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Travelman

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64. Everything I need to know about TPP, I learned from Elizabeth Warren

Tue May 12, 2015, 01:56 AM

May 2015

I'm not even really any sort of Warren "fan;" not that I dislike her, just that she doesn't "wow" me like she does some folks. Nothing wrong with that either way; everyone has their buttons, if you will.

But on this one, she nailed it right to the wall. To paraphrase: "If TPP is so great, then why can't we see what's in it?"

I'm not really a "trade protectionist," though I do think that we need to be concentrating on creating some AMERICAN jobs for a change. A big part of my daily work involves people engaging in international trade. And, it's a bit hypocritical for any of us to rest upon our American laurels and laud American jobs while we simultaneously excoriate poor working conditions in Bangledesh or whatever; either we want to improve the human condition around the globe or not, and moving some Bangledeshi (?) worker from 18¢/day to $3/day* makes a HUGE difference in their living conditions, even if that's still slave wages by our standards.

But We the People are supposed to have a say in these things, and it sure as shit seems to me like We're being circumvented here.

*not actual figures; please don't anyone start decrying my numbers as somehow being "wrong;" the point is that there's still a huge difference from what was to what is. It's going from "sucks" to "sucks less," but at least it's improvement.

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It isn't about education or competitiveness. TPP is about shipping jobs to Vietnam - $5/day. [View all] whereisjustice May 2015 OP

The carrot is the 'Hope' you'll be a billionaire someday. Octafish May 2015 #1

More of a carrot seed, than a carrot. Baitball Blogger May 2015 #4

More like an iron rod in the shape and color of a carrot meow2u3 May 2015 #9

no, it's a tiny animated gif of a carrot corkhead May 2015 #32

Perfect BrotherIvan May 2015 #43

Well that or you'll get a special level in heaven. TBF May 2015 #39

no offense, but it's about a HUGE amount more than that. cali May 2015 #2

And all as real as a cheap imported clothing..... daleanime May 2015 #11

This message was self-deleted by its author Hoyt May 2015 #30

The job loss is probably the thing we can use TBF May 2015 #40

It's a racket that affects every class level. Baitball Blogger May 2015 #3

The excuse means that our skilled students won't work for peanuts. WinkyDink May 2015 #6

But that excuse won't pass muster with the H1B Visas will it? Baitball Blogger May 2015 #7

Yet your points are belied by the fact that foreign students flock here to study in our JDPriestly May 2015 #16

Definitely, money is to be had in the construction business. Baitball Blogger May 2015 #18

Thank you. I have also made this point, yet we are forcing school systems to spend millions whereisjustice May 2015 #58

Exactly. Why anyone thought that globalization was meant to raise the world's salaries and bene- WinkyDink May 2015 #5

The idea of "free" trade, globalization and laissez-faire economics fasttense May 2015 #10

For the bottom 75% incomes have risen dramatically in the last 25 years. That is a good thing. pampango May 2015 #26

Sady, the only voters with the power to address this Nevernose May 2015 #47

Remember-America's poor are the envy packman May 2015 #8

The goal is to force Americans to accept a MUCH lower standard of living through any means possible. Enthusiast May 2015 #12

While very wealthy people move the "profits" around and gamble on where they will be safe. JDPriestly May 2015 #17

President Obama has surrounded himself with people giving him bad advice. Enthusiast May 2015 #27

It's just another tool in the long running project hifiguy May 2015 #44

Well I don't like it. Enthusiast May 2015 #63

Vietnam where have I heard that before? gordianot May 2015 #13

They really are hanging us with the rope (jobs) we give them. whereisjustice May 2015 #56

Wow 1776 posts appropriate. gordianot May 2015 #57

I agree, but it ain't just the billionaires. raouldukelives May 2015 #14

But if you want to know how the economy is doing here at home, don't look at the stock JDPriestly May 2015 #19

It's about developing new markets and securing our future. Hoyt May 2015 #15

And the Brookings Institute has seen the agreement while congressional aides and the rest JDPriestly May 2015 #22

The Brookings Institute just another propaganda tool of the free-traders. Enthusiast May 2015 #29

See how much the poor or anyone else makes trading among ourselves or working for small companies. Hoyt May 2015 #31

So let the large companies produce the products they sell in the US in the US. JDPriestly May 2015 #33

Nope Detroit producing crummy, high priced, gas gussling cars destroyed Detroit. Hoyt May 2015 #35

You won't be able to buy anything if the US continues to allow jobs to be exported. JDPriestly May 2015 #36

Personally, I think we got a little ahead of ourselves on the standard of living thing. Hoyt May 2015 #37

That's your opinion. Based on the many years that I have watched free trade in our society, JDPriestly May 2015 #38

No, the trade deficit does not represent lost jobs. That's simplistic. Hoyt May 2015 #41

In short, free trade and the TPP and TPIP are about making human beings and their JDPriestly May 2015 #23

Actually that's what capitalism does BainsBane May 2015 #52

You work to get paid. JDPriestly May 2015 #53

Okay, that seems reasonable BainsBane May 2015 #54

I've always liked to work even when I was washing dishes at a pizza place. JDPriestly May 2015 #61

A strong work ethic is admirable BainsBane May 2015 #62

The dishwasher does not interact with people. JDPriestly May 2015 #65

the only people pimping this garbage are the ones who will benefit from it Skittles May 2015 #66

At last you understand the problem. sulphurdunn May 2015 #24

The governments, and people that vote for them, seem satisfied. Hoyt May 2015 #42

I vote for some of those who make decisions sulphurdunn May 2015 #46

Most of the people against it wouldn't read it if were right in front of them. Hoyt May 2015 #48

Most of the people who support it would read it? sulphurdunn May 2015 #49

TPP is an improved NAFTA, especially in the areas critics gripe about. Hoyt May 2015 #50

That's the problem. sulphurdunn May 2015 #67

If all that these posts can do is to show what's in these agreements before erronis May 2015 #20

+ a million! Thank you! And they can't wait for TPP in Vietnam... RiverLover May 2015 #21

The propaganda says we are against 'equal opportunities' for the people of third world sabrina 1 May 2015 #25

That is what Ross Perot said in the 1992 Presidential Debate with Bill Clinton: bvar22 May 2015 #34

As nutty as Perot could be about some things hifiguy May 2015 #45

Wow, he was so right! He answered my question and now we have the sabrina 1 May 2015 #60

isn't tpp much the same as open borders? DeadEyeDyck May 2015 #28

That could be, but those jobs are going there BainsBane May 2015 #51

It is more about no defenses left to protect natural resources or nature....at all. glinda May 2015 #55

It's all these things, the jobs go to Asia because if you go to urban area in China you will whereisjustice May 2015 #59

Everything I need to know about TPP, I learned from Elizabeth Warren Travelman May 2015 #64