The U.S. Senate advanced a measure allowing President Barack Obama to expedite approval of trade agreements, a bill with bipartisan support in that chamber that may run into strong opposition from House Democrats.
The 65-33 vote Thursday followed separate votes sought by Democrats to pass proposals curbing currency manipulation and boosting imports from sub-Saharan Africa. The Senate plans to consider amendments to the fast-track trade proposal next week.
A rebellion Tuesday among Senate Democrats seeking the currency provision previews what may be fiercer battle ahead between Democrats and House Speaker John Boehner, an Ohio Republican.
“There’s a broad feeling we have to do something against China” on currency manipulation, New York Senator Charles Schumer, the chamber’s third-ranking Democrat, told reporters before the vote on advancing the trade bill. He called the currency measure “a shot across China’s bow that we’re not going to just sit there and do nothing.”
The fast-track bill would allow Obama to submit trade agreements to Congress for an up-or-down vote without amendments. He hopes to complete a 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership and send it for fast-track approval.
So after all the "name calling" and the fighting and the "Democrats in disarray" and the "Obama suffers stinging rebuke" fast track authority passed. There will be amendments, and sure, the deal could still die in the House or in negotiations, especially with the currency manipulation provision, should it pass.
But 48 hours ago, it was "Senator Warren stops Obama's bad trade deal!"
No, she didn't.
President Obama wins, and nobody cares.
Funny how this works, huh?
On the bright side, the Kossacks had a couple of days to gloat over the
ReplyDeletevictory won by the flexing of their almighty political muscle. On the
dim side, now they will never f*cking shut up over this latest betrayal
by the hated neoliberal Third Way New Democrat corporatist shill
shellouts who run the party and perversely refuse to grant them the
authority and influence due their superiour intellect and political
savvy. After all, just look at how much better the Single Payer
National Health Program would have turned out if only President Obama
had placed DeadHead and Ray Pensador in charge of negotiating with the
Republicans.
Snerk.