President Trump signs order to withdraw from TransPacific Partnership

[DonViejo]

Source: The Washington Post


By Ylan Q. Mui January 23 at 11:56 AM

President Trump began recasting America’s role in the global economy Monday, cancelling an agreement for a sweeping trade deal with Asia as one of his first official White House actions.

After meeting with business executives to discuss the U.S. manufacturing industry, Trump headed to the Oval Office to sign an executive order formally ending the United States’ participation in the TransPacific Partnership. The move was largely symbolic -- the deal was unlikely to make it through Congress -- but served to signal that Trump’s tough talk on trade during the campaign will carry over to his new administration.

That could point to contentious negotiations over the North American Free Trade Agreement down the road. Trump repeatedly promised to reopen the 22-year-old deal with Mexico and Canada while on the campaign trail, and he reiterated his threat to punish U.S. companies that build factories abroad in brief remarks on Monday.

Trump’s protectionist rhetoric is part of a global backlash against the drive toward greater internationalization that has existed since the end of World War II. British Prime Minister Theresa May, who is in the midst of navigating her country’s own break from established trading partners, is slated to visit with Trump later this week. A White House spokesman said meetings with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican Prime Minister Enrique Pena Nieto are in the works.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/01/23/president-trump-signs-order-to-withdraw-from-transpacific-partnership/?utm_term=.ec890b03e52e

[Saviolo]

1. Well look at that.

He did something right by accident.

Unfortunately, this is part of a terrifying isolationism that he's fomenting that includes withdrawl from the UN and NATO. Is the USA going to enter its own Edo Period?

[Vinca]

3. He's too dim to know it will impact the family clothing brand.

They might end up having to make stuff in the U.S. Sometimes dumb is good.

[bettyellen]

6. Nope it was dead. This was theater to woo the Sanders supporters....

[joshcryer]

12. Um, no, this will make China a Super Most Valued Trade Partner.

China will dictate the terms, now, rather than the US trying to get goods from other Asian countries.

Trump will not get his tariffs passed.

[Javaman]

2. purely symbolic.

it was likely not going to make it through congress.

[joshcryer]

13. The Obama administration had already nixed it.

[Javaman]

15. yup, just more of tRUmps smoke and mirrors. nt

[dalton99a]

4. Empty gesture

That thing is already dead

[FairWinds]

5. Don't trust the WaPo - on trade especially.

The TPP was mostly about corporate governance - i.e., them over us!

And in fact it had many protectionist provisions that would
benefit big bidness such as Pharma.

Check out Dean Baker. Lori Wallach and others for the
truth about trade.

[joshcryer]

14. It was more geopolitical than anything.

The protections forced partners into US IP and environmental and labor regulations. ie, we won't trade if you don't play by our rules.

As it stands now there are no rules and China will dictate policy in Asian countries.

They are already setting up for a trade deal with Japan.

That means China just became the Super Ultra Most Valued Trade Partner.

[FairWinds]

16. Respectfully disagree . .

if our corporate rulers or their stooges in the US government
had the slightest interest in real labor or environmental rights,
they would invite those unions and groups to the negotiating table
and give them "standing" under the terms of the treaties.

They will NEVER do that except under duress, and recoil at the
very notion.

So instead . .

Unionists are murdered with impunity in CAFTA member Guatemala
and elsewhere.

And one of my favorites . . As NAFTA was nearing the end of its
negotiations 26 GOP senators signed a pledge that they would vote
against the treaty if it contained any labor or environmental provisions
whatsoever.

You would know all this if you read some Lori Wallach.

[IronLionZion]

7. Maybe we'll have a trans-Russian partnership instead

Since TPP was mainly to strengthen the smaller Asian countries apart from China and India.

[dawg]

8. The future belongs to China and the RCEP.

This will hurt corporate interests and investors (like me) more than it will workers, so it's ironic that a Republican President is doing this.

Oh well. Global dominance didn't do all that much for the average person anyway.

[Yavin4]

9. Killing the TPP makes China that much more powerful esp. in Asia

Killing the TPP weakens American corporations over the long haul.

[FairWinds]

10. American Corporations?

Nope, they are proudly globalist, and have no loyalty to anything other than the bottom line.

Just ask them. They don't hide it.

And neither are they your friend.

[Generator]

11. I'll never buy that line-President Trump

What a freaking joke. What a nightmare. Every time it sounds ridiculous. He's playing at being president. He's not a president.