Kudos to Hillary. She has thrown a wrench in the push for TPP passage this year

[cali]

And she's committed firmly to opposing it and revamping how we approach trade. She hasn't left herself much wriggle room. Some of you know how important I think this issue is. I've posted here about it for many years. I don't understand her "evolution" on this, mainly because she's given us no explanation for it, but I'm quite happy about this.


Clinton Commits: No TPP, Fundamentally Rethink Trade Policies

Going into the West Virginia primary, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has come out in opposition to a “lame duck” vote on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). This takes her beyond her previous statements mildly opposing TPP. Clinton also made a strong statement criticizing our country’s trade agreements in general.

As reported in The Hill, in “Clinton opposes TPP vote in the lame-duck session,” Clinton replied to a questionnaire from the Oregon Fair Trade Campaign, which consists of more than 25 labor, environmental and human rights organizations. When asked, “If elected President, would you oppose holding a vote on the TPP during the ‘lame duck’ session before you take office?” she replied, “I have said I oppose the TPP agreement — and that means before and after the election.”

There has been concern that TPP will come up for a vote in the lame-duck session of Congress after the election, and before the next Congress is sworn in. This special session enables votes with little accountability to the public. Members who have been voted out can vote in ways that help them get lobbying jobs and members who were re-elected with corporate money can reward their donors.

A statement from the Oregon Fair Trade Campaign describing Clinton’s responses, explains the importance of Clinton opposing a “lame duck” vote,

“The Democratic candidates agree that attempting to sneak the TPP through during lame duck is completely and totally inappropriate,” said Michael Shannon, director of the Oregon Fair Trade Campaign. “Popular opposition to job-killing trade agreements is at an all time high. The votes clearly do not exist to pass the TPP before the election, and TPP proponents’ plan to try to get just-voted-out-of-office, looking-for-corporate-lobby-work Congress members to rubber stamp it after the election is something that more-and-more politicians are speaking out against.”

The Washington Post explains, in “Clinton does not back Obama trade vote in postelection congressional session,” that this will make it more difficult for President Obama to push TPP through the lame-duck session:

<snip>
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dave-johnson/clinton-commits-no-tpp-fu_b_9887124.html

[A Little Weird]

1. Good on her

[seabeyond]

2. From what I have seen on this issue, she never supported it. Others gave her that position. Clinton

Did not. She voted on one trade, CAFTA and voted against it. Instead of others ignoring her and fabricating position, we will actually see what she does. Like saying pro Wall Street when she was the one coming up with viable plan in '07.

[seabeyond]

17. Right back atcha dude.

[timmymoff]

22. again 50 times she touted it as gold standard

[seabeyond]

28. Wtf, .... evah.

[all american girl]

34. Timmy, that's when she was SOS...working for the President who wanted this...

and I'm not sure if you know, but one State's job in encouraging trade between us and other countries. This is actually a very important part of their job.

[lagomorph777]

52. OK so her previous position doesn't count as a previous position

Just so I can keep it straight in my head.

I am very happy to hear her current position is healthier though!

[all american girl]

55. Her privious position was work for at the pleasure of the President

it doesn't mean it was her views, but his, that's how this works. And YEAH!!! we agree!!!

[lagomorph777]

56. I'll buy that without complaint

[all american girl]

57. right back at you

[cherokeeprogressive]

37. Others gave her that position? Put words into her mouth that came out when she opened it?

"This TPP sets the gold standard in trade agreements..."

"Here are some of the other words Clinton used to describe the TPP before she left the State Department in 2013: "exciting," "innovative," "ambitious," "groundbreaking," "cutting-edge," "high-quality" and "high-standard." (To read more of her comments in full, check out our previous article on this subject.)"

Your claim that "Others gave her that position." makes me giggle my ass off. You are almost always at the very least coherent in your defense/support of Hillary, but this is Hillaryous. It pretty much exemplifies the Hillary Tunnel Vision fortified with blinders we're used to seeing from the Hillary supporters.

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2015/oct/13/hillary-clinton/what-hillary-clinton-really-said-about-tpp-and-gol/

[seabeyond]

47. While working for Obama as opposed to after, running her campaign, independent of responsiblity

supporting the Presidents agenda.

[cherokeeprogressive]

49. I hope you stretch before you undertake to contort yourself like that.

I'd hate to see you pull a muscle while trying to assume a pretzel shape.

[seabeyond]

59. It really is not a tough concept. Whether Biden, Clinton or another, working Obama's agenda. Hence,

why Sanders would be a failure at being VP and should never be giventhe opportunity. It is not his white house, it is the President, elected white house, working their agenda, not ones own.

No pretzaling to be had. Not tough to understand unless purposely refusing to, which is often the argument and attack toward Clinton .

[Skwmom]

3. Wow, that is SO convincing.

But what is even more convincing is she ran against one trade agreement in 2008 and pushed for it when she was SOS.

And therein lies the problem when people do not believe a word that you say...

[dsc]

10. she did her job as Secretary of State

she was loyal to her boss, that is the way it works.

[islandmkl]

25. everybody has their price...and you can lead with your convictions

or follow the leader...

just a job, right?

[dsc]

30. Her job was to execute his policies

which is what she did. Funny no one has such problems with say Kerry, who is all for TPP but when there was the thought he might run everyone who hates Hillary was all for him. Same with Biden. No only the evil Hillary is not permitted to actually execute other people's policies.

[Fawke Em]

33. That's simply not true.

I had to hold my nose to vote for Kerry in 2004 and I'm not a fan of Biden (student loans can't be bankrupted, crime bill, Anita Hill, etc.).

It's not that we're "anti-Hillary," it's that we're tired of milquetoast Democrats who poo-poo liberalism.

[Silver_Witch]

53. This!!! Standing ovation!

[dsc]

72. It isn't true of every single one

but frankly it is true of a heck of a lot.

[islandmkl]

45. Kerry?...is this 2004?...Biden?...is he running now?

and history is full of people whose disclaimer is 'executing other people's policies..' or ' just following orders...'

is there no line that one can cross to exhibit the strength of the their OWN convictions...??

is one objects morally, philosophically, etc. with the direction they are asked to go...how strong are their convictions if they only 'object' and then proceed to stay in the position and perform the tasks...?

like stated above...history is full of people who did what they were told...and also full of people who refused, who removed themselves (or were removed) from the responsibility, and though the action was carried out anyway by someone else, it wasn't because they caved in on their own moral compass...

'it would have happened, anyway...' is a coward's explanation...

[dsc]

50. there was a Kerry boomlet early on

when there was talk of her having no opponent and when people felt Bernie wouldn't do well. And there was a whole cart load of Biden talk.

[tk2kewl]

60. or in the case of Libya do your best to force his hand

[AgerolanAmerican]

26. except when invading Libya

then she was loyal to her donors

[all american girl]

35. I'm not sure, but I think a lot of people don't realize that this is part of State's job.

This is very frustrating that people don't understand what state does.

[Skwmom]

62. No, the problem is people are starting to realize just what in the hell is done at the State Dept.

[all american girl]

64. Yes they are....you do realize that state brings American businesses to other countries

meaning, our workers are selling things overseas....I knew someone who worked for a Wisconsin cheese company, selling their cheese to Denmark...that's hard, because damn, we have great cheeses over here. It may not mean much to some people, but to Wisconsin cheese workers, it was an awesome thing.

[Skwmom]

65. Aka look over here at this little bit of positive and IGNORE everything else. It's a smokescreen.

[all american girl]

67. Not sure what you are saying...sorry, can you be clearer

[arcane1]

71. Loyal to her boss, not to her principles or to American workers.

Not the kind of person I want running things.

[GreenPartyVoter]

4. I'll believe it when I see it.

[cali]

5. You've seen it. She opposes passage this year. That in itself is a big deal

Don't take my word for it. Dave Johnson is one of the preeminent anti-TPP activists anywhere.

[GreenPartyVoter]

8. Note the modifier, "this year." Great. Obama won't pass it, but she still might. This is still

about getting votes from the Left, in my book. What she says and does when not campaigning carries more weight with me.

[Skwmom]

9. She is still angry OC wasn't called Hillarycare so he's not going to get credit for the TPP when she

was the one promoting it.

[seabeyond]

13. Bullshit.

[all american girl]

36. Just stop it, it makes you look petty when you say things like that.

[Skwmom]

61. How many times as she brought up it was called Hillarycare? Lots.

[all american girl]

63. Yes, because we won't have Obamacare if it wasn't for her taking on the ugly republican.

[Skwmom]

66. Yeah, nothing like giving a corporation captive consumers.

[all american girl]

68. Believe me, in the 1990's,

I knew we couldn't do what Scandinavian did...we are so diverse and so much larger...after living in Denmark, I do know it. Most of it's great, but there are some problems that many Americans would have issues with...I personally think they are fools, but I do know it's true.

[Skwmom]

69. The Current System: Consumer costs get ever higher, quality of care decreases. What a hell of a

system.

[all american girl]

70. Yes, that is so right. But I believe we can we can take the best form everything

and make it work...Germany isn't like Denmark, and Denmark has it's issues...it's way better than us, but I don't think we can make Denmark's system in the US... we can improve with what we have, just like we did with Social Security.

[Skwmom]

74. Our current system is a MASSIVE fiscal problem. It needs to be scrapped for a MORE COST effective

system.

[all american girl]

75. Even Denmark thinks we shouldn't do this

[Fairgo]

76. That , I think, is the key

I hate to be a pessimist, but it looks like she wants to pull the trigger. She can leverage a lot of money & power from the multinational cabal in the negotiations. I will stand by this and apologise if I am proven wrong.

This is the core problem with her. I want to believe, but I know she is a liar, and I am not a fool.

[GreenPartyVoter]

77. Exactly. I won't hold my breath that she has changed her ways.

[Eric J in MN]

6. If she really opposed the TPP

...then she'd be making pubic speeches urging her endorsers in Congress to vote against it.

Not just giving a good answer on a survey.

[dana_b]

7. +1

We need proof (actions), not just words.

[Tom Rinaldo]

32. The "proof" will be if it doesn't come up in a lame duck session

I think it is more her style to pressure other Democrats directly more so than in the press. She plays an insider game. There is no way TPP can pass if Hillary becomes President Elect and actively opposes it passing. I find this development encouraging but not as yet conclusive.

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

11. Awesome! Thank you Bernie, again!

[seabeyond]

15. Clinton has been true to her position and what she has said on it. All Sanders has done

is ignore what she says and falsely attribute shit to her to have an attack tool.

[cali]

20. Bullshit. And Hillary strongly endorsed the TPP after she left state.

I give her credit for doing a 180. And that is precisely what she's done.

Oh, and no way you know a fraction as much about it as Johnson

[seabeyond]

29. Bullshit, right back atcha. It is what I was hearing as you all were swearing up and down she

was for it without evidence, further presentation she held a different view. I cannot help it that you all are fooled with false fabrications of her to only find yourself now having to own that was never her position. Difference between listening, and not.

That being said, Thanks for the OP.

[leeroysphitz]

12. Yeah, until she SIGNS it next year. n/t

[timmymoff]

14. Fact of the matter is this is the second bit of wiggle room provided

First one being " I wouldn't sign it in its present form" Second one " not this year" she fools nobody but her supporters who are easily fooled anyway.

[cali]

18. Read the article. She left herself virtually no wriggle room on it.

I emphasized the this year because that has a real effect.

I advise anyone opposed to the TPP and our current trade policies to follow Johnson.

[timmymoff]

19. again I emphasized the two things she stated for wiggle room

one during a debate or town hall.. thw other from this article. All hinges on whether she can keep her word, which we kind of should know better to believe.

[cali]

21. Please quote where in this article, she leaves any wriggle room.

[timmymoff]

23. In your post my mistake

you can trust her, I've been lied to enough by her and her ilk.

[Bluenorthwest]

24. This is an area in which Hillary is in fact often misunderstood. We have Democrats who are free

trade hawks and although DU likes to deem Hillary to be one such Democrat her actual voting record is like her voting record often is, more down the middle.
You and I have talked about this once or twice over the months. I've got Ron Wyden as a Senator, he is much more consistently and actively pro free trade than Hillary is. She has voted both for and against FTAs. Ron has only voted for them. Several other Senators share Ron's full support of such agreements. On the other end of that spectrum is Bernie, who is opposed to them all. Hillary is neither like Ron nor like Bernie. She's somewhere in between. That can be characterized in the positive or the negative, but fact is, she's in the middle.

[Orsino]

27. I like the sound of that.

I hope she's not just expecting it to pass before Inauguration.

If this is sincere, it's the sort of flip-flop we've absolutely needed.

[Armstead]

31. Cali,cali,cali....You're believing her.

I'm pretty certain if she is elected, Clinton will insist that the phrase "We promise to behave" be inserted into the TPP (and its just as bad European ocunterpart)....... and then she'll say "Well we fixed it. Now I support it" and ram it through Congress.

[cali]

38. No, I'm nothing that her opposition to a vote this year

has already made a difference. Or more accurately, I'm believing Dave Johnson.

[Armstead]

39. Maybe I'm too cynical but I think TPP is a done deal

I would not be surprised of there were an "understanding" between her and the WH, that she has to be "against" it during the election, but once in office will do some symbolic tweaks and then get back to ramming it through Congress.

But maybe I'm wrong. Time will tell.

[cali]

41. I don't. I've recently regained some hope that it won't pass.

[Armstead]

43. I hope you're correct....I would prefer to be pleasantly surprised

Also look at the European deal on the horizon...Not as much visibility just as bad or worse

[cali]

46. I think the TTIP really is almost unrevivable.

[KoKo]

40. Obama wants the TPP passed for his Legacy...it will happen after the election....

There is a very strong possibility it gets voted through in one of those Midnight Sessions after the election is decided when few people are looking. So, whether Hillary threw a monkey wrench in it or not, it won't matter if after the election in the "Lame Duck" session it is passed even if only by one vote or two.

Whether Hillary or Trump are elected it won't matter because it can pass on Obama's watch and they won't get the blame.

I do know that Citizens Groups are not letting up and hopefully will be alerted when Congress tries to pull one of those secret Fast Votes at Midnight.

[BootinUp]

42. She will win you over on other issues too, I predict. nt

[brewens]

44. Steal the Bern! Good, but that's all it amounts to. She'll do what she was paid to do

anyway.

[JPnoodleman]

48. If she can keep her word, she could win my vote in November. n/t

[Silver_Witch]

51. This means it will definitely pass in the lame duck session!

That way she can shrug her shoulders and not have to take responsibility for it passing. Clever c!ever politicians.

I don't believe Mrs. Clinton for one moment. After all she help build the TPP and called it the gold standard. Now she has "evolve". Not likely!

[amborin]

54. She has ZERO credibility: she promised NO Colombia FTA, then Lobbied & Voted FOR it

[Katashi_itto]

58. She's gotta get ready for TPP 2.0 you know.

[lumberjack_jeff]

73. Whew. We can all rest now, knowing that her views on this topic won't evolve in the future.

Because surely Clinton wouldn't bullshit us to assure election, would she?