Populist Reform of the Democratic Party

rhett o rick

(55,981 posts) Tue Apr 21, 2015, 09:28 AM Apr 2015

If Clinton Is Serious About Economic Populism, She Should Come Out Against Fast Track

John Nichols,The Nation, April 17, 2015

Hillary Clinton has backed NAFTA-style “free trade” agreements and she has opposed NAFTA-style “free trade” agreements. Like many other prominent Democrats, she has been inconsistent in her support of what is best for workers, the environment and human rights.

But Clinton has a chance to get trade policy right when it matters. And when it matters is now.

Despite overwhelming opposition from labor, farm, environmental, and social-justice groups, Congress is preparing to consider whether to provide Obama with the “fast track” authority he seeks to construct a “free trade” deal linking the North American and Asian nations of the Pacific Rim. Imagine the North American Free Trade Agreement on steroids and you get a sense of what is at stake.

Yet, so far, Clinton’s office has offered only a statement about how she is “watching closely” as the debate evolves and a suggestion that she wants “greater prosperity and security for American families, not trade for trade’s sake.”

So what's Clinton's stand on the TPP? Well apparently "she is watching closely". I think her consternation tells us a lot about how serious to take her new populism.

more at: http://www.thenation.com/blog/204649/if-clinton-serious-about-economic-populism-she-should-come-out-against-fast-track

RUN BERNIE RUN

14 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

If Clinton Is Serious About Economic Populism, She Should Come Out Against Fast Track (Original Post) rhett o rick Apr 2015 OP

We are watching closely too. Autumn Apr 2015 #1

I love your signature quote. PatrickforO Apr 2015 #8

Thank's. Harry Truman sure was right. Bernie is more of a Democrat than most democrats. Autumn Apr 2015 #9

She played a leading part in drafting the TPP antigop Apr 2015 #2

Thanks for the reminder...some champion of the people. Forget Scooby Doo... InAbLuEsTaTe Apr 2015 #7

how can she come out against fast track when she played a leading part in negotiating the TPP? antigop Apr 2015 #10

" If Clinton Is Serious About Economic Populism"... Cosmic Kitten Apr 2015 #3

Yes. It's very easy to say that things should be better for the 99%, but it's quite another to be rhett o rick Apr 2015 #5

More then 'come out against it'..... daleanime Apr 2015 #4

Id be shocked if Hillary rails against fast track authority, but then maybe her pollsters and political consultants will convince her to do it. InAbLuEsTaTe Apr 2015 #6

I see her spouting rhetoric about how important it is for the agreement rhett o rick Apr 2015 #11

The TPP is sacred to the corporatist. I cannot imagine HRC saying a word against fast track. Enthusiast Apr 2015 #13

You and me both. InAbLuEsTaTe Apr 2015 #14

I agree. She must speak up. Our failure to support TPP is not because we don't understand it. Enthusiast Apr 2015 #12

Autumn

(45,084 posts)

1. We are watching closely too.

Reply to rhett o rick (Original post)

Tue Apr 21, 2015, 09:36 AM

Apr 2015

RUN BERNIE RUN is right

PatrickforO

(14,574 posts)

8. I love your signature quote.

Reply to Autumn (Reply #1)

Tue Apr 21, 2015, 10:24 AM

Apr 2015

I'm watching Hillary indeed. Because I don't think she is a populist at all. Your signature quote actually predicts the election results, I believe, if Hillary is our candidate.

Of course, she could still win because the Republicans in the Klown Kar are all pretty much crazy...

Autumn

(45,084 posts)

9. Thank's. Harry Truman sure was right. Bernie is more of a Democrat than most democrats.

Reply to PatrickforO (Reply #8)

Tue Apr 21, 2015, 10:28 AM

Apr 2015

antigop

(12,778 posts)

2. She played a leading part in drafting the TPP

Reply to rhett o rick (Original post)

Tue Apr 21, 2015, 09:45 AM

Apr 2015

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1016&pid=67554

InAbLuEsTaTe

(24,122 posts)

7. Thanks for the reminder...some champion of the people. Forget Scooby Doo...

Reply to antigop (Reply #2)

Tue Apr 21, 2015, 10:17 AM

Apr 2015

Eliza-liza-beth, where are you?... We got somewhere to go now...

antigop

(12,778 posts)

10. how can she come out against fast track when she played a leading part in negotiating the TPP?

Reply to InAbLuEsTaTe (Reply #7)

Tue Apr 21, 2015, 10:30 AM

Apr 2015

John Nichols should know this...I think he's trying to box HRC in, just as Elizabeth Warren did.

HRC can't come out against it because she'll tick off Wall Street and her corporate donors.

HRC can't come out for it because it will tick off the unions and people who have to work for a living.

Cosmic Kitten

(3,498 posts)

3. " If Clinton Is Serious About Economic Populism"...

Reply to rhett o rick (Original post)

Tue Apr 21, 2015, 09:47 AM

Apr 2015

Her entire "Getting Started"
roll out, would have spoken
to growing wealth inequality,
not that Americans HAVE
fought back from tough times.

She would have addressed the
real world concerns of each
"actor" in her video in terms
of the actual economic situation,
not the imagined world
she presented.

She would have identified
who, what, how and, when
the "deck was stacked"
and made a commitment
to righting that injustice.

After all, a "stacked deck"
is a tacit admission of cheating!
And we know it was criminal
in some instances.

So yeah, "if she is serious"

rhett o rick

(55,981 posts)

5. Yes. It's very easy to say that things should be better for the 99%, but it's quite another to be

Reply to Cosmic Kitten (Reply #3)

Tue Apr 21, 2015, 09:58 AM

Apr 2015

specific about making the wealthy pay their fair share.

daleanime

(17,796 posts)

4. More then 'come out against it'.....

Reply to rhett o rick (Original post)

Tue Apr 21, 2015, 09:58 AM

Apr 2015

I would want her to campaign and lobby to defeat it, hard.

InAbLuEsTaTe

(24,122 posts)

6. Id be shocked if Hillary rails against fast track authority, but then maybe her pollsters and political consultants will convince her to do it.

Reply to rhett o rick (Original post)

Tue Apr 21, 2015, 10:13 AM

Apr 2015

One can hope.

rhett o rick

(55,981 posts)

11. I see her spouting rhetoric about how important it is for the agreement

Reply to InAbLuEsTaTe (Reply #6)

Tue Apr 21, 2015, 10:42 AM

Apr 2015

to help the 99%. That's easy and won't bother Goldman-Sachs a bit. After it's passage she can be critical of the so-called agreement and continue to pretend to have the best interest of the 99% at heart.

Enthusiast

(50,983 posts)

13. The TPP is sacred to the corporatist. I cannot imagine HRC saying a word against fast track.

Reply to InAbLuEsTaTe (Reply #6)

Tue Apr 21, 2015, 11:22 AM

Apr 2015

I would be happy to find I am wrong.

InAbLuEsTaTe

(24,122 posts)

14. You and me both.

Reply to Enthusiast (Reply #13)

Tue Apr 21, 2015, 06:43 PM

Apr 2015

Enthusiast

(50,983 posts)

12. I agree. She must speak up. Our failure to support TPP is not because we don't understand it.