Problems mount for White House in push for Trans-Pacific trade pact

[unhappycamper]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/14/us-usa-trade-idUSBRE9AC1AE20131114



U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew speaks at Center for American Progress 10th Anniversary policy forum in Washington, October 24, 2013.

Problems mount for White House in push for Trans-Pacific trade pact
By Elvina Nawaguna
WASHINGTON Wed Nov 13, 2013 8:41pm EST

(Reuters) - A White House push for a freer hand to clinch trade deals ran into a roadblock on Wednesday as two-thirds of Democrats in the House of Representatives stated their opposition, complicating efforts to finalize a pact with 11 Pacific Rim countries.

Obama administration officials have argued that Trade Promotion Authority, which would prevent Congress from amending trade deals, is needed to assure trade partners that any agreements will not be reopened. Without it, securing trade deals becomes more difficult.

In a letter to President Barack Obama, 151 House Democrats said there had not been enough consultation between the administration and Congress over the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP pact.

"Given our concerns, we will oppose 'fast track' Trade Promotion Authority or any other mechanism delegating Congress' constitutional authority over trade policy that continues to exclude us from having a meaningful role in the formative stages of trade agreements and throughout negotiating and approval processes," the lawmakers said.

[Demeter]

1. Discretion is the better part of valor

The WH should quit while it's ahead...they don't need yet another public slapdown, but if they persist in carrying water for the Corporate Elite, they will get what they deserve. And more.

Trade agreements should ALWAYS be negotiable. There are no guarantees in life, and things change.

We the People are not going to be enslaved to a bad, half-baked, exploitive policy. We already see what that kind of bargain did to Europe.