Final Vote on "TPP" could come in 2016, in the Middle of Primary Season--Causing Backlash

Supporters of the TPP hoped that they could get Congress to sign off on the pact before the notion of global trade gets caught in the inevitable election-year backlash against Wall Street, corporations and low-wage economies overseas that have syphoned jobs from rust belt swing states in the Midwest and elsewhere.

But now, lawmakers will be asked to take a tough vote that could expose them to attacks from opponents of the deal.

TPP nations may ink a final agreement at a ministerial meeting this summer and could present the deal as the highlight of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum later this year.

But there's no guarantee the fragile coalition assembled by Obama and McConnell -- mostly Republican but bolstered by pro-trade Democrats -- will survive. And the clock is ticking.


Between now and then, Obama must work hard to repair ties with Democrats on Capitol Hill. More mastery of Senate procedure will also likely be required from McConnell, who secured support for the fast-track authority only after promising to adopt a workers' assistance bill Republicans largely disparaged but Democrats demanded.

The wily Senate leader's normal antipathy to Obama's priorities was overcome because Republicans generally still firmly back free trade -- and he was keen to use the fast-track vote to convince voters in 2016 that the GOP has delivered results and deserves to keep its slim Senate majority.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/24/politics/trade-bill-obama-clinton-mcconnell/index.html