2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: The Bernie Sanders smear campaign has begun [View all]jerryster
(715 posts)Hello DU. Haven't checked in for some time and I admit the impetus was Bernie Sanders. First, I want to say that I'm fine with Bernie or Hillary or Martin O'Malley. My big concern is the Supreme Court and any of our Democratic candidates will choose someone better than ANYONE any of the Republican candidates would pick.
However, I titled my response Sanders and TPP for a reason. I'm sure that a lot of people have convinced themselves that if Sanders becomes President he'll tear up the TPP. Simply put, he won't. Why? Because no one upon becoming President goes after existing free trade agreements. Moreover, they fall in love with them. Remember how giddy Ed Schultz was because of what a President Obama would do with NAFTA? President Obama never even talked about it, let alone did anything to it. The other day Ed was so upset with the President regarding the TPP that he said of him " I don't know who this guy is anymore".
Again, let me stress that Bernie would have my vote - as would Hillary or O'Malley (Webb, Chafee, maybe not so much) - and I would be proud to have him elected President. But people who are convinced he would shred the TPP if elected are going to be disappointed.