Trade deals likely to be central in White House 'jobs' plan

[brentspeak]

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/08/02/1002263/-Trade-deals-likely-to-be-central-in-White-House-jobs-plan

So what's left for President Obama and other Democrats to push, now that any real stimulus has been precluded? Steve Benen http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_08/eyeing_the_real_crisis_not_the031232.php">says to keep an eye on "the infrastructure bank, an extension of the payroll tax break, and an extension of unemployment insurance benefits." Let's hope they aim a little higher than that, though unemployment benefits are absolutely critical. The payroll tax break extension is much less so, with its capacity to further erode Social Security.

But I suspect that what we'll really need to keep an eye on is what Marcy Wheeler http://www.emptywheel.net/2011/08/02/the-pivot-to-jobs-will-be-an-attempt-to-sell-trade-deals/">identifies as the central component of a supposed jobs push.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=yPVkeGj1ByU">Barack Obama boldly claims job-killing Free Trade deals will deliver us to economic prosperity

Obama has told us how he plans to “pivot to jobs:” he plans to focus his attention on three trade deals—with Panama, Colombia, and Korea—as a central part of his program to address jobs.

Nevermind that these trade deals http://www.epi.org/publications/entry/news_from_epi_free_trade_agreement_with_korea_will_cost_u.s._jobs">will send jobs overseas. Nevermind that these trade deals will result in fewer jobs.

Obama plans to, nevertheless, claim he wants these policies in the name of jobs.

And since Obama has more than enough votes in both the House and Senate for the trade deals, the few Democrats who aren't corrupted by corporate lobbyists and who ordinarily would be completely opposed to the trade deals have found themselves maneuvered to be vocally on board for the deals merely so they can have a legislative say in adding "trade adjustment assistance" to any deal -- assistance which has already proven to be mostly futile to laid-off workers.

[Vanje]

1. We are so fucked

I really am done.

[FreakinDJ]

5. again

[jefferson_dem]

19. Buh bye.

:hi:

Enjoy the doldrums.

[Tarheel_Dem]

2. Unrec.

:hi:

[ProSense]

3. Here

is Senator Brown's statement on the deals.

[brentspeak]

6. You mean the "trade adjustment assistance" already proven to do squat for displaced workers?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/06/us/06retrain.html

And do you mean a currency manipulation bill that Brown knows perfectly well will not be meaningfully endorsed and pushed by a White House which has already http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2011/02/obama-administration-does-not-brand-china-as-currency-manipulator.html">announced it will not brand China a "currency manipulator", after all?

How come you forgot to mention those necessary pieces of information?

[Enrique]

4. i remember debates at DU during the primaries

will he or won't he repeal NAFTA?

[ProSense]

7. "will he or won't he repeal NAFTA?"

Obama never campaigned on repealing NAFTA. He said he would renegotiate.

"I don't think its realistic for us to repeal NAFTA"

Obama suspended Bush's policy in March 2009 to renegotiate the trade deal.

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration offered a proposal on Thursday to allow long-haul Mexican trucks to move cargo in the United States.

The proposal, which the Mexican government greeted as a positive step, was the latest sign of a new willingness by the Obama administration to support free-trade measures backed by Republicans and by businesses despite objections from labor unions and other liberal constituencies.

The United States has effectively barred Mexican trucks from operating on American roads since March 2009. Mexico said the ban violated the North American Free Trade Agreement, which took effect in 1994, and retaliated by imposing $2.4 billion in punitive tariffs on a wide range of American agricultural and other products imported to Mexico.

On Thursday, the United States transportation secretary, Ray LaHood, offered a “concept document” that could help resolve the dispute.

<...>

[Enrique]

8. and yet we had raging debates about it

one thing I don't often accuse Obama of doing is misleading people, but on trade I think he is guilty of that. I recall he made all kinds of contradictory statements on his policy, and led people on all sides of the issue to believe he was on their side.

[ProSense]

9. So?

When did debate automatically mean repeal?


"one thing I don't often accuse Obama of doing is misleading people, but on trade I think he is guilty of that. "


There is nothing "misleading about: "I don't think its realistic for us to repeal NAFTA."

[Enrique]

10. actually I used the wrong word

the debates weren't about repealing NAFTA, they were about renegotiating NAFTA. I don't remember Obama saying anything suggesting he would repeal NAFTA.

[bvar22]

11. Lets ROLL the Tape!

NAFTA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LtbLEKHsi0&NR=1

EFCA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMNVIQqatyU

Cadillac Tax
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8wmN3wvhNM&feature=player_embedded

Support for LABOR
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA9KC8SMu3o


AND,
"They" will CLAIM that MORE Free Trade will create jobs for Americans!!!!

I'm STILL waiting for my NEW, High Paying NAFTA Job!
Still Waiting...but its ONLY been 17 years.

I can't believe that ANY "Democrat" would still be pimping "Free Trade" and "Free Markets".
"Free Trade" was invented by RICH Corporate OWNERS as a way to avoid Human Rights, Labor Rights, Environmental Protections,
Bust UNIONS, and access Slave Labor in 3rd World countries.
It has Worked PERFECTLY, Exactly as it was Designed,
and ANYBODY pimping MORE Free Trade KNOWS this.

Ross was RIGHT!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rkgx1C_S6ls&feature=player_embedded


MORE "Free Trade WILL cost MORE American Jobs,
but WILL raise the Profit margins of Giant Corporations.

It is time America had a Political party that represented the lower 98% who have to Work for a Living.
I am beyond disgust.



Cherish your memories, SUCKERS!
because we're TAKING everything else!
Hahahahahahaha!

[Enrique]

20. he sounds so sincere

that's why I laugh when someone presents an Obama speech as proof of something or other. Obama's words are proof of nothing.

[neverforget]

12. Jobs go overseas while American corporations rake in record profits while

unemployment is high.

[ClarkUSA]

13. Marcy Wheeler is a PUMA from Firedoglake. Her rhetoric is full of the usual Obama-bashing vitriol.

"likely" = weasel word extraordinaire

Do you have any facts or is it just one shit-stirring conspiratorial op-ed by the likes of Whacko Wheeler that you base your OP title on?

[OHdem10]

14. Give me a bigger shovel so I can dig the jobless problem deeper.

[Cali_Democrat]

15. He doesn't realize that the US has been a net loser when it comes to free trade?

Maybe he's not looking at the actual numbers? Maybe he's being fed bullshit information? Or maybe he actually is a free trader?

At this point, I have no idea what the fuck is going on, but it certainly is discouraging.

[annabanana]

16. Which begs the question: "Whose jobs?" and "Where?". . . .n/t

[brentspeak]

17. self-kick

:kick:

[polichick]

18. Oh yay, because nafta has been so good to us! WTF!?