A left hook: Bernie Sanders criticizes Hillary Clinton on trade deal

[Omaha Steve]

Because it is in the Washington Times I didn't post this in LBN or GD.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/may/17/a-left-hook-bernie-sanders-criticizes-hillary-clin/

By S.A. Miller - The Washington Times - Sunday, May 17, 2015
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernard Sanders on Sunday jabbed rival Hillary Rodham Clinton for remaining silent on a major trade deal that is a top priority of President Obama but is fiercely opposed by the left and is in jeopardy in Congress.

Mr. Sanders, a Vermont senator who proudly calls himself a socialist and is the only declared challenger to Mrs. Clinton for the Democratic nomination, has led the effort to nix the 12-country trade deal with Pacific Rim countries.

“You can’t be on the fence on this one. You are either for it or you’re against it,” Mr. Sanders said, referring to Mrs. Clinton during an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

“No fence-sitting on this one,” he declared.

FULL story at link.

[L0oniX]

1. Boomfph Bif Pow Zing

[Phlem]

2. Really all he needs is air time.

He just needs to talk. Every time he gets behind the microphone he just lays it out plain and simple. He needs more exposure. and you know they're going to try and prevent that. Can't wait till he debates Hillary.

[FlatBaroque]

4. Little debate factoid I read about

The DNC negotiated a debate structure that essentially says that if a candidate debates in any forum other than the DNC's, they are not eligible to participate in the debates.

The DNC will also introduce an “exclusivity clause” which would ban candidates from official debates if they appeared in ones which it had not sanctioned.

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/may/07/democratic-national-committee-didnt-act-in-good-faith-over-primary-debate-limit

[Phlem]

8. WTF!

That's some F*d up bullshit. It never ends does it?

[Enthusiast]

32. The bullshit never ends.

They have big plans, the suppliers of never ending bullshit.

[bvar22]

27. The last Presidential Debates we had in this country...

...were moderated by the League of Women Voters. They quit in the 80s because of this kind of BS from both Parties.

Control of the presidential debates has been a ground of struggle for more than two decades. The role was filled by the nonpartisan League of Women Voters (LWV) civic organization in 1976, 1980 and 1984. In 1987, the LWV withdrew from debate sponsorship, in protest of the major party candidates attempting to dictate nearly every aspect of how the debates were conducted. On October 2, 1988, the LWV's 14 trustees voted unanimously to pull out of the debates, and on October 3 they issued a press release:

"The League of Women Voters is withdrawing sponsorship of the presidential debates...because the demands of the two campaign organizations would perpetrate a fraud on the American voter. It has become clear to us that the candidates' organizations aim to add debates to their list of campaign-trail charades devoid of substance, spontaneity and answers to tough questions. The League has no intention of becoming an accessory to the hoodwinking of the American public."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election_debates

Repeating:
It has become clear to us that the candidates' organizations aim to add debates to their list of campaign-trail charades devoid of substance, spontaneity and answers to tough questions. The League has no intention of becoming an accessory to the hoodwinking of the American public.


Hillary will have the Corporate Backing in the TV debates.
They will do the same thing to Bernie that they did to Kucinich.

[NYC_SKP]

28. for some reason I don't think Sanders will roll over as easily as Kucinich did.

And it's beginning to look like the media is loving the David v Goliath angle of this battle.

Hillary is a lightweight in terms of substance, she won't hold up in a debate.

Six is not enough, I would hope that Bernie and/or media giants can "invite them to a discussion", Bernie will show, Hillary will balk or insist on specific terms.

This is going to be interesting.

[merrily]

40. A book was written about this subject.

http://www.amazon.com/Presidential-Debates-Professor-Alan-Schroeder/dp/0231114001

[FlatBaroque]

3. these unfair attacks on Hillary must stop

otherwise we are all Republicans.

[merrily]

41. Too late. We've all admitted to being Republicans--except for the posters who actually are.

Now, we can post whatever we want.

It's very freeing not to give a rat's turd which lies get told about you.

[Hoyt]

5. Clinton has clearly commented on the TPP, laying out specific goals it must meet for

her support.

It's much better than Sanders' stretching the truth to attract support.

[smokey nj]

6. You trolling a safe haven for supporters of Bernie Sanders.

[MissDeeds]

7. Go away

You and your fabrications aren't welcome here.

[daleanime]

9. Let'em straddle the fence....

he reminds me of some one.

[MissDeeds]

11. Ha! Good one

[George II]

18. This is an OP that appears on the DU Home Page - people should be allowed to respond to it....

....without being attacked.

Otherwise it should not be on the DU Home Page!

[MissDeeds]

22. It clearly says "Bernie Sanders"

Which means it is a post in the Sanders group. The rules apply. Numerous posts appear on the home page, but they are posted under the heading of the various groups or forums.

[smokey nj]

24. That post IS NOT appropriate in the Bernie Sanders Group.

Do you think a post calling Hillary dishonest would be allowed to stand in the Hillary Clinton group?

[George II]

25. Once again - it was on the HOME PAGE of DU with NO mention of the "group" it was it.

[smokey nj]

26. That doesn't change the fact that the post is in a safe haven.

[merrily]

36. Make that comment in the Admin forum. We have no control over what appears on the home

page, or anywhere on the DU site. No group does. Yet, each group, including this one, is a safe haven and we can control that to a degree, by blocking people who post other than in support of Bernie Sanders' candidacy for the Presidency.

Please stop disrupting the discussion.

[Omaha Steve]

29. So she is against it until we common little folks get to see it?

That is the first thing she should say.

[Omaha Steve]

33. WSJ: Mrs. Clinton has maintained steadfast neutrality

http://www.wsj.com/articles/labor-gives-clinton-room-to-maneuver-on-trade-talks-1431906204

By LAURA MECKLER and MELANIE TROTTMAN
Updated May 17, 2015 7:46 p.m. ET

Snip: But in recent weeks, as the Trans-Pacific Partnership took center stage in the Senate and opened schisms within the Democratic Party, Mrs. Clinton has maintained steadfast neutrality. She issued one statement and answered one question on the matter. In neither case did she pick a side.

“Any trade deal has to produce jobs and raise wages and increase prosperity and protect our security,” she told reporters in New Hampshire last month. “We have to do our part in making sure we have the capabilities and the skills to be competitive.”

[merrily]

35. She was not exactly steadfastly neutral in the past, though.

Clinton has been all over the place on trade. She supported NAFTA when her husband was president. In her 2008 campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, she promised to renegotiate it. As senator, she supported Bush’s trade deals with South Korea, Colombia and Panama. But she opposed the Central American Free Trade Agreement in 2005.

As secretary of state, she praised the Trans-Pacific Partnership, writing in 2011, “Our hope is that a TPP agreement with high standards can serve as a benchmark for future agreements.” She says she believes in the principle of free trade but wants Washington to be a tougher negotiator. “I believe in smart trade,” Clinton says, “pro-American trade.”

But this decision doesn’t allow a nuanced position. You have to be either for it or against it. The best outcome for Clinton would be to come out against it to protect herself politically. And then hope it passes.

http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/2015/04/20/the-looming-threat-to-hillary-clintons-2016-campaign/

However, as Secretary of State, she was part of the negotiating team for the deal, calling it the “gold standard” of trade agreements. In a statement she gave in the summer of 2012, she said the agreement would “benefit” the United States. Watch it:

more, including video, at http://web.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/while-hillary-was-secretary-state-foreign-corporations-favor-tpp-paid-bill-over

[Omaha Steve]

37. Agree

It was aimed at Hoyt up thread.

[merrily]

38. I have no clue why he is posting in the Bernie Sanders Group in the first place.

I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt and say he wandered in from Latest Threads or Greatest Threads or something of that kind.

May I go OT and say how thrilled and delighted I am to see you posting? Cause I am.

[Omaha Steve]

42. It was in trending now at the time

So it was fair to reply.

Thanks for the kind words. I actually have had a bad cold since Friday night. But a cold is nothing compared to my other problems.

OS

[merrily]

43. Much love to you.

[merrily]

34. This is the Bernie Sanders Group. Please delete your post.

[daleanime]

10. Actually, to me, seems like he calling out a lot of people....

no need to single any one out of the herd.

[whereisjustice]

12. Clinton is going to pay her debt to Wall Street by selling them the souls of the middle class

That will be the ultimate price of her presidency.

[cantbeserious]

13. ^^^ THIS ^^^

eom

[Populist_Prole]

14. Wedge issue, wedge issue, wedge issue.

I love it. we'll see who the real ( economic ) populist is.

Plus, the republicans are FOR this. Hell-llo! Anyone home McFly?

[PatrynXX]

15. I find it anti american

that corporations are allowed full access to this but Congress is not conservative party or liberal party

[Thespian2]

16. First

Bernie is a Democratic Socialist...different from "socialist"...

Bernie is not attacking HRC, just stating the truth...

[jwirr]

17. I noticed that also. The Press needs education.

[Thespian2]

19. Too late

for the Washington Times...Truth has been banned from the building...

[jwirr]

23. LOL

[merrily]

39. Either that, or they don't need a dog whistle.

[sadoldgirl]

20. Bernie is telling the truth without

the unnecessary explanation for her fence sitting:
If she turns against the TPP, she will offend her donors,
if she is for it, she will be accused to vote with the
Repugs.
Thus she waits for the TPP to become a fact, so that
she may mildly criticize it, and may disclaim any
responsibility for it. A usual Clinton trick, showing
politics, instead of policy.

[Enthusiast]

31. You have it exactly right.

[merrily]

44. She is already on record.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12806906#post35

[madfloridian]

21. Just posted the video in GD

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026685757

[Enthusiast]

30. It's a fact. You can't be on the fence on this one.

Bernie is right on on this one too.

If you want to see your standard of living plummet support the TPP.

Either Hillary is for the TPP or she isn't.

I won't vote for a candidate that supports it.