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The TPP is Obama cashing out of his presidency. Notice that he's been the prime force behind the deal but he's not been front and centre in promoting the deal.
by sunstone 10y ago
The TPP is Obama cashing out of his presidency. Notice that he's been the prime force behind the deal but he's not been front and centre in promoting the deal. That's because he knows this deal represents corporate interests that are not particularly well aligned with citizen's interests.
TPP is really just a warmed over version of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI), which was the last big push corporations made to further their interests and just like that agreement the TPP will flounder in the court of public opinion. Obama though will have paid off favours he accrued during his presidency to corporate interests by making this half hearted attempt to make it happen.
In the end it's all good. Obama pays his bills and the TPP ends up in the trash where it belongs.
- rhizome 10y agoI hope you're right. Seriously, TPP has all the hallmarks of antidemocratic (specifically, not trying to throw bombs) policy being shoved down the throats of the people who will be the only recipients of its negative effects.
- snowwrestler 10y agoObama announced his intention to pursue the TPP in November 2009, less than a year into his first term. This is not something he came up with at the end of his presidency.
- sunstone 10y agoActually no. In January 2008 the Bush administration entered talks with the Pacific 4 which was the original trade organisation started by Brunei, Chile, Singapore and New Zealand and which has since morphed into the TPP under US influence. However, my original post doesn't imply anything about the timing of when the TPP negotiations originated, it just speaks to my view of what's happening with it currently.