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yallerdawg

(16,104 posts)
Wed Aug 31, 2016, 10:53 AM Aug 2016

Pro-trade Democrats call Labor’s bluff

Dem lawmakers who gave Obama fast-track sail through labor-challenged primaries.

Source: Politico, by Edward-Isaac Dovere

Organized labor made a lot of political threats on trade. So far, they’ve flaked on them all.

Just ask Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who Tuesday clocked an easy win in Florida over the most Bernie Sanders-identified primary challenger in the country — even after her booting as Democratic National Committee chair. She voted to give the president fast-track authority to negotiate trade deals as a precursor to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and despite all the noise in Washington, every union in her district still endorsed her.

*****

“The reality is that this is not as devastating a trade deal as some of the others have been, and ultimately card check, Fight for $15 and immigration reform are a lot more important than biologics — and the unions know that too,” said a Democratic consultant working on several House races where trade has become an issue.

Many Democrats see a harsher reality for these advocates: The anti-trade energy that Trump and Sanders got credit for tapping is less about a sudden leftward or isolationist lurch and more about overall results camouflaging ignorance about TPP outside of Washington and the reality that younger, more educated voters across parties favor open trade by wide margins.

*****

As far as political consequences, Kind said he’s got a clearer message to any House Democrat who’s agonizing over joining the coalition to provide enough votes along with the Republicans to put TPP on Obama’s desk before he leaves.

“This is survivable,” Kind said. “Definitely survivable.”

Read it all at: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/08/pro-trade-democrats-call-labors-bluff-227566
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pampango

(24,692 posts)
1. Trade will continue under existing 'free trade' agreement (NAFTA et al) and WTO rules
Wed Aug 31, 2016, 01:00 PM
Aug 2016

even with no TPP.

Tariffs are already very low and trade disputes are already resolved by arbitration panels. None of that will change. What is unfortunate is that tougher standards on labor rights, human rights and the environment will not be added.

... card check, Fight for $15 and immigration reform are a lot more important than (TPP).

A loss for TPP is a win for the status quo of the WTO, NAFTA and other 'free trade' agreements which will continue to govern trade between these 12 countries. That will do nothing for our workers and middle class because we are not addressing labor rights (card check, immigration reform and a higher minimum wage among other issues), the safety net, progressive taxation and effective regulation.

yallerdawg

(16,104 posts)
2. TPP does raise enforceable standards on labor, human rights and the environment.
Wed Aug 31, 2016, 01:12 PM
Aug 2016

And there are ongoing tariffs among Trans-Pacific Partnership members.

TPP’s strong and enforceable labor provisions will promote higher labor standards. In fact, TPP more than quadruples the number of people outside the United States that are covered by enforceable labor provisions.

TPP’s groundbreaking provisions will help the environment. In fact, TPP includes the most comprehensive environmental commitments we have ever negotiated in a trade agreement and represents a significant opportunity to address pressing environmental challenges like illegal fishing and overfishing, wildlife trafficking, and illegal logging.

TPP is one of the best tools we have to fight forced labor and human trafficking. It requires countries like Malaysia to prohibit forced labor, and we’ve already seen Malaysia take critical steps to make progress by passing anti-trafficking legislation this year.

It’s the highest standard trade agreement in history. It eliminates 18,000 taxes that various countries put on American goods. That will boost Made-in-America exports abroad while supporting higher-paying jobs right here at home. And that’s going to help our economy grow.

https://medium.com/the-trans-pacific-partnership/frequently-asked-questions-on-the-trans-pacific-partnership-eddc8d87ac73#.wil97m22t

https://medium.com/the-trans-pacific-partnership/here-s-the-deal-the-text-of-the-trans-pacific-partnership-103adc324500#.4vo3qb8nz

msongs

(67,193 posts)
6. in other words you are not going to post all the secret stuff the corporate authors want kept
Wed Aug 31, 2016, 01:27 PM
Aug 2016

hidden from the people of the US

yallerdawg

(16,104 posts)
7. Since the TPP is published online for all to see...
Wed Aug 31, 2016, 01:36 PM
Aug 2016

I'll have to defer to your "knowledge" of "secret stuff."

I'm just pointing out the appropriate place to post "secrets."

 

Rex

(65,616 posts)
3. Gee how did we ever trade before George Bush Sr.?
Wed Aug 31, 2016, 01:14 PM
Aug 2016

Some trade deals are great and others are crappy. What a shocker.

pampango

(24,692 posts)
11. No. Progressive countries with world-class equality have more 'free trade' than we do.
Thu Sep 1, 2016, 09:24 AM
Sep 2016

If 'free trade' caused inequality that would not be the case.

What these countries have that we don't are high/progressive taxes, government support for strong unions, tighter business regulation and a much better safety net - much like the US had during FDR's administration.

dmosh42

(2,217 posts)
14. I agree with your statement, but when I use the term "free trade" with the quotes, it is meant......
Thu Sep 1, 2016, 10:33 AM
Sep 2016

in a sarcastic way because when our agreements were passed, we were assured that all kinds of
protections were written in them against terrible work conditions, slave wages and other bull....
statements. We know nothing was enforced and probably payoffs made.

daleo

(21,317 posts)
12. There's ample evidence that free trade has harmed the working class in the U.S.
Thu Sep 1, 2016, 09:57 AM
Sep 2016

Ignoring that evidence doesn't make the phenomenon disappear.

"Technological progress and the resulting rise in the skill premium (positives for growth and
productivity) and the decline of some labor market institutions have contributed to inequality in
both advanced economies and EMDCs. Globalization has played a smaller but reinforcing role.
Interestingly, we find that rising skill premium is associated with widening income disparities in
advanced countries, while financial deepening is associated with rising inequality in EMDCs,
suggesting scope for policies that promote financial inclusion."

https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/sdn/2015/sdn1513.pdf

I would argue that replacing lower skilled workers with robots and other automation in developed countries has been a competitive response to the exploitation of low wage labor in the rest of the world, so these developments are inextricably linked, to the disadvantage of the working classes in developed countries.

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