No. 4 House Democrat Says Obama Doesn’t Have Trade Votes
Source: Bloomberg Business
The president has sought the trade promotion authority legislation, largely backed by Republicans, to help him close a 12-nation deal called the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
By Kathleen Miller
President Barack Obama doesnt have the votes at this point to win U.S. House passage of legislation that would expedite approval of trade accords, a Democratic leader in the chamber said.
Obama has sought the trade-promotion authority legislation, largely backed by Republicans, to help him close a 12-nation deal called the Trans-Pacific Partnership and submit it to Congress for expedited passage without amendments.
Does the president have the votes? Id say at this stage he does not, Representative Xavier Becerra of California, the fourth-ranking House Democrat, said Thursday at a meeting with Bloomberg reporters and editors. I think its more a matter of: Can Republicans gather Republican votes?
Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-05-21/no-4-house-democrat-says-obama-doesn-t-have-trade-bill-votes
leftofcool
(19,460 posts)Thing that bothers me the most about TPP is the loss of national sovereignty to supranational corporations.
arcane1
(38,613 posts)We're in la-la land
MosheFeingold
(3,051 posts)Most Democrat Elite and Republican Elite are just in it for themselves and their cronies.
The rare honest ones get ground up and spit out.
Populist_Prole
(5,364 posts)Then had the balls to crow of the public support mandate he had in passing it when it came to later pushing GATT
Best government money can buy.
FBaggins
(26,695 posts)A sufficient number of Republicans are playing hard to get so that the whip count requires Obama to strong-arm Democrats into voting in a way that could hurt them.
FlatBaroque
(3,160 posts)Or, when it comes vote time, the Dem leadership will evaluate who needs to vote no for re-election purposes, and some designated reps will cast the needed yes votes. EVERYTHING IN THE CESSPOOL THAT IS WASHINGTON DC IS STAGE MANAGED.
CentralMass
(15,265 posts)Javaman
(62,439 posts)I prefer Kabuki theater.
Pah-tay-to Pah-tah-to
I saw the collusion first hand when I worked in DC law firms in the 90s. The legislation that is passed? It is drafted at the law firms for their clients (vis a vis the associations - lobbyist groups). When they are happy with the language they send it up to the Hill, often after hours. It gets marked up, goes back and forth a few times, and then becomes law.
Robbins
(5,066 posts)Just like in senate the corporists will fall In line.
Doctor_J
(36,392 posts)Well, I cast my first vote for a (D) in 1978, and continued right on through 2014, but I don't see the point any more. Frankly I don't give a shit about abortion, gay rights will not be stopped by the Repukes now that Fox News is on board. Obama and Clinton are almost indistinguishable from Reagan and the Bush families on economic issues. In practical terms voting D right now is functionally useless.
I had been voting every election from 1992 to 2014 for dems now little reason to.obama and many in congress have sold out who voted for them.We were all idiots to support obama in first place.
if bernie sanders loses nomination i am not voting in 2016.That will prove there is only the corporate party.