partnership

Weakening of the none too strong Dodd-Frank legislation. As Elizabeth Warren said, it would "punch holes" in it.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2015/05/11/elizabeth-warren-fires-back-at-obama-heres-what-theyre-really-fighting-about/

Canadian trade policy expert calls TPP a "threat to democracy"
http://boingboing.net/2016/06/16/canadian-trade-policy-expert-c.html

The Trans-Pacific Partnership Will Hurt Farmers and Make Seed Companies Richer
https://www.thenation.com/article/the-trans-pacific-partnership-will-hurt-farmers-and-make-seed-companies-richer/

Obama selects former Monsanto lobbyist to be his TPP chief agriculture negotiator
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023662210

"Obama Admin’s TPP Trade Officials Received Hefty Bonuses From Big Banks"
http://billmoyers.com/2014/02/20/obama-admin%E2%80%99s-tpp-trade-officials-received-hefty-bonuses-from-big-banks/

[demwing]

30. We all lose on this one

Except the billionaire class...those folks make the rules, break the rules, and seek to have a permanent get out of jail free card

[YOHABLO]

31. And so is there any question as to who rules the world?

[riderinthestorm]

32. Quelle surprise

Not.

[seabeckind]

34. Misleading title. Makes it sound like only one guy is opposed.

Not the bulk of the democratic base.

This election is pretty bizarre. It's almost as if the populist roles are reversed.

And in the media, controlled by the owner class, it's all Sanders fault for being such a rebel.

And in the halls of our democratic "leadership"?

It's almost like Occupy redux.