Conservative talk show hosts across the country are training their fire at the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the controversial trade agreement they now refer to as “Obamatrade.”
The House of Representatives is set to vote Friday on Trade Promotion Authority legislation that would authorize the Obama administration to negotiate the TPP and other deals, then present the finished agreement for an up-or-down vote that cannot be altered. Corporate lobbyists have applied increasing pressure on undecided lawmakers of both parties.
For wavering House Republicans, the same radically conservative, anti-Obama echo chamber that energized their party during the past several elections has emerged as anti-TPP.
Nationally syndicated host Mark Levin on his show Wednesday evening slammed big business lobbying over the agreement. “Don’t you see the pressure waged by the Chamber of Crony Capitalism and all the rest?” Levin remarked, referring to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the largest corporate lobbying group in Washington.
Levin warned, “They’ll say, you see, we voted for free trade, now we’re on a level playing field — when they’re screwing us!”
A number of other leading conservative talk radio hosts devoted air time to trashing the deal on Wednesday. Lars Larson told his listeners that Obama could not be trusted to negotiate a deal in good faith, and that they should contact their representatives to register their disapproval. Sean Hannity brought on Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., to discuss “this ridiculous Obamatrade.”
Several hosts, including Larson and Levin, specifically asked their audience to visit a website called Obamatrade.com, which provides anti-TPP activists with a set of tips for persuading lawmakers to oppose the deal.
Radio show hosts on the right and left have decried how the deal has been negotiated in total secrecy. And increasingly, they both say that the deal will serve largely to enrich corporations over the interests of the public.
“They’re pushing this through not because of the American people or capitalism, but because they’re cronies and they’re corporatists, and they’re telling us to stick it,” Levin said.
(This post is from our blog: Unofficial Sources.)
Photo: Conservative talk radio hosts have directed their listeners to websites like www.obamatrade.com to organize opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership. (obamatrade.com)
. . . . ANOTHER FREE TRADE ” S E L L – O U T”. not for ………….WE THE PEOPLE – not by ……. BY THE PEOPLE…… not FOR THE PEOPLE…..and not for the country
They are searching for at least one issue that the public agrees on,and true conservatives should be protectionists,so our current crop of interventionist global trade whores in govt. are not conservatives,but neolibcons.
They’re not searching for anything. They are not playing politics you microcephalics. They perceive the obvious. ObamaCare was a hugely bad deal written and negotiated in secret. Fast forward. A trade deal is negotiated in secret. Now with this EVEN a dim witted liberal can perceive it. And rather than fess up that you were erroneous on ObamaCare you write article talking about “echo chambers” even though you agree with these guys!
It makes you all look small and stupid.
I agree. I don’t care that republicans are playing politics on this. As long as it gets stopped. It’s still extremely laughable, but right now I don’t care.
God, temporarily bless the vast gulag of conservative radio!
I do not particularly care who does it, but the TPP must be stopped! How can you claim to be governing ‘for the people, by the people’, when the only ‘people’ who actually get an invite to negotiations are multinational corporations?
These trade deals are not for the 99%! And Investor-State Dispute Resolution (ISDS) basically overrides a signatory country’s constitution with an arbitration process run on behalf of investors. If your government thinks that maybe it should pass a law to protect a critically endangered bird, then a (foreign) company can drag you into ‘dispute resolution’ with no reference to courts, often run by chambers of commerce, claiming for money it says it will lose from your new law. Most countries’ constitutions protect citizens and companies from having rights/property taken by government without recompense; this provides a further layer to that, only accessible to foreign companies, and unchallengeable. And generally behind closed doors.
The ISDS process has resulted in governments losing billions of dollars to foreign companies that are just taking advantage of laws that protect the country’s citizens. One example is plain packaging of cigarettes, in Australia. Cigarette manufacturers (who claim that they have not lost any sales through the need for plain packaging) have already tried their claims under other ‘free trade’ agreements, and if the TPP includes an ISDS provision will be some of the first users of it. Presumably they are at the drafting table – except WE DON’T KNOW! Interestingly, Wikipedia’s article on ISDSs states “In 2011, the Australian government announced that it would discontinue the practice of seeking inclusion of investor state dispute settlement provisions in trade agreements with developing countries”. (The Australian government has changed since then, and it appears its position on this issue has also changed.)
Basically, any ISDS undermines governments’ abilities to protect their citizens and puts that power in some one percenter’s hands.
And start asking why the citizens of these alleged democracies haven’t seen the text yet.
Nobody allowed to see what’s being stewed up in this deal.Former high ranking politicians taking money to represent foreign countries who are drooling for this obomination.What could possibly go wrong?
No
As much as I hate to say this as I’m a progressive. I welcome anyone who will stand up against this disastrous deal. This should show republicans that not a single republican representative cares about the people who vote for them. It should also show the Democrats that most representatives are beginning to be bought by the same corporations that bought the Republicans. I urge Republican voters to set aside two issues. Abortion and same sex marriage. Most if not all Republicans disagree on these issues. Ask yourselves these two questions. Does abortion rights in any way affect you personally, physically, financially. And does Same Sex Marriage in any way harm you? If the answer is no, set aside your disagreements on those two issues and seriously look a Sen. Sanders. He is not part of the corporate structure like Republicans and now most Democrats. You will find that you will agree with him on almost every single issue. Wouldn’t it be amazing to see people come together and totally change our government?
Contrary to how this article sounds, I am amazed by how Conservatives are far more supportive for the trade bills than their Liberal counterparts. Why is nobody in the media acknowledging such a sudden 180 from so many Republicans right now in comparison to the not so long ago pledges to veto anything and everything Obama brings to the table? And until I see Democrats filibustering to keep any of the trio of trade bills from coming to life, they can all go walk the plank as well, in my book. I just think there is a mighty big shift in how the Republicans and Obama are suddenly getting along compared to anytime prior to a few weeks ago.
It makes a lot of sense if look at it from the viewpoint that he doesn’t need to win another election. Now he needs to worry about appeasing his donors. If you look at the top contributors for Obama during the 2012 campaign, it breaks down to the financial industry and lawyers/lobbyists. Open Secrets has a nice breakdown.
https://www.opensecrets.org/pres12/sectorallc.php
Now, the financial industry tripled down on Romney during the 2012 campaign. Even more interesting, is if you look at the 2008 stats.
https://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/sectorallc.php
Wow, those are some big numbers from both the financial industry and lawyers/lobbyists. The communications and electronics industries seem to be pretty large too. I’m super curious as to what the miscellaneous business contributions from 2008 break down into.
One of the traits of conservatives is the belief in the rule of law. Another is the belief in smaller government.
Secret bills containing secret laws that are written by someone they never trusted don’t sit well with them.
I don’t want my representatives to give Obama trade power. Vote no!!
remember that when you vote….Hilary voted to give George Bush authority to preemptively start WARS – against the wishes of her constituents 70% SAID NO
– – – she quoting seeing “$ecret documents”
Presumably, much as Keith says, Republicans are doing this to show the oligarchs that they have to deal with Republicans and not Democrats if they want to get their priorities enacted. It seems likely any trade agreement that fails under Obama will return, worse, under the next Republican administration and be sold to the public as having addressed their concerns about “Obamatrade.” Or they could say nothing about Obamatrade and just extol the usual platitudes about “free trade.”
I’m glad there are some loud, angry detractors against the TPP, it’s bad. On a plus, politicians cave to them far more than they do the left. On the other hand, I can’t help but feel like this is hypocritical. If Bush was in office, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the TPP met with silence or approval.
Keith – A lot of conservatives feel duped by Bush, a lot. It may not seem like it if you watch Fox News, but they do. I live in a very conservative community and people are pissed-off about things that Bush did, but we – meaning the public – didn’t find out until he was out of office. There’s a major divide in the GOP and it’s going to get far worse before it gets better.
I have to admit, it did cross my mind that Obama might have used reverse psychology here. He’s practically the only Democrat for the TPP, after all. Maybe he figured if he’s for it, it will never make it through the House. :)
I don’t think he’s the only democrat for the TPP, but him being for it to kill it based on his own association with it is wishful thinking.
Please kill TTIP while you’re at it.
Pls guys.
Obamatrade is fine but those secret courts are evil.
I don’t care who’s advocating against TPP, or why, I’m just glad that they are. For an agreement that most of humanity is expected to abide by, very few humans know anything about it.
Opposition to the TTP is a bipartisan position: Dems threaten to sink Obama trade agenda
http://www.politico.com/story/2015/06/obama-trade-house-gop-republicans-democrats-118872.html
We’ll take any help from any side to defeat the TTP, et al. I just posted the number to local Representatives on FB asking people to tell them NO TO OBAMATRADE – I’m sure that will stir up my tea party “friends”.
Noooo!! To “Free” trade agreement!!!
We need to take care of our own. Read the small print..