Congressional Republicans have given their support to President Obama on his backing of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a pro-corporate, anti-worker trade deal. Republican House Speaker John Boehner has now called upon presidential candidate Hillary Clinton to publicly support TPP and fast-tracking it, reported Reuters.
“She can’t sit on the sidelines and let the president swing in the wind here,” said Boehner.
Boehner also insisted that he knows Clinton supports TPP and giving Congress fast-track authority, but “just won’t say so.”
It’s obvious why she isn’t going to be public with her alleged support. TPP and fast-track authority doesn’t have much support from Democrats, but has near-universal support from Republicans. Clinton knows this and will remain quiet because she’s trying to curry support from progressives, who staunchly oppose TPP.
TPP supporters champion the trade deal as being a step forward for internationally competing businesses and say that the deal will open new international trade markets. In reality, the TPP is a bad trade deal for American workers because it favors corporate bodies more than laborers.
Reuters noted that Clinton hasn’t gone public about her opinion of TPP, although she has said that trade deals should “produce jobs and raise wages and increase prosperity and protect our security.” Clinton gave this blatant non-answer to avoid giving a clear opinion because she’s trying to avoid alienating potential supporters. Remember, her husband was responsible for NAFTA.
Boehner is still trying pimp Republican, as well as Democratic, votes to ensure that TPP is fast-tracked through Congress.
“The fact is that the president needs her help in order to get Democrat [sic] votes in the House and Senate to get this passed,” said Boehner. “We’ve got the majority here in the House and the Senate, but we can’t do this by ourselves.”
It seems that Boehner needs the Democrats right now. That’s comforting. It shows that the Republicans can’t just impose their will on everything that comes to Congress. Anti-TPP Democrats just need to hold steady and continue the fight against anti-worker trade deals, and Hillary is going to keep quiet for now. She has potential constituents to woo.
