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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsHouse Democrats rebuff Obama on trade, delivering major defeat
House Democrats dealt President Obama a humiliating defeat on his free-trade initiative Friday, derailing a key priority for the president and rebuffing his rare, personal pleas for their support.
The defeat at the hands of his own party placed Obamas trade agenda in limbo and exposed deep party divisions on economic policy, leaving the pro-trade Democrats marginalized by the anti-corporate wing of the party, which has been on the rise since the 2008 financial collapse. It also exposed the weakening hand of House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who had worked for days to avoid a Democratic takedown of the presidents agenda, only to throw her support in with the rank-and-file rebellion at the last minute.
The fate of the trade legislation now depends on Obamas ability, along with business-friendly interests, to persuade dozens of Democrats to switch their votes before a planned do-over vote early next week.
The key roll call came on a measure to grant financial aid to displaced workers, with 144 Democrats linking arms with 158 Republicans in a rout that left the overall package of trade bills stalled. Despite Obamas entreaty to play it straight, Democrats rejected a program that they had almost universally supported in the past because its failure also ensured the failure of the centerpiece measure, the fast-track negotiating authority. House leaders structured the voting so that it required passage of three separate measures for the legislation to advance.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/president-obama-is-all-in-on-trade-sees-it-as-a-cornerstone-of-his-legacy/2015/06/12/32b6dce8-1073-11e5-a0dc-2b6f404ff5cf_story.html
msongs
(67,420 posts)Betty Karlson
(7,231 posts)n/t
newfie11
(8,159 posts)Why vote Dems in that are repug lite!
djean111
(14,255 posts)No matter what.