Fallout from Trans-Pacific Partnership leak, 'fast-track' opposition in U.S. [View all]

[JohnyCanuck]

A TPP cluster bomb dropped in Obama's lap this week. Here's what blew up in his face.

First, nearly half of House members have written the U.S. President "signaling their opposition to granting so-called fast-track authority that would make any agreement immune to a Senate filibuster and not subject to amendment," writes the New York Times, adding, "No major trade pact has been approved by Congress in recent decades without such authority."

That included a letter from 151 Democrats, 22 Republicans, 12 House Ways and Means committee Democrats and six moderate Republicans.

"For some time, members of Congress have urged your administration to engage in broader and deeper consultations with members of the full range of committees of Congress whose jurisdiction touches on the numerous issues being negotiated," says the first letter signed by Democrats. "Many have raised concerns relating to reports about the agreement's proposed content…Twentieth Century "Fast Track" is simply not appropriate for 21st Century agreements and must be replaced. The United States cannot afford another trade agreement that replicates the mistakes of the past. We can and must do better."

How could this affect the TPP negotiations? NYTimes thinks "getting both houses of Congress to agree to the final deal might be close to impossible without the fast-track authority." Impossible isn't always a nice word. In this case, it sounds pretty good.

http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/council-canadians/2013/11/fallout-trans-pacific-partnership-leak-fast-track-oppositio