Petition: Tell the DNC to oppose the TPP.

[Eric J in MN]

Add your name to tell the DNC Platform Committee to make sure the party's platform includes our amendment to prevent the disastrous TPP trade deal from ever coming up for a vote.

https://twitter.com/berniesanders/status/751098972928765953

[NCTraveler]

1. No thanks. I don't want to stop it from a vote.

I think it would be beyond foolish to state in the platform that something cannot even be voted on.

Literally writing anti-democracy measures into our platform would be a bad idea.

[portlander23]

2. Neoliberalism == Democracy

Got it. I'll update all the dictionaries.

[MohRokTah]

4. .

[NCTraveler]

6. They made it pretty clear with that nice bit of deflection. nt.

[NCTraveler]

5. Deflection == Debate

I'll update all the dictionaries.

Why even respond?

[portlander23]

7. Sure

That's the level or response required by "Literally writing anti-democracy measures into our platform would be a bad idea".

[NCTraveler]

8. What else would you like to state we cannot have a vote on?

You literally just defined neoliberalism as the act of voting. I understand why. Taking away the ability of congresspersons to vote was just directly defined as neoliberalism by you. Well done.

The word "neoliberalism" has taken a beating in this election cycle that it will never recover from. It is now viewed as the first choice of conspiracy theorists.

[portlander23]

9. Ah I see your point now

We should take a vote on whether or not to surrender a portion of our sovereignty to international trade tribunals. If we take a vote to cancel democracy, that's democratic. Got it. Man, we're going to be working overtime reprinting all the dictionaries.

[NCTraveler]

11. I don't see why.

The only definition changed here is the one of neoliberalism which you have clearly defined as the act of voting.

The rest seems extremely cut and dry and falls into place with current definitions.

Demanding votes cannot be taken because you would vote no seems a bit fascist to me. Don't need to redefine that one. It works well.

[portlander23]

12. Reading is fundamental

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoliberalism

Neoliberalism (or sometimes neo-liberalism) is a term which has been used since 1938, but became more prevalent in its current meaning in the 1970s and '80s by scholars in a wide variety of social sciences and critics primarily in reference to the resurgence of 19th century ideas associated with laissez-faire economic liberalism. Its advocates avoid the term "neoliberal"; they support extensive economic liberalization policies such as privatization, fiscal austerity, deregulation, free trade, and reductions in government spending in order to enhance the role of the private sector in the economy. The implementation of neoliberal policies and the acceptance of neoliberal economic theories in the 1970s are seen by some academics as the root of financialization, with the financial crisis of 2007–08 as one of the ultimate results.

[NCTraveler]

13. "Reading is fundamental"

+1

Thanks for the link. Seems you were a far way off.

[MohRokTah]

3. No thanks, I want it ratified!

[Cali_Democrat]

10. It deserves an up-or-down vote.

Period.

[Eric J in MN]

14. The TPP would make medicines too expensive for some.

The principle of affordable medicine is more important than procedural principles like up-or-down vote.

[Cali_Democrat]

17. So then let's debate it and then vote on it. nt

[Eric J in MN]

19. Republicans have a majority in the House and Senate.

Even if there is a debate, and every Congressional Democrat decides the TPP is bad, the Republicans could still pass it.

[BobbyDrake]

15. Ironic, no? That the folks who call Democrats "GOP-Lite" are the ones adopting GOP tactics?

You don't get to deny votes because you don't like what's being voted on. That is un-democratic and wrong. Just because assembling a like-minded majority coalition against something is hard work and can't be accomplished over Reddit doesn't mean you don't still have to do it.

[Eric J in MN]

18. Are you against the filibuster?

Should everything get an up or down vote?

[BobbyDrake]

20. The filibuster can be defeated by assembling a supermajority coalition of like-minded Senators.

It is a comma in the legislative process, not a period.

[Eric J in MN]

21. The filibuster is one tactic to stop legislation

...which may have the approval of the majority in Congress.

Trying to persuade the president not to submit something to Congress is another. The latter is what people such as Elizabeth Warren are trying to do.

[BobbyDrake]

22. It's not just another tactic, it's the go-to GOP response to things they don't like.

Adopting that kind of behavior isn't something to be proud of.

[benny05]

16. I Trust Elizabeth Warren's View on Stopping TPP

Video released today, via CREDO

Her point is that Obama backed away from Keystone and if enough people stand up, he'll back away on this too. I join the OP to stop TPP as there can't be any amendments to it, no compromises.

[link:

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[HumanityExperiment]

23. agreed

"But what has mattered more is merely the ability for the public to see what’s in these agreements. While there were many civil society groups protesting the deals from the start, it wasn’t until WikiLeaks published draft versions of TPP that public sentiment turned against it. The US trade representative even admitted at the time that the administration knew if the public found out what is in these trade deals, public opposition would be significant.

What progressive champion Senator Elizabeth Warren said then is even more true now: “If transparency would lead to widespread public opposition to a trade agreement, then that trade agreement should not be the policy of the United States.”