Editorials & Other Articles

BlueMTexpat

(15,376 posts) Thu Jun 25, 2015, 06:09 AM Jun 2015

Six Ways TPP Opponents Have Won - Even as Fast Track Advances

Perhaps there are a few silver linings to a very dark cloud.

6. The demands to see the secret text got some results.
WikiLeaks made public two draft chapters of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, giving ammo to the opposition and making many wonder why we were having to rely on Julian Assange for this information.

While the fast-track bill doesn’t do anywhere near enough to respond to secrecy concerns, it does require the executive branch to make public the full text of new trade agreements for 60 days before they are sent to Congress. Then lawmakers need to wait at least another 30 days before voting.

In the TPP’s case, this could help stretch out the timeline into the heat of election season, when Democrats will be even more sensitive to pressure from their base. As Public Citizen President Robert Weissman noted, “When the inexcusable and anti-democratic veil of secrecy surrounding the TPP is finally lifted, and the American people see what is actually in the agreement, they are going to force their representatives in Washington to vote that deal down.”

http://www.yesmagazine.org/people-power/six-ways-tpp-opponents-have-won-fast-track

I apologize if this article has already been posted, but I felt that some small comfort was needed, even if in duplicate.

14 replies

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Highlight:

Six Ways TPP Opponents Have Won - Even as Fast Track Advances (Original Post) BlueMTexpat Jun 2015 OP

"when Democrats will be even more sensitive to pressure from their base." dixiegrrrrl Jun 2015 #1

I really didn't mean to post and run, but BlueMTexpat Jun 2015 #6

The Democrats had their chance shawn703 Jun 2015 #2

Thanks, but I don't see much good rurallib Jun 2015 #3

Read the whole article about what the "TPP" faces going forward....It's really uplifting! KoKo Jun 2015 #12

Don't give in to defeat, continue calling and writing letters... Dont call me Shirley Jun 2015 #4

I won't call you Shirley ... BlueMTexpat Jun 2015 #7

Surely you're not serious... Dont call me Shirley Jun 2015 #9

I echo the above posts swilton Jun 2015 #5

Please see my response above BlueMTexpat Jun 2015 #8

No, Please Read the whole article..it lays out what TPP faces going forward... KoKo Jun 2015 #13

This is a Great Read!....More good stuff from the Article: KoKo Jun 2015 #10

Thanks, Koko! BlueMTexpat Jun 2015 #14

Hell yeah, TPTB are helping the cause, TPP is a damned gamechanger, right smack dab in the mother earth Jun 2015 #11

dixiegrrrrl

(60,010 posts)

1. "when Democrats will be even more sensitive to pressure from their base."

Reply to BlueMTexpat (Original post)

Thu Jun 25, 2015, 06:38 AM

Jun 2015

Ain't gonna happen.
Pelosi sold us out long before now. The minute she said "impeachment is off the table" the die was cast.
Congress did not listen when the bankers wanted the bail out, and we were plenty vocal about that.

How many times have DEMS complained about not being allowed to see a bill but then voted for it anyhow???

Patriot Act and its various forms, torture, the bailout, now TPP...

BlueMTexpat

(15,376 posts)

6. I really didn't mean to post and run, but

Reply to dixiegrrrrl (Reply #1)

Thu Jun 25, 2015, 02:31 PM

Jun 2015

have had a very busy day since I am still in the last throes of final exams at the university where I currently teach.

I am hardly looking at this event with rose-colored glasses. I am extremely upset with it.

But I also do NOT believe in living a life of gloom and doom. If I believed that, I might as well just give up now and die. It's the people who don't give up who actually get changes made. The bitchers just bitch, carp, and blame. That's easy to do. It's harder to work at it.

There are plenty of people letting their Senators and Representatives know just how angry they are with them right now. I am one of them. There are plenty of people letting the President know just how disappointed they are with him. I am one of them.

Are you letting them know? If not, then please begin doing exactly that before complaining here.

Will it make a difference? We'll never know if we don't try. And if we fail, we just get back up and try again. It's called life.

shawn703

(2,702 posts)

2. The Democrats had their chance

Reply to BlueMTexpat (Original post)

Thu Jun 25, 2015, 08:13 AM

Jun 2015

A vote for TPA was a vote for the TPP and TTIP and TSA. Every single Democrat in the House and Senate can vote against all three of those deals, but they gave up their power to amend and filibuster when they sold us out with TPA. They in essence said they are going to let the Republicans decide what's best for this country when it comes to these "trade deals". I'm guessing the traitors on TPA think they can vote NO on the actual trade deals and say they stood with the American people come election time. Hopefully they have primary challengers who speak this truth loud and often, and send them packing to their cushy corporate lobbying job which is surely waiting for them.

rurallib

(62,491 posts)

3. Thanks, but I don't see much good

Reply to BlueMTexpat (Original post)

Thu Jun 25, 2015, 08:13 AM

Jun 2015

like saying that the bathtub is still standing after the tornado hit.

Like the guy said in an earlier post - Pelosi told us long ago that they were going to do what they felt like.

KoKo

(84,711 posts)

12. Read the whole article about what the "TPP" faces going forward....It's really uplifting!

Reply to rurallib (Reply #3)

Fri Jun 26, 2015, 03:54 PM

Jun 2015

I'm not kidding you...

Dont call me Shirley

(10,998 posts)

4. Don't give in to defeat, continue calling and writing letters...

Reply to BlueMTexpat (Original post)

Thu Jun 25, 2015, 08:43 AM

Jun 2015

Every call you make to your Reps, Sens and WH is worth 4,000 constituents voices, so call.

Whitehouse Comments: 202-456-1111

United States Capitol switchboard: 202-224-3121

BlueMTexpat

(15,376 posts)

7. I won't call you Shirley ...

Reply to Dont call me Shirley (Reply #4)

Thu Jun 25, 2015, 02:33 PM

Jun 2015

if you don't want that.

But I will say that I am with you.

And no, I am not happy.

Dont call me Shirley

(10,998 posts)

9. Surely you're not serious...

Reply to BlueMTexpat (Reply #7)

Thu Jun 25, 2015, 02:54 PM

Jun 2015

swilton

(5,069 posts)

5. I echo the above posts

Reply to BlueMTexpat (Original post)

Thu Jun 25, 2015, 11:07 AM

Jun 2015

Looking at this through rose-colored glasses does nothing but postpone the inevitable truth that nothing other than people in the streets with pitchforks is going to move the ruling class. They quit listening a long time ago. The labor movements withdrawing support from candidates? Really. Makes no difference in the 'lesser of two evil' scenarios when corporate Democrats run against Republicans...makes no difference when the DNC hand-picks the sycophants that it supports....

BlueMTexpat

(15,376 posts)

8. Please see my response above

Reply to swilton (Reply #5)

Thu Jun 25, 2015, 02:36 PM

Jun 2015

as well as DCMS's!

If you've already done either or both, good for you! If not, please do it now!

KoKo

(84,711 posts)

13. No, Please Read the whole article..it lays out what TPP faces going forward...

Reply to swilton (Reply #5)

Fri Jun 26, 2015, 04:05 PM

Jun 2015

I'm as upset as all of us are...but, this article gets into the next hurdles it will face in other countries and the timeline. Plus, shows what our activism did....and that it was stalled for so long threw it off the President and Republicans time table. That's why Obama was twisting arms and putting the screws to everyone. He needed the votes to go his way sooner. It's been stalled for almost two months with the procedural stuff Elizabeth Warren and others managed to get in and even Rand Paul's Filibuster delayed the clean passing Pelosi, on this one, did try. The photos of her the day of the vote show she looked ill over it.

We can't give up hope yet-- when we see how things can change with the delays they will have to go through even before it gets to a vote the next time. Articles is a good read...

KoKo

(84,711 posts)

10. This is a Great Read!....More good stuff from the Article:

Reply to BlueMTexpat (Original post)

Fri Jun 26, 2015, 03:40 PM

Jun 2015

1. A diverse progressive coalition showed that people power can put up a real fight against big money.

The votes on fast track could not have been closer. The House vote was a razor-thin 218 to 208, while the Senate’s vote to cutoff debate passed without a single vote to spare.

The opposition included all the regulars from labor, environmental, faith, immigrant, food safety, and consumer groups. But some newish players also stepped up, like the Electronic Frontier Foundation on Internet access, as well as global health, civil rights, and civil liberties groups.

One result was more airtime for trade-related concerns that have been largely ignored in the past, including the anti-democratic investment rules and impacts on seafood safety, access to medicines, and climate. These new relationships will pay off in future fights. As Leo W. Gerard, international president of the United Steelworkers, put it, “Progressive forces have new energy from this fight.”

2. The battle exposed deep divisions within the United States, empowering allies in other countries.

U.S. Democratic congressional leaders did not roll over for this vote, so opponents in other countries can now count them on their side. And who knows what will happen when citizens of other countries, who are likely to be hard-hit by these deals, see the final text of the agreement?

BlueMTexpat

(15,376 posts)

14. Thanks, Koko!

Reply to KoKo (Reply #10)

Sat Jun 27, 2015, 07:49 AM

Jun 2015

Those were indeed some of the positive takeaways that I got.

And I love that we are creating progressive relationships in the international sphere. The world is just too intertwined any more for us to remain in our isolationist cocoons. It is not just the US that is in this struggle.

mother earth

(6,002 posts)

11. Hell yeah, TPTB are helping the cause, TPP is a damned gamechanger, right smack dab in the

Reply to BlueMTexpat (Original post)

Fri Jun 26, 2015, 03:54 PM

Jun 2015

campaign...they are too blinded by their greed to damn well get it just yet. As for the people who are unaware of TPP, oh my, my, they will be educated. Can't even imagine the response...

K & R!

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