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kpete

(72,901 posts) Fri May 15, 2015, 02:45 PM May 2015

AFL-CIO chief: White House trade bill argument is ‘unadulterated horse waste’ [View all]

"If the president wins this fight, Democrats will be in the minority for a decade or so" on Capitol Hill, Trumka said during a hour-long conversation at The Washington Post's offices. If Obama is seeking to build on his legacy with the TPP, Trumka added, "it will be the wrong legacy."

In sometimes colorful and pugilistic language, Trumka also took direct aim at one of the administration's key arguments on the trade bill. Democrats have called for tough provisions aimed at limiting other nations from manipulating their currency to artificially boost exports to the United States.

White House officials, Trumka said, have said such a provision is a non-starter in part because it could expose the United States to punitive actions if the U.S. Treasury enacts quantitative easing to stimulate the economy.

"That’s just pure, unadulterated horse waste," Trumka said.

More:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2015/05/14/afl-cio-chief-white-house-trade-bill-argument-is-unadulterated-horse-waste/

79 replies

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AFL-CIO chief: White House trade bill argument is ‘unadulterated horse waste’ [View all] kpete May 2015 OP

"If the president wins this fight, Democrats will be in the minority for a decade or so" Cali_Democrat May 2015 #1

I think he's saying Democrats will have lost the support of union members daredtowork May 2015 #2

UNIONS have been one of the most dependable voting blocks... bvar22 May 2015 #6

+1 daleanime May 2015 #19

If the Democratic Party doesn't take the side of unions and American workers rhett o rick May 2015 #3

Those are strong words in a country where unions represent only 11.5% of workers. Hoyt May 2015 #4

The destruction of UNIONS is part of the Clinton/Obama legacy. bvar22 May 2015 #7

Whata they going to do, vote for Republicans? Besides, a big portion of those 11.5% are government Hoyt May 2015 #10

never mind... nadinbrzezinski May 2015 #12

You weren't paying attention in 2012 obviously. The Unions are not alone. sabrina 1 May 2015 #65

Yeah, if Democratic turnout dropped by 11%, that would do nothing! jeff47 May 2015 #9

Do you think union members are that stupid? I guess bully Trumka is going to convince them to sit Hoyt May 2015 #11

Yes, then Republicans would pass free trade deals. jeff47 May 2015 #13

The free trade deals don't affect near as many, if any, people as some want us to believe. Hoyt May 2015 #14

Yes, people having higher incomes have absolutely no effect on businesses selling more jeff47 May 2015 #15

I think lots of people like truck drivers, port workers, auto workers in states where foreign plants Hoyt May 2015 #17

You mean the much smaller number of people who got those jobs? jeff47 May 2015 #23

Even the wildest estimates of the impact of NAFTA was less than 1 million jobs, and the method of Hoyt May 2015 #24

Guess what! There's more free trade deals than NAFTA. jeff47 May 2015 #27

I know, USA first, even if we've taken more than our fair share of the world's wealth and resources. Hoyt May 2015 #37

This message was self-deleted by its author neverforget May 2015 #45

And yet ( again ) you direct your blame ( and utter contempt ) at the working class in the US Populist_Prole May 2015 #67

You had better give us some links to back up your wild claims. bvar22 May 2015 #16

Which claims would you like links for? If you have contradictory info, will be glad to read it. Hoyt May 2015 #20

Never mind again nadinbrzezinski May 2015 #18

Yep, the dozen or so area people I know who lost their manfacturing jobs Elwood P Dowd May 2015 #21

This message was self-deleted by its author ibewlu606 May 2015 #35

60,000 factories and 6 million jobs lost Dont call me Shirley May 2015 #52

Those folks take the trade deficit and multiple by 7 to 8000 jobs, assuming it represents stuff that Hoyt May 2015 #53

Many factories were literally dismantled and moved overseas, these were not buggy-whip makers. Dont call me Shirley May 2015 #68

Of course they aren't that stupid, But they might just be that pissed. Autumn May 2015 #43

I think there is a strong argument they weren't stabbed in the back. Hoyt May 2015 #44

Then you ought to make that argument. And the question I asked yesterday still stands. Autumn May 2015 #50

We do a ton of legwork for elections. Starry Messenger May 2015 #22

The other 88.5% sit in Right To Work states wondering where their jobs went. countryjake May 2015 #29

Oh, my. Trumka's a bully. Eleanors38 May 2015 #31

Fake Dem's working with Real Repug's, Give real Dem's a bad name. bahrbearian May 2015 #5

Voting isn't a zero-sum game. You don't have to vote for the Republican jeff47 May 2015 #8

And not voting at alll instead of voting Dem means what exactly? Cali_Democrat May 2015 #32

That the Democrat loses. jeff47 May 2015 #33

There are more opponents of free trade within the Democratic party. Cali_Democrat May 2015 #36

Yeah, that's why Democrats just voted down TPA....oh wait, they didn't (nt) jeff47 May 2015 #72

The majority of Dems in the Senate voted against it. nt Cali_Democrat May 2015 #73

And that almost matters. jeff47 May 2015 #78

If it is the sellout dems that lose over the course of several elections they will be purged betterdemsonly May 2015 #62

No, I think if this deal passes, there will be a new party. A party of the people, a Labor Party. sabrina 1 May 2015 #55

A new party? Sweet. Cali_Democrat May 2015 #56

NO, what we have now is the 'new party'. 'New Democrats', who are they? Wall St Investors. The Dem sabrina 1 May 2015 #58

Thirdway is code for third party! Interesting observation! n/t betterdemsonly May 2015 #59

So this new 'party of the people' doesn't have a website? nt Cali_Democrat May 2015 #60

Tell us again how "progressive" the TPP is, Mr. President. Maedhros May 2015 #25

K&R CharlotteVale May 2015 #26

The only unadulterated horse waste in this article is Trumka's BeyondGeography May 2015 #28

What you say should make you wonder why our prez fights so hard... countryjake May 2015 #38

They were hoping you would say that BeyondGeography May 2015 #39

Oh, I see. So fast-track and the TPP is a Republican trick to smear Obama with? countryjake May 2015 #40

They're enjoying your demoralization BeyondGeography May 2015 #42

Of course it is. Obama was just playing 630 gazillion million dimensional chess. Autumn May 2015 #51

So we can't point out that Obama is getting most of his help from Republicans? neverforget May 2015 #46

Feel free; but that shouldn't lead you to conclude that the two parties BeyondGeography May 2015 #47

"they have much bigger problems than TPP" Yep. with friends like Democrats that sell neverforget May 2015 #48

The treaty isn't worth half the spittle that has been flecked over it BeyondGeography May 2015 #49

So? Do you always go by who and not what? treestar May 2015 #75

Your post is a perfect example of doublespeak. DEMOCRATS are pushing through TPP. nt Romulox May 2015 #71

I have come to the conclusion ruffburr May 2015 #30

Rec'd ibewlu606 May 2015 #34

Here is the thing Robbins May 2015 #41

Yep. Thank you. 840high May 2015 #54

That about sums it up. (nt) Elwood P Dowd May 2015 #63

+1 liberal_at_heart May 2015 #66

I just call it plain old HORSESHIT. 99Forever May 2015 #57

K&R! marym625 May 2015 #61

They said that? MFrohike May 2015 #64

K&R woo me with science May 2015 #69

Brave Soldiers To The End colsohlibgal May 2015 #70

He hasn't really made his case treestar May 2015 #74

Trumka is absolutely correct. hifiguy May 2015 #76

kick! woo me with science May 2015 #77

K&R! Omaha Steve May 2015 #79