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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsHated on the Left, the TPP Draws Conservative Foes
(In These Times) The President said, if you like your health insurance, you can keep it, says Curtis Ellis of the American Jobs Alliance, a small conservative group based in Virginia that opposes the outsourcing of U.S. jobs overseas. Now essentially, with Obamatrade, hes saying, if you like your job, you can keep it.
If Obamatrade catches on as a right-wing rallying cry against the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)a trade agreement covering the Pacific Rim economies of Australia, Japan, Malaysia, among othersit will probably have something to do with a sparsely attended press conference on Tuesday in the House Science Committee hearing room. Thats where the American Jobs Alliance and the United States Business and Industry Councilpro-business groups wary of trades impact on Americas national interestsjoined with Tea Party Nation and the socially conservative Eagle Forum to rail against the TPP and President Obamas support for fast-tracking the measure. The legislative procedure would prevent Congress from amending the agreement once its completed by international negotiators. Without fast-track, Congress is considered unlikely to approve the deal in its current form.
On Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid came out against the existing fast-track bill, but that doesnt quite mean its dead. A yes vote in the House could put enough pressure on the Senate to take action or legislators could choose to craft a gentler version of the bill that appeals to Reidone that allows more time for debate, for example.
Most opposition to the TPP has come from the organized Left, which worries that NAFTA on steroids will undermine key environmental and health protections and hasten the flight of good-paying jobs abroad. Earlier this week, a coalition of more than 550 different labor unions, environmental groups and consumer advocacy organizations condemned fast-track in a letter to Congress. Thats in addition to Reid and the 151 House Democrats who came out against the procedure in November. By contrast, only 23 House Republicans have done so. ..................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://inthesetimes.com/article/16196/rightwing_coalition_opposes_tpp_calling_it_obamatrade/
pampango
(24,692 posts)On the question of fast-track authority, 62 percent of respondent opposed the idea, with 43 percent strongly opposing it. Broken down by political affiliation, only Democrats that identify as liberal strongly favor the idea. Predictably, a strong Republican majority oppose giving the president such authority, with both conservative and moderates oppose it by a ratio of 85 percent or higher. And perhaps most important: 66 percent of respondents who identified as independent, meaning they have no party affiliation and are a key voting constituency, oppose the idea.
http://www.ibtimes.com/trans-pacific-partnership-tpp-poll-only-strongest-obama-supporters-want-him-have-fast-track-1552039
Another indication of conservative opposition to "fast track".
MisterP
(23,730 posts)pampango
(24,692 posts)After Watergate every scandal was named "......-gate". Now every Obama policy will be called "Obama-........." By the right.
ck4829
(35,042 posts)The ones who only watch Fox News probably don't even know what TPP stands for.