2015 American Politics Thread: The 114th Congress Is in the House!

i think the president has a much higher opinion of his negotiating skills than others, maybe he's thrilled about what the US is getting out of TPP? also, i think he has a higher opinion about how well he represents the interests of the 'common man,' than maybe most working class ppl.

feel free to tear this apart, but this is the strait of malacca thing i was referencing:

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2015/05/more-than-meets-eye-by-bloggersrus.html

huh interesting

It’s a bottleneck, a chokepoint, and if Malaysia is “driven into the arms of China” then China can close those Straits to shipping how, when, and as they please.

this seems awfully presumptuous

haha why would China do that anyway. "We're not shipping you anymore products!" "huh OK, have fun going broke"

otoh, it's a nice theory that ties together TPP w/ Iran negotiations as O's biggest a) trade + b) foreign policy priorities

as i anticipated:

He's simply cashing out, feathering his future nest, foaming his own landing, getting his meal ticket punched, setting the table for the feast of his 20 years of life — his post-electoral, Obama Global Initiative legacy-tour life. You can't ride the corporate stratospheric rails to Davos if corporate jet owners don't like you.

tsk Mordy, always believing the best of everypimpone.

idk the "personal gain" angle seems p weak in this instance

xposts
yeah, it also starts to veer into conspiracy theory at some point.

but i do think there must be something more to it than "obama wants rich people to like him so that he can bank after the presidency." obama is already going to make a ton of money after the presidency. it seems odd for him to burn bridges and turn his entire party against him just because he wants to have a net worth of $30 million rather than $20 million

that's dumb. being an ex-POTUS will guarantee him wealth-producing connections & expensive speaking fees for life whether or not he passes this.

like, no corporate jet owner is going to have his mind changed by this bill getting passed, sorry

xp

or what Mordy said

so that leaves...THE STRAIT OF MALACCA

who knows

it's so shitty, though, to witness the spectacle of the POTUS trying to maneuver around everyone in his party so that he can please the chamber of commerce and republicans

obama is a pretty big neoliberal right? i think he sincerely believes in the power of free trade, so it's not crazy to think he really believes in TPP as a huge stimulus to the world and US economy.

trade agreements like this are good for one particular sector of the US economy and p shitty for every other sector, as has been borne out since the 90s

i would remind you that some of the 0.0001% supported Romney last time simply bcz Obama wasn't verbally enthusiastic enough about the taste of their dicks. you underestimate his venality, i think.

Arriving as Democratic and Republican lawmakers faced off at Nationals Park, Obama was greeted with chants of "TPA! TPA!" from the GOP side — the acronym for the Trade Promotion Authority fast track bill.

i was at this game and the same drunk interns chanting TPA were begging us to put our banner down so they could get their insta of the president

obama is a pretty big neoliberal right? i think he sincerely believes in the power of free trade, so it's not crazy to think he really believes in TPP as a huge stimulus to the world and US economy.

― Mordy, Friday, June 12, 2015 3:51 PM (7 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

ding ding ding

at the least, i think--given his rhetoric about tpp opponents 'living in the past'--he believes he's acknowledging the realities of globalization and trying to make trade work accordingly. i think he's wrong that those realities are inevitable.

yeah, all this time it should be clear that he's an american consensus true believer

anyway, do we have any kansan ilxors? this shit is like watching wile e coyote realize the tunnel entrance is a painted rock

http://www.kansascity.com/news/government-politics/article23744494.html

x-post--I emailed my Virginia Dem rep re my opposition to TPP, and he emailed me back his cliched business Democrat/small business owner reasons for supporting it, as well as mentioning that he had to stand with the President.

^ that's exactly the response I'd get from my rep (Kurt Schraeder D-OR).

(shakes fist)

the other thing about that digny piece is it only is trying to explain why he's unwilling to allow the anti-slavary language to pass (bc it wouldn't let malaysia in). obv that particular provision wouldn't apply to most of the other potential partners

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/06/obama-trade-vote-meeting-with-democrats-118937.html#ixzz3criYblGc

The Hill trip followed another scrambled appearance Thursday night to the annual Congressional baseball game at Nationals Park. He didn’t mention trade, but the crowd of lawmakers and staffers knew that that’s what his unscheduled visit was about. Republicans, who generally support the legislation, greeted the president with cheers using the bill’s acronym — “TPA, TPA!”

http://i60.tinypic.com/9az7yh.png

rep gregory meeks (D-NY) on floor right now explicitly stating that if we don't pass a comprehensive trade bill, china will

what channel is PRC-SPAN on, anyway

this is showing on CPN1H for me - channel 1217

Ted Cruz: An Error Occurred

reps are really angry about the bill not addressing currency manipulation

took me a few seconds to remember where i recognized paul ryan's babyface from

pelosi sounds like she's a 'no' vote?

FAIL

Pretty sure Obama is pushing hard for this because the sole purpose of government these days is to make corporations richer and lock down their precious intellectual property for as long as humanly possible?

never let me down, Nan:

“I will be voting to slow down fast-track,” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said on the floor moments before the vote, after keeping her intentions private for months. “Today we have an opportunity to slow down. Whatever the deal is with other countries, we want a better deal for American workers.”

grats hoos

let's all sing!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BYyDusJYJo

thx guys we were watching c-span and when pelosi went up to speak, having been equivocating all week & knowing she was gonna bellwether, we all held our breath; when she started in on "this vote on TPA--or Fast Track, let's call it what it is--is moving too fast for us to get a better deal for American workers"

and my boss yelled WHERE'S THE CHAMPAGNE

would drink w/ u guys

putting a hoos on the case was their shrewdest move

good lookin out hoos

You guys can do better than champagne!

Yay. Good job

Gimlets for everyone! Mixed by Robert Bork!

http://images.politico.com/global/2012/12/19/121219_robert_bork_ap_328.jpg

Also: yet another victory for Speaker Boehner, who joins the ranks of Rayburn and Clay.

now HilRod could come out against this at her rally tomw -- a "bold move"

Whew. Now you can vote for her!

lol

Ready for Nunnery