POPULIST Democrats HAND Obama A STINGING DEFEAT On TPP

[Segami]

Could this be the populist moment?

A seemingly unstoppable coalition of the powerful assembled to advance the Trans Pacific Partnership trade bill: A Democratic president aligned with the Republican majority in both chambers of Congress and the full lobbying might of Corporate America. But on Tuesday afternoon, the Senate Democratic minority delivered a surprise defeat to President Obama and a severe setback to one of the last few items on his presidential agenda. They blocked consideration of “fast track” trade authority – a crucial vehicle to get the Pacific trade pact through Congress. The victors: the ascendant populist wing of the Democratic Party, and its spiritual leader, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. “Over and over, America’s workers have taken the brunt of bad trade deals,” the former Harvard professor and scourge of big business told a gathering of the Roosevelt Institute, a liberal think tank, hours before Tuesday’s vote.

“We can’t keep pushing through trade deals that benefit multinational companies at the expense of workers,” she added, with theatrical urgency. “Government cannot continue to be the captive of the rich and powerful. Working people cannot be forced to give up more and more as they get squeezed harder and harder.”

Warren masterfully undermined the trade bill, by highlighting the administration’s obsessive secrecy (the details of the proposed agreement are classified) and the role of corporate interests in drafting the deal (500 non-government advisors participated, she said, 85 percent of them industry executives or lobbyists).

“And now this trade deal is getting the full court lobbying press from those same giant multinational corporations,” she said. “The middle class is on the ropes and now is the time to fight back.”

Under intense pressure from the Warren wing, 44 of the 45 Democrats present Tuesday afternoon defied Obama. Even Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the chief Democratic advocate for the fast-track bill, buckled. Proponents fell eight votes short of the 60 they needed to take up the fast-track bill. Senate free-traders will likely find a way to revive the bill, but Tuesday’s defeat will embolden opponents in the House, where the free-trade package already faced trouble. However the trade debate is resolved, Tuesday’s defeat in the Senate is likely to be a turning point, because it shows that the populists are now firmly in control of the Democratic Party. Anger over growing inequality has reached critical mass, and a backlash has begun against a political system that has, over the last three decades, allowed 100 percent of all income growth to go to the wealthiest 10 percent. The trade deal has for now become the victim of that anger – less because of the details of the TPP than because it hasn’t been accompanied by more protections and assistance for American workers. “I believe in this,” Obama said of the trade deal, “the same way… that I believe in a higher minimum wage. The same way that I believe in stronger protections for workers who are trying to get a voice in their company. The same way I believe in equal pay. The same way I believe in paid sick leave.” But Obama’s actions haven’t matched his words, and he didn’t require Republicans to accept any of those priorities before he joined them in pushing for free-trade legislation. Senate Republicans drove more Democrats into opposition when they declined requests to bring up other trade-related bills other than legislation offering a meager (and reduced) amount of training funds for workers who lose their jobs.


~snip~

At the White House, press secretary Josh Earnest called Tuesday’s vote a “procedural snafu.” But Obama was undone by more than procedure. His would-be successor, Hillary Clinton, was not courageous enough to take a position on the trade legislation, but her silence gave Democrats more freedom to oppose it. And Democrats in Congress bristled at Obama’s disparagement of opponents of the trade bill as emotional, illogical and dishonest. “The president is making some fairly nasty remarks about people on the other side, that they don’t understand we’re in the 21st century,” Joseph Stiglitz, a Nobel laureate in economics, said at the Roosevelt Institute gathering, at the National Press Club. “Actually we do. I don’t think he understands.”






cont'


http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/populist-democrats-hand-obama-a-stinging-defeat-on-tpp/2015/05/12/aec9be02-f8e7-11e4-a13c-193b1241d51a_story.html?wprss=rss_blogsandcolumns

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

1. which republicans did they get? what vote was needed?

did Obama need 60 votes?

[Eric J in MN]

96. The Fast Track bill required 60 votes to pass.

Every Democrat voted No except Thomas Carper of Delaware. The Democrats blocked Fast Track.

Every Republican voted Yes except Mitch McConnell of Kentucky (who voted No so that he can bring the bill up again.)

Fast Track means no more filibusters. Since Republicans have the Senate majority, it will be up to Republicans if TPP is a good bill if Democrats support Fast Track.

http://politics.nytimes.com/congress/votes/114/senate/1/176

(By "every" I'm not including Senators who didn't vote.)

[99Forever]

2. As I said the day he did it...

... Obama picking a fight with Senator Warren was a huge mistake. Us dumbass actual liberals have had our fill of neoliberal bullshit and policies and we're not going to take it anymore. this is just the beginning. The tide has turned.

[daleanime]

49. I hope so.....

[sendero]

53. From your keyboard...

... to god's monitor.

I hope. Enough of the ridiculous bullshit. Enough pissing down our leg and telling us it's raining. Enough already, take your TPP and shove it up your ass.

[billhicks76]

68. Hillary The Lamest

She should just admit what she is and join the Republican Party.

[Dustlawyer]

83. Her silence on this major issue should show her supporters that she will not cross Wall Street!

Have the courage of your convictions and vote Bernie in the primary's and support who ever wins the Democratic primary. Either Bernie or Hillary could beat the Repug who wins their clown car primary. Bernie will do great in the debates and does not spout any crazy talk, it's all practical common sense policies. The Hillaryites try to say that Bernie can't win the General, but that is just not true!

[billhicks76]

105. New Candidate Needs To Step Up

[Dustlawyer]

124. Our political system breeds people like Hillary.

She is a political animal and usually very good at playing the game. As long as we allow bribes in the form of campaign cash we will have calculating politicians who have to do the bidding of the Donors instead of the people. Bernie does to play that game, he is the most rare of political animals, the last of his kind, a honest politician!

[ChiciB1]

75. Yeah, This DUMB ASS Liberal Has Been Mumbling Stuff

to nobody most of the time for years. Basically talking back to my TV or whatever I'm listening to while I'm cooking dinner, doing wash, dishes, cleaning floors, in and out of house after working in yard, just STUFF and staying pissed off most of the time. Unable to fathom how this country went of the rails.

I've said so many times that I understand times change, understand having to compromise on differences because it's not normal to get your way all the time. Still the slow progression and apathy I've seen has eaten away at me and made me cynical and depressed. Believe me I've been in the trenches for a very long time, kept trying to stay involved but the Democratic Party I joined almost seemed a little foreign many times. I live in a VERY conservative place in Florida and I'm the "weird one" in the group. Couldn't take it anymore and the most I've been able to do of late is make sure my family is registered to vote and keep them informed.

Told them a long time ago I knew I would HAVE to vote for Hillary when push came to shove, but talked another tune all the while. Talked about the few liberals I knew of that I would prefer to vote for and Bernie was always high on my list. I didn't and still don't believe Elizabeth Warren will or wants to run, plus I DO believe she can do more to help this country by staying in the Senate. What she's done lately proves so much to me. WOW, what a fighter and a shot in the arm to so many of us and giving a good kick in the ass to many in Congress who needed it.

What was Obama thinking when he picked a fight with her, more so than many Repukes who stuck real knives in his back?? It was more than I could take and I got down right livid about it! My husband couldn't believe what was coming out of my mouth. He only got really involved in politics since 9/11, but I got my start when I was 11! I have "stuff" in my head from way back and it's been stifling.

I so want this to be a real turning point but I'm afraid to think it can last. How many times have we been let down?? To those of you who think like me must understand where I'm coming from. We need to have OUR VOICES HEARD!" So sick and tired and tired of being sick by what I've seen. Please let this be the time we see real CHANGE, that I don't think any here have ever experienced!

[dreamnightwind]

78. Thanks, excellent post

[99Forever]

81. I can SO identify with your post.

To retain my sanity, I have to believe that Bernie is Our Voice and it will not just be heard, but will be listened to. Thanks do much for your excellent reply.

[ChiciB1]

103. FROM MY HEART! n/t

[raouldukelives]

98. Right there with you.

Decades of fighting, decades of alignment. All in the hopes of saving what little of our natural world that remains.
Feels like all I've seen in that time, in the long run, is loss after loss.
Sometimes even when I thought we had won.

[Cosmocat]

88. Yeah, beat up a democratic president

On the merits they did the right thing here.

But, people can start puffing their chest when show 1/100th of this kind of fight against republicans ...

[99Forever]

89. I've been fighting Re-fucking-publicans my entire life.

Neoliberals have been capitulating to them and kissing their asses.

Here's your fucking sign:


FAIL

[Cosmocat]

91. Well, that ironic

I am not talking about you ...

Point stands.

Rings pretty damn hollow cheering about a STINGING DEFEAT of the DEMOCRATIC president when the party has not showed this kind of fight against the republicans his entire term.

[99Forever]

94. Really?

Precisely WHO voted for it?

Your "point"?

[Cosmocat]

95. What is the title of this thread?

"POPULIST Democrats HAND Obama A STINGING DEFEAT On TPP "

Your emotional instability aside, that is the point ...

[99Forever]

97. Ahh yes... A personal insult.

I guess you win.



Bless your heart.

[Cosmocat]

100. Ah yes - projection

You made it "personal" with ...

"FAIL"

Then the rolling emoticon.

Tend to your own heart, you need it more than I do.

[99Forever]

102. Bless your heart all over again.

Big winner.

[roguevalley]

108. you know, real democrats kicked this to the curb. Mr. Obama had a huge fail here

because he doesn't think that we can think or see for ourselves. This is pure dem here. We don't goose step behind a leader because he is one. He had insulted and attacked dems for a while. He has ignored a huge portion of the base because he isn't going to be elected to anything again. All he is doing is legacy now even if it screws all of us over. Keep the faith, real dems who defeated this. I don't give a damn if you didn't do this very often, you did it when it was needed and schooled a president on team work and courtesy on our side of the aisle.

[99Forever]

113. +1,000,000

[bvar22]

107. Obama is NOT fighting Republicans.

He has abandoned the Democratic Party and joined the Republicans to try and get NAFTA on Steroids passed.


It makes me look back and wonder how many times he has "fought" the Republicans.
I can't think of many.

[Cosmocat]

123. He isn't a dicatator

And he has operated as POTUS EXACTLY as he campaigned.

I made this point here WHILE HE WAS RUNNING.

People WANTED to think he was some hard driving progressive.

That isn't what he campaigned on.

He barely made any real substantive policy stands, he just was a good enough politician to speak in a very uplifting way without making any real commitments.

He ran as a moderate democrat, that is how he has been as a president.

And, being a MODERATE democrat isn't being a sell out, it is being what he was all along.

THAT SAID, he absolutely HAS acted as best he can within his authority to advance some progressive agenda.

The biggest hole here, and people just don't want to hear it, it not HIM.

It is congress.

His party in congress is the POLAR opposite of his opposition party.

Republicans are BOTH 100 percent united AND extraordinarily extreme to their side of the political spectrum on the issues.

Democrats are all over the place, literally, and not even remotely united.

They have left him out alone to be attacked relentlessly by Republicans, they have cowered in the corner for 6 plus years, have let republicans drive the discussion, drive policy.

From ACA to Sandy Hook, to immigration they have been completely worthless.

Be myopic. Think he can be a dictator. Line up with Republicans and cheer him being DEFEATED!

[bvar22]

125. No, He isn't a dictator,

....but he ran as a Union Loving Populist, not a moderate.

*Raise Taxes on the RICH

*"Make EFCA the LAW of the Land"

*Raise the Cap on FICA deductions (make the RICH pay more to protect Social Security)

*Immediately re-negotiate NAFTA protecting American jobs.

*Label all food with GMO contents and Country of Origin,
"because Americans have a right to know what they are eating."


I have the videos if you doubt my claims.
Here, I'll throw one in for free:

[Cosmocat]

126. OK

Throwing red meat at a UFCW/Union rally, sure he was a union loving populist, just as he was a pet loving populist at PETA rallies, etc.

So, four years AFTER THIS, Bob King mentions, germane to this discussion, the habit of labor and progressives to "eat our own" while saying "there has not been a president, democrat or republican, as open accessable to labor as President Obama has been."

http://www.uaw.org/articles/video-bob-king-highlights-president-barack-obamas-support-unions

*Raise Taxes on the RICH

Again, he isn't a dictator. He has no capacity as the POTUS to "raise taxes" without a bill brought to him by congress. Leading once again to the larger point. When it came time to tangle with the republicans, who were always 100 percent united in opposition to any tax increase on their bosses, did the democrats in congress fight them as hard on that as the did on this? No.

*"Make EFCA the LAW of the Land"

Again, he isn't a dictator. He has no capacity as the POTUS to make EFCA the LAW of the land without a bill brought to him by congress. Leading once again to the larger point. When it came time to tangle with the republicans, who were always 100 percent united in opposition this legislation, did the democrats in congress fight them as hard on that as the did on this? No.

*Raise the Cap on FICA deductions (make the RICH pay more to protect Social Security)

Again, he isn't a dictator. He has no capacity as the POTUS to raise the cap on FICA without a bill brought to him by congress. Leading once again to the larger point. With the republicans, who are always 100 percent united in opposition to this measure, did the democrats in congress fight them as hard on raising FICA deductions as the did on this? No.

*Immediately re-negotiate NAFTA protecting American jobs.

I am not saying this to excuse whatever he may have said campaigning. But, I will repeat my prior point. I LISTENED/paid attention to what he said and how he said it over the course his campaigning, and I knew when I cast my vote for him that he was going to be tight with big money. He took as much wall street money as McCain did. More if I am correct.

I know you won't recognize this, but there is only so much that can be done in politics, he made his priority doing health care reform. He spent the first year and a half of his first term with this issue, it totally dominated and spent up every bit of political capital he had to put this out. As a running theme, the republicans were 100 percent in fanatical opposition on this issue, democrats cowered in a corner and because they didn't fight for a better reform we got a REPUBLICAN reform with no republican votes AND had a major blood letting in the mid term elections because democrats hid from passing it.

*Label all food with GMO contents and Country of Origin,
"because Americans have a right to know what they are eating."

I don't know, maybe they had some capacity in regard to labeling. And, yes, it is disappointing, but again, nothing that is a surprise.

Sorry, he has a solid moderate democrat, which is what he ALWAYS was as President, even with, sorry, unions.

He stepped up, and it was not a real popular move, but led the effort to save the auto unions.

In the department of what he has control over, while this is his being a big bad hating union president thing, a month ago he was some union loving, handing goodies to union bosses socialist by using executive action to overturn measures in a republican piece of legislation.

You want more than him being who he is, your beef is with the spineless pukes in congress.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. "At the White House, press secretary Josh Earnest called Tuesday’s vote a “procedural snafu.”

So that's what the White House is calling this?

I call it a major defeat.

And it's high time, people.

The tide has turned, and we are riding it.

[Segami]

5. It sure has.....

[Maedhros]

11. That's some pretty advanced kinesthetics for an infant...[n/t]

[cherokeeprogressive]

18. LOL the Obama administration is saying DEM Senators "fucked up"?

Too funny.

[BeanMusical]

73. Yep.

[rbnyc]

118. +1

[Dem2]

4. Negotiation tactic

This is far from over.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

8. We know it's not over. It's still a great moment! n/t

[closeupready]

30. +1. Lest we forget, TARP also failed the first round.

It won the second time.

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

43. +1

[strategery blunder]

104. There's a big difference between TPP and TARP though

TARP passed on round 2 partly because the country was in the midst of financial panic and it made an excellent propaganda opportunity for the oligarchs to ramrod it through. "Pass this or the economy is going to go into GREAT DEPRESSION II RIGHT FUCKING NOW!"

There is no such urgency for TPP. Sure the oligarchs and plutocrats can bleat and bloviate about "job creation" that will not actually occur, but they don't have the leverage they did with TARP. We know what happened with NAFTA (good for plutocrats, not so much the rest of us), we know we've had no wage growth that remotely resembles the increased productivity demanded from our bosses as our coworkers got laid off and we got stuck with their workload as well as ours, and we know that TPP is such a steaming pile of crap that they can't even confess what's in it.

This will be a long fight but it's winnable. The plutocrats have been so greedy wrt their previous trade deals that their propaganda has lost its luster, and they don't have an economic crisis from which to catapult said propaganda this time.

[bvar22]

9. Losing is a "negotiation tactic"???

Remind me to never hire you as an advocate.

[rhett o rick]

10. Is it me or do all the new DU members support the TPP? nm

[Maedhros]

13. Well, all the ones that OFA sent over. [n/t]

[rhett o rick]

33. I didn't say sock puppet. That wasn't me. Just sayin'.

[NaturalHigh]

27. Maybe not all, but it sure seems like a lot of them are.

[tennstar]

67. Not me

Even though I have been a lurker for years this subject finally made me speak out when someone claimed our past Gov. Was a liberal she was nothing more than a Obama republican.

[Punx]

69. Not me!

Though I've lurked for years. And I'm glad to be doing my part to work against it, however small that is.

I sure let Wyden and my Rep know how I felt about it. Pretty sure they didn't care, but hopefully they know at least some of us are paying attention and a little bit of worry on their part can't hurt.

I've seen the results of these trade policies first hand and won't go quietly any more. If the tide is turning then maybe it's because people are starting to realize than 30+ years of Reagonomics/Neo Liberal/Free trade policies have FAILED most people in this country.

[Turin_C3PO]

71. Hell no!

I'm a liberal through and through ( economic progressive, social justice progressive, and foreign policy progressive) and will never support this terrible trade agreement.

[Segami]

15. !

[Dem2]

28. I simply relay what I have read

Nothing personal.

"Democrats — even some who support the trade agreement, like Ron Wyden of Oregon — voted to block the Senate from taking up the bill, because they want Republicans to agree to take up other trade-related measures. The Washington Post reports that Republicans are willing to agree to some, but not all of the Democrats' conditions:

"Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Tuesday that Republicans were willing to attach 'trade adjustment assistance' — that is, funding authority for worker assistance programs — to the fast-track bill. But he made no pledge to include the enforcement bill, which would take aim at Chinese currency manipulation and is opposed by the administration, or a fourth bill concerning trade with Africa."

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/05/12/406234339/fast-track-trade-measure-fails-key-test-vote-in-senate

"

[840high]

62. I'm still celebrating.

[cali]

6. I think that's the best piece I've ever seen by Milbank

He actually nails it.

thanks for posting and k&r.

[lumberjack_jeff]

16. Exactly right. n/t

[ChiciB1]

76. There Was A Short Period Of Time Where I Felt Milbank Left Us...

Can't remember when I saw him pushing back again, but thankfully he seems to be out there again. Just my observation though.

OMG, it's getting late and my back is screaming at me sitting in my PC corner. Sure, I can move it around but got used to having my old monster that wasn't portable. Old habits hard to break. I've been a member here since 2004, and left and came back so many times. Always tried to read what was going on, but my post count reflects how many times I couldn't take it anymore.

Guess I'm back in for now, but my liberalism has never died!

[aspirant]

7. Stinging Defeat

The Populists are finally making PURE Honey

[bigwillq]

12. K and R

[rhett o rick]

14. Looks like a victory for the Populist Movement. Anyone know HRC's reaction? nm

[BrotherIvan]

17. Hey now, she doesn't need to talk to the press!

DU said so. She's got bigger priorities, like, you know, fundraising.

[rhett o rick]

19. Well, last week someone was pushing the meme that she was really a populist. This is a great

opportunity to speak out.

[BrotherIvan]

20. Yes, it is

I hope EW will be endorsing her ally in this fight. I hope she is just waiting for the right time.

[bvar22]

109. Her "handlers" will be writing the script for her tonight,

...and trying out some slogans on a Focus Group.

It is going to be interesting to watch her NOT take a position on the defeat of FastTrack.

[BrotherIvan]

115. Well her staffers want it to just "go away"

So they may be happy if it dies sooner rather than later. Bernie, as one of the leaders of the fight, is getting lots of good interviews. I hope people remember.

[NorthCarolina]

21. I would expect she would lay low on this one.

If it is successfully killed she would be free to come out and say she was against it as it was written, and then spout off a few non-specific specifics to offer some credence to her claim. Likewise if it passes, she can then come out and campaign on "fixing" it, or laud it as deemed correct by her political advisers.

[rhett o rick]

36. Exactly ! And no truth to the rumor that the DNC is cutting the debates down to 2

scheduled for after the election.

[dreamnightwind]

79. made me lol

[Jester Messiah]

99. One finger, courageously moistened, thrust aloft, keenly discerning the winds. [nt]

[Deny and Shred]

106. Outstanding.

There is a place for you on her campaign staff.

[PowerToThePeople]

22. Yea! n/t

[fadedrose]

23. I have decided for my sanity

that this is a Sting, but as good as an Alfred Hitchcock movie....

That means that the stinging defeat is a victory and Obama and Warren are in cahoots maybe in a wicked ploy to change opinions of the voters to someone more palatable, like Warren, Bernie or Biden.

I can't believe Obama could be so stupid as to think that he's going to pull off a secret trade agreement without anybody objecting. He knows the Dems are still PO'd because they didn't get single-payer and they're still crying about it.

I think the frontrunner had a hand in writing that corporatist agreement..

I know that this is ridiculous, but I like Warren and Obama (and Bernie and Biden) so much I don't want to see any of them lose this one....Who would entertain at the White House if Liz won? Jill and Bernie's wife (forgot her name, she's lovely) would be great first ladies too.

I feel silly and so relieved that's over for today. Everybody is reloading their weapons...

[BlancheSplanchnik]

40. interesting theory.

I honestly don't understand this issue enough to have a useful opinion. I'm just assuming that EW, Krugman, Robert Reich and a host of others I respect know more than me.

I'd like your theory to be true....I can't believe PBO would support secrecy and hurting workers, as if he REALLY thought that was a good idea.

[fadedrose]

42. Bless you. I hope it's true too.

[zentrum]

86. I know what you mean.

He was unbelievably clumsy over this. Trying to figure out what really happened.

I can understand why he supports the TPP because he's been corporate since the start, but the way this went down is just baffling. Is he really just tone deaf and blind if you're not a spokesman from Wall Street?

[zentrum]

24. Threw away tons of political

……capital by defending this anti-American-worker TTP deal the way he did. By losing to Bernie and Elizabeth he's created a perception of huge weakness. Way to rush into the arms of lame-duckness.

I'm with Elizabeth when she says she doesn't know why he it. It is really baffling. Did he do it because of some agreement that if he gave the Republicans this trade agreement, they'd give him his agreement with Iran?

There's a kind of impenetrable crazy about it.

[Mnpaul]

25. Attacking the left never works out well for them

They seem to forget that the left fights back. They just can't get over the stupid.

[sendero]

54. It really could not be more obvious..

.... Obama wants the same get-rich-easy deal the Clintons got. $250K to speak at a hotel assembly. huge foundation donations. Redonkulous consulting fees.

He is carrying water for the 1%, not really all that hard to decipher as he's spent most of the last 6 years doing it.

[zentrum]

84. No, it's not obvious.

Maybe in his first term, yes, but not now, not this way.

He can get 250K per speaking engagement/consultation perfectly well without the TPP. He's a Nobel Peace Prize winner etc. Most Presidents cash in if they want to. What do you think is the going rate for Presidents? It's always in the hundred thousands. He and Michelle will also write a few best sellers, like the Clintons.

Yes, have been wildly disappointed in him since his first few months after 2008 when he bailed out banks instead of home owners and when he was so weak on the economy and when he brought in Summers and Geithner, and when he wouldn't really bully-pulpit fight for the ACA but ceded the conversation to the RW.

However in the last year he's said he felt "cut loose" by not having to run for re-election again and has been bolder, taken more executive actions, made more progressive statements, and not reached "across the aisle". He's spoken more like "candidate Obama".

Throwing away his power over for the TPP in this unnecessary way makes no political sense. Making himself weak with his own party makes him a much better target for the RW too. He's just thrown away his last year in office. Why?

[sendero]

122. His owners..

... REALLY want the TPP. The only possible explanation, I know he is super-sharp, he cannot believe the nonsense he is saying about it.

[NaturalHigh]

26. Good news for working Americans!

[99Forever]

32. Gee.

A brand new member who's pro TPP.

Thanks for you concern.

[Phlem]

50. yep. He was in another thread

promoting it as well.

[cali]

35. they aren't. he is. And my considered and well researched opinion has jackfuckingshit

to do with trusting any politician. It has to do with years of research- yes years, as any long time DUer will tell you and critical thinking.

And please do some research of your own. You'd find out that we already trade extensively with all the tpp nations, that we have ftas with the majority of them, that tariffs are already historically low, that it's far more about imports than exports and that actually there's a weird, inverted form of protectionism built into the IP chapter.

You have no fucking idea what you're talking about. None. Zero. Zip. Zilch. I'd be fucking embarrassed as hell to prattle on without having done my homework.

[BeanMusical]

74. +1 Well said.

[closeupready]

39. And you are? Oh yeah, just another anonymous DU member

who thinks he knows everything about everything. Scuse me for not giving a shit.

[jalan48]

44. St. Elizabeth? Sounds curiously 'Fox Newsish'.

[Enthusiast]

80. Same operation, coordinated goals. They permeate the internet. They have a curious appearance.

[LondonReign2]

65. Oh noes! You've lost faith in liberals!

I'll bet the Third Way has a board where you can lament on how those nasty liberals blocked this Republican backed legislation.

[Punx]

70. Then

We go back to the policies that worked for the first 200 years of this country.

[KG]

31. they never loved him anyway

[BlancheSplanchnik]

34. K and R. !!!!! n/t

[moondust]

37. Good job, Dems.

Sen. Warren is right: if the process is rigged then the outcome is likely to be rigged.

When the only people allowed to see the thing are a relative handful of Congresspersons behind closed doors, and they aren't even allowed to take notes, it may mean somebody has calculated that there is no way they can digest the whole thing by themselves with limited time, discover the hidden tricks buried in the fine print, and form an educated opinion. Then trying to rush it through makes it even more suspicious.

[whereisjustice]

38. This is great news! eom

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

41. Joseph Stiglitz piling on now on Chris Hayes: based on...

Conversations here and abroad, where there's more transparency, TPP is a bad deal.

[DonCoquixote]

45. uh oh, looks like Hillary

might need to voice an opinion on this rather than just wait for obama to slide the deal in for her.

[Bluenorthwest]

46. I was so happy about Wyden. Also, his vote strongly indicates that the deal itself is not at all

good because Ron is not always against the trade deals.

[MFrohike]

47. Don't get too excited

Wyden's the midwife of fast track on this one. He's been working with Orrin Hatch on it. As things stand, I expect him to vote yes on fast track, unless his constituents give him an earful.

[WillyT]

48. Huge K & R !!! - Thank You !!!

[neverforget]

51. Nice to see the 'hippies" punch back once in awhile.

[polichick]

52. Beautiful!

[daleanime]

55. K&R.....

[libdem4life]

56. My heroes. Great day for Liberals/Populists/Progressives??? Finally. A real win, for once.

[EndElectoral]

57. 44 of 45 dems...Obama wake up and smell the coffee...

[Owl]

58. Yes!

[mountain grammy]

59. Even my sometime Democratic Senator voted no.

I only wish President Obama had called out Lieberman like he has Warren. Maybe we'd have public health insurance for all.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

60. There's your future Prez and Vice-Prez....

[Gumboot]

87. My thoughts exactly.

This is the dream team America needs right now.

[Overseas]

61. Pity it's called as Defeat For Obama rather than a defeat for multinational corporate rule

[meow2u3]

63. It's about time we brought down the neoliberal wing of the Democratic Party

and expose them as the Republican-lite corporatists they are. WTG, Sens. Warren, Sanders, and Brown and Rep. Grayson on your well-earned victory.

[marym625]

64. Can't wait for Bernie to accept the nomination

[LondonReign2]

66. This snippet pretty much sums up progressives disappointment with the President

"But Obama’s actions haven’t matched his words, and he didn’t require Republicans to accept any of those priorities before he joined them in pushing for free-trade legislation."

Great rhetoric. Weak actions.

[colsohlibgal]

72. So Far So Good, Great News

What is it that has happened to our last two democratic presidents? Quite disappointing, it's time for democrats to stop being more republican than democrat - outside social issues. We need then to be more like FDR and less like Reagan.

If Hillary is elected I fear it will happen again.

[woo me with science]

77. This is just the beginning.

This nation is waking up to the corporate con game.

Enough is enough.

[Cali_Democrat]

117. Breaking News: Senate Reaches Deal on Trade

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141092632

Well that was fast.

[woo me with science]

119. Manipulative lies and betrayal from the Third Way, as predictable as sunset.

Of course corporate Democrats pretended to oppose it and then sold us out *after* the publicity.

Oh THIS manipulative, corrupt pattern again.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=6668093

The initial vote was for show. For PR. What Americans heard was that Democrats stood up against this monstrosity.

Then they reverse course, conveniently. AFTER the accolades.

Just like Obama's lying, highly publicized speech pretending that he would rein in military involvement....

...followed immediately by two new wars in Syria and Iraq, funding carpet-bombing of captive populations in Gaza, and a trillion-dollar escalation in nuclear weapons.

Our corrupt Third Way Democrats are corporate liars, puppets for the One Percent as surely as are corporate Republicans. In this oligarchy, this fake democracy, we are ruled by lying propagandists and corporate criminals, who brazenly and deliberately advertise one agenda and pursue another.

Enough corporate corruption. Enough.

[Cali_Democrat]

120. Yesterday you said...

"This is just the beginning.

This nation is waking up to the corporate con game"

Now you say it was all just a PR show?

[woo me with science]

121. Are you trying to suggest a distinction between a corporate con game and a PR show?

Because your attempt at distinction here is coming off as incoherent.

That's not unfamiliar in the Third Way talking points, though...

You have a nice day, Cali.

[font color=red]Don't engage deliberate Third Way diversion and obfuscation.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=5767160

[/font color]

[Demeter]

82. We need more than a moment--WE NEED A MOVEMENT!

And I think now is the perfect time, and the perfect issue.

[NuttyFluffers]

85. wonderful news!

now we just need to make the republican base see the light by repeating NAFTA, NAFTA, NAFTA!

[a kennedy]

90. Here's how the vote went down for each Senator:

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=114&session=1&vote=00176

Booker (D-NJ Not Voting

Carper (D-DE) Yea

[d_legendary1]

112. Glad to see Bill Nelson (D-FL) voted against it

And Marco "Dry Martinez" Rubio wasn't around to vote.

[treestar]

92. I'm not shallow but the voters are

Neither of those two could ever be President.

[I hate liars]

93. Lots of TPA supporters flipped for optics, but that's still a win...

I contacted Sens Bennett and Gardner a couple of weeks ago, urging both to vote against fast-track authority.

Both replied with the usual pablum about free trade and new jobs (cough). I sent a reply back to Bennett pointing out that those of use who are paying attention know that neither consequence is likely. Gardner is a complete tool, so I did not reply to his office.

So I was surprised that Bennett voted against cloture yesterday. I doubt he's changed his mind on TPA, but believe he's seen enough backlash from Coloradans to realize that he needs to allow debate.

That's a minor victory, because it gives us more time to turn the heat up higher!

[blackspade]

101. Excellent.

[Babel_17]

110. This was a well earned, and very important, victory

I'm impressed by it, there was a lot of weight behind the proponents for fast tracking it.

[n2doc]

111. Shame it was only an illusion

The corporate-Dems caved in faster than a pile of wet sand.

[Autumn]

114. And good ole Harry pulled our victory from the jaws of defeat.

Hell of a guy.

[arely staircase]

116. what's that you say? nt