Shouldn't we at least have a vote on TPP?

[Cali_Democrat]

We can have disagreements about TPP, but I think it's reasonable to at least support a Congressional vote.

Congress represents the people in our republic.

It appears Sanders doesn't even want Congress to vote on it.

------------------------------------

In a fundraising email sent days before the Democratic National Committee's full platform committee votes on the 2016 draft in Orlando, Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver shared the specific language of the amendment he would like to see inserted.

The amendment reads, "It is the policy of the Democratic Party that the Trans-Pacific Partnership must not get a vote in this Congress or in future sessions of Congress."

"If we succeed, we will be in a very strong position to stop a vote on the TPP and to fundamentally rewrite our trade agreements to end the race to the bottom and lift up the living standards of people in this country and throughout the world," Weaver continued.

The email is the latest signal Sanders' team has put out that it plans to continue to push for changes to the Democratic Party platform even after picking up a number of wins in the drafting process so far: language calling for abolishing the death penalty, raising the minimum wage, and supporting legislation breaking up the country's biggest banks, similar to the Glass-Steagall Act.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/2016-dem-primary-live-updates-and-results/2016/07/bernie-sanders-trade-platform-225133

[hollysmom]

1. The republicans want the TPP, the blue dog dems want it. the D W-S consesrvative dems want it

it will pass.

[840high]

12. I don't want it.

[hollysmom]

13. I have written all my reps

can't hurt to write yours. all I am saying is if it comes to a vote, it will pass.

[1StrongBlackMan]

2. Well ... We know how that voting thing turned out. Why press for it now?

[Ken Burch]

16. Thanks for that. n/t.

[fun n serious]

3. TPP is detrimental

to our national security. I think the left should have a vigerous debate on the issues of TPP. I do not believe people should just follow Bernie's word. People should look at every aspect of TPP and come to their own conclusion. Sanders does not have authority to make decisions for me on this issue.

[hollysmom]

14. there is a lot to cover - Idon't think we can debate it all.

there are good things there,but will they be followed? in the past worker protection violations were not pursued, will they be in the future? should we trust that the best will be pursued and the worst wont?
look, it is a big document, we have to go with theme's not every little detail.

[w4rma]

4. No. (nt)

[CrowCityDem]

5. Doesn't jive with the Dems demanding gun votes.

But given Bernie's history, it's not much of a surprise he isn't on message.

[TheKentuckian]

6. No thanks unless it is at Treaty standard otherwise it shouldn't see light of day

I don't subscribe to doing an end around the Constitution for these trade deals because it is too hard to get 2/3 of the Senate to screw us over on them.

[G_j]

7. really?

http://www.commondreams.org/views/2016/07/04/put-away-fireworks-you-dont-live-democracy-anymore

Consider:

When 91% wanted to strengthen rules on clean air and protection of drinking water, Congress – led by the Republican majority – proposed weakening them;

When 90% wanted to protect public lands and parks; the Republicans proposed putting them on sale or otherwise privatizing them;

When 74% of Americans favored ending subsidies to big oil, Congress retained most of them;
At a time when the majority of citizens favored allowing tax cuts for those earning over $250,000 to expire, the best Congress could do was to compromise on $400,000;

When 70% of Americans said climate change should be a high priority issue, Congress took no action;
Some 80% of Americans favor shoring up Social Security even if it means higher taxes and a similar number support retaining Medicare as is, but the Obama administration has twice offered cuts to both programs as part of a “grand bargain” and Republican budgets routinely seek to privatize them;

Or take this gem … more than 80% of Americans want to clamp down on Wall Street but the best we could get was weak-sister legislation that doesn’t even address too-big-to-fail or restore a Glass Steagall provision limiting the risks these big banks can take with your money. And even this slap-on-the-wrist legislation is being completely eviscerated as it is translated into regulations.

After Orlando, 92% of the people supported a bill expanding background checks to online purchases of guns, but Congress has been unable to pass it;

And when 85% of citizens supported a bill barring people on the terrorist watch list from buying guns, Congress couldn’t pass the it;

[Scuba]

8. Hey, if Americans want those things they should donate more money to politicians and buy them.

[Bluenorthwest]

9. I love that many here are eager to be tight, best buddy trade partners with vicious anti gay

regimes. I have no desire to legitimize nor empower such things. I don't care how much money it is going to make for the greed driven center right.

[Cali_Democrat]

10. LOL

[Bluenorthwest]

17. Talking about lashing and stoning human beings to death.

Your response is unfathomably calloused.

[NCTraveler]

11. Weaver makes very little sense.

Poor guy talked himself into believing they were going to win. It's very personal and many often sound like he does after a major defeat.

[Ken Burch]

15. It would be enough to have the vote after the new Congress is sworn in, if it has to happen.

Why doesn't the president just accept that the overwhelming majority of the American people don't want TPP and withdraw it?

[BobbyDrake]

20. Because there's never been a vote on it and your "majority" is hyperbole?

A poll isn't a vote. Why so many on the fringes believe otherwise, I can't comprehend.

[Bluenorthwest]

18. Hillary Clinton: “I oppose the TPP agreement — and that means before and after the election.”

I'm with her.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/clinton-does-not-back-obama-trade-vote-in-post-election-congressional-session/2016/05/05/ce94f76e-12d7-11e6-8967-7ac733c56f12_story.html

[BobbyDrake]

19. We criticize the GOP for blocking votes, and then Bernie calls to block a vote.

A stunning display of hypocrisy on his part.

Voting is how Congress functions. Being afraid you're going to lose a vote is not a sufficient excuse to block one.