Thinking about the TPP. FDR regarding tariffs:

[pampango]

29. That was pretty quick going from "completely abandon any and all trade deals with nations that do

not have a similar or greater living standards" to "We do not want another trade deal. Period." Regardless of living standards, I assume.

And this is premised on the belief that there is no such thing as a good international agreement or trade deal? Does this mean we abandon all international climate change international negotiations because they cannot, by definition, be good? After all, past ones have not worked.

Trade is a miniscule part of our economy compared to what it is in really progressive countries. Imports are 13% of our economy; 34% of Germany's economy. Guess which country has higher wages and stronger unions, middle class and safety net. If trade deals are so bad how is that even possible?

The TPP is an opportunity to inject labor/human rights and environmental standards into trade rules. While those standards are in the guidelines that Obama set for the negotiations, I am skeptical that there will be enforceable standards in the final draft. If they are not in there, the TPP is, as Krugman states, "no big deal" and should be shot down.

Again, I don't see Obama getting fast track authority from a republican congress because that would keep the republican majority from being able to delete any liberal provisions in the TPP and add in any conservative ones they want. And there are a lot of Democrats in congress that don't want him to have fast track authority either.