Weekend Economists Examine (E)sc(h)atology January 24-26, 2014

[xchrom]

37. foes of obama trade pacts mostly democrats

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_TRADE_PACT_POLITICS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2014-01-25-04-06-18

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Debates on lowering trade barriers can turn Congress upside down for Democratic presidents promoting such legislation. Business-minded Republicans suddenly turn into allies and Democrats aligned with organized labor can become outspoken foes.

It's a reversal of the usual order of things, where a Democratic president can generally count on plenty of support from fellow Democrats in Congress along with varying levels of resistance from Republicans.

Now it is President Barack Obama's turn to experience such a role reversal. Already, he is encountering pockets of Democratic resistance, especially from those representing manufacturing states, to his efforts to win congressional approval for renewal of "fast track" negotiating authority.

Such expedited powers help speed the process for major trade agreements by restricting Congress to up-and-down votes on what's already been negotiated - with no amendments allowed.