The House of Representatives, last Friday, narrowly voted for the most controversial element of the package of trade deals, that part of the package which allows President Obama to submit deals like the 12-country Trans-Pacific Partnership to Congress for a vote without amendments. That initial success is somewhat negated by House procedural rules that said a separate bill that included Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) - help for workers who lose jobs due to trade shifts - also had to pass. TAA was voted down, 302-126. House Republican leaders called for re-votes by today. Twisting of arms ensued, no doubt!
Public Citizen website has a straightforward piece about TPP in general.
This video (less than 3 mins. long) runs through important factors quickly and easily:
We have to be careful about who we read on this topic. I trust Elizabeth Warren:
Eric Zuesse at The Smirking Chimp website has written a set of very detailed pieces on this topic over the past few days. Read 'em and weep! Sunday's piece ended thus:
The fact that these ‘trade’ deals are being pushed right now, means that the people who are in power have concluded that, already, ‘the free world’ is so dictatorial, that the chances that their plan can now be imposed globally are about as good as is likely ever to be the case again. The time is ripe for them to establish a global corporate dictatorship. The political money this year will be flowing like never before.His Monday piece is very long - I haven't read it all myself yet, but it promises to be ve-eery interesting:
The Origin and Broader Context of Obama’s ‘Trade’ Deals.
Any thoughts?
