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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsDigby: Senator Sherrod Brown tells President Obama "Just (Don't) Do It"
One of the more refreshing things about politics in recent days is President Obama's "what the hell" attitude. Someone I know in DC called it YOLO (You're only lameduck once.) Unfortunately, he's not just saying "what the hell" and pushing progressive policies he prefers. He's also doing it with neo-liberal policies. yesterday at Nike he pretty much told liberals not "what the hell" but "go to hell." It was the ugliest, most condescending speech he's ever given.
Senator Sherrod Brown wasn't amused:
WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) issued the following statement following President Obama's remarks on trade at a Nike facility in Oregon:
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During the 2008 presidential primary, I watched President Obama argue in Cleveland that we should renegotiate NAFTA. Instead, we've seen more empty promises of jobs through exports while American workers are hit with a flood of imports and jobs shipped overseas. It's clear that the American public doesn't support these trade deals and I am disappointed the president has resorted to name calling in an attempt to shift the debate.
If the President wants to have a real debate, he should release the text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and let the public and press review it before Congress grants fast track authority for him to rush it through.
?The Obama Administration predicted that the South Korea Free Trade Agreement would create 70,000 jobs and deliver up to $11 billion in exports. Instead, it only increased U.S. exports to Korea by $1 billion, while Korean imports have skyrocketed to more than $12 billion. The growing good trade deficit with Korea has eliminated over 75,000 jobs in the last three years.
The U.S. already has a trade deficit with Japan and 10 other countries included in the TPP. Since 1997, the deficit with these countries has increased by $151.4 billion.
http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2015/05/sherrod-brown-says-just-dont-do-it.html
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Digby is right that OBama's speech in Oregon as with most of his attacks on Progressives opposing this terrible trade deal is at best condescending. Warren and Brown are not name calling. Obama is behaving like a flim-flam man.
grasswire
(50,130 posts)...he told voters to not "be bamboozled". I distinctly remember that.
Ichingcarpenter
(36,988 posts)Obama goes to a corporate headquarters to complain about why dems don't support his trade deal
I guess there were no union halls available.
Some just don't get the irony.
grasswire
(50,130 posts)stunning.
Fairgo
(1,571 posts)subtext and context are everything.
Unknown Beatle
(2,672 posts)I think he meant to not "be bamboozled" by his forked tongue.
Man, what a complete let down. I feel so empty. I was whooping and hollering with excitement that after eight years of a dunce in the WH we were finally going to see real change. Yeah right! Obama was bought by Wall St. from the get go. Fuck!
grasswire
(50,130 posts)we were played in what may have been the most cynical slap at the electorate ever, by TPTB.
I wonder what Ted Kennedy would be thinking by now.
BrotherIvan
(9,126 posts)"progressive policies he prefers" is in there.